BrownhillsBob's Brownhills Blog

It’s festival weekend in Brownhills!

Posted on June 20, 2013 by BrownhillsBob

Spotted by [Howmuch?], A leaflet promoting the Brownhills Summer Festival. Shame there’s been next to no promotion on line. Feel free to download, print or share. Click for a larger version.

This weekend, we not only have the Brownhills Canal Festival on Sunday (June 23rd 2013), but Brownhills Town Centre Partnership and Walsall Council are running Browhills Town Festival the day before (Saturday, 22nd June 2013).

The Town Festival has lots of stuff for adults and kids alike, including live music, donkeys, a barbecue – all manner of good stuff.

This press release from the Walsall Communications Unit dropped into my inbox today:

Brownhills Town Festival

Brownhills first ever town festival featuring a variety of fun for all the family takes place this Saturday (22 June).

Organised by Walsall Council’s district centre management team and Brownhills Town Centre Partnership it is intended to showcase the town and provide a great day out for people of all ages. It runs from 10am to 2pm.

Based around the town centre activities include live music performances, summer stalls, childrens rides, inflatables, face painting, Jack and the Beanstalk stilt walker, balloon modelling, donkeys,summer festival trail and a barbecue.

For more information about what’s happening in Brownhills follow @BrownhillsTown on twitter or like Brownhills Town Centre Partnership on Facebook.

Meanwhile, I noted today boats arriving today for Brownhills Canal Festival on Sunday, which is sure to be a great event, too.

Hopefully, there will be some great boats at the show this year.

Both events look set to be belters, but as usual, there’s been very little publicity, particularly for the event on Saturday. People, if you send me your press releases, I’ll post up your stuff, free of charge. Simple as that. 8-10k hits a week is a large number of people to get the attention of…

Details of this year’s canal festival extravaganza have kindly been supplied by The Clayhanger Kid himself, Brian Stringer.

This year’s annual Brownhills Canal Festival will take place at the waterfront on Silver Street, Brownhills, on Sunday, 23rd of June from 10:00am – 4:00pm.

Because we were let down by the trip boat last year, this time the Walsall Enterprise boat will be doing the job.

Sutton Canoe Club are running events from the Canoe Centre.

This year sees the return of good old Barry Yates who is bringing his Staffordshiremen Folk Group to perform for us.

I understand that Spotlight Productions will also be entertaining musically. They are a voluntary group who perform West End type musicals at Brownhills Comp and currently rehearse in the annexe, and they have some really talented kids in their ranks.

Walsall Radio, Flip The Clown, and kiddies fairground rides will all be complemented by the numerous stalls and refreshment facilities.

Anyway, I’d like to thank you on behalf of the Brownhills Local Committee for your help with publicity, both now and the job you’ve done for the Canal Festival in other years.

Cheers mate,

Brian

For further information, or if you’d like to take out a stall, please contact Richard Lee at RichardV8lee@talktalk.net

Or contact Brownhills Local Committee on 01543 361144.

Brownhills Local Committee
The Parkview Centre
Chester Road North
Brownhills
Ws8 7JB

Thanks to Brian, who was as helpful as ever. He’s a true friend of the blog. Did I mention he has a book out? Reading it now, it’s ace.

There are plenty of attractions for all, and some rather fine craftsmanship on display.

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, cycling, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local media, Local music, News, Panoramio photo discussions, Panoramio updates, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Council | Tagged 22, 23, Barge, Boats, Brian Stringer, Brownhills, Brownhills Canoe Centre, Brownhills Town Festival, Canal, Canoe, Clayhanger, Committee, Contach, Contact, Events, Festival, Fete, information, June, june 23rd, Local, local blogs, Marina, Narrowboat, outdoors, pageant, planning, Richard Lee, Summer, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood | Leave a comment

Exterminate! Daleks to invade Aldridge

Posted on June 18, 2013 by BrownhillsBob

Why not print out a few flyers and spread them amongst your mates? Click for a larger version.

