The Old Gospel Hall in School Avenue, Brownhills, clearly built on the same model and the House of Prayer in Walsall Wood. Similarly, it’s also now a private residence.
The Craddocks are one of Brownhills most notable and mentioned families; they’re one of those names that just keeps cropping up whenever you delve into local history.
Last Sunday, I posted a brilliant piece written by top reader and commenter David Oakley, which speculated as to which Craddocks were related to which. In order to clarify, elucidate and illuminate, I asked Richard Burnell if he’d check with with his wife, Rose Maria Burnell, who’s of the Craddock line herself.
I guess that makes Richard and Rose our special Craddock Relations Correspondents. A truly sought-after position, and no mistake.
Anyway, just to clear things up, here’s what they had to say:
Hi Bob,
Questions have been asked and I have some info on the Craddock connections. C.T. Craddock, the Credit Draper was Charlie Craddock. His store was where the Job Centre now stands on Brownhills High Street. Charlie mainly used to employ family and was one of four brothers. One brothers name is unknown, the other two were called John and Howard.
John Craddock was the father of Arnott Craddock (slightly different spelling to the name as recollected), meaning Arnott was the nephew of Charlie and Howard and cousin to the three ‘Howard Craddocks’ pictured in the blog.
Apparently the Charlie Craddock branch of the family used to worship in the old Gospel Hall which used to be on school street. When this building closed they had to worship elsewhere and from your other correspondants info it seems his nephew Arnott, at least, ended up in the House of Prayer.
Hope this helps a little.
Rich & Rose Burnell (nee Craddock), answers courtesy of Roy Craddock still going strong and living locally in his 80s.
My thanks to Richard, Rose and of course, Roy, for helping us on this question. It really is nice when we can answer local history questions here so directly.
My gratitude and best wishes to all.
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Hi Bob,
My sincere thanks to Richard and Rose and Roy for establishing the relationship between the Craddock extended family. I may be able to supply the missing name. I believe it be Ira Craddock, who actually founded the House of Prayer in the early ’30’s. For some years it was known as ‘Craddock’s chapel’, a much loved leader amongst the congregation. John Craddock lived on Commonslde, just off Paul’s Coppice with other sons, Stan, Sid and Ira, named after his uncle, and all founded and supported Clayhanger Road Gospel Hall. The hall had no organ or piano so John was always the ‘note giver’ the congregation following on.
Ira Craddock lived on Shire Oak and was a most active member of the House of Prayer, organising
evangelistic visits and tent missions to the village, until taken ill, while quite young. He died about 1938. Although married, I do not remember any family.
The Craddocks, both branches of the family were notable members of the village community
in the 1930’s, many small grocer’s used Howard Craddock as wholesaler, and as a young errand boy for one grocer, I made many visits to Craddock’s for emergency supplies. For spiritual life within the village on the one hand and commercial integrity on the other, the family have much to be proud of in their effect upon the village at that period.
Hello Bob,
For years our neighbour was Sid Craddock (one of the aforementioned “Christian Brethren”). I’m pretty sure that he used to be the organist for the Clayhanger Road chapel. Certainly as kinds my brother and i would take great pleasure in playing in the overgrown vacant lot that adjoined my grandparents’ house on Commonside (where my parents would later build a new house), scuttling behind the bushed and sitting down with our backs to the outside of Sid’s parlour wall, listening to him practice, and enjoying the vibrations through the wall!
It wasn’t every kid’s den that had an organist!
My brother did his gardening for a while when he got a bit long in the tooth. I remember my brother working hard – trimming, edging, mowing, planting and watering.
As i recall, Sid and my Nan had a LOOOONG-standing argument about that piece of land, and easement rights etc. Nan was a bit of a crabby old thing, if I’m honest, and Sid was a pretty stubborn chap, too. I have no idea who was right, and who was wrong, that particular hatchet was buried along with the pair of them, but i DO remember clearly my Nan griping about “Armpit Bags” (in all fairness, he DID wear his trousers rather high) and his claims to a yard of land.
There was a bit of a goat war too (you read that correctly) where Nan and Sid both had goats (Sid’s was a splendid white billy, and Nan’s female, “Snowy”, less impressive) regarding grazing and escaping goats wreaking havoc with border plants. I blame my Grandad, Ted Jackaman for thinking that a goat would be a great thing for my brother and I, while he was at the auctions in Penkridge!
Hi Pork Torta,
Glad to hear that Clayhanger Road gospel hall finally got themselves an organist and an organ. but my memories are from a little bit earlier. I would certainly have enjoyed my visits a little more had there been some music, and what would be more natural than a Craddock coming to the rescue ? The three sons would be ‘nobbut lads’ as we say, up here, at the time, but three
nicer young men would be hard to find.
By the way, We had a Jackaman in Salters Road about seventy years ago, any relation ?
