NextBackThe Duchess of Kent paid a visit to Redditch to open two hostels. Eileen Bennett's father, who owned the Brabant Needle company, was involved:
''My father. C H Blackford. was Chairman of the Redditch Urban District Council In December 1941 when the Duchess of Kent arrived to open the Redditch Community Clubs. Together with Irving Watkins who was Clerk to the Council, he welcomed the Duchess when she arrived at Terry & Sons. There were two Community Clubs, both in Prospect Hill, number 29 was for women and number 6 (Fish Hill House) was for men. By 1941 4,000 workers had been imported into Redditch and the clubs aimed to tackle loneliness and boredom by providing a canteen, baths, laundry, a rest room, a games room, and emergency bedroom and so on. They were for imported workers only, the men had to be 20 and over and the ladies 18 and over. The subscription was one shilling (5p) per month. They were run by a committee under a Club Council which was responsible to the Chairman of the Council, that is, my father.”
