Royal welcome from college kids
OUR front page this week shows the day, almost half a century ago, when royalty made a rare visit to the Black Country.
The distinguished guest was Katharine, Duchess of Kent, and according to the scant details that accompany the photograph, it was taken, along with the two on this page, in Dudley on October 31, 1973.
The setting and the age of the students suggest a college, and it’s on record that Dudley College had established a new centre in Brierley Hill in that year, specifically for training students for the glass industry. Given that there’s a laboratory and a couple of art students, it seems a fair bet that this is where the Duchess was that day.
Above, the Duchess is shown being escorted by local dignitaries and college leaders, we’d guess, in robes.
The Duchess of Kent is married to Edward Duke of Kent, a first cousin of the queen, and was once a familiar face in the media. However she withdrew from full royal duties in 1996 due to ongoing health problems.
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She was at the centre of some controversy two years earlier, when she became the first member of the royal family to convert to Catholicism since the Act of Settlement in 1701. Aged 87, she keeps a low profile these days, but is a supporter of Unicef and an ambassador for The Samaritans.
There are plenty of faces in these photographs which we’re sure Bugle readers will recognise.
■ If you’ve spotted yourself, a friend or a relative, please let us know. Email gjones@blackcountrybugle.co.uk, give us a call on 01384 880531, or write to us at Black Country Bugle, Dudley Archives, Tipton Road, Dudley, DY1 4SQ.