You Can’t Abdicate and Eat It

The next meeting of the Society takes place on Thursday 9th March 2017 at 7:30 pm in St. Andrew’s Church, Bilston Street, Sedgley. The speaker is Mary Bodfish, a favourite with local history groups and Chairman of Smethwick Local History Society. 

Mary’s illustrated talk explores the Wallis Simpson and Prince of Wales love affair and subsequent consequences. Locally Himley Hall features in this spicy tale which leads to the constitutional crisis in 1936. 

The British Monarchy never fails to surprise. Several kings have been forced off the throne, only Edward VIII left voluntarily making it one of the most remarkable Royal events of the C20th.

As usual visitors are invited to come along – cost £1.

2017 Winter Teaser - Answer

This building was used as a cinema for nearly 50 years. The challenge we set was to discover its original purpose.

The Picture House, at the south end of Dudley Road in Upper Gornal, was originally built as a ‘public hall’. By 1912 Mr. J. Lewis was named as the proprietor of the Palace Electric Theatre – a cinema.

Ned Williams, the Black Country cinema and theatre researcher, discovered the Sedgley Public Hall Company built the premises in the 1880s with high hopes of owning a theatre! (In the early years some concerts did grace the stage.)