Because you’re free to read this blog
#365DaysOfBiking- June 17th - I love lupins. These tall flowers grow wild along... June 17, 2013
- June 17th - At Spring Road station in Birmingham, I overheard to... June 17, 2013
- June 16th - Not sure what the deal is here, to be honest. At... June 17, 2013
- June 16th - A ride out to Cannock Chase in the afternoon. The... June 17, 2013
- June 15th - Returning from the Canal Festival at Pelsall, I... June 15, 2013
- June 15th - Yesterday, a local tweeter spotted something amusing... June 15, 2013
- June 14th - The roadside verges and hedgerows are an unusually... June 14, 2013
- June 14th - Headed out to Lichfield late afternoon, and battled... June 14, 2013
- June 13th - I took a diversion from my usual route to Darlaston... June 14, 2013
- June 13th - At Birchills, on the way to Darlaston, I spotted... June 14, 2013
- June 12th - An awful commute from a weather point of view. The... June 14, 2013
- June 11th - What goes up… must come down. It’s been a few... June 12, 2013
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Tag Archives: Derelict
Not fit to live with pigs
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.
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Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Interesting photos, It makes me mad!, Just plain daft, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Brownhills, Clive Roberts, Derelict, DIY, Do it all, dumping, flytipping, Focus, Great Mills, illegal, Local History, New Photos, Northgate, oil, Redevelopment, Refuse, tipping, Vandalism, Walsall, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood
1 Comment
You can never go back
The whole Brownhills-Tesco thing has left me interested in the breadth and spread of local opinion, in a way I don’t normally see it. I’m interested in theories people have, their perceptions, and what they see the future to be. … Continue reading
Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, It makes me mad!, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, Local politics, News, planning, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Council
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Brownhills Market, Canal, Cheap tat, Clayhanger, Derelict, Events, Facebook, Lichfield, Local History, Local politics, New Photos, New Tesco, planning, Politics, Ravens Court, Redevelopment, Retail, Tesco, Tesco Development, Vandalism, Walsall, Walsall Council, Walsall politics
15 Comments
Farming controversy
I notice that over the past few weeks some outrage seems to be abroad over supposed plans to build a housing estate or industrial park, near Shire Oak on Lanes Farm, between the farmhouse at Sandhills and the Chester Road; broadly the site of the old Brawn’s Wood.
Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, cycling, Environment, Events, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, It makes me mad!, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local media, Local politics, News, Panoramio photo discussions, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff, Wildlife
Tagged Anthony Harris, application, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Canal, Catshill, Conservative, Consultation, Cycle rides, cycling, Derelict, estate, Events, Facebook, Home Farm, housing, In Touch, industrial, Lane's Farm, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, Local politics, Mike Flower, New Photos, Panoramio, Pete Sears, planning, Planning 2026, Politics, Redevelopment, SAD, Shire Oak, Silly, St Modwen, Staffordshire, Stonnall, Things to do, Tory, Twitter, Walsall, Walsall Council, Walsall politics, Walsall Wood, Wildlife
16 Comments
Stuck in there real good, that is…
Some weeks ago I raised the story of the football stuck in the decorative cross on the roof of St. Michael’s Church in Caldmore, Walsall – last weekend, twitter top bloke and all round good egg @BillytheBez answered my plea and took a couple of pictures, confirming the decades-old ball was still lodged firmly where only birds and steeplejacks dare.
