NEWS (June 2007): Summer Walk/Spring Teaser Result/Cycling in the 1890s

Walk the Whitehouse Way!

The evening Summer Walk, on Thursday 14th June, will leave from St. Andrew’s Church, Bilston Street, Sedgley at 7 pm prompt. Your guides are Lorna Stevens and Trevor Genge.

Members of the Whitehouse family were Victorian iron masters, landowners and local benefactors. Their wealth centred on the Priorfields ironworks situated on the opposite side of the canal to the Cannon iron foundry in Coseley. The ironworks failed before the First World War and the family homes, Townsend House and Turls Hill House, no longer stand.

The walk will end with a visit to All Saints Church in Sedgley. Here there are several family memorials.

Spring Teaser Result

2007 Spring Teaser

The trio of symbols appeared in the Manor in the 1950s [clue!]. Find the building and explain the hieroglyphics.


The symbols can be seen above the main entrance to the old GKN Technology Research Laboratory located on the Birmingham New Road in Parkfield. Built in Coronation year, 1953, it is locally listed by Wolverhampton City Council and a striking example of mid C20th office architecture. The alchemy symbols, from left to right, represent Mercury, Salt and Sulphur - the three Principles of Alchemy.

Here the salt symbol is shown with a vertical bar, more often it is horizontal. Also ‘salt’ can mean ‘common salt’ or ‘saltpetre’. Research the confusion - more mysterious markings are revealed here.

Cycling in the 1890s

The Society is keen to hear about the Sedgley Unity Cycling Club. Are there any photographs of its members? Does anyone have details about the Club and its riders? Please contact the Society if you can help.