THIS brace of pictures has been brought to us by George Sharp of Holly Hall, Dudley. It shows a gathering of Dudley’s civic dignitaries in 1958 or 1959. We have come up with these dates because the mayor, wearing his full regalia in the pictures, is Alderman Frederick George Lewis who served his term of office from 1958 to 1959. The poppies that many wear suggest it was November.
George has these photographs because they once belonged to his uncle, Councillor Fred Hurrell, who can be seen at the far left of the first picture, wearing his war medals.
We can also identify the deputy mayor, seen wearing the less elaborate robes, as Councillor Joseph Lawrence Billingham, who had been mayor from 1957 to 1958.
Can readers name any more of these Dudley civic leaders of 55 years ago?
