Her Majesty The Queen
“We are greatly saddened to hear of the death of the Queen and on behalf of myself, Dudley Council and the people of Dudley borough I would like to send our heartfelt condolences to the royal family at this time.
"Queen Elizabeth II was a dedicated public servant, whose unfailing devotion to her country was evident throughout her reign.
“The borough is proud to have welcomed the Queen on three occasions during her reign; in 1957 as part of a tour of Staffordshire and Worcestershire, in 1977 as part of the celebrations to mark her Silver Jubilee and finally in 1994 when she opened the new visitor centre at Dudley Zoo.
“As a mark of respect, we will be flying the Union Flag at half mast, and books of condolence will be available to sign in the Council House and at borough libraries.”
Councillor Sue Greenaway
Mayor of Dudley
Queen Elizabeth II visits to Dudley borough
The Queen visited Dudley borough three times during her reign.
The first visit was in April 1957 as part of a tour of Staffordshire and Worcestershire, covering eleven towns in the Midlands including Halesowen, Oldbury, Rowley Regis, Dudley, Brierley Hill, Stourbridge, Hagley, Kidderminster and Worcester.
The day included a tour of a Brierley Hill glassworks, an open topped drive through Stourbridge’s Mary Stevens Park, lunch at Dudley Town Hall and a visit to the famous forge of Walter Somers Ltd., where, among many operations, they witnessed the forging of great crankshafts for ocean-going vessels.
She and Prince Phillip were cheered by thousands of people along the route, with massive crowds waiting patiently and cheering patriotically at Mary Stevens Park, Stourbridge, at Priory Street as she visited Dudley Council House and in Halesowen as the royal car left the borough. .
The royal couple returned on July 27 1977 as part of the celebrations to mark her Silver Jubilee with a visit to the Council House, Dudley, where they met the Mayor of Dudley Councillor Jim Taylor, and other officials while crowds lined the streets. This was part of a nationwide tour of the country, which saw the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh go to 36 counties across Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The Queen returned one last time in June 1994 when she opened the new visitor centre at Dudley Zoo. During the 90-minute visit Her Majesty toured the centre, unveiled a piece of commemorative glass and received a crystal key to the castle as a gift from the borough, before meeting members of the public and listening to a short concert by schoolchildren in the courtyard.