A handful of local singers

The company was founded in 1929, and gave its first production on 18 March 1930: Pearl the Fishermaid.

Many of the founder members had already performed in plays, sung in choirs and taken part in other local musical activities. The idea of combining those talents was first raised by Ray Taylor, who was soon joined by a friend, Bill Griffiths. Together the two of them pressed forward with the creation of the Willenhall Operatic Society. The title was later changed to The Willenhall and Wesley Amateur Operatic Society, and it stayed that way until 1973, when the society reverted to its original name.

A team was gathered together to produce that first show. Wilfred Anslow led the orchestra and Ernest Parkes was on piano. Athol Baker, Cyril Wolverson, Bill Hurd and others worked backstage, Fred Nicklin looked after the lighting, and Bill Griffiths and Ray Taylor produced and choreographed.

After a few years, changes in the company brought in the production team of Doctor E Parkes Darby and Madame Parkes Darby who, together with their daughter Vaudrey, were associated with the society for many years.

Reginald Tildesley became Treasurer, and the Tildesley family kept close ties with the company until the closure of their Willenhall car showroom in 1982.

The programme took on its present format under the guidance of Millie Gregory, who also supervised ticket sales and continued in that role until the mid 1970s. Fred Gregory took over as publicity manager, a post he held until his retirement in 1971. Many of those duties were later taken over by the Poole family: Alan, Audrey and their daughters Alison and Kathryn. Alan and Audrey’s contribution on stage is well documented, and they played the lead roles in the 1955 production of Oklahoma.

In 1952, following the retirement of F Brown, Tom Longstaff and Margaret Tildesley became joint secretaries. Both had played many principal parts for the company over the years. Tom remained as Honorary Secretary until 1986 and then became President, a post he held until his death in 2004.

The year 1953 saw the arrival of Marion Beasley as Producer, Beresford Pensom as Musical Director and Sheila Groom as dancing mistress. Ernest Parkes retired as accompanist in 1966, after 36 years at the piano, and was replaced by Margaret Phipps, who stayed until 1996.

In 1973 the society reverted to its original title, Willenhall Operatic Society, and Millie Gregory became the company’s first Lady President.

John Willis took over as Musical Director in 1974. Marion Beasley retired as Producer in 1975 because of ill health and was replaced by Alan Pooler, who stayed in the post until 1980. In 1977 Jill Hodgkins, nee Gregory, was appointed choreographer.

Jeremy Hobbs joined as Producer in 1983, and Arthur Doody arrived the following year as Musical Director. In 1985 Finian’s Rainbow brought in an influx of new members who remained active on stage for many years afterwards. Among them, Tim Jones, Ruth Lewis, John Wiley, Mac Hammond and Stan Till went on to play many leading roles.

Val Goodfellow, a long standing member, was a memorable Dolly in Hello Dolly in 1982, and followed it with Nellie Forbush in South Pacific and the title role in Calamity Jane in 1986.

Don McClay took over as Producer in 1987 for Fiddler on the Roof, and Peter Hopson joined as Musical Director in 1989 for Show Boat.

With the new name came a new kind of show. The company put its trust in Andy Poulton, joined once more by Meg Dowen, to stage the first pantomime in its history, and brought in Phil James as Musical Director, who had worked with the company over the previous few years as rehearsal pianist. Mother Goose played in December 2011.

For the April 2012 production of The Wizard of Oz, Karl Babarczi joined the production team as Musical Director. That production was also put forward for the Best Production award for the Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire region of NODA West Midlands.

For the April 2013 production of Calamity Jane the company welcomed Lindsey Grant as its new choreographer. Later that year Phil James became Musical Director for the second pantomime, Aladdin, which won Best Pantomime for NODA West Midlands Region 7.

Going into 2014 the production team of Andy Poulton, Lindsey Grant and Phil James took on one of the largest and most lavish productions the company had ever staged: the Tony Award winning Thoroughly Modern Millie. It won Best Musical for NODA West Midlands Region 7.