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Author: christoff3000
Black Country History Goes Digital in Sedgley Local History Society Talk
September 8, 2015 christoff3000local history society, SedgleyLeave a comment
Keen photographers in Sedgley can get a fascinating insight into the history of the Black Country when the new season of talks from Sedgley Local History Society begins this Thursday, September 10th.
This week's talk will feature society member Eddy Hickey – a keen photographer and member of the Compton G. Camera Club, Wolverhampton.
His illustrated talk will appeal to everyone who treasures old photographs. Eddy has digitised around 100 images found on glass plates dating from the early years of last century. It is thought that many of the scenes were used on postcards.
Eddy will begin his presentation at 7:30 pm in St. Andrew's Church, Bilston Street, Sedgley.
As usual, visitors are invited to come along. Individual talks cost £1. Annual membership of the Society costs £5 and gives free access to the programme of talks.
Full programme & Summer Teaser – www.sedgleylocalhistory.org.uk
The Rise and Fall of the Whitehouses of Turls Hill
May 11, 2015 christoff30001 Comment
Sedgley residents can uncover the fascinating story behind the rise and fall of one of Woodsetton's most influential families at the Sedgley Local History Society meeting this Thursday, 14th May.
Lorna Stevens has spent more than 10 years researching the Whitehouse family, whose money was made and lost in coal mining and running blast furnaces during the Victorian era.
And, in the course of her research, Lorna has discovered some intriguing stories, papers and diaries which shed light on this famous local family's dramatic fall from grace.
The Whitehouses, whose grand home was Turls Hill House (pictured above), had strong links to All Saints Church, Sedgley and St Mary's, Hurst Hill.
The meeting, which starts with a very short Annual General Meeting before Lorna starts her presentation, begins at 7:30 pm at St. Andrew's Church, Bilston Street, Sedgley.
As usual visitors are invited to come along. Individual talks cost £1.
Black Country Accountancy Firm Finds New Home in Sedgley
March 11, 2015 March 11, 2015 christoff3000Leave a comment
The team at Bytheway & Co Accountants, Sedgley, l-r: Hannah Duerdin, Dan Bytheway, Alison Murray, Reg Bytheway, Helen Kershaw,
Dave Bytheway and Amy Massey
One of the Black Country's leading family-owned accountancy firms is celebrating its 35th birthday in style with a move to prestigious new offices in Sedgley.
Bytheway & Co, which was set up in a small home garage by current director Reg Bytheway, has invested substantially into transforming a derelict building in Sedgley into its new home.
A string of new contracts with local businesses has paved the way for the expansion, with its Bilston Street premises now having additional meeting rooms, the latest technology and dedicated parking.
Backed by a £19,500 grant from the Green Shoots Fund, the company has already taken on two new employees and expects turnover to grow by 10% this year.
"We've come a long way from when I first started in 1979 and I'm delighted that we have grown the business by keeping it in the Black Country and in the family," explained Reg, who is joined at the helm by his two sons David and Dan.
"The new office provides us with a modern image that reflects our new branding, not to mention giving us more space to grow and take on additional clients. We're also about to launch a new website as part of the marketing push."
He continued: "There is no doubt the Green Shoots Fund has brought forward our plans by 12 months and hopefully we are starting to pay some of that back by employing more people and bringing an important building back to life."
Accountancy Services for Black Country Businesses
Bytheway & Co, which has the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants accreditation, offers a comprehensive range of accountancy and business advisory services to starts-ups, sole-traders, partnerships and Limited companies across the West Midlands and the UK.
Its family-orientated approach has seen it build strong relationships with a client base that spans construction, entertainment, manufacturing, professional services and retail.
"Most of the firms we work for have been with us for more than 15 years, some even from the start…back in 1979," continued Reg.
"We try to do things differently, offering a pro-active and personal approach to their requirements, whether it is around payroll, personal/business taxation, tax planning or corporate transactions.
"One example is the free initial consultation we provide for small business, an offer that companies have already taken advantage of in 2015."
He concluded: "There definitely appears to be a growing demand from clients to seek support from independent accountancy practices that offer both excellent advice and importantly value for money."
For further information, please visit www.bythewayaccountants.co.uk or contact 01902 675243
Creative Black Country Brings Arts to Sedgley
January 19, 2015 April 10, 2015 christoff3000arts, creative black country, Sedgley1 Comment
Artists and performers in Sedgley can showcase their talents as part of an exciting new project launching soon.
