Happy Black Country Day! 🏭🥳🍻

I got lots of clothes from Oasis too in the 80s. I was a bit like a cross between a goth and a punk. A bit like Strawberry Switchblade if you remember them.
I loved those long skirts with fringes at the bottom made in India.
And winkle pickers and brothel creepers!

Beverley Knight, a proud Wulfrunion, was at the BCM.
Pictured with her is the new Mayor of Dudley, Andrea Goddard

Don't remember the Beehive but do know my friends mum worked there along with Jasper Carrot.

Oh I love Carrot! He’s currently in The Archers.

I’m an honorary Black Country wench of 58 years. I lived in Worcestershire for 21 years then a married a wonderful Black Country boy. Happy Black Country Day to all, yo’m luvlay.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202307/medium-536510-996d47a2-d047-4a51-a484-394e42ef6d9e.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202307/medium-159784-bd0ee5b1-9f9a-416a-ac7d-6e71b84f5f49.jpeg

The Beehive.
Carrot looks like he’s had a few… 🍻

I have a photo of me sitting on Father Christmas's knee in Beatties.

C&A Modes was my go-to shop when I was a teenager!
I can remember when the Mander Centre was built.

The 1960s, known as the swinging sixties, saw an influx of famous pop stars, who performed at the Gaumont on Snow Hill, including Gene Vincent who appeared there in 1960, The Beatles who were there in 1963
I was there when The Beatles performed!

Thank you Jane!
Where is Mr Jane from?

We used to queue up at Lewis's to see Father Christmas. He had a sidekick Uncle Holly who used to help out when the queues were too long.

I was just trying to think of celebrities who came from the Black Country. I came up with Lenny Henry (Dudley), my mother-in-law used to work with his mother, Josie Lawrence (Quarry Bonk) - remember her character Florence From Cradley, Cedric Hardwick (Lye). Robert Plant (West Bromwich and went to Stourbridge College Of Art. There was a famous footballer Duncan Edwards who was born in Dudley but sadly died at 22 in the Manchester United air crash. I can’t think of any more but there must be lots.

FannyCornforth, Thank you for the wonderful picture of the Beehive.
Does anyone remember the ricketty lift? and the sales assistant used to put the money in a metal tube, that ran above your head.
I wonder what year Jasper Carrot worked there?

Callistemon21

I have a photo of me sitting on Father Christmas's knee in Beatties.

C&A Modes was my go-to shop when I was a teenager!
I can remember when the Mander Centre was built.

The 1960s, known as the swinging sixties, saw an influx of famous pop stars, who performed at the Gaumont on Snow Hill, including Gene Vincent who appeared there in 1960, The Beatles who were there in 1963
I was there when The Beatles performed!

My friend and I had tickets to see Gene Vincent at Brierley Hill Town Hall, it was probably in 1963 but he didn’t show up, we never got our money back so we were gutted. Lots of famous acts performed at The Plaza in Old Hill, I know The Beatles did because a girl I worked with went to see them there.

Kate1949

We used to queue up at Lewis's to see Father Christmas. He had a sidekick Uncle Holly who used to help out when the queues were too long.

Perhaps it was there.
I wonder if it says on the back.
I don't look very happy.

Robert Plant (West Bromwich and went to Stourbridge College Of Art
He moved near here too, perhaps he was following me round the country!! 😂

Jane43

I was just trying to think of celebrities who came from the Black Country. I came up with Lenny Henry (Dudley), my mother-in-law used to work with his mother, Josie Lawrence (Quarry Bonk) - remember her character Florence From Cradley, Cedric Hardwick (Lye). Robert Plant (West Bromwich and went to Stourbridge College Of Art. There was a famous footballer Duncan Edwards who was born in Dudley but sadly died at 22 in the Manchester United air crash. I can’t think of any more but there must be lots.

Denise Lewis (West Bromwich)
Frank Skinner
Phil Lynott

FannyCornforth

Thank you Jane!
Where is Mr Jane from?

Mr Jane is from Great Bridge then Tipton.

Callistemon21

^Robert Plant (West Bromwich and went to Stourbridge College Of Art^
He moved near here too, perhaps he was following me round the country!! 😂

I’m pretty certain that he went to King Edward’s Sixth Form, Stourbridge, opposite The Mitre, my favourite watering hole as a teenager.
I almost went to KE to do my A levels but chose Halesowen College instead, as it was a lot more easy going.

Frank Skinner was my a level English teacher at Halesowen.
He was also a neighbour for a while.

(For the benefit of any GNers who haven’t heard this story a dozen times previously 😉)

Josie Lawrence is an old mate’s Aunty. Her real name is Wendy.

Her nephew was one of the bass players in Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, if anyone remembers them.
They had a few hits in the early 90s and were on TOTP a lot.
The other bassist was my ex boyfriend.
A lot of their songs were about me!

The Wonderstuff and Pop Will Eat Itself were around at the same time and from Stourbridge too.
I used to sort of know some of them too.

Stourbridge was quite the place to be in the early 90s.

Stourbridge was quite the place to be in the early 90s.

I remember going on a tour of Stuart Crystal.

FannyCornforth

Callistemon21

Robert Plant (West Bromwich and went to Stourbridge College Of Art
He moved near here too, perhaps he was following me round the country!! 😂

I’m pretty certain that he went to King Edward’s Sixth Form, Stourbridge, opposite The Mitre, my favourite watering hole as a teenager.
I almost went to KE to do my A levels but chose Halesowen College instead, as it was a lot more easy going.

There must be quite a number of KESS schools.
He was a very busy King, considering he was so young.

Sue Nicholls (Audrey from Corrers) was born in Walsall as was Noddy (Neville) Holder.
Meera Syal is from Wolverhampton.
There is a statue and a bust of Phil Lynott in West Bromwich. Neither very good (in my opinion).

Lovely surprise to see a BC thread, I'm an ex pat too. Born and bred in Dudley and close family still in Dudley and Lower Gornal so I visit often. My family went to the BCLM last week and saw the new 60s Street. Said it was very good. Personally I hoped it would have included either a Cranages for the meringues or a Robinsons for the coffee buns 😉

Yes Kate1949 I too used the visit Father Christmas at Lewis’s. One year was magical for me. The staff opened a door and there was a sleigh which all of us kids piled into. They closed the door and their was music and I think a film as if the sleigh was moving, then the doors on the other side opened up and there was Santa waiting with a bag of gifts. That memory has been imprinted on my memory for 70 years !!

Finally a lovely boyfriend (who I am still in touch with) bought me a lovely white broderie anglaise nightie from Netawear. My father was who was usually kind and placid was incandescent with rage at this gift, how things have changed. 😡

Yes Kate. I remember the queue winding down the staircase in Lewis's. They also had a garden on the roof. The building is now a Wetherspoons.