20/02/2020 Ned Williams
Trevor Sidaway, President of the society, welcomed 89 members and 8 visitors. He introduced Ned Williams, a regular speaker and author of fifty-two books, whose talk was entitled Mrs Patch and other Stourbridge Mysteries.
Ned explained that he was inspired by a research project whose findings led to more being known about Philip Astley the inventor of the circus. The research resulted in a statue being erected in Astley’s honour in Newcastle under Lyme; the area in which the first circus took place. Ned subsequently drew up a list of 7 possible subjects for his own research and subsequent publication of a book entitled Four Swallows and Two Elephants. His intention was to put his seven subjects back on the local historical map. He discovered that they were all not quite who they appeared to be and research would be made difficult because they operated under stage, pen or assumed names. He explained that his talk would focus on Mrs Patch (Eliza Bennet) and Benjamin Kennedy.
Benjamin Kennedy built Dudley Hippodrome which is currently earmarked for demolition. It opened in 1938 and Benjamin’s sons Maurice and Bob ran it after his death. Ned showed the audience a photograph of Ben Kennedy wearing a horseshoe shaped tie pin given to him by his father on his 21st birthday. It is in evidence in many of the photos of Ben. Ned discovered that Ben was actually born with the surname Bernhard in London in 1866 and both his sons had the middle name of Bernhard. In 1900 Ben married Theresa Levy and when they went on the stage, he adopted the name Ben Kennedy. He had a minstrel and variety show named Kingston Excursions. From the late 1890’s into early 1900 he added film to the variety shows. From the start of the twentieth century Ben settled in the Black country. His first real association with Dudley was when Dudley Opera House presented his comedy troupe Kennedy’s Comics (aka Kommics) as did the Theatre Royal in West Bromwich. He was eventually associated with the building of 17 theatres over a period of 8 years. In 1936 the Dudley Opera House burned down and Ben rebuilt a Class A provincial theatre on the site. This was the Dudley Hippodrome. It opened in December 1938 but Ben was too ill to speak so someone spoke on his behalf. At this time Ben, now married to a lady named Annie, was living in Bourneville House Bridgnorth Road Wollaston. Ned explained that he has never been able to locate the house or even the site and would be grateful for any information that anyone may have. Both Ben and Annie Kennedy are buried in Stourbridge Cemetery and mysteriously the wording on both their gravestones has been removed.
Ned then moved on to Mrs Patch a subject who had fascinated him for many years. She was born Eliza Bennett in Dudley in 1824 and between 1834 and 1844 travelled with her father in his portable theatre business where she gained great insight into the world of theatre. In 1844 she married William Patch who was also a travelling showman who interestingly travelled with a whale show. The 1851 census shows that Bennett and Patch were in Stourbridge on Census night in Barlow’s Yard which Ned located for the audience on a map. They eventually settled in Stourbridge in Barlow’s Yard and Mrs Patch became the well-known proprietress of the permanent theatre which they named the Alhambra. Adverts for it appeared regularly in the County Express. Her husband ran the Coach and Horses Pub which is where she died on 28th November 1900. Her gravestone is in Wollaston churchyard.
Trevor noted the depth of Ned’s research, thanked him for his talk and invited questions.
The next meeting of the Society will take place on 19th March when Brian Barkway will deliver Pegasus Bridge: My Father’s Contribution. All are welcome.
16/01/20 Peter Bates
Trevor Sidaway, the new President of Stourbridge Historical Society, welcomed 78 members and 12 visitors and wished everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year. He introduced the speaker Peter Bates who proceeded to tell The Story of Woolworths.
Frank Winfield Woolworths was born in 1852 in Rodman New York. He was fascinated by buildings from a young age took a book keeping course on leaving school. He had a poor start in his early business career leaving both Augsbury and Moore and Adam Bushnell as a failure. He was given to taking to his bed and sobbing for weeks when things were difficult. When he married Jennie Creighton, he asked Moore to reinstate him. Moore sent him to manage a small store which failed.
Astonishingly he persuaded Moore to lend him $300 to open a store in Utica but that failed too. He then had the notion that location was important and opened a store in Lancaster which was a great success and took $120 on the first day. His brother Sumner suggested selling a range of goods which would be sold at 10 cents in addition to those sold at 5 cents. Peter explained that this was a winning formula.
Frank frequently used family and friends to run his ever-growing number of stores. He toured the country for good quality stock and determined never to borrow money again. He had managers but he was always the boss. He introduced the idea of the ‘loss lead’ and insisted that all counters were highly polished and staffed by pretty girls.
In 1894 he made his first trip to Europe and by 1895 Woolworth’s made its first $1million by 1900 it was $5 million in 1901. He developed a love of the good life and his health suffered as a result. He had a lifelong fear of Dentists. In 1901 he moved his family to a mansion in New York City. In 1911 an amalgamation of stores formed the F W Woolworth Corporation. In 1911 he bought a shop in Church Street in Liverpool. 24,000 people queued when the shop opened and the first day’s takings were worth £48,000 in today’s money. F W Woolworth introduced what became known as Pick and Mix; self-served sweets. This retail method is still used by Tesco, Asda and Morrisons. By 1948 there were 770 Woolworth stores in Great Britain.
Peter showed a photo the Woolworth Tower which Frank had built. Completed in 1913 and the tallest building in the world for 18 years it was paid for in cash. Frank saw it has his legacy. Frank’s second daughter Edna married Franklyn Hutton and they had a daughter named Barbara. Tragically Edna killed herself on discovering Franklyn’s infidelity. Barbara was effectively brought up by hired hep became very wild. The directors of Woolworths bought her stock which made her immensely wealthy. A succession of 7 failed marriages and costly divorces meant that she ‘got through’ $50million and when she died left only $3,00. By 1997 Woolworth in USA had been taken over by a rival and closed their remaining stores. In Britain in 2008 Woolworth banks called in their debts and the company ceased to trade.
Peter said that F W Woolworth had built a multimillion-pound empire from borrowed money and an idea. He made over 100 of his part time owners/ managers millionaires. He died in 1919 and left $78 million dollars to his family but nothing to charity.
Trevor commented that many were sad to see Woolworth’s disappear from our High Streets and thanked Peter for his interesting talk and invited questions.
The next meeting will be 20th February when Ned Williams will speak on Stourbridge’s Famous Mrs Patch and other Mysteries. All are welcome.