Page 58 - WHO'S WHO OF DUDLEY ROTARY

176 Ben MARSH, JP (1891-1958) (Inducted 23.7.1934; President 1941-42; made an Honorary
Member 12.12.1955; died 1.4.1958 whilst still a member.) He was
Proprietor of B Marsh & Son, a firm based in Dudley Market Place with
two distinct areas of business: firstly as hardware dealers, secondly as
wholesale drapers and retail smallware dealers (‘smallware’ being
tapes, braids and other decorative wares). The business was started by
his father Benjamin. Young Ben joined straight from school. Although
he died in 1958 the firm was not wound up until 1970.
Ben Marsh was a prominent freemason. He was first initiated in the
Royal Standard Lodge, Dudley in 1924 and was Worshipful Master in
1939. In the Masonic Province of Worcestershire he rose to become Provincial Senior Grand
Warden in 1944, Assistant Provincial Grand Master in 1948, and Provincial Grand Master 1950-
54. He was also a Past Grand Deacon of the Grand Lodge of England, and in the Royal Arch
Degree was a Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies of the Supreme Grand Chapter and
later Past Assistant Grand Sojourner. During his Provincial ‘Mastership’ he oversaw the
consecration of 13 new lodges. He was so well regarded that the Ben Marsh Lodge, meeting at
Dudley Masonic Centre, was consecrated in December 1963. During the last war, with Arthur
Hillman (member #271), he was responsible for much of the organisation of savings weeks held
in Dudley. He was appointed a borough magistrate in 1942. He lived at The Gables, Bean Road
from 1925.

177 Reginald (‘Reg’) William SMITH (1897-1989) (Elected c.10.1934; made Honorary Member
10.2.1942 ‘until circumstances permitted his return to full active participation in Club
Membership’; resigned 8.5.1947 because of ill health.) Furniture Distribution. Managing
director of Smith of Dudley Limited, House Furnishers, of Wolverhampton Street. The firm was
founded by his father, Thomas Naylor Smith, in the early 1900s and continued until wound up
in 1981. Reg was joined for a time by his son Jack Naylor Smith (who joined the club in 1952,
member #328) until Jack branched out on his own. During the First World War Reg was a Lance
Corporal with the 5th Reserve Cavalry Regiment but in 1916 fell from his horse whilst on duty
on Salisbury Plain and suffered a fracture and permanent dislocation of his right thumb, so for
the rest of the war could only perform clerical duties. During the last war he was a section
commander in Dudley Special Constabulary. He lived in Dudley all his life until moving to
Bournemouth for his last few years.

xxx Cecil William GEORGE (1901-1990) (Elected 26.11.1934 but may never have been inducted.)
Company Secretary. Incorporated Accountant practising as C W George. His offices were in
Priory Street until 1950 and then at Tixall House, St James’s Road. He was still practising after
the age of 80, specialising in insolvency and receivership. He moved home from Dudley to Clent
in 1963.

178 Arthur Thomas COOK (1907-1986) (Elected 11.3.1935; President 1951-52; died Dec.1986 whilst
still a member.) His original classification of ‘Optician-Retailing’ was changed in 1949 to
‘Ophthalmic Optician’. He was a Director of opticians W Harrison & Co. of
Castle Street, Dudley, which merged with the firm of A J Moore, dispensing
opticians, about 1940. He moved to become manager of the Dudley
branch of opticians Hudson Howard from about 1960, with premises in
New Street Dudley. Following a takeover by the national firm of retail
opticians Dollond & Aitchison in 1970 he continued as manager well into
his 70s. He was qualified as a Fellow (in Optometry) of the Worshipful
Company of Spectacle Makers.
He seems to have been born in Birmingham city centre, son of a ‘Bone
Boiler’. His first house, in Oakham Avenue Dudley, and second (for the next 48 years) in Priory