History is blooming in Graham’s garden
ONE of the most frustrating aspects of lockdown for many of us has been the lack of football.
Though the game is now back, finally, it’s all going on behind closed doors. And surely no one is feeling the pain of being kept away from Molineux more keenly than Graham Hughes, the club’s retired historian, who still spent every spare minute at the ground until Coronavirus put a stop to everything.
Nurseries
But even confined to home, Graham has plenty to remind him of his beloved club. He lives in Codsall, a few miles from Wolverhampton, and his bungalow stands of the site of what was once James Baker’s nurseries.
Baker was for many years chairman of the Wanderers, and his high standing in the town came from his flower business, with his blooms grown on several acres of land in Codsall. Where Graham’s house now stands was once rows of huge greenhouses, and the company’s main outlet was in the middle of the town on Queen Square.
On the wall of his home is a plaque commemorating that link to a bit of Wolverhampton history. George Russell MBE worked for Bakers and was a master breeder of flowers, and his famous Russell Lupins also live on in Graham’s garden, just in front of the plaque that bears his name.
Rose
And that’s not the only Wolves connection – right in the centre of his front lawn is a bloom called the Molineux Rose, specially bred just up the road by the famous David Austin Roses. It was in full bloom when we paid Graham a quick visit recently.
Though he can’t currently get to Molineux, the club have made sure that they come to him.
“The girls from the club have been looking after me,” Graham told us. “They bring me meals and do my shopping for me. They’ve been wonderful.”