Hats off! Club marks ninety years of doing lunch

Broadcaster and author Hugo Vickers was the special guest speaker at the meeting which co-incided with the organisation's Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations shared his experiences of a lifetime of working around the Royal Family and courtiers.

The luncheon club which is still going strong was founded in 1932 for the wives from the business community to enjoy lunch together with guest speakers drawn from a wide range of interests.

Among the first guests was the world famous aviator Amy Johnson who made a solo flight from Croydon to Australia in 1930. The monthly meetings which to this day involve guest speakers, were originally formal with the members expected to wear hats.

The hats have now vanished, men also attend, and the luncheon club now meets nine times a year and usually on the last Wednesday of the month at Linden House after being based for years at The Connaught Hotel.

Member Susan Farnath said: "Many people have been involved with the luncheon club over the years. It's a lovely group to be a part of. The club has a social function as well as philanthropic. We support one charity per year with fundraising activities and donations.

"During the Covid lockdown we suspended the club but kept in touch with each other. We relaunched last year when we could with very few people attending, but it's picking up now with 50-60 regularly attending the meetings. It used to be 100 in attendance in it's heyday.

"We meet January to June then have a break until September."

Around 90 members and guests including Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Sandra Samuels, who gave a toast, her consort Karl Samuels and the writer tucked into a three-course meal and a slice of the anniversary cake.

Mr Vickers, who gave a presentation about the Queen, said: "It's very nice to be here. I'm friends with Susan and her husband. We do a lot of things together at Windsor. They're celebrating as you know their 90th anniversary of the luncheon club.

"And we're also celebrating the 70 years of the Queen's reign. So it's a nice combination."

Previous celebrity guests have included Margaret Thatcher's former Private Secretary Sir Bernard Ingham in 2006, former South Derbyshire MP Edwina Currie in 2011 and cartoonist Bill Tidy in 2014.

There is an annual membership subscription which costs £30 towards the cost of the speakers. Lunch costs £18 and is served at 12.45pm and meetings generally end by 3.30pm.

Prospective new members are welcome to join taster meetings without paying subs, but the lunch must be paid for.

The ladies are now on a summer break and the guest at the next meeting on September 28 will be Paula Cornwell who will give a talk on 1920s motor racer Mrs Victor Bruce.

For more information about the club visit website wolverhamptonwomensluncheonclub.blogspot.com