Annual General Meeting plus 'Sketches & Memorabilia'
The next meeting of the Society takes place on Thursday 8th May at 7:30 pm in St. Andrew’s Church, Bilston Street, Sedgley.The short Annual General Meeting
is followed by presentations from members Ron Baker and Bryan Hollies.
Ron is showing his sketches of the Sedgley area and Bryan items from
his various historical collections.
Ron Baker is selecting some unpublished work from his portfolio of over 300. His drawings are a valuable record of cottages, farms, houses, mansions, churches and chapels – even detailed street scenes.
Bryan Hollies has spent a lifetime amassing an amazing assortment of
books, prints, documents and domestic & work place paraphernalia.
His choice will almost certainly contain some surprises.
2008 Spring Teaser
Walking the Manor’s graveyards can lead to amazing discoveries. Name the site and importance of this cross. The full history is sketchy - send us an email with your answers.
2008 Winter Teaser - Answer
This decorated doorway frames the entrance to one of the Manor’s most important buildings. Location, past owners and history made up the challenge
Currently this is the entrance to the Park Hall Hotel situated on Park Drive in the Goldthorn Park estate, now in Wolverhampton, but in Sedgley until 1966. Originally known as Sedgley Park it was the mansion probably built by the Parkes family around 1705. A grandson of Anne Parkes of Willingsworth, John Ward, titled later as Baron Ward and then the 6th Lord Ward, moved from here to Himley Hall in the 1740s/1750s. The buildings were let from 1763 to the Catholic Church and used as a boys school [Sedgley Park] until the 1870s. The motif could be associated with John Kemble who attended the school and became a celebrated Georgian actor. Its provenance is uncertain.
Sedgley Local History Society [SLHS]
Sedgley Local History Society [SLHS] is a Black Country group based in the village of Sedgley, which is situated at the northern tip of Dudley Metropolitan Borough and just 3 miles south of the centre of Wolverhampton.
Here, the heritage of the Manor of Sedgley, in south Staffordshire, is focused through its nine villages - Sedgley, Gospel End, Cotwall End, Upper Gornal, Lower Gornal, Woodsetton, Coseley, Ettingshall and Brierley. A history of people, places and events.
Please contact us if you have any comments, suggestions, contributions or questions.
2007/2008 Programme
Interested in talks at SLHS? Take a look at the 2007/2008 programme:
Trevor Genge honoured by Dudley
At a March ceremony to mark the presentation of the four 2008 Civic Awards, the Society’s founder member received the Thomas Attwood award for education. Trevor Genge’s citation noted his outstanding contribution through countless talks, presentations and many publications. This was a richly deserved recognition for many years working in the field of education as a teacher and renowned local historian. He was given a plaque and an exclusive hand crafted glass vase.
The photograph shows Trevor signing copies of his book, Sedgley & District - A Fifth Selection, at Queen Victoria Primary School in May 2004.
SPOTLIGHT ON ... Woodsetton Methodist Church
Opened on December 5th 1882 the Wesleyan chapel and Sunday school had a clear view of Parkes Hall Road joining Tipton Road. Now hidden behind houses and an electricity substation both buildings are easily missed.
Known locally as ‘The Little Chapel’ or ‘The Rhubarb Chapel’ and latterly as ‘The Chapel under the Hill’ the neat brick buildings originally cost £841, paid to John Jones & Sons of Sedgley. Over the years dedicated congregations funded upgrades to heating and lighting, donated stained glass windows, and contributed to extensions and the never-ending cycle of redecoration and repairs.
Sadly this locally listed chapel closed in December 2007 bringing Methodist traditions in Swan village to an end. [The last service at nearby Mount Tabor Methodist was Easter 1998.] Mounting maintainence costs took their toll – an oft-repeated story throughout the Black Country. Now the future is bleak. Rumours of demolition always overshadow such closures. The Society will follow the news hoping a suitable reuse, as in the case of Mount Tabor, will save the Victorian buildings.
The north-east views, taken in January 2008, show the church and the Sunday school at the rear.
Sedgley Journal back after 132 Year break
The Society has just printed an occasional newssheet cribbing part of a title from a weekly Victorian newspaper.
The news is new even if the name is old. 'Read all about it' here.
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