Here’s an odd one I’ve been meaning to sneak in for some time here on the blog. Readers and top contributors David Evans and Pedro Cutler regularly muse over the newspaper archives, and have found this gem from The Lichfield Mercury in 1903.

David, as regulars will be well aware, has a great enthusiasm for local music, and this sparked his interest. I think Caddock House may be a typo for Caddick House. The Caddicks, of course, were a local family; William Caddick is mentioned in the agreement between Phineas Hussey of Little Wyrley and Thomas Price of Bescott in the early days of mining in the area, and Caddicks also were known to live at Rose Villa in Clayhanger for a while.

Don’t forget that music festivals were a regular feature of Brownhills for many years.

I’m sure anyone with a teenager around will smile at the reference to the Lichfield Cathedral Glee Union. Probably not what we’d consider to be Glee today…

Cheers to all concerned. As ever, I invite comments, either here or to BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com. Cheers!

Bob

This wonderful newspaper cutting was discovered by Peter ‘Pedro’ Cutler who kindly forwarded it to me. This fascinating find will surely interest blog readers as the details give a glimpse into what seems to be another under-recorded part of Brownhills History.

There was already an active and flourishing musical local choral class by 1903! There was a concert in the Central School. I wonder when the school opened… and who the participants, sorry ‘Artistes’ in the concert were? Amateurs or professionals?

The names of these people will be of interest. Who were the members of the Brownhills and Walsall Wood Choral Class? Where was Caddock House etc… who was Mr P Nevill.?. The humorist from Lichfield. So much more !

I am indebted to dear Pedro, yet again, for his patience and dedication in fining us this glimpse into our local past

regards

David

From the Lichfield Mercury, Friday 6th February 1903.

CENTRAL SCHOOLS, BROWNHILLS.

The Brownhills and Walsall Wood Choral Class (Conductor, Mr. C. W. Fredeiricks), will give their first

CONCERT

At the above Schools on THURSDAY, FEB. 12th. 1903, when they will be assisted by the following Artistes: — Sopranos, Miss Winnie Udall (Wolverhampton) and Miss Nora Mansfield; oontraltos, Miss Edith Perkins (Walsall) and Miss Florence Harrison; the Lichfield Cathedral Glee Union—alto, Mr. W. M. Wood (Vicar-Choral); tenor. Mr. C. W. Fredericks (Vicar-Choral); tenor Mr. E. Kemp (Vicar-Choral): bass, Mr. D. Harrison (Vicar- Choral); solo violin, Mr. S. J. Redfern (Burton); humorist, Mr. Ernest Smith (Lichfield); accompanist, Miss Florence Fredericks.

Tickets: Reserved seats, 2s.; unreserved, 1s.; back seats, 6d. Can be obtained of any member of the Class, or of Mr. P. Nevill, Caddock House, Brownhills. Doors ope-n 7 o’clock. Concert at 7.30.