2008 Annual General Meeting Reports

The reports from the meeting, held on 26th March 2008, are below. A well-attended meeting with 70 members taking part.

Retiring President’s Report

I would like to thank the Black Country Society for giving me the opportunity to be the President in this historic year. Many thanks to all the Society members who gave me both actual and moral support. During the year there were a number of events in which I was more than happy to be involved. My main aim was to introduce the Society to a new audience, especially the younger members of society, the school children. With this in mind I contacted all the schools in the Dudley area. (I have to thank the Education department for their help in this matter). This proved to be a success as the pupils became interested in the famous people born in the Black Country, its culture, and the products we developed and made. Our Society website proved invaluable in their searches. Hopefully, they will develop a lasting interest in the Society through the use of the web. During my year I appeared on a number of radio programmes. On Easter Monday 2007 I was invited onto the Carl Chinn programme on WM, having a slot lasting about one hour. Mathew Carr of Radio Shropshire asked where his listeners could go within one hour of the Shropshire area and I extolled the virtues of visiting places of interest in the Black Country. Since the first of January I have been broadcasting on the Bridge Radio and have included items on this part of the world.

Here, I have to praise the work of the other members of the committee for their efforts during the year. We have had a very successful walks and excursions programme. The walks covered a comprehensive part of this area, whilst the excursions took us to places within a day’s journey. To celebrate our 40th year a dinner was held at the Village Hotel on Castle Gate, which was a great success. Peter Rhodes, the leading feature writer for the ‘Express & Star’ was the speaker for this event and I have to thank Stan Hill for obtaining his services. We also invited some special guests, namely Mrs Pauline Fletcher and Mrs Doreen Brimble, the widows of the men who started the Society.

Once more I have to thank all those who supported me during my year of office, with special mention to Lettrice, my wife, whose help has been invaluable. I am sure you will give our next President just as much support. With thanks to all our members,
Doug Winterborn

Secretary’s Report

This year has been a very special one for the Black Country Society, celebrating 40 years since its founding by Dr John Fletcher and John Brimble in 1967. It has been special too, as we have been able to thank Stan Hill for his contribution to the Society’s continued success, by nominating him for an award from the British Association for Local History for Personal Achievement in Local History, which he received at a ceremony in London in June. Although Stan stood down from the committee at the last AGM he still works in the background on behalf of the Society and we continue to be grateful for his efforts.

Our President, Doug Winterborn, has been tireless in his mission to introduce new generations to the history which surrounds them and he has visited a number of schools in his Presidential year to this end. We are grateful to the staff and children from Highgate Primary School, where Doug is a governor, for their contribution to the Society’s Carol Concert, held this year at St Augustine’s of Hippo, Holly Hall. Kevin Gripton reprised his role as our Master of Ceremonies and our thanks are due both to him and Rev Christine Browne and her congregation for their hospitality. We were able, also, to help the National Youth Theatre last summer in their work with young people in the area, in a heritage based exploration of what it means to be young and British today. Ron Moss so enthused the group visiting the Mushroom Green chainshop, that they returned later to film him there.

A special edition of the Society’s magazine, ‘The Blackcountryman’, was produced in the Autumn to celebrate the 40th Anniversary. For many of our members the magazine is the main point of contact with the Society so we are grateful to the many people who contribute to it in any way. In recognition of his many years of stewardship of the technical aspects of its production and his continuing help to the current Editor, Mike Pearson, Martyn Round has been appointed as Assistant Editor. Mike, in addition to running the Black Country Society website, now contributes most Sundays to the Black Country podcasts, produced by Loz Hipkiss, which are distributed worldwide.

Our many speakers have continued to inform and inspire us, none more so than Graham Worton’s presentation in October of how Dudley’s limestone mines might be opened up for public enjoyment. Although we shared his disappointment at the project’s failure to attract the People’s Millions funding we would urge those involved to continue their efforts to fund this enterprise. October also saw the second Black Country History Day, organised by the Society in partnership with the University of Birmingham. This event again attracted large numbers and celebrates the diversity of our heritage in this area.

The Summer of 2007 will long be remembered for its deluges and only the most hardy braved the dark skies and torrential rain of the Willenhall Town Walk. However, large numbers attended the rest of the programme, particularly the reprised Brierley Hill ‘West Side Story’, led by Dennis Andrews. Dave Galley is to be congratulated on a varied and interesting walking season as are our excursions organisers, Lance Warren, Linda Button and Joan White, who planned and led a full programme of visits by coach and car which were enjoyed by all participants.

Although this report has singled out some individuals, the Black Country Society is fortunate to have a very hard working group as its committee and we have recently been joined by a new member, James Morgan, from Kinver. The 40th Anniversary dinner, organised by Doug Winterborn, at the Village Hotel, Dudley, with Peter Rhodes, from the ‘Express & Star’ as our guest speaker was enjoyed by all who attended and we were very pleased to welcome Pauline Fletcher and Doreen Brimble, the widows of our founders, as our guests of honour.

In the 40 years since its founding, the Black Country Society has grown to be one of the largest such societies in the country and we are rightly proud of its achievements. However we cannot rest on our laurels and are seeking to expand our membership further this year. Do encourage others to join us.

Judith Watkin

Membership Secretary’s Report

Current membership stands at 1884 and we were pleased to welcome 76 new members to the Society during 2007. We continue to encourage members to tell their friends about the full programme of talks, walks, visits and, of course, our magazine ‘The Blackcountryman’. Much interest in the Society is generated by the website and special events such as the Day School at Birmingham University.
If you live within traveling distance and have not yet taken part in any of our events or activities, you will be made very welcome. Please give it a try! To those who live at some distance, thank you for your support and for keeping in touch.
Linda Button

Treasurer’s Report Year Ended 30 June 2007

The accounts have again been prepared by Yates & Co and a copy signed by the Chairman and Treasurer is available for inspection.

