Unofficial Halesowen Town FC Forum

http://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/News ... 102013.htm

Brilliant and fascinating article in this week's Bugle

The plot thickens. I guess though, that unless somebody turns up a previously unseen paper cutting or the like we will never find out the origin. And many have tried. Anybody that could tell us for sure would surely have passed on.

More from others on Facebook pages:
" This (Buffalo head) was on the building of the button factory before it was pulled down , i do think it was taken off before the old building was pulled down . The button factory Stourbr*dge road .
"This is one of the sculptures that decorated the former Button Factory. I photographed the sculptures shortly before the demolition because I do not think we shall see them again.
"There are various old mentions in Google books of the word Yelts as being a pronunciation of the word Gelts "Yelts, for young Sows before they have had their first Fare of Pigs"."

And more. " Just out of interest I have also found Yelts used as the brand name in this newspaper ad....Exeter and Plymouth Gazette - Friday 15 July 1927
YELTS. —Wonderful British Preparation for Insect Bites and Skin Troubles, Is, 2s 6d, post free. —19, Coombs-road, Halesowen, Worc . Buying Agents and Canvassers wanted."

Laurel Lane Lamper wrote:And more. " Just out of interest I have also found Yelts used as the brand name in this newspaper ad....Exeter and Plymouth Gazette - Friday 15 July 1927
YELTS. —Wonderful British Preparation for Insect Bites and Skin Troubles, Is, 2s 6d, post free. —19, Coombs-road, Halesowen, Worc . Buying Agents and Canvassers wanted."

maybe then we gained a reputation for taking the bite or sting out of opposition play and perhaps were unable to use the name with the S on the end because it was a branded product although I doubt copyright laws existed in those days in the same form as they do now.

A mate of mine tells me his mother, who's now in her nineties (his Grandad is an ex-Yeltz Chairman from 50s/60s), says that she relates that she often heard the phrase "going down the Yelts" and it could have been going down the hills as the town centre had many hills leading down to it. She says it was a slang or base term she wasn't keen on.