Historic windows donated to heritage society by Sainsbury’s

Windows Of Time by Ray Fellows

Sainsbury’s has donated window frames from the former Wednesfield Temperance Hall to Wednesfield Heritage Society.

The building has been removed to make way for Sainsbury’s store extension, which will create up to 80 new jobs upon completion. However, the window frames of the building, which dates back to the 1860s, have been retained by Sainsbury’s and handed over to Ray Fellows of the Heritage Society for safekeeping until they can be put on display.

Alex Shearer, Sainsbury’s project manager, said: “Sainsbury’s fully appreciates the importance of preserving heritage and we are only too pleased to be able to preserve part of the hall and give it to the Heritage Society. The removal of the building has facilitated the extension works, which will improve the shopping offer and create jobs for local people”.

Speaking about the donation, Ray Fellows of the Heritage Society, added: “Whilst we were opposed to the removal of the building we must thank Sainsbury’s for their very kind donation of the windows it has given us the chance to save something from the old building”. These windows of time have an aura about them, when you think of some of the events that they pre date, like the battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876 you get some idea how old they are.

“Looking through these windows is like looking into the distant past of  Wednesfield. We would like to display the windows at some time although it takes 4 men to lift one! A story about the Temperance Hall appears in Ray Fellows’ my new book ‘Wednesfield Our Heritage’, my thanks to Richard Harris and Alex Shearer for their help in acquiring the windows.”