Creative Black Country is a new Arts Council England funded project bringing the best in high quality performance and visual arts from around the world to the region showcasing the finest the region has to offer.
The Queens Square shopping centre West Bromwich will come to life on the 22nd January with the official launch of the new project, which features performances from ACE Dance & Music, Crashmat Collective Contemporary Circus, an innovative Holographics display by a local artist, some rather unusual characters, and much more. The event is free and open to everyone.
Black Country Creativity
Programme Director, Sajida Carr says: "The Black Country has always been and still is a hot bed of creativity and innovation. Through this project we will celebrate the artistic excellence and creativity that is the backbone of a region that has given the world Led Zeppelin, Noddy Holder, Goldie, Frank Skinner, Julie Walters, Beverly Knight and still has so much to offer artistically and
culturally."
Her thoughts are echoed by Mark Davis, Chair of the Creative Black Country partnership, who says: "This event is a great opportunity to enjoy and experience something fantastic, fun and
different right on our doorstep. We hope as many people as possible will come and be part of this Creative Black Country launch event, to get a taste of some of the exciting things to come."
Creative People and Places projects are taking place in parts of the country where people's involvement in the arts is significantly below the national average, with the aim of increasing the likelihood of participation. The project will support local groups and communities to create their own arts activities as well as commission arts activity across Wolverhampton, Walsall and Sandwell.
Join the Creative Black Country Facebook page here or follow the project on Twitter here
History of Black Country Zeppelin Raid in Sedgley
November 10, 2014 christoff3000Leave a comment
The air raids of the First World War left a trail of destruction across the UK. Photo by Toni Frissell.
During the First World War, about 50 Zeppelin raids were made on Britain, killing more than 500 civilians and injuring more than 1,300. And, at the next meeting of Sedgley Local History Society, local residents can hear all about the deadly raid on the Black Country in January 1916.
Derek Nicholls, a local historian from Tipton, has spent 18 months researching the deadly raid on Tipton, Bradley, Wednesbury and Walsall inflicted by a Zeppelin that had lost its way. In around half an hour, the L21 had destroyed homes and buildings, killing about thirty five and injuring twenty.
With stalemate on the Western Front Zeppelin raids started in January 1915 with bombs dropped on King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth. Three unsuccessful attempts to bomb central Birmingham resulted in only minor damage on the outskirts. The city was saved by applying a stringent blackout policy.
The next meeting of the Society takes place on Thursday, 13th November, at 7:30 pm in St. Andrew's Church, Bilston Street, Sedgley.
As usual, visitors are invited to come along – admission £1. Annual membership of the Society costs £5 and gives free access to the programme of talks.
All About The Gornals With Ned Williams
'The Gornals' is the latest book by hugely popular local historian, Ned Williams.
This is Ned's 50th book and, for many members of Sedgley Local History Society, he couldn't have chosen a better subject. He covers Upper & Lower Gornal, Ruiton, Gornal Wood and The Straits in 200 pages of text and photographs.
The book will be launched on Friday, 14th November, at 2.30 pm at Zoar Methodist Church and later the same day at 7.30 pm at Upper Gornal Methodist Church. A Grand Book Launch with special guests and a presentation of 'Gornal on Film'.
At both events, the paperback edition costs £10 and a limited hardback edition costs £15. (Later in bookshops the prices will be £13.50 & £18 respectively.)
Sunshine And Song In Sedgley This Weekend
July 12, 2013 christoff3000baggeridge country park, dudley canal trust, old time music hall, our big gigLeave a comment
There is something for all the family in Sedgley this weekend with the Our Big Gig event at Baggeridge
Music lovers in Sedgley are spoilt for choice this weekend, with two superb events which are sure to make the glorious sunshine even more enjoyable.
Our Big Gig is coming to Baggeridge Country Park near Sedgley this weekend
On Saturday, July 13th, Baggeridge Country Park is the venue for Our Big Gig – a series of community music celebrations taking place across the country.
The Sedgley event, organised by South Staffordshire Council, features live music from 1pm until 5pm, with performances from Stolen Comfort, Ellowes Hall School Funk Band, Matt Gallis and My Girlfriend's Last Boyfriend.
Visitors will also be able to enjoy music played on the new giant outdoor xylophone and hopefully be able to help construct it!
Throughout the afternoon, there will be a variety on musical performances on offer, including folk, jazz and rock. Music lovers can also enjoy open mic sessions, junk instrument making workshops and musical masterclasses.
Our Big Gig has been made possible thanks to funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government, Arts Council England and the National Lottery. Organised by local volunteers with assistance from not-for-profit arts organisation, Superact, the events are part of the government's Olympics legacy commitment to reconnect communities and ensure the benefits of the Games are spread across the country long after the sporting events have ended.
Enjoy the golden age of Music Hall at Dudley Canal Trust this weekend
Old-time Music Hall in The Cavern
This Sunday, lovers of the golden era of Music Hall can enjoy a canal boat cruise through the incredible caverns beneath Dudley while basking in the sounds of a much-loved bygone era. The Old Time Music Hall event is organised by Dudley Canal Trust Trips and promises to be a great way to round off a scorching weekend in Sedgley and the Black Country.
Sing along with classics from yesteryear, as the team from Funtime Theatre takes you back in time to a rich age of music, when songs such as 'Teenager In Love' and 'Rhythm Of The Rain' were staple tunes on Wurlitzer jukeboxes in coffee shops up and down the country.
Performances start at 7pm and 8.15pm on Sunday, July 14th. Tickets are £10 each and available from Dudley Canal Trust Trips on 0121 557 6265.
Race To The Greyhound in Swindon For Authentic Thai Cuisine
July 3, 2013 christoff3000mee's thai, sommai thai, swindon, thai cuisine, the greyhoundLeave a comment
Head chef Mee and his team at Sommai Thai
Lovers of Thai food in Sedgley will already be familiar with the outstanding cuisine served up at the Bull's Head in Bilston Street, where head chef Mee built up a reputation for perfectly balanced dishes bursting with authentic flavours and fresh ingredients.
And now, feeling the need to stay ahead of the pack, Mee has decided to branch out and bring the true flavours of Thailand to nearby Swindon, where the lounge of The Greyhound pub has been transformed into an exciting new restaurant with the same incredible tastes.
The new venture, Sommai Thai, opened its doors on Saturday, June 29th, with Mee and co-owner, Sommai Sin Pra Yakul, hoping to build on the success already achieved at their former venue.
And, having been invited to a preview evening, we at Sedgleyscene were delighted to accept.
The Sommai Thai platter includes a range of delicious authentic dishes
Authentic Thai Ingredients and a Warm Welcome
On entering this restaurant, the first thing visitors will notice is the 7ft tall statue welcoming them into a relaxed atmosphere, where the historic pub's dark wooden beams blend effortlessly with lavish wooden sculptures flown in from Thailand. And, when ordering a drink from the bar, it's impossible to miss the painstakingly-carved watermelons which decorate each table.
This sense of authenticity is reflected in the menu, which features a wide variety of dishes to cater for all tastes – each lovingly prepared using locally-sourced ingredients and genuine Thai flavours by Mee and his team.
We started with the Sommai Thai platter – a mouth-watering combination of Thai prawn toast, chicken and prawn spring rolls, red chicken wings and deep-fried tiger prawns, accompanied by a range of sauces and dips.
One of the authentic curry dishes at Sommai Thai
Next to arrive were two of our favourite Thai dishes – a sweet green curry and a peanut curry. Both were bursting with flavour and served in authentic porcelain bowls.
These delicacies were soon joined by an amazing salad, where finely sliced beef was combined with chilli and a liberal sprinkling of coriander to create a sublimely fresh combination.
A sizzling spicy duck stir-fry completed our feast, with bowls of sticky rice and soft noodles the perfect complement to the aromatic spices, lemongrass and lime leaves which infuse each dish.
Yum Neua – a delicious Thai salad with beef, chilli and coriander
Although our meal consisted largely of meat and seafood dishes, vegetarians are well catered for, with spicy tofu stir-fry being just one of several tasty meat-free options.
We could only manage fresh slices of chilled watermelon for dessert, but diners with a sweet tooth (and larger appetites!) can enjoy Thai pancakes with ice cream, banana fritters and mor gaeng – a delicious Thai custard with a flan-like consistency.
From sampling the menu at Sommai Thai, it's clear that chef Mee has lost none of his passion for creating amazing dishes. Visit www.sommaithai.co.uk or call 01384 380062 to discover why The Greyhound in Swindon is set to become one of the leading Thai restaurants and takeaways in the Black Country.
Head chef Mee, manager Pattra and owner Sommai
Friendly staff at Sommai Thai are on hand to ensure a great dining experience
Authentic wooden sculptures at Sommai Thai help complete the experience