Straits Road, Gornal Wood.

The present 'tin' mission was built in 1914 and dedicated on the 2nd of April, it was expected that the mission building would be temporary, but it is still in use over a hundred years later.

The mission was a satellite of All Saints Church in Sedgley.

The original brick built mission and school was erected in 1832/3 as a thanksgiving due to the village escaping the cholera epidemic. However in June, 1905 it was affected by mining subsidence from the nearby Earl of Dudley's mine and was badly damaged to the point of collapse, and was closed.
The old mission was located just a short distance away-at the road edge in front of where the Baggeridge Welfare and Social Club now stands.

The above picture looks up Straits Road and clearly shows the very large crack in the rear wall and the nearside roof falling in, it fell down shortly after.
The Gornal woman looks rather unconced that the building behind is about to collapse into a hole!

The Mission was used as a school.
In a 1851 directory the school master was John Beddard, marked as taking in boarders, also in P.O.Directory of same period is Mrs Jane Wasdell, infant school, Streights..

The 1871 census indicates that Straits Green School was here.

The 1880 OS map shows a boy's and girl's school at this site.

The 1901 Census shows that Edward Harthill lived in the School House, occupation carpenter & joiner.

The imposing Miners Welfare Institute building on Straits Road, is testament to the miners of Gornal.
The modern building with recreation amenities was commisioned by the Earl of Dudley for the 1,700 miners of Baggeridge colliery at a cost of £20,000. It was opened by the Earl in 1941.

The Baggeridge Miners Welfare or Baggeridge Social Club as it is referred to these days has a fine bowling green.