Hi David,
I’m pretty sure that Jackaman was one of my Grandad’s bunch – was it Amos? or Jack? Both were my Grandad’s (Edward, or Ted) brothers. Grandad was born in 1901 i think. Not too sure about Grandad’s side of the family before that.
Despite Nan’s 40 year feud with Sid over the yard of land, he always seemed like a nice man, and i rarely saw him dressed in anything but a suit. Certainly, he was a fine organist from what i recall, and dedicated to the chapel.
Hi Pork Torta,
Can’t help with the Jackaman forename. At my age I referred to most adults as
“Mr”, so he was Mr Jackaman to me, I think he was a building craftsman, he had a brother of a similar age who drove a lorry for E.W. Smith. 1901 sound promising as most middle-aged men
were born around that period.. I only remember another Jackaman living in the village at that time
and she was an elderly widow living in the canal houses, so the genes of some of your ancestors
may have been floating around Walsall Wood as close or distant relatives, for quite some time.
That lorry driver may well have been my Grandad. Will have to check some details with Mom when we talk at the weekend, but i seem to recall stories of him being a lorry driver at one point. Later on, him and my Nan (Edna Jackaman, Dawson, as was) lived in one of the canal houses, where my Mom and Uncle Reg also lived as kids, before moving to Commonside in the fifties. There have indeed been Jackamans ‘down the Wood’ for quite some time. Mom’s side of the family were all ‘Woodies” and Dad’s side of the family were “Clangers”.
Can’t tell you how much i’ve enjoyed this – thank you, David, and thank you, Bob.
Hello Bob
Just thought I’d add in a few historic details! Clayhanger Road Gospel Hall opened in 1908 and finally closed its doors in 2004. It was started by Mr Barratt, a police constable, Mr Share, and John and Frank Craddock. After a campaign by the former boxer, Bill Barry, in 1930’s there were a large number of salvations and the Gospel Halls were looking to expand. The Gospel Hall in School Avenue and the House of Prayer in Coppice Road were both opened in 1933. Ira Craddock was praying over what to call the new place of worship and was not content with “Gospel Hall Walsall Wood” That day he read Isaiah 56:7 “for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.” and the name stuck. The House of Prayer closed in the mid- to late 1980’s maybe ’85 or ’86. School Avenue Gospel Hall closed in 2004 also
Alastair, how are you related to the Craddocks? John, Frank and Ira are my Great Great Uncles x
i`m the granddaughter of Frank Craddock he was 1 of 11 children 10 boys and 1 girl Lily charles indeed did start the c t craddocks of brownhills it was a credit company so ordinaryt people could afford more luxuary items he started by selling furniture and pianos , the youngest brother died young due to a fall down celler steps which left him epileptic he died having a seizure another brother died in the pit so ct set his brothers 1 by 1 to work as agents he started to sell clothing and many household goods and the agents collected the money weekly . A H Craddock started agrocery store in coppice road and supplied shops at wholesale prices over a large area he had three sons who continued the buisness long after his death we used to have all our groceries off him he would call each week to the house for the order John Craddock did indeed live in common side he had 4 sons Sid Stan Ira and Arnett ,All the Craddocks were lay preachers although they went to different chapels they also inspired many other groups to start their own chapel one was Brereton Rugeley who were also given a piano i remember many of the family when i also worked at the shop [ c t s ]but cant remember all their names but mum [ ivy craddock ] is still in touch with sons and daughters of many of them
Oh wow Lynne this is so interesting to hear! My ancestry.com tree tells me you’re my second cousin once removed! I’m just putting a family tree together for my son and it’s so good to be able to fill in some gaps! Which of your parents is Frank’s child? x
Oh gosh I’ve just re-read your message and you’ve answered my question already! Sorry I was overexcited!
Good morning Rose and Lynne
…..and Alastair is one of Stan’s sons. Quite a family tree, indeed!
kind regards
David
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The Frank Craddock here is my granddad i think! 🙂
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Hello, Yes I (Alastair Craddock) am one of three brothers – John and Philip; we are the sons of Stan Craddock, one of four brothers – Arnot, Ira and Sid; who were in turn the sons of John Craddock of Commonside one of 11 brothers and a sister. For the record their names were:-
William, Charles, George, John, Frank, Harold, Sidney, Albert, Howard, Horace, Ira and Lily. MY Dad spent a lot of time with his grandfather, Thomas, as a boy and memorised the family history, which I regret not having recorded as diligently as he did.- I am always interested in hearing from distant branches of the Craddock family.God bless
I remember so well the Gospel Hall Clayhanger Lane, as kids from Friezeland Lane we used to go there on Sundays and Thursday nights… when after the meeting we were treated to hot orange juice and biscuits ( that’s what we went for on a Thursday to tell the truth) yep, I remember them Sid Stan and Ira, they were the good guy’s who tried to guide us away from scrumping apples and setting the fields alight and all manