King's Heath Walk of Fame

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Triple Celebration planned for King's Heath Cluedo inventor Anthony Pratt

Read the Birmingham Mail article: "Cluedo founder Anthony Pratt has a pavement plaque dedicated to him in the B14 postcode of King's Heath"

Bob Prew and Ken Whittaker came up with the idea for a 'Kings Heath Walk of Fame' Anthony Pratt, who created the Cluedo boardgame while working in a wartime tank factory in Birmingham, is to be honoured in King's Heath, where he was living at the time. Largely ignored and forgotten when he died aged 90 in 1994 he is to have his life celebrated in three different ways in the Autumn.

Firstly, a pavement plaque commemorating the civil servant is planned for York Road in September as part of the ‘King's Heath Walk of Fame’. Secondly, a presitigious Blue Plaque is to be placed on the wall of 9 Stanley Road where he and his wife were living during the second world war when he invented the hugely popular boardgame. And thirdly, author Jonathan Foster's book (featured here) on one of King's Heath's most famous residents will be published entitled: "The Cluedo Story; How Anthony Pratt invented the game of Murder Mystery"

Anthoy Pratt invented the famous boardgame, with the help of wife Elva, during the war years – a time he spent making tank components in a Birmingham factory. Originally titled ‘Murder’, Pratt had it patented in 1944. Waddingtons bought the overseas rights nine years later, paying Pratt only £5,000.

“Once you start looking,” said Ken Whittaker and Bob Prew who came up with the idea of creating King's Heath's very own Walk of Fame, “it is amazing how many famous people have links to King's Heath. We hope to honour at least 20 of them. The project is going from strength to strength and we have more and more names. 1948 Olympic cycling Bronze medalist Tommy Godwin lived and owned a shop here, Frank Skinner and UB40 started their careers here...There is so much more. We can’t just let the memories fade away.”

Bob and Ken

Picture of Bob Prew and Ken Whittaker, and article - both courtesy of Mike Lockley at the Birmingham Mail

For more on Anthony Pratt, click here

The Beatles in King's Heath 50th Anniversary Celebration ADVANCE TICKETS SOLD OUT!

Top local musicians and DJ's will be playing their favourite Beatles songs in a sell-out event to celebrate the 50th. anniversary of a Beatles concert at the Ritz Ballroom (now Cash Converters) on King's Heath's York Road.

Fletchers bar on York Road directly opposite the former ballroom will host the event from 12.30 to 4.30 p.m. on Friday 15 February 2013 exactly 50 years after the appearance of The Beatles at the ballroom.

Due to exceptional demand, all advance tickets for the event sold out within less than a fortnight. Only a very limited number of tickets will be available on the day so arrive early to avoid disappointment!

The Beatles appeared at the Ritz Ballroom - one of 4 venues run in the 1950's and 60'sby legendary Irish Couple Ma and Pa Regan - on 15 February 1963 shortly after releasing their second single "Please Please Me". Originally scheduled to appear on 11 January, they were prevented by blizzard like conditions from making the 11 mile journey to King's Heath from one of the Regans other venues - the Plaza in Old Hill.

Beatlemania was now really taking off and the Beatles were only able to enter and leave the Ritz by climbing over the rear fence in Milford Place.

"Tell them to turn that racket down" is what Pa Regan is rumoured to have shouted while they were practising! But he was a very happy man really. He had persuaded Brian Epstein to agree to them performing for their previously agreed fee even though they were now No. 1 in the charts!

After their performance, Paul McCartney and George Harrison wrote a personal message to one of their fans in her autograph book, "To Janet, love from the Beatles", signed their names and followed this with three kisses. 43 years later these autographs were auctioned at Christie's in London.

A great day's entertainment will help celebrate this truely historic event in King's Heath's musical legacy.

Any local musicians or DJ's who would like to appear at the anniversary event should contact:

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Read the Birmingham Mail's article on this event by clicking on this link:

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/music/gig-remembers-night-50-years-1289969