LLOYD'S Proving House is a well-known name from the days of chain, a place where ships' cables from the likes of Noah Hingley's mighty ironworks were hauled in and stretched, quite literally, to breaking point.
We occasionally see photographs taken inside there, but rarely a view of the outside; and you're unlikely to see a more unusual shot of the place than those shown here. Both pictures have been supplied by Joan Willetts of Cradley Heath, and they show friends and family, most notably a couple of babies in a very deep pram, right outside Lloyd's.
The pictures were taken in Oldfields, off Cradley Heath's Corngreaves Road, in 1935, and the two babies in the pram are Freda Swingler on the left, and Astrid Garratt.
Lloyd's was, Joan tells us, known locally as 'The Test'.
This was the second Proving House built locally, the other being at Netherton.
In the group photograph are, from left: Gwen Swingler, Joan Watts, Susannah Tipton and Freda Swingler.
Susannah Tipton was the grandmother of Gwen and Freda, and the Tiptons, Garratts and Wattses were all neighbours in Oldfields for many years.