Martin Fisher contacted me from the Aston Manor Road Transport Museum in Aldridge recently, to let me know about their latest event, taking place this Sunday. It looks set to be a must for Sci-Fi fans, Doctor Who aficionados and anyone else into the weird and wonderful.

Martin wrote:

Good morning, Bob

I promised you details of the Dalek Invasion at the museum; I attach a copy of the advert and also the draft press release and I’d be pleased if you could mention it in the blog. You might like to say that locals are welcome to come to the museum in Shenstone Drive on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 10:30 to 16:00 and also Thursday evenings from 19:30 to 21:30 to buy tickets direct from us – other local outlets are being set up, including Bennett’s sci-fi shop in the Victorian Arcade in Walsall, which already has tickets in stock; we’ll put additional details on our Facebook page as we progress.

Any more queries, please come back to me.

Thanks

Daleks to Invade Aldridge

Prepare to hide behind the sofa! A squad of Daleks is expected to invade the Aston Manor Transport Museum in its new home in Shenstone Drive, Aldridge on 23^rd June, accompanied by a selection of well-known sci-fi characters.

The museum is hosting the Charity Dalek Squad for a day of fun and excitement, as the Daleks perform around the museum’s collection of buses and other old vehicles. There will be Dalek games to watch and to participate in, as well as the chance for visitors to meet Daleks face-to-face. Sci-fi memorabilia will be on sale and it will also be a chance to see many of the exhibits before the relocated museum, originally located near the Aston Villa ground in Witton, formally opens to the public later this summer.

The Charity Dalek Squad is formed by a group of Dalek enthusiasts who build and operate life-size Daleks and gives shows all over the country, attracting large audiences wherever they appear.

Tickets are available from the museum in Shenstone Drive, Aldridge; details are on the museum website (www.amrtm.org) or ring 07914 712073. They will also be on sale at a number of local outlets and on the day before the event from the museum’s stand and bus at the Aldridge Carnival.

Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged 2013, 23rd June, Aldridge, Aston Manor, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, bus, Bus Museum, Chasewater, Dalek, Doctor Who, event, Events, Facebook, Fancy Dress, Invasion, Local History, Martin Fisher, Meet the Museum, open day, planning, Sci-fi, Shenstone Drive, Transport Museum, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood | 2 Comments

Box clever?

Posted on June 18, 2013 by BrownhillsBob

Here’s one to get the researchers and detectives amongst the readership scratching their heads. Let’s see what we can turn up, as this is quite unusual and I think there’s some history to be found here.

Ann Cross has written to me asking about a wooden box that came into her family during their tenure at The Royal Exchange, in Walsall Wood. Ann, you’ll recall, wrote fantastic articles about her family history there. She’d really like to find out more about the history of this beautifully constructed case, and the legend inscribed upon it.

Please have a read, and a think, and either comment here or mail me on BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com. Cheers.

I thank Ann for yet another humdinger of a contribution, and also for her very kind words. The pleasure is all mine, it really is, just glad you folks enjoy reading along.

Ann wrote:

Hi Bob,

I am hoping someone may be able to help out with this one, if you can put it together for me with the photos I am sending.

Am loving the bike rides, the pictures are great!

Many thanks and best wishes

Ann Cross

Image kindly supplied by Ann Cross.

This box has lived in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Greater Manchester and Dorset, but started life in West Bromwich. It was made by Richard Cliff Ltd of Bromford Road, West Bromwich, timber merchants and case makers.

Image kindly supplied by Ann Cross.

Not just any old hammer and nails box, this was robustly made with dovetail joints, wire bound, with handles on each end and a hinged lid. The Richard Cliff logo is stamped on the lid.

Above this, attached with drawing pins (one is missing) is the Royal Exchange business card, complete with layers of dust and grime, about 50 years worth! However it is possible to read under magnification, especially when you know what to look for:

Image kindly supplied by Ann Cross.

ROYAL EXCHANGE INN
Proprietor W CROSS
27 Lichfield Road
Walsall Wood
Staffs
Telephone Brownhills 2317

The top right hand corner says Coaches Welcome, but is partially obscured by a drawing pin. The top left hand corner says something I think but remains undecipherable and we cannot remember!

