WATCH: Historic Aldridge Manor House honoured

It served as a hospital for wounded soldiers during the First World War, was a doctor's surgery and has been the home to a 'legendary' youth club. Now, 100 years after opening, the history of Aldridge Manor House has been celebrated with the unveiling ceremony for a prestigious blue plaque.

It means the building in Little Aston Road is now recognised by English Heritage – and follows a campaign organised by the Aldridge Great War Project, Walsall Council and councillor Tim Wilson.

Councillor Timothy Wilson said : "The project took 18 months to come to fruition and was the culmination of hard work by The Aldridge Great War Project and Walsall Council.

"Aldridge is proud to have such an iconic building and I believe that it is right to recognise the importance of such buildings and to highlight how crucial they were in times of war and I believe this blue plaque does that."

The building's history is the subject of a book, A Patriotic Endeavour, written by local historians Sue Satterthwaite and Len Boulton, which was released last year.

Margaret Smith with a photograph of her mother, Eva Brookhouse, who was a nurse at the house during World War One

Sue Satterthwaite, chairman of Aldridge Great War Project, said: "The Manor House has always been important to the people of Aldridge having been a doctor's surgery, overspill classrooms for Cooper and Jordan School, a library and of course the home of the legendary Manor House Youth Club. But it is its role as the Aldridge Auxiliary Convalescent Hospital which sets the House apart from others in the village and makes it fully deserving of a Blue Plaque.

"The hospital made a real difference to the lives of the 941 patients it treated and it is right and fitting that we should recognise what was done here 100 years ago.

"I hope that the Blue Plaque will serve as a permanent reminder of a remarkable effort by the people of Aldridge and encourage more people to learn more of the inspiring story of the Aldridge Auxiliary Convalescent Hospital."

The Aldridge Great War Project dates back to 2013, when a group of local people got together to consider how Aldridge might commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Great War.

By the time of the official launch of the Aldridge Great War Project (AGWP) on August 4, 2014, Aldridge School and local organisations, groups and businesses had pledged their support.

They aim to research and record every Aldridge person who made a contribution to the Great War to help local people discover their own Great War ancestry and broaden their knowledge and understanding.