2024 Barnett-Genge Lecture: The Jewel in Dudley's Crown
The ninth Andrew Barnett & Trevor Genge Memorial Lecture takes place on Thursday 10th October at 7:30 pm in St. Andrew's Church, Bilston Street, Sedgley. The speaker is Rob Broadbent who is well acquainted with the scenery and importance of the Wren's Nest.
Rob presents a history of limestone working on the site and its status as one of the most notable locations in the world for the study of geology and fossils.
The evening is an opportunity to hear about the Seven Sisters and the iconic Calymene blumenbachii better known as the Dudley Bug.
Admission is £2 – exact amount appreciated.
[Schoolteachers, Andrew Barnett and Trevor Genge were co-founders of the Society in 1984. Andrew launched the Sedgley Local History Museum (closed 2004) and Trevor published five books on the Sedgley Manor villages. Both were avid researchers and staunch supporters of conservation projects.]
2024 – Summer Teaser Answer
A black horse in an unusual place! We asked what was the story?
In 1987 British Rail commissioned Kevin Atherton to create an art installation to run at the side of the line from Wolverhampton to Birmingham. It was proclaimed as 'the longest sculpture in the world' - 12 black silhouettes of horses titled "Iron Horses".
With the passage of time the metal structures suffered from graffiti, vandalism and rusting. Eventually one horse was recovered by local volunteers, fully restored and installed on Coseley Station, Platform One. Originally erected nearby in the Roseville section of the line it was aptly christened Rosie on relocation in 2023.
The artist returned in the summer of 2024 to see Rosie and thank the Bayer Street Allotments group who had successfully repaired the horse and negotiated with the rail companies for a prime position.
