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BLACK COUNTRY MEMORIES CLUB
This meeting was held (on a day when the rain mostly held off) in the Parish Hall and Club Room of Holy Trinity Church, Oxford Street, Bilston:
Our thanks go to the Priest and everyone else at the Church for their kindness in letting us use their hall.
This is the church hall, shortly after the start of the meeting. A lot of people at the meeting knew this hall well - it used to be their school. It was then divided into three class rooms: nearest the door was Mrs. Hoffler's class, in the middle was the class of the Headmistress, Miss Flora McCabe, and at the far end was Miss Aggie Johnson's class.
But to-day, nearest the door and where the children used to hang their coats, were Kath Morgan and Jean Taylor, selling copies of our book - Tom Larkin's compilation of Bilston memories.
And next to them was John Hughes, with another fascinating selection of his old photographs of the area. Just like at the last meeting, John was so busy we only got a back view of him (on the far left).
Reg Summerfield (on the left) had a great selection of show business memorabilia, including signed photos of many of the stars who had appeared in various Black Country venues. Gerald Hanrahan (on the right) had his display of photographs and other historic documents. (He is looking at the camera a bit quizzically, as he is a real photographer and the person taking this photo is not!).
The City Council provided this display about the proposed future development of central Bilston - a very important matter locally as the old town still tries to come to terms with the loss of its industry.
Reg Humphries was showing some of his paintings, including local scenes and (second from the right) his semi-abstract evocation of the Black Country landscape. (To read Reg's memories of the old characters of Wednesbury market, click here).
As ever, a central point of the meeting was Trevor Genge's talk. This time it was about "Christmas Day in the Workhouse", a great evocation of that sad but important institution. Here he is propping up the bar - only the tea bar, of course. Trevor is working on the history of the Edge shoe factory ...
... and here are some of the people who are helping him with it. They all worked at Edge's (except, I suppose, the dog) and they include our Treasurer, Derek Barratt (far right) who found a moment to slip away from the membership desk. The ladies are holding photos of an Edge's works outing.
And here are three from MEB: Sheila McTaggart, Kenneth Geairns, Tom Larkin.
Trevor gave his talks in the club room and afterwards there was a lot more chat and reminiscing. That is our Secretary, Alma, on the far left; this might be the only moment she sat down all day. To the right of Alma is Kathleen Welfort, then Mary (Titley) King. Christine Morris is at the front and I think that is Sheila Titley on the far right.
On the right are Mr and Mrs Fred Danberry. And then there's Kath Keily in the pink, who was again showing part of her amazing collection of family and local photos (you can see some of them by clicking here). Next to her is Sheila Titley, then Christine Morris and Sheila Meese. Joe Knight is at the back. (He provided us with a remarkable story of his grandfather - you can read it by clicking here). Sitting on the right are, I think, two more Morris ladies, Tom Larkin and John Hughes standing next to him - a front view of John at last!
I have an idea that nearly everyone in this group went to school here at Holy Trinity. If so, it must have been quite a school. Back row, from the left: Trevor Genge, Tom Larkin, Kath Davis, Jean Taylor, Dorothy Morris, Mary Dudley, Sheila Meese, then a lady whose name I didn't get, Kath Eggington, Gerald Hanrahan, Mary King, Sheila Griffiths. Front row, from the left: Ms. Morris, Kath Kiely, Sheila Titley, Christine Morris, Alma (Bennett) Darby, Mary (Bowen) Colbourne, Kath Bennett.
Betty Vann had brought along a lovely wedding dress in white satin. It was made for Betty's mother-in-law, Nancy May Vann (nee Hughes) by her mother, who was a seamstress. The wedding was in 1938. And the young lady on the right is Nancy Vann.
Isobel Bickley (sorry! no photo of you, Isobel. Can you let me have one?) bought in this very interesting - and puzzling - ship in a bottle. It was bought by her Father many years ago, with the assurance that it was made in the Black Country to celebrate a visit here by the then Prince of Wales. The pennant on the ship reads "God Bless the Prince of Wales 1923". So what was the Prince of Wales doing round here in 1923? It was 1928 when he came to open the Birmingham New Road. But no one seemed to know what he was doing here in 1923 - other than enjoying himself at Himley Hall. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Arthur Wilkes came along with this extraordinary walking stick. His grandfather got it in Africa, sometime before 1914. It is made out of a cabbage stalk, with a brass tip on the end. Apparently they could grow a cabbage with a stalk this long in one year. (Arthur is also holding his usual cigarette. Arthur's doctor told him that "Those cigarettes are killing you slowly". "That's all right" said Arthur "I'm in no hurry").
Inside the hall our publicity man Jim Speakman, seems to have ideas for using Arthur's stick, if our Chairman, Brad Purshouse, cannot get it first. But Trevor Genge has retired from being a head teacher and the antics of naughty boys no longer amuse him. We held a raffle to raise funds and it was very successful - many thanks to those who gave prizes and those who sold tickets. And welcome to those who joined the club. And thanks to the many who gave donations on the door. Finally, in the last but very definitely not least section, we have:-
Floss Higgs, Sam Davies and Mary Colbourne |
