BrownhillsBob's Brownhills Blog

Box clever?

BrownhillsBob — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:22:42 +0000

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 Continue reading →

That went well. Not.

BrownhillsBob — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 01:09:54 +0000

The saga of Aldridge Manor, Youth Services in Aldridge and the wider Walsall Borough rumbles on, 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… Continue reading →

Going with the flow

BrownhillsBob — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 18:00:58 +0000

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. [caption id="attachment_14409" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The water is clean and flows well at this point. Image supplied by David Evans.[/caption] Continue reading →

Bicycles. Always a problem.

BrownhillsBob — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 11:59:08 +0000

A great spot here from Peter 'Pedro' Cutler regarding a report in the Lichfield Mercury of Friday, 16th August 1935. Continue reading →

Pictures from Pelsall Canal Festival 2013

BrownhillsBob — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 19:45:20 +0000

Well, the weather behaved, mostly - a couple of sharp showers and a strong wind couldn't dampen spirits with loads of stalls, activities, people and boats - Pelsall Canal Festival was a great afternoon out. Continue reading →

Finely tuned aerials

BrownhillsBob — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 10:44:24 +0000

Rather than do the drip-drip-rip thing with the wonderful aerial images shared by top geographic geek Gareth Thomas and Lichfield District Council, I'm going to share the whole set of 1:5,000 aerials of Chasewater and surrounds. All were taken in December, 1976, and show some remarkable detail. Continue reading →

Pelsall Canal Festival – on all this weekend!

BrownhillsBob — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 00:24:25 +0000

Good friend of the blog Brenda Ward has been in touch to let me know that Pelsall Canal Festival takes place all this weekend, 15th & 16th June 2013 - I attended the last one in 2011, and despite some indifferent, blustery weather it was a great occasion that was well organised with plenty of great attractions for all the family. Continue reading →

Burglary in Shire Oak: Please be on your guard

BrownhillsBob — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:33:53 +0000

It seems the spate of local burglaries and vehicle break-ins continues - Debbie Oliver from the Shire Oak group on Facebook yesterday (Thursday, 13th June 2013) posted a warning. Continue reading →

Brownhills – leading the way in innovative greetings

BrownhillsBob — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:45:14 +0000

Spooted in the Brownhills search on Twitter, posted by @georgeyB95, comedy signage at Downes Newsagent, Brownhills. Continue reading →

Off to the city

BrownhillsBob — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:48:12 +0000

A new one for Kevin and other fans of the cycling videos: riding National Cycle Route 5 from Chase Terrace to Lichfield on a sunny day, through Chorley, Spade Green and Abnalls. For the best video quality, click on the … Continue reading →

In a Manor to which they are unaccustomed

BrownhillsBob — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:45:47 +0000

There has been some interesting fallout following the furore kicked up over the imminent closure of Aldridge Manor Youth Club and dismantling of wider youth service throughout Walsall, and their replacement by some frankly bizarre, not yet thought through system. Continue reading →

It’s a knockout… in Brownhills?

BrownhillsBob — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 08:25:02 +0000

Just a quick one. Can anyone help with this, please? @BrownhillsBob I'm trying to locate photographs of the annual 'It's A Knockout' which Brownhills Comm School hosted in late-80s/early-90s?— Matt Vale (@MattDVale) June 10, 2013 Please comment or drop me … Continue reading →

Walk on the Wild Side at Brownhills Common this Friday!

BrownhillsBob — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 00:45:07 +0000

Here's one for people interested in the issues surrounding Brownhills Common - this Friday there's a chance to meet and listen to very experienced, knowledgable naturalists and conservationists talk about just what a special, rare habitat Brownhills Common is, and why it requires careful and measured stewardship. Continue reading →

The scale of things to come

BrownhillsBob — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 08:03:41 +0000

Gareth Thomas, top geographical services officer and mapping wonk from Lichfield District Council has been dipping into the aerial photography archives, and sent me a whole truancy of new wonders. Continue reading →

Black Country bright water

BrownhillsBob — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 23:04:56 +0000

Today, I took a 70 mile ride around the canals of North Walsall, Wolverhampton, South Stafforshire, Stourbridge, Dudley, Oldbury, Birmingham and east Walsall - I entered the canal system at Goscote, in Walsall, and didn't leave it again until Aldridge, some 65 miles later. Continue reading →

Choir mastery

BrownhillsBob — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 16:00:52 +0000

Here's one I've mentioned before, but this is a request for information and an early warning - this one is important, and very, very elusive, but I think we should preserve this bit of Brownhills History for posterity, and so that it is not lost - it's a beautiful thing, and not enough folk know about it. Continue reading →

Mum’s the word

BrownhillsBob — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 11:00:34 +0000

This is just a quick note to warn people given to exploring the open spaces of the area – particularly dog walkers – that the red deer population are giving birth right now. The heaths around Brownhills, Clayhanger, Pelsall and … Continue reading →

Where the art is…

BrownhillsBob — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 09:21:55 +0000

Just a quick note to point out to readers that there's some great coverage of the unveiling of Burntwood's new mining memorial over on Lichfield Live - I passed through at about 2:45pm and it certainly looked very busy indeed - it seems like everyone had a great day. Continue reading →

Walsall Labour Group issue statement on Youth Services

BrownhillsBob — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 22:55:06 +0000

I was heartened to note that earlier today, Walsall Labour Group had issued an unusually strong statement on the future of Walsall Council's Youth Services and Aldridge Manor youth club, discussed here so much lately. Continue reading →

Moron of the week

BrownhillsBob — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 18:00:15 +0000

Thursday, 6th June 2013. Walsall, Arboretum junction at about 5:30pm. This stuff really, really annoys me - this chap, clearly old enough to know better, clearly thinks traffic signals and stop lines don't apply to him.

Can we all just calm it down a bit and act a bit more sensibly, ple?

Continue reading →

A sudden loss of pressure

BrownhillsBob — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 12:30:57 +0000

Chris Pattison has been in touch. Chris, you'll remember, is the wonderful historian charting the history of South Staffordshire Water, who has made such great moves in helping local historians like myself, Kate Cardigan, David Moore and Ian Pell to bring local water and railway history to life. Continue reading →

Burntwood Mining Memorial – unveiling today!

BrownhillsBob — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 21:29:31 +0000

Burntwood's long awaited mining memorial will be unveiled with a carnival atmosphere at Sankey's Corner at 2pm Saturday - there will be a pig roast, bouncy castle and other attractions, and a decent afternoon out is in prospect. Continue reading →

Not distracted at all

BrownhillsBob — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 11:10:52 +0000

There has been a lot of coverage of the imminent closure of Aldridge Manor Youth Club and the wider youth service throughout Walsall, and its replacement by some not yet thought through system involving derelict properties and converted vans. Continue reading →

Clayhanger Kid Two – Book signing today!

BrownhillsBob — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 22:43:04 +0000

If you're in Brownhills on Saturday, it would be an excellent opportunity to purchase a signed copy of Brian Stringer's excellent 'Clayhanger Kid Two: The Teenage Years', the sequel to his very successful first 'Clayhanger Kid' book. Continue reading →

Not fit to live with pigs

BrownhillsBob — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:30:35 +0000

Reader, friend of the blog and top local historian Clive Roberts has written to me with some horrid photos of flytipping at the old Focus DIY store on Northgate, just between Aldridge and Walsall Wood - the site has been vacant since the closure of the outlet a couple of years ago, and has subsequently been a target for vandalism, antisocial behaviour and flytipping. Continue reading →