SAP_13FAMILIESANDPROMINENTPEOPLE

LOCALHISTORIANS

Creditingworkoflocalhistorians

TrevorGenge AndrewBarnett

RonBaker ChrisSmith

SPORTSPERSONALITIES

BobbyThompsonBobbyjoinedWolvesasayoungsterin1959andsignedprofessionalformsinJuly1961.Hisdebutwasin1962andheplayedforthemthroughoutthe60s,making278appearancesinthelatteryearsofStanCullis’s16-yearmanagerialreign.HisbestfinishwithWolveswas5thintheFirstDivisionin1962-3.HemadethefirstofeightinternationalappearancesforEnglandinthe8-3HomeInternationalvictoryoverNorthernIrelandinNovember1963.In1969

TheSportsmenwasasportsshopopenedbyEricMorecambe.DaveFeredaythegolfer,andBobbyThompsonweretheowners.

PhilParkesLivedinMonumentLane,Sedgley.

BeginninghisfootballcareeratWalsall,turningprofessionalin1968,hemadeover50appearancesintheBlackCountrybeforemovingtoLondon,signingforQueensParkRangersfor£15,000inJune1970.HisQPRdebutwasonSaturday22August1970ina3–1defeatathometoLeicesterCity.

HewasapupilatDormstonSchoolfromSeptember1961toDecember1965.

TommyPostlethwaite–SnookerChampion

SEDGLEYFAMILYBUSINESSES

TheSlaterfamilyofSedgleyShoeBox

MomandDadrantheShoeBoxinBilstonStfrom1959-86.

DadusedtotakemedowntoMolineuxongamedays.(Hadhisownworkshoprightnexttothetunnel,wherewecouldstandonthebenchandwatchthegame)RemembergettingamatchballfromtheWolves,signedbyalloftheplayers!Ofcourse,whatdidIdo?Kickeditaroundthestreetsandworeoffthesignatures!TheDoog,Waggy,wouldhavemadeanicepieceofmemorabilianow!

TheSlaters’ShoeBoxinBilstonStreetinthe1980s

TheHubandfamilyrantheWimbushshopinHighStreetSedgley.

FrancesHuband,wholivedabovetheshop

TheHubandFamily-Cakes

ThelateChrisEgginton’sfamilyranEgginton’spharmacistsintheBullRingSedgleyfromaroundtheturnofthelastcenturyuntilthe1970s.Beginningasadispensingchemist,thebusinesslaterexpanded,latterlybecomingalocaldepartmentstore-atonestageitevenboastedacoffeelounge.

TheEggintonFamily–ChemistsintheBullRing

TheCartwrightfamilynewspaperbusinessinDudleyStreet

CharlieCartwright’sNewsagentsbusiness

TheButlerFamilyof1BullRing–Drapers;MusiciansFamilylivedat1BullRingsince1881(census)-tilllate1930s;runbyButlersisters(Elizabeth?;Annie;Mary)untilsoldtoHartillsButchersSydneyButlerbecameafamousoperatictenor;andfoundedSedgleyOperaticSociety

AtkinsUndertakers.14HighHolborn,Sedgley.“Mostkidshadpaperrounds,butmypart-timejobthenwastohelpwiththeremovalofbodies-notforthefaint-hearted!”MyrootshavealwaysbeenfirmlyplantedinSedgley.Ididn'tcarryonwithmyfather’sbusiness,asIdidn’treallyfeelitwasquitethethingforayoungladtodo.Itookuphairdressingandhavecontinuedwiththisthroughoutmylife.Ihaven'tmovedfarfromHighHolborn,asInowtradeintheBullRing.Mybusiness,OliverTwistHairDesign,hasbeentradinginSedgleyfor22years.

“We’vebeeninthecycletradeinSedgleysince1895–theoldestsurvivingbusinessinthevillage.BDPriceSuperstorewasbuiltin1987/88onthesiteoftheterracedhousewhereIwasbornin1940.AtthetimewewerebasedinHighStreetinwhatisnowtheCoopFuneralServicesshop.Shopfittersinstalledsomeoftheshelvingandwebroughtpegboardingacrossfromtheoldshop.WeranthetwoshopsinparallelforaboutaweekuntilwewerereadytransferoperationstoHighHolborn.Thetoysectionofourbusinessbeganinaround1962/3.“

DanPrice-BDPriceToyandCycleSuperstore

TheBrookesFamily–ToolsandindustrialmachiningTools

GrahamBrookes,JanetBrookes,RogerFellows,AlanBrookes

Begantradingin1904.Thefamilycompanycontinuedthroughsonsandgrandsons.Theymadewoodworkers’tools;alsomachinetoolsforindustry.

“JanetstilllivesinthehouseingospelendstdouremembertheyhadatrainthatrunrightacrossthefrontofthetwohousesloveditwenwewerechildrenMrsBrookswasareallylovelyladyIusedtoserveherwhenIworkedinRobinson’sfruitanflowershopshewasalwayssonice”

TheWhitmorefamilyofSpoutHouseFarmCotwallEndRoad

JohnNickolds”MyDadworkedatSpouthousefarmforRegandAliceWhitmoreinthe50s”

Q:Whatwasyourfamily’sconnectionwithSpoutHouseFarm?Iwasbornin1926onthefarmitself.Itbelongedtomydad(whowascalledReg)andmum,andbeforetheyhadit,mygrandfatherhadit.MyfamilynameisWhitmore.MygrandfatherhadSpoutHouseFarm,andwhatwecalled‘TopFarm’onSandyfieldsRoad,alsocalledGreenhillFarm.Q:WouldyourgrandfatherhaveownedthosefarmsinVictoriantimes?Yes,Iwouldsayso.MygrandfatherboughtSpoutHouseFarmfromtheLawfamily,whohadowneditforgenerations.Q:WhatkindoffarmwasSpoutHouse?Itwasadairyfarmmainly.Wegrewvegetables,potatoesandwheattooandotherfoodstuffstofeedthecowswith.Itwas‘organic’inthosedays-therewasnoneofthis‘patent’stuffuntillateron(iechemicalsforkillingweeds).Yearsago,weusedtogoupanddowntherowswithahoe,togettheweedsout–youdidn’tgetanythingoutofabottlethen.Wehadamanwhowoulddoit.

TheFieldfamilybutchers’businessinBullRingSedgley.

PUBLANDLORDS

GeoffreyBanghamLandlordofTheSwaninthe1980s

�”Arealcharacter!HekeptTheRoyalOakatHiltonforsomeyearsandalsoQuarterhouseonComptonRoadandindeedwasagreathost�”

AbdullPatell:“Igotbannedandcalledan"article"morethanonce,butsodidalotofyoungfellaswhodrankintheswanlol”

POLITICIANS

CouncillorAlanHicklingMrsMurielHickling’s‘ElizabethCooper’ClothesShopatthecornerofHighStreetandBilstonStreet

ManufacturingChemist.Usedoldstableblock.SuppliedsnufftoAlfredPreedy;madefirstmarkerpen;startedDormstonTradingEstate;SedgleyUDCChairman1962

Interestedintheatreorgans.WurlitzerfromGaumontWalsall;replacedbylargerWurlitzerfromCityCinemaLeicester.

EDUCATION

FormerDormstonHeadteacherBarbaraO’Connorwhowasthedrivingforcebehindgettingthetheatreandsportshall(TheDormstonCentre)builtatDormston,openinginApril2000.

BarbaraO’Connor

‘Hughie’McLeod-HeadmasterofQueenVictoriaSchool1920s-1950s1937

1940

COMMUNITYFIGURES

LilPartonMymum’sfirstgardenpartywasheldin1976.ItwasmyfatherJackParton’swhofirstsuggestedit,toraisemoneyfortherestorationofthebellsatAllSaints’.RevdJohnLinfordundertookasponsoredwalkwithhisbrotheralongtheentirelengthofOffa’sDykeforthesamepurposethefollowingyear.ForthenexttenyearsMumopenedhergardentothepublic,endinginaround1986;theeventswereinfactacrossbetweenafetewithstallsandagardenpartywithteaandcakes.

“1stSedgleyScoutsstartedin1910,butittook67yearsbeforewehadourownheadquarters.ThesitewechosewasinLadiesWalk,atthefarendofwhatisnowCoopcarpark.WeobtainedtheleasefromDudleyCorporationin1970andopenedJubileeHallon5thNovember1977.“

GeorgeCoxMBE

MilitaryserviceinWorldWarIIwiththeRoyalMarines,longcareerwithMander’sinHeathTown,Wolverhampton;awardofhisMBEbyHerMajestytheQueenatBuckinghamPalacein2009forservicestotheSedgleycommunity.

HisenthusiasticleadershipandparticipationintheMorrisMen'sdanceswasashiningexampletoeveryoneofhowit'spossibletokeeponeselffitandactiveinretirement.Hewasalsoveryactiveinarranginganddancingatthevillage'sMayFestival,whenlocalchildrendancearoundtheMaypoleinVicarStreetGardens.

MikeEdwards– SedgleyMorrisMen

DouglasSmithpassedaway.AmongsthismanyachievementswashislifelongpassionanddedicationtobellringingatAllSaints',Sedgley.Hewasacampanologistfor66ofhis83yearsandthetowercaptainhereatSedgleyfor37years.

DougSmith–TowerCaptain,AllSaints’bellringers

WELLKNOWNLOCALFAMILIES

THEWEDGEFAMILYOFHALLSTREET

LANDANDPROPERTYOWNERS

Homerfamily,aprominent‘dynasty’oflandownersinSedgley,onceowned‘TheVilla’at17,DudleyStreetwhichtheyrenamed‘DormstonHouse’aftertheManorthefamilyinheritedinWorcestershire.

TheHomerdynasty

StNicholas’Church,Dormston,Worcestershire

TheHomer‘pedigree’

MatthaslookedintoMattHomer’sancestry,inparticularaCaptainJohnHomer,aseacaptainwhosailedfromBristolandeventuallysettledinBostoninthe17thcentury.

TheTinsleyFamilyand‘TheLimes’

TheLimeswasbuiltbytheTinsleysinaround1851,shortlybeforeThomasTinsleydied,probablyfromcholera.HiswifeElizacarriedonthefamilybusiness,expandingitdramaticallytothepointwheresheemployedover4,000outworkersinCradleyHeathin1871.

TheLimes

file://localhost/.file/id=6571367.12886052897