2026 Barnett-Genge Lecture: Beers and Breweries of the Black Country

The eleventh Andrew Barnett & Trevor Genge Memorial Lecture takes place on Thursday 8th October at 7:30 pm in St. Andrew's Church, Bilston Street, Sedgley. The speaker is Keith Hodgkins chairman of Tipton Civic Society and passionate Black Country heritage campaigner.

The Black Country has suffered a decline in beer sales since at least the 1980s. The habit of 'going out for a drink' is losing out. Keith uses his collection of archive photographs to follow the fortunes of the local beer trade.

Keith's presentation looks at fifty years of changes covering sad losses like Banks's & Hanson's, heritage revivals such as Sarah Hughes beers and welcome newcomers including Black Country Ales.

Meanwhile Bathams brewery in Brierley Hill and Holden's brewery in Woodsetton have bucked the trend surviving as family run businesses for over a century.

Admission is £2 – exact amount appreciated. Visitors are always welcome.

[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.]