Last week we welcomed students from Kingswinford Academy. Students got the chance to look through articles from the 'Black Country Bugle' and 'The Blackcountryman', in addition to records on Holbeche House, The Cross Inn, St. Mary's Church, local workhouses and more.

*NOTICE* Our Cuppa & Chat group will resume on Friday 14th February 2025, taking place on the second and fourth Friday morning of each month at 10:30am. This is run by the Friends of Dudley Archives.

In January 1947, parts of the Himley Hall estate were offered for sale and the Archives holds copies of the sale catalogue including plans. Ref: DE/4/5/2/7 #Dudley #himleyhall

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year! We are looking forward to welcoming everyone back into the search room from Thursday 2nd January 2025. Ref: C9470/2/3

Our staff would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!🎄 Ref: p6/519

🎄 Just a quick reminder of our Christmas and New Year opening hours🎄Thank you to everyone who has visited us the service during 2024!

🎉🎄 IMPORTANT: CHRISTMAS OPENING HOURS 🎄🎉 *PLEASE NOTE OUR BUILDING WILL BE CLOSED ON THURSDAY 19TH DECEMBER UNTIL AROUND 1:30PM FOR OUR ANNUAL STAFF CONFERENCE.

As we turn the lights on earlier and earlier, this booklet, produced by the Shropshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire Electric Power Company and held as part of our Dudley Council records, demonstrates what a novel concept instant electricity was in 1921.

Have you bought your Christmas cards yet? Here are a few from the collection to inspire you. Ref: C9470/2 #christmas #archives #EYAFestive

Today we’re showcasing a letter from Thomas Hardy for #EYAHeroes. Hardy wrote this poem in 1925, following a request from Dudley Council for some lines which could be used on the town’s War Memorial in honour of the First World War fallen. #EYARemembrance

Students at Dudley College have put together an exhibition for 'Dudley Remembers', which can be viewed here at the Archives. "Our exhibition aims to visually express the ideas around remembrance, loss and war".

To commemorate Armistice Day, we would like to share a photograph of 1st Battalion Volunteers of the Worcestershire Regiment outside Dudley Girls High School (c1918). Ref. p/2536

*UPDATE - DECEMBER DATES* Our 'Cuppa & Chat' group will be taking place on Friday 6th December and Friday 20th December, rather than the 2nd and 4th Friday.

It's Bonfire Night! Here are the children and nurses from the Sunshine Home for blind children in Kingswinford celebrating Bonfire Night in 1956. Ref: p7/633 #Bonfirenight #Gunpowderplot #GuyFawkes

A big thank you to all of the visitors and stall holders who joined us on Saturday for our Local History Day! Thanks also go to the Friends of Dudley Archives and our volunteers who helped us to run this event. We hope to see you next year!

🎉 One week until Local History Day! 🎉 Saturday 26 October at Dudley Archives and Local History Service! 10am-3pm - we hope to see you there! #localhistory #archives

We are starting #BlackHistoryMonth with a mystery. Do you recognise this man? This photograph is part of the records of Stourbridge, Lye and District Permanent Building Society (Ref: C9429). His name is given as: Mr M. Smith. His connection to the Building Society is unknown.

Update: The speaker for the next Friends of Dudley Archives talk on Saturday 5th October will now be Lin Gilbert with "I'm going to tell you a secret". All welcome - members free, non-members £2.

Come to the Archives for a 'Cuppa & Chat', run by our Friends of Dudley Archives, starting 11th October every 2nd and 4th Friday of each month! See poster for more details.

We are excited to announce that our Local History Day will be taking place on Saturday 26th October 2024! We will be hosting several talks and tours, along with stalls and exhibitions from family history and local history society groups. For further details, please see poster.