Because you’re free to read this blog
#365DaysOfBiking- May 22nd - And then, returning home, I noticed this.... May 23, 2013
- May 22nd - I was heading home today from work, and for some... May 23, 2013
- May 21st - An odd day, I was at home until lunchtime, then had... May 22, 2013
- May 20th - On my way home tonight, I hopped onto the canal... May 20, 2013
- May 20th - A small result. The bike racks at Birmingham New... May 20, 2013
- May 19th - Up on the north heath at Chasewater, something rather... May 19, 2013
- May 19th - A busy day at Chasewater. Linda Mason had posted some... May 19, 2013
- May 18th - A late evening run to the supermarket, and one of the... May 19, 2013
- May 18th - I’m hoping a linesman or electrical engineer... May 19, 2013
- May 17th - Interesting to note that the Wakeboarding company who... May 18, 2013
- May 17th - Spring wends onward, despite somewhat indifferent... May 18, 2013
- May 16th - Spring is here, too, at the verges, hedgerows and... May 17, 2013
- Bob’s music
- Daft Punk – Doin' it Right (feat. Panda Bear)
- Daft Punk – Fragments of Time (feat. Todd Edwards)
- Daft Punk – Motherboard
- Daft Punk – Beyond
- Daft Punk – Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams)
- Daft Punk – Touch (feat. Paul Williams)
- Daft Punk – Lose Yourself To Dance (feat. Pharrell Williams)
- Daft Punk – Instant Crush
- Daft Punk – Within
- Daft Punk – Giorgio by Moroder
Category Archives: Cannock Chase
24 Carrots
A sunny, winter’s Saturday afternoon on Cannock Chase. The wild fallow deer in their usual spot, always happy to come for a bag of carrots. Skittish and nervous, they stay long enough to take our orange performance fee, then wander … Continue reading
Bending Conduit
Every so often (and so it seems, with increasing frequency of late) I’ll get a response to an article I post here that leaves me speechless with the sheer depth and breadth of knowledge it demonstrates. There are, it seems, some very, very knowledgable specialists reading the shambling pile of old toss, and I really have no idea why they’re sticking around, but I’m very grateful for their contributions and presence.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Cannock Chase, Chasewater, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1959, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, charter, Chasewater, Conduit Colliery, Derelict, Events, Ian Pell, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, rail tour, Redevelopment, Reservoir, Staffordshire, Stephenson Locomotive Society, Walsall Wood
6 Comments
Curious electric
It’s a curious fact of local history that little St. Anne’s Church, in Church Street, Chasetown, was the first church in Britain lit by electric light. The history of this installation, and of electricity coming to Chasewtown and Brownhills is inextricably tied up with the history of mining in the area.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Chasewater, Environment, Fun stuff to see and do, Events, Followups, Local History, Shared media, Local media, Churches, Shared memories, Cannock Chase, Interesting photos, Social Media, Walsall community, Local Blogs, News
Tagged Brownhills, Chasewater, Local History, planning, Brownhills local history, Staffordshire, Canal, Events, Clayhanger, mining, Things to do, Chasetown, history, UDC, charity, Gerald Reece, History Talk, Macmillan Cancer Support, historian, Brownhills a walk into history, Cannock Chase Colliery Company, No 5 pit, Electricity, St. Anne's, Chase Terrace
11 Comments
Rock and coal
Here’s one that is certain to create debate, comment and further articles. Alerted to it in the last week by both Gareth Thomas (Geographical whizz from Lichfield District Council) and Paul Daniel (data whizz behind the mechanism that keeps local news site The YamYam running so brilliantly), it’s a book scanned and published by that wonderful resource Google Books.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Cannock Chase, Chasewater, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged BGS, Book, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Chasewater, Clayhanger, coal, Common, download, Engine Lane, Geological Survey of Great Britain, J Beete Jukes, local blogs, Local History, mines, mining, Museum of Practical Geology, Old maps, Shire Oak, South Staffordshire Coal Field, Staffordshire, Things to do, Twitter, Victorian, Walsall Wood
2 Comments
Are you being cervine?
This is just a quick note to warn people given to exploring the open spaces of the area that the deer population are getting amorous. It’s rutting time for our large brown friends, and that means one thing: the heaths around Brownhills, Clayhanger, Pelsall and Chasewater in particular are likely to be host to rather grumpy, aggressive stags guarding their female harems.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Cannock Chase, Chasewater, Clayhanger stuff, cycling, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff, Wildlife
Tagged Brownhills, Chasewater, Chasewater Wildlife Group, Chaz Mason, Clayhanger, Clayhanger Marsh, Cycle rides, cycling, local blogs, Neil Tipton, New Photos, Red deer, Reservoir, rut, rutting, Shire Oak, Silly, Staffordshire, Walsall Wood, Wildlife
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Castle class
I’ve had a lovely email from Tony Turner. Tony, you’ll remember, was born in a cottage at what was known as The Fort in Newtown, Brownhills. Recent historical debates here have focussed on where The Fort was, and whether it’s … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Cannock Chase, Followups, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community
Tagged 70's, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Cannock, Castle Street, club, colliery, Doody, Ford, Joe Turner, Local History, Mines Rescu, Mr, Mrs, New Photos, Pubs, rescue, Staffordshire, The Fault, The Fort, Tony Turner, Transit
1 Comment
Recovered history
The aerial image of Chasewater I posted on Thursday evening really has spurred on some creative consideration of the park’s history. I’ve been surprised and delighted by the memories and theories that have emerged relating to the stunning image, taken … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Cannock Chase, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Wildlife
Tagged 24 hour race, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Chasewater, Chasewater Dam, Events, J Donaldson, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, Nigel Mansell, Norton Pool, Redevelopment, Reservoir, Silly, speedboat, Staffordshire, steamboat, Wildlife
10 Comments
Urgent! Help find these lost steeds
Friend of the blog and top Brownhillian cyclist chap Lee Slater has contacted me with this tale of abject woe from his friends in Rugeley. It seems two mountain bikes were stolen from a house in Rugeley in the early … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Cannock Chase, cycling, Environment, Events, Interesting photos, It makes me mad!, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged 16th August, Burglary, Giant Trance, GT, GT Outpost, Lee Slater, mountain, Rugeley, Stolen, stolen bikes, Theft
1 Comment
In pursuit of the truth
Peter ‘Pedro’ Cutler, one of several readers and contributors without whom this blog would be nothing at all, has something to say, and I think we need to listen. Carefully. There’s something disturbing him, and me, in the way some … Continue reading
Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Cannock Chase, Environment, Events, Followups, It makes me mad!, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Cheap tat, colliery, conditions, Cutler, Edward Brown, Grove, Harrison, local blogs, Local History, mines, mining, Pedro, Peter, pit disaster, Staffordshire, Walsall Wood
20 Comments
