History Festival has something for everyone this month

DUDLEY libraries and the Archives and Local History Service will again be staging the Dudley History Festival from 11-31 October.

- By GAVIN JONES

The Busketeers, set for Brierley Hill Library on October 17

A stellar lineup of speakers and topics includes well-known historian and author Professor Carl Chinn MBE giving an illustrated talk about Birmingham's real peaky blinders.

Appearing at Dudley Library on Friday 17 October at 1.30pm, Professor Chinn will reveal stories about the petty criminals - some of them his ancestors - who roamed the city's back streets in the 1890s and early twentieth century.

Striking a different note at Brierley Hill Library at 11am on the same day, 'Busketeers' Billy Spakemon and Tim Martin will perform a show containing stories, songs of the region and singalongs - with audience participation actively encouraged.