Page 42 - WHO'S WHO OF DUDLEY ROTARY

(member #208). Following the death of Thomas in 1957 the firm was wound up and William left
Dudley to live at Wollaston, Stourbridge.

116 Rev. James DIXON, BA MA DD (1881-1958) (Elected 4.10.1926; left 1929 on moving to
Birmingham.) Clerk in Holy Orders. Vicar of St Luke’s Church, Wellington Road, Dudley from
1919 to 1929. He left to become vicar of St John the Baptist, Deritend but when parishes merged
in 1939 he became Perpetual Curate of St John’s & St Basil’s Church, Deritend. At the end of the
war he was appointed Rector of St Peter’s Church, Ipsley near Redditch, but retired in 1952
because of ill health. After being ordained in 1903 he was curate at several churches in central
Birmingham, then Rector of Kington with Dormston near Redditch from 1915 before coming to
Dudley.

117 Percy Lionel Richmond FULLWOOD (1884-1956) (Member from 4 .9.1922 until early 1926 - see
#54 above; rejoined 4.10.1926 after a few months’ break; membership terminated 8.4.1929.)
Coal merchant.

118 Herbert William JONES (1874-1944) (Elected 4.10.1926 although first attended 15.9.1924;
resigned 1.2.1932.) Decorator & Plumber. Proprietor of H Wythes & Son of 59 High Street,
Dudley, painters, decorators, plumbers, glaziers, sign writers, etc. He was born and raised in
Aston, Birmingham but started as a decorator with Wythes at the age of 13 whilst still resident
with his family in Aston. By his mid 20s he was Manager at the firm and appears to have become
its Principal in 1919 on the death of John Wythes, son of the founder Henry. He was a prominent
member of Dudley Conservative Club and Treasurer of St Edmund’s church.

119 Walter Bassano McMILLAN (1867-1955) (Elected 4.10.1926; membership terminated
19.3.1928.) Cinema Proprietor. (The club ignored the advice of RIBI which took issue with
distinguishing ‘cinema proprietor’ and ‘cinema manager’. Norman Smith was already a member
in the classification Cinema Manager.) He was proprietor and manager of the Scala Cinema in
Birmingham Street, Dudley from 1919 to 1928 and also of the Castle Cinema in the High Street
from 1924 to 1928. In January 1928 he was fined for selling tickets at the Castle Cinema on
which Entertainment Tax had not been paid. (The film Ben Hur proved so popular that he had
run short of stamped tickets!) Perhaps this conviction prompted his leaving the club and the
town. He moved to Hull where he set up a shop in the city centre selling musical Instruments,
gramophones and radios (and also bicycles!) but became insolvent and went out of business just
6 years later, in 1934. He then took a job as a salesman of neon lamps for sterilising food.
He was born and raised at Amblecote, Stourbridge but as a young man moved to Leeds where
he worked first an insurance collector and then as a pianist and musical conductor. He married
a variety artiste - stage name Edith St Clare - and acted as manager of her music hall touring
company, and composed, arranged and directed the music for numerous variety shows and
pantomimes at theatres throughout Britain. His wife died prematurely in 1917 but he kept her
variety show going for a further four years whilst swapping live theatre for cinema when he
came to Dudley.

120 William Robert MITCHELL (1872-1940) (Elected 4.10.1926; membership terminated 19.3.1928.)
Tailor & Gents outfitter. Partner in the firm of gentlemen’s outfitters W R & T Mitchell of Dudley
High Street and later in Stone Street. He founded the firm as W R Mitchell in 1895 - ‘Specialities
in ladies’ jackets, clericals, breeches & liveries’ - having learned his trade as a master tailor with
Scruton & Son in Birmingham. Four or five years later he was joined by his younger brother
Thomas. Their father was publican of the Angel Inn in Dudley town centre for many years. The
brothers retired and closed the business in about 1934. In his youth William was a keen athlete,
an original member and player for the old Dudley Town Football Club, and a member of Dudley