Thanks to reader contributions, we’ve found the Grange in Aldridge – it was, until relatively recently, in Leighswood, as described by commentors to my original post. Hat tip too, to David Evans, who mailed me with a map which jogged my memory.
There’s plenty in this series of maps to be thinking about. Fill your boots, and comment anything you find, please. I’m interested in Pennard House, which would now, I guess, be the Lazy Hill pub. What was it’s use before becoming a bar?
Cheers everyone.
1887 Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 draft of the area. Even then, marl pits and industry were just to the northeast. Click for a larger version.
1903 Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 draft of the area. The industrialisation increasing, woodland cover decreasing. Click for a larger version.
1920 Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 draft of the area. The marl pits are expanding ever-closer – but note the allotments. Click for a larger version.
1956 Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 draft of the area. The suburb has begun to grown, and Walton Road appears. Northgate is still a long way off. An interesting one for those interested in hydrology. Click for a larger version.
1961 Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 draft of the area. Leighswood – and the industry – have enveloped The Grange. But still it holds on. Still no Northgate. Click for a larger version.
1971 Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 draft of the area. Northgate appears (the road straight down, dotted), apparently obliterating The Grange. Click for a larger version.
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Immediately before becoming a Public House The Pennard was a private club. If you don’t get any more answers I could ask Ray, the owner, what he knows.
Pennard house which is now the lazy hill pub was a shop when I was a boy, previously it had been a pig farm, the original parts of the building date back to the 17th century, pennard house has some connection with pennard farm in birch lane which for years was farmed by davenhills, grange farm up til it was demolished when they brought north gate through in the early sixties belonged to Mr Ralph ferrie the owner of brown hills motor sales, I spent many hours at this far as a teenager with ralphs nephew Kenny o’robin
Thanks for the information about Pennard House.
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Firstly a correction. Immediately before becoming a PH the private club was called the Lazy Hill Country Club. Before that it was The Pennard ( may not be the exact title).
Ray moved into Pennard House roughly 35 years ago. It was already a private club when Ray moved in.
Chris, Ray’s son, believes Pennard House was originally a farm house.
Bob, check 1961 again…Northgate is there (in part).
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One of my distant relatives was Harry Batkin. He lived at Pennard House in 1901 and was then a dairy farmer.
Pennard House Country Club was managed by a man by the name of Teacle in the early 1960s. A lady by the name of Mrs Stokes ran old time dancing classes in the back room.
I dont understand the 1956 ordinance map as my family was living in Jessie rd at that time which is not shown,and the coppy works was actually Joberns brickyard.We kids new the grange farm as ferries farm and as Maurice birch wrote there was a family called Horobin living there with a son called kenny.
It’s called mapping lag. Maps are essentially out of date as soon as they’re published. Rather than dating stuff precisely, they give an approximation
Cheers
Bob
July 27 1926, sale by auction, small holding, area about 8 acres known as Pennard House, Aldridge.
….freehold, cottages and land.
…..sold to TA Fenton for £845
I lived at the Grange or as it was known then Grange Farm from 1951 until about 1960, it was owned by Charles Ferrie who my father worked for as a mechanic at Brownhills Motor Sales we had a flat in part of the third floor where my mom, dad, sister, baby brother and I lived, it was a big house about 21 rooms the main part of the house had wood panelled walls with oil paintings and beautiful oak furniture also a billiard room, they kept a couple of race horses there where stables, barn, old dairy, various other farm buildings, well kept gardens an orchard and there was always something going on lots of people coming and going, party’s and every bonfire night there was a big bonfire with wood we had collected and old tyres from the garage “the ferries” would supply fireworks and sparklers for everyone (all the local people were invited). it was a lovely place to grow up as a child but sadly when Charles Ferrie past away the council acquired and demolished the Grange to complete northgate road. Grange farm itself stood between Dave Cycles and the Shell garage with the farm grounds starting a couple of yards past Herbert rd on Walton rd down to the old brickyard railway and just past sussex ave to Coppice lane brick works and quarry, I hope this is of some help. kevin