The Wolverhampton Society

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The Wolverhampton Society

The Wolverhampton Society aims to promote the history and heritage of the city and its people. See our website for more details.

We are always looking for new members join us for our regular talks, our local history research for commemorative blue plaques and lots more.

27/04/2026

Our next talk is all about the legacy of Black Country mining.

The region was the powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution, with its enormous wealth of coal, ironstone, limestone, fireclay, soft sandstones and brick clays - all the raw materials a thousand and one other manufactured goods that were exported around the world.

The area had the thickest seams of coal in Britain, including the remarkable South Staffordshire Thick (or Ten Yard) Coal, and similarly thick seams of limestone. The miners had to devise special ways of working such a thick seam.

Delivered by esteemed engineer Colin Knipe, the talk describes how the various seams were mined and how that influenced contemporaneous surface subsidence and today's legacy subsidence risk.

Perhaps the greatest perceived legacy risk from Black Country mining, is the presence of old mine shafts. There may be as many as 100,000 old shafts and other mine entries in the coalfield. Colin’s talk gives examples of what can go wrong but gives assurance that the real risk is very low.

Do join us at the Penn Bowling and Social Club on Thursday, 21st May at 7:15pm for a 7:30pm start.

22/03/2026

Our next talk is all about bees and who best to give it than Alison Wakeman, award winning lecturer on bees and bee-keeping!

Many medicinal and non-medicinal products rely on substances produced by bees: honey and such things as furniture polish. It therefore became a major concern when Britain’s bee population was thought to be in steady decline and possibly facing extinction.

Alison’s talk is not only interesting and informative but, at times, very entertaining as she shares anecdotal tales from her time as a teacher as well as the apiary! She will bring along a range of products that in no small part show the importance of a healthy bee population in the UK and worldwide and of course give those attending a unique insight into the life of bees.

Do join us at the Penn Bowling and Social Club on Thursday, 16th April at 7:15pm for a 7:30pm start.

03/03/2026

Our next event is the return of Keith Farley’s Annual Wolverhampton Society Quiz, taking place on Thursday 12th March.

The questions are wide-ranging and won’t just be about Wolverhampton - there’s fun to be had for everyone!

There will be a £12.00 table (up to 6 quizers per table) fee, as buffet food will be served (without further charge).

For an entry form, you can email our Membership Secretary Bill Kelly: [email protected]

You don’t have to be a member of the Wolverhampton Society to take part, so please come along! Do join us at the Penn Bowling and Social Club at 7:15pm for a 7:30pm start.

29/01/2026

Our next talk is on the church architecture of Richard Twentyman (1903-1979).

A successful architect based in Wolverhampton, he designed houses, offices, pubs and schools, but he’s known particularly for his thirteen churches and chapels built between 1937 and 1973.

In the talk, based on their research into Twentyman’s life and career, Chris Kennedy and Aidan Ridyard select a sample of his churches and the art within them to illustrate his distinctive architectural evolution from an early ‘monumental phase’ to more modernistic approaches and later innovative design.

The authors suggest the British and European influences on his work and locate his architecture in the changing social, economic, and religious contexts of this period.

Do join us at the Penn Bowling and Social Club on Thursday, 19th February at 7:15pm for a 7:30pm start.

07/01/2026

Our first talk of the New Year is all about Wolverhampton’s Road to City Status!

Delivered by former TWS Chairman Suhail Rana, the talk uses archived government papers, emails and reports to show the efforts the city fathers took to try and get us recognised, why they initially failed and how it eventually achieved the status it thoroughly deserved.

Do join us at the Penn Bowling and Social Club on Thursday, 15th January at 7:15pm for a 7:30pm start.

Please note that prior to the talk will be the Society AGM, so the talk itself will commence at 8:00 pm. Whilst non-members are welcome to attend the AGM, only members can vote at the AGM.

24/11/2025

Our final event of the year is an End of Year Celebration!

We are celebrating the unveiling of a blue plaque commemorating the life of famous Wolverhampton born painter and illustrator, John Fullwood, with the first-ever visual exhibition of all his known Wolverhampton and local area sketches and paintings.

They were produced on the cusp of Wolverhampton’s buildings being transformed from those of a medieval market town into buildings reflecting a modern thriving industrial and commercial town. You can come and see what Wolverhampton used to look like before this late Victorian transformation!

The video presentation has been kindly and expertly compiled by TWS member, Bradney Mitchell. It will be shown to the accompaniment of seasonal music. They’ll be sherry & mince pies by way of a thank you for everyone’s commitment to our Society over the past 12 months.

Do come along to the Penn Bowling and Social Club on Thursday, 11th December at 7:15pm for a 7:30pm start.

23/10/2025

Our next talk is on Lord John Wrottesley’s Observatory!

You can join us to see a presentation by Steve Wooton from The Wolverhampton Astronomical Society (https://www.wolvas.org.uk).

Do come along to the Penn Bowling and Social Club on Thursday, 20th November at 7:15pm for a 7:30pm start.

20/09/2025

Our next talk is all about banners!

Ned Williams will be telling us about their history and manufacture across various users, including trade unions, Sunday Schools and the Suffragettes. Hopefully, there will be time to include banners of local interest, too!

Do join us the Penn Bowling and Social Club on Thursday, 16th October at 7:15pm for a 7:30pm start.

(Please arrive early, as Ned Williams’ presentations are often a sell out).

25/08/2025

Our next talk is on those who created Wolverhampton’s oldest society - The Wolverhampton Horticultural Society.

Paul Bassett will be telling us about the the individuals in the society and their importance in the town, at the earlier stages of the Industrial Revolution (some of those named might surprise you!).

Do join us the Penn Bowling and Social Club on Thursday, 18th September at 7:15pm for a 7:30pm start.

30/07/2025

Our next talk is about one of Wolverhampton's best known shops.

From the late Georgian era, Snape’s Tea Shop remained in Queen Street. This was until 2002, when its contents were auctioned off, and Wolverhampton lost a cherished local hub.

Phil Wilki Jones will tell us more about this sad loss, alongside a video by Brian Holmes, at the Penn Bowling and Social Club on Thursday, 21st August at 7:15pm for a 7:30pm start.

Address

Wolverhampton

Website

https://wolverhamptonsociety.com/

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