On each end of this old wooden box it says Allbrooks West Smethwick charged 1/- and stamped over that, deposit 6/-. Allbrooks were suppliers of bottled mineral water.

On the long side are the initials N I P T A and underneath (REGISTERED)

Image kindly supplied by Ann Cross.

Can anyone help out please?

The old wooden box now resides in South Gloucestershire, still dusty, still missing one drawing pin.

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged Allbrooks, Ann Cross, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, case, Census, crate, Family history, history, licensee, Local History, NIPTA, pub, Pubs, Richard Cross, Royal Exchange, Shire Oak, Staffordshire, victualler, Walsall Wood, West Browich, West Smethwick, William Cross, wooden box | 9 Comments

That went well. Not.

Posted on June 17, 2013 by BrownhillsBob

Aldridge Manor. Can’t think why they’re so keen to flog it. Oh – hang on… Imagery from Bing! maps.

Just a quick post to point out that the saga of Aldridge Manor, Youth Services in Aldridge and the wider Walsall Borough rumbles on. As I plugged here heavily last week, there was a public meeting last Thursday, and it didn’t go at all well for Walsall Council, who had hastily called it only a short time before as a damage limitation exercise when it became clear that they’d decided to close the Manor two years previously, and still had no practical plan to replace it.

It’s notable that whilst two Labour councillors from outside the ward attended (Barbara Cassidy from Brownhills and Gareth Illmann-Walker from Willenhall), none of the Aldridge North and Walsall Wood councillors did. The only immediately local ones to show were Tories John Rochelle and John Murray. We were told Councillor Flower is on honeymoon, but Councillors Sears and Harris could have shown their faces…

Also absent was the cabinet member for the service itself, Rachel Andrew, but locals were charmed instead by the appearance of her husband, deputy leader Adrian Andrew.

Stuck at work, I didn’t attend the public meeting either, but stoical campaigner Linda Mason did, and together with service users and concerned parents, they lost no opportunity to tell the authority representatives exactly what they thought.

Click on the image to visit Linda’s great account of a shambolic public meeting

There is an excellent writeup on Linda’s blog, and also by The Mushroom. The eloquent Plastic Hippo also commented in the usual sardonic style. This campaign really seems to have captured imaginations, and a number of people seemed to have changed position somewhat abruptly, such is Walsall political life.

There were a couple of excellent interviews on Radio WM which I’ll record and edit up tomorrow if I get chance, one featuring Adrian Andrew, in which he came over very badly indeed. There’s also c0verage by the Walsall Advertiser.

The issue clearly isn’t going to subside, and the powers that be have called another meeting at a later date. As soon as I have details, I’ll post them here.

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, It makes me mad!, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local media, Local politics, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged 13th June, Aldridge Manor, area manager, by election, Cheap tat, Closure, Conservative, Councillors, cuts, Independent, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Linda Mason, local blogs, Local History, Local politics, Pete Smith, planning, Politics, Public Meeting, Rachel Andrew, Redevelopment, Shire Oak, Silly, sold, Twitter, Walsall, Walsall Council, Walsall politics, Walsall Wood, Walsall Works, Youth Club | Leave a comment

Going with the flow

Posted on June 16, 2013 by BrownhillsBob

I’ve had this article from The Young David Evans in for a while now, as I wanted to find time to illustrate it with some great mapping. David’s exploration of the places of his childhood, and his interpretation of the current physical geography is fascinating. My thanks as ever, to David for sharing.

In the modern world of asphalted roads, acres of hardstanding and housing estates by the square mile, we tend to forget that our landscape is riddled with lost brooks, springs, natural drains and man-made culverts, and all have to be managed to prevent flood and ensure adequate drainage, whilst still maintaining irrigation.

Areas of the local landscape are actually very wet indeed – The Slough, Clayhanger Marsh, Ryders Mere, stretching round to Stubbers Green through Jockey Meadows. These are all essential drainage bands, and ensure not just continued relief of higher ground, but maintenance of our biodiversity.

