Interesting Finds
There are always stories steeped in mystery and legend when it comes to places which have stood for over 100 years. It goes without saying that if the walls of Tamworth Assembly Rooms could speak; they would have a tale or two to tell. One such tale from 1963, when The Beatles were in town legend has it that they signed a wall somewhere backstage. These writings on the wall are yet to surface and for the time being remain shrouded in mystery as the search continues...
Along the way a range of interesting items have been uncovered, some in quite peculiar places and we would like to share the findings with you.
Found on the wall a few wall paper layers back a note from The Rockin’ Blue Venoms A date of when they played at The Assems’ is unknown.
A door to nowhere! This one has puzzled the Arts & Events team; a door which was uncovered backstage, exposing concrete when opened and adjacent to the outside wall. There may not be a story to tell of this mysterious door but it’s nice to think of what it might have been. What do you think it was used for?
This old box of CO OP 99 tea was found in the ceiling of the main entrance near the box office. We can only wonder how it made it up there but 16p for 50 tea bags is quite the bargain!
This safe sat backstage surplus to requirements for some time until a key was found to unlock its mysteries. This provided much excitement amongst the Arts & Events Team, wondering what treasures would be uncovered. To our dismay, as the lock turned and the heavy leaden door creaked open, there sat… a pot of keys! Not quite the treasures we had dreamt up. But with all quests it’s usually the journey which conjures up the tale.
During surveying of the floor in the main hall, two items were uncovered. Firstly, a bucket with quite the look of patina. Or rust depending on your outlook. Perhaps used by a worker. One suggestion is that it might have been a fire bucket used to contain sand.
Secondly, an item which brought up much more intrigue: a box, which would have contained a roll of Eastman Autographic film. On the back is written a best before date of July 1923. The initials V.P. indicate it was for a Vest Pocket Kodak camera which was produced between 1912 and 1926 and apparently called the soldier’s camera because of its widespread use in WWI. We know that in October of 1914 soldiers were billeted in Tamworth; of which 215 stayed at Tamworth Assembly Rooms. Soldiers were then sent in batches via midland railway to Kingsbury rifle range for training.
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