text: The Corporation (Warden and Society) of Sutton Coldfield held its monthly meetings in the Moot Hall. By the 1850s the ancient structure was showing signs of collapse, and the Warden’s Minutes for 1854 show increasing concern; in April it was resolved “That steps be taken for the necessary repairs”; in May £100 was voted for the cost of repairs; on July 10th £250 was voted; and on August 28th the decision was taken to abandon the old Moot Hall.
  The Warden and Society next met in a room in the schoolmaster’s house in Mill Street, probably the one originally earmarked for the Library. At their 30th October meeting they ordered “That the School House in which this meeting is now assembled shall be named and called the Moot Hall until a new one is built.”
  In April 1855 the former Upper School on Church Hill (the site now occupied by the Sons of Rest building) was the home of the “Permanent Library and Institute” At the time a mass meeting of the inhabitants had determined to petition for a new Charter for the town, and a Government Commissioner was due to arrive in August to hold a Public Inquiry. The Warden and Society had to find a venue for this, and decided on 28th July 1855 “That the Committee of the Reading Room be applied to for the use of their room to hold the Inquiry in, a room in the temporary Town Hall to be set aside for them.”