Museum’s 30 years of past glories

Thirty years ago Raymond Brothwood queued outside the Black Country Living Museum clutching his 30p entrance fee.

It was the long-awaited opening day of the museum on May 22, 1978 and Raymond was curious to see what was inside.

“At the time I had an antiques shop in Horseley Heath, Tipton, and so had donated quite a few things to the museum,” says Raymond, 69, who still lives five minutes away from the museum in Birmingham New Road.

“I used to do house clearances and so had furniture, vases and old-fashioned fire grates, which could be used by the museum. It is nice to still see these things in the museum doing what they were designed to do.”

This week the museum is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a series of street parties. Yesterday there was a Dudley-themed party, today there is a focus on Sandwell and on Thursday and Friday it will be Walsall and Wolverhampton’s turn.

Sylvia Speake, who grew up in Wednesbury next to the Patent Shaft offices in Leabrook Road, was with her sister Pat Halford.

She said: “When we visit the museum it is like going home. From the mangles and the sewing machines to the brew house and the outside toilet, it takes us back to when we were little girls.”