麻豆约拍

This week, Mark performs the local Town Hall in Walsall, West Midlands: a town which has nothing to do with Birmingham.

Mark discusses their statue of a concrete hippo, smaller than he expected and the fact that people keep moving it. Mark also jokes about the statue of Princess Diana that turned black.

Mark then talks about the leather trade and the local leather museum. Then there's the Walsall man who shot himself with his own taser.

Mark explores the town's history - mining and how he visited a very hot iron foundry. We hear about the creation of St. Monday, in which people tried to get the Monday off from work. Sister Dora was the "Civilian Florence Nightingale" helping to improve health care for the poor, who also has a statue.

Mark tells us about the Walsall Anarchists who were framed by the police and probably the most famous anarchists in British history. And we can't forget Walsall's very own football club, who defeated the unstoppable Arsenal 2-0 in the 1930s - one of the biggest upsets in football history.

Produced by Julia McKenzie.

First broadcast on 麻豆约拍 Radio 4 in April 2009.