At the last AGM I reported the action taken to stem our losses on producing ‘The Blackcountryman’ and running the Society. Members’ subscriptions and the magazine price were increased from June 2006 and in June 2007 we transferred production of the magazine to a new printer. This change of printer has resulted in a substantial fall in the cost of producing the magazine and provided there is no big drop in membership our income should exceed our expenditure for the next few years.

In the year ended 30 June 2007 the profit from the sale of publications was £6,068. Future profits are likely to decline as we do not have much by way of new home grown material to sell. Our main outlet is the Black Country Living Museum which continues to take such long term best sellers as Black Country Humour, Black Country Stories, Bostin Fittle and Black Country Tay Towels. A joint publication with Stourbridge Historical Society of ‘James Foster of Stourbridge’, edited by Roy Peacock, was a sell out and new printing methods make it possible to order much smaller print runs than were economical in the past.

Donations this year totalled only £253 which included £150 to sponsor a panel in the Mary Stevens Hospice calendar. Otherwise our expenses are much in line with the previous year.

This is the first time since 2002 that the Society has shown a surplus and at 30 June 2007 our reserves stood at £24,020. Like many established societies we have an ageing membership but the committee has taken this challenge in hand and hopefully our financial position is secure for the foreseeable future.

As last year I wish to place on record that for insurance purposes the IA group, the Wyre Forest group and the Kingswinford group have each paid an affiliation fee of £1 per annum in advance to cover the years up to 30 June 2010.

Finally, I should like to express my thanks to our bankers, HSBC, and our auditor, John Bill of Yates & Co, for services provided.

Tony Copson

Website Report

The website continues to attract many visitors from around the globe. Development by adding new material has continued but at a fairly slow pace as the magazine is clearly my priority. I receive many e-mails from people who have found the Society through the website. Some go on to become members, while others want information about one or more of their ancestors. I still sell back issues of the magazine, as well as other products we have published. I can also supply copies of articles when the magazine they have requested is not available for sale. I hope to carry out more website development in the coming year and urge you to pay the site a visit.
Mike Pearson

Magazine Report

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Martyn Round, my Assistant Editor, for the support he has given me in the last year. Martyn’s experience in the printing industry, and as my ‘conscience’, has been invaluable. I am also assisted by the Society’s Secretary, Judith Watkin, who ably proof reads many of the articles you read in the magazine. I also want to thank Ross at Peerless Printing for his flexibility and expertise. It is now 12 months since we changed printers and both Martyn and I are pleased with the transition. Ross and his team at Peerless have met our expectations and we will soon be negotiating next year’s contract. There have been few teething problems and these have now been overcome. This was only to be expected with the change and the fact that I am still learning my trade as an editor.
We have streamlined our processes which has meant that the turnaround between the date I hand the disc with the magazine files on to the printer and the date the finished magazine hits your letterbox has been reduced. This gives me more leeway when I am planning my work around a full time job that often takes me away from home for long periods.
I hope the magazine continues to provide you with a mix of articles that you find interesting, entertaining and informative. There have been some new contributors this year, as well as new articles from established writers. There have been times when my supply of articles has run out and I invite anyone who wishes to write for us to contact me. We welcome articles on any subject with a Black Country theme.
Finally, thank you to those members and readers who have provided me with feedback on the magazine. I also wish to thank anyone who has made contributions, whether they are articles, art, poetry or letters. Without your involvement the magazine would not exist.
Mike Pearson

Black Country Society - Kingswinford Local History Group

This group continues to flourish with over 40 members, plus additional visitors at most meetings. Our programme begins in September and finishes in June, with the Annual General Meeting and buffet supper, followed by entertainment. In 2007, this was provided by Eve and John Evans, folksingers and instrumentalists.

Regular speaker and Black Country Society member, Ron Moss, started our season with an illustrated talk, ‘An Introduction to the Black Country’, while further talks highlighted other aspects of our area, including ‘Pubs and Breweries’ by John Richards, ‘Stourbridge Canal’, by David Hickman and the film, ‘A Story of Cradley Heath’, presented by Mr and Mrs Bloomer. Marilyn Ferris gave an illustrated history of Mary Stevens Park, its ownership and use over the years. Another familiar speaker and Society member, Kenneth Hughes, described and illustrated the past and present of Birmingham Jewellery Quarter. Roy Peacock presented a detailed account of the life of Ernest Stevens and his bequests to the people of the area.

You would be welcome to join us at St Mary’s Church centre, Kingswinford on the third Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm.

Linda Button

Wyre Forest Branch

In 2007 members decided to change both our time of meeting and the venue in an attempt to boost our ailing membership.

We now meet at Kidderminster Library on the second Tuesday of each month at 2pm and I am pleased to report that attendance is increasing. However, we are still exploring the possibility of alternative accommodation to save on parking fees.

We have enjoyed a variety of talks based on Black Country topics - Old Stourbridge, Black Country Children’s Games, Corngreaves Hall, John Corbett and his Stoke Prior Salt Works, the History of a Black Country Dairy and Black Country Humour; the only other talk was given by a Black Country man on his wartime experiences.

Our outdoor meetings in July and August were devoted to social get togethers at Chaddesley Corbett and Stourport. In December we enjoyed a well attended Christmas lunch at the Station Inn at Hagley.

Our congratulations to the main branch on its auspicious fortieth anniversary. Long may it continue to flourish.

Pat Dunn

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