Posted in Bad Science, Churches, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community
Tagged Bath Road, Billythebez, Black Country Bugle, Cladmor, cross, dafy, Derelict, Events, football, Howmuch, legend, Local History, New Photos, Redevelopment, roof, Silly, St Michaels Street, St. Michaels, Things to do, Twitter, Walsall
1 Comment
The comeback kid
I see that there Brian Stringer has a new book out – Brian is a local lad and longtime resident of the area, who’s well known to locals, both for his community work and interest in local history.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged book signing, Brian Stringer, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Chasewater Railway, Clayhanger, Clayhanger Kid II, Derelict, Downes Newsagent, Events, Facebook, local blogs, Local History, Parkview Centre, Staffordshire, The Clayhanger Kid
6 Comments
History is a mosaic
As readers will no doubt be aware, I’m really, really fond of local history and the way it’s evolving online, although I’ve noted concerns and issues, on the whole, the internet and cooperation it enables is making a huge difference to both the quality and quantity of work becoming available.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Churches, 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
Tagged Dave Moore, Derelict, dolphin, Events, Facebook, Gareth Thomas, Ian Pell, Kate, LDC, Lichfield, Lichfield District Council, Lichfield Keeps Blogging, Lichfield Lore, local blogs, Local History, Mosic, New Photos, Old maps, planning, Pubs, Redevelopment, Sandfields, Social media, Staffordshire, Stonnall, Things to do, Twitter, You're probably from Lichfield if
5 Comments
Is there a new arrival for Wessex close?
I don’t have a great deal of information about this, I’m sorry to say, but I thought it might be worthwhile to draw readers attention to the following event, happening next Thursday, 16th May, at the Parkview Centre in Brownhills (That’s the library).
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local media, Local politics, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Council
Tagged 22, apartments, Brownhills, Consultation, Derelict, Events, Local politics, plan, planning, Politics, Redevelopment, Things to do, Twitter, Walsall Council, Walsall Housing Group, Wessex Close, WHG
2 Comments
Going back
This is a quick post to draw more attention to the rapidly growing, weird and wonderful Panoramio gallery being created by Brownhills George – Since I last featured George’s work here, he’s added loads more stuff, and it’s breathtaking.
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Posted in Panoramio updates, Brownhills stuff, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Chasewater, Panoramio photo discussions, Environment, Fun stuff to see and do, Followups, Local History, Walsall Wood stuff, Shared media, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared memories, Interesting photos, Social Media, Local Blogs, News
Tagged Alpha Sports, Anchor, Anglesey Wharf, Autocraft, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Canal, Catshill Junction, Chandler's Keep, Chasewater, Cobblers, Derelict, Don Marine, Events, Fortune of War, Geogre, Iron Bridge, Jasmine Cottage, Lindale, local blogs, Local History, Meehans, Motorcycle Generation, New Photos, Panoramio, Pier Inn, Pier Street, Pike Helve, Plumbers Paradise, pub, Pubs, Raden, Redevelopment, Rileys, Shoe repairs, Shoulder of Mutton, Spot path, Staffordshire, Tesco, Tesco Development, The Station Hotel, Things to do, Walsall Wood, Watney, Wharf Cottage
2 Comments
Chasewater wakes
Readers who are Chasewater fans will remember that back in February, I wrote a post that set out to explain the planning application that had been submitted to construct a wakeboarding facility in the south east corner of the lake, from around the old pier to just past the valve house on the dam.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, cycling, Environment, Followups, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Local politics, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Wildlife
Tagged application, Brownhills, Chasewater, Chasewater Dam, Chasewater Wildlife Group, controversy, Council, Councty, Course, Cycle rides, cycling, Derelict, District, LDC, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, Local politics, Pier, planning, Redevelopment, Reservoir, SCC, Staffordshire, Things to do, Wake Board, Wakeboard Limited, watersports, Wildlife
7 Comments
Race of the Year, 1977
Here’s a curious piece of ephemera, found by local history ferret [Howmuch?] – I’m not sure of the source, but it was probably a charity or secondhand shop, as he can often be found ferreting around the darker corners for history oddities.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, cycling, Environment, Events, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community
Tagged 1977, April, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Chasewater, Chasewater Promotions, Chasewater Stadium, Cheap tat, Derelict, Events, Howmuch, International Long Track, JB Cox, Local History, MCN, motorbike, Motorcycle, Motorcycle News, planning, programme, race, Race of the Year, Redevelopment, Reservoir, Stadium, Staffordshire, Things to do, track, Trotting
27 Comments