Here, David explores a stream he thought lost, remembered from his childhood.

Here’s what he found…

Walsall Wood, a 1:2,500 fragment from 1902, with the watercourse highlighted, as is Kingshayes Farm. Click for a larger version.

This part of the 1902 Ordnance Survey map of Walsall Wood shows the course of a stream at that time. It seems to rise in a pool to the east of the Kings Hayes Farm (highlighted) and flow past the farm and join another watercourse, from a spring which is identified as ‘spout’ to the south-south east. Both combine to flow under the road and continue in the shallow valley that exists, almost parallel to Coppice Lane. Interestingly, like the Brook, mentioned in the article Downstream, this brook also flows under a railway, the Walsall Wood Bridge Extension, and also the canal, at the centre of the above map. The stream then continued past Coppice House towards Stubbers Green Road.

I wanted to see what, if anything, remains of the original course of this stream. A lot of the landscape has changed dramatically since the time the map was made, and what I document here is that which can still be discerned nowadays.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Seen from the adjacent transport yard, the stream turns and flows to some sort of culvert. From hereon the original course of the stream is lost, as can be seen in the images in Google Earth.

Google Earth imagery showing the modern course of the stream in question. Note that near the boundary of the former marl pit, it disappears; it would have been culverted to protect the marl pit from flooding. Click for a larger version. Imagery from Google Earth.

This stream, and the memories it may evoke, is a gentle witness to times and way of life from many years ago, to the dramatic and irreversible changes brought by the industrialisation of the nearby land, and forms another part of our local history.

[Bob adds:]

Interestingly, since the Vigo is a former landfill, it’s intriguing to note the following from the Friday, 13th September 1901 copy of The Lichfield Mercury, spotted by Environmental correspondent Peter ‘Pedro’ Cutler:

AN AWKWARD MATTER – The Clerk read a letter from Messrs. Shelton, Walker and Taylor, complaining that the Council had been depositing rubbish on King’s Hayes Farm, Walsall Wood, close to the road, and giving the Council 7 days’, notice to remove the rubbish and not to trespass; on the land again.

The Surveyor reported that he had visited the spot and found that some hundreds of loads of rubbish there. It would be a big job to move it. The night soil foreman (Mr. Harrison) was called upon to explain, and said the rubbish had been tipped there for the last ten years. A complaint was recently made and none had since been deposited there. The Clerk was directed to reply that the work of removal was proceeding.

So the question kind of remains, what on earth did they do with all that rubbish?

OS Street plus mapping shows the brook clearly, unconverted when last surveyed. They cite is as starting as a spring (‘issue’) up on Castle Hill, and disappearing near the entrance o the Vigo quarry/landfill. It appears to re-emerge from under the canal, and run alongside the winding path between the Weinberger marl pit and Veolia, eventually feeding the marsh at Stubbers Green.

Both myself and David would like to express our gratitude to Mr. Simon Taylor, owner of the land and of the busy adjacent industrial site, for so readily allowing David to take these photos for everyone to share and appreciate.

Posted in Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged brook, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Canal, Coppice House, culvert, David Evans, Drainage, Farm, Kings Hayes, Local History, Marsh, New Photos, Old maps, Redevelopment, Shire Oak, Stonnall, Stream, Stubbers Green, Taylor, Things to do, Transport, Vigo, Walsall Wood, Watercourse, Wetland, Wildlife | 10 Comments

Bicycles. Always a problem.

Posted on June 16, 2013 by BrownhillsBob

Lichfield Mercury, 16th August 1935. Click for a larger version.

A great spot here from Peter ‘Pedro’ Cutler regarding a report in the Lichfield Mercury of Friday, 16th August 1935.

It seems Brownhills, even then, had distinctly self-interested groups of the great and good, all pushing their own agendas. Just as today, there seems to be some overlap in the membership.

I had no idea we ever even had a ‘Chamber of Trade’. But for the language, this report isn’t too far from what might emerge from the Community Association, Local Committee or Town Centre Partnership of today.

I particularly like the haggling over the land price and concern over parked bicycles. In the middle of a great depression and seemingly unconcerned for the men’s employment, their bikes are the real bugbear, the obvious answer being to engage the police. Be unemployed if you must, but don’t make the town look untidy…

I’m unclear about the connection between the Labour Exchange and the Co-op. I know it was in the rooms above the store, but whether there was a greater link, I’d welcome enlightenment. As far as I can remember, the ‘labour Exchange’ (or Job Centre) was above the Co-op right until the end of the 1970s.

Some things never change…

Cheers to Peter for another great find. Really couldn’t do this stuff with you guys…

BROWNHILLS CHAMER OF TRADE

Price of Norton Land too High.

CONGESTION AT LABOUR EXCHANGE.

AT a meeting of tlse Brownhills Chamber of Trade, held in the Mount Zion Schoolroom on Wednesday evening, Mr. C. L W. Bradbury apoke on the propoaed Norton Canes sewerage scheme, following an explanatory talk by Councillors H. V. Emery and R J. Humphries on the scheme the previous week.

Reviewing the matter, Mr. Bradbury aaid that a five-acre piece of ground belonging to the Conduit Colliery Co. would be available. but to obtain that the Brownhills Urban Dietrict Council would have to purchase the whole of a 38 and a half acre farm at £70 per acre.

True a portion of the ground was stated to be suitable for building purposes, but Norton Canes was definitely open to subsidence owing to the shallow nature of the pits, and the Chamber of Trade as ratepayers had got to see that nothing elaborate waa put up owing to that subsidence.

Councillor Emery had stated that it would entail a 7d. rate, but they had also got to remember that something like £40,000 would have to be borrowed for the sewage plant. There bad been several cases of subsidence taking place at the Walsall Wood Farm, but this was covered to a certain degree by compensation from the Walaall Wood Colliery, but at Norton they would have no claim. While appreciating the fact that Norton Canes should certainly have a sewage scheme, he framed a resolution that he thought £70 an acre was exhorbitant and that a letter be written to the Minister of Health and the Brownhills Urban Diatrict Council to see if it was not possible to have a more economic scheme.

Mr. Bradbury was fully supported by Councillor J. Deakin, while the Chamber unanimously agreed.

A discussion followed about the congestion caused in the High Street by the men attending the Labour Exchange; bicycles, besides being ranged along the pavement, were also reared [sic] against the shop windows. The Minister of Labour had said that as the men had definite times to sign on there ahould not be any congestion, and anyone hanging about ahould be under police supervision. The secretary of the Walsall Co-operative Society bed given his word that he would do all he could to obviate the nuisance, but what seemed necessary was a place off the main atreet where the cycles could be placed while the men were in the Labour Exchange.

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, cycling, Environment, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, Local politics, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web | Tagged bicycles, Bradbury, Brownhills, Brownhills Chamber of Trade, Brownhills local history, co-op, Co-operative, Conduit Colliery, Cycle rides, cycling, Emery, Humphries, jobless, Labour Exchange, land, Local History, Local politics, Norton Canes, purchase, sale, Sewage Farm, sewerage, Silly, Staffordshire, Subsidence, unemployed | 1 Comment

Pictures from Pelsall Canal Festival 2013

Posted on June 15, 2013 by BrownhillsBob

Well, the weather behaved, mostly. A couple of sharp showers and a strong wind couldn’t dampen spirits. There were loads of stalls, activities, people and boats. More than a hundred craft lined the North Common and junction, and the colour, spectacle and festive atmosphere were a joy.

Brenda Ward and her team have done a fine job of organising this event, and I spent far too much money on canal books, chutney and had a rather fine burrito, which was novel for Pelsall. I met some good mates too, which is always a good sign. This really is a brilliant event and shows what can be done with the will and resources.

The festival is on tomorrow, too (Sunday, 16th June 2013). It’s free, there’s shedloads to do and see, great real ale, and lots of fascinating boats. Please do go – it’s a cracking afternoon out.

Thanks to Brenda and all the organisers. Here’s to another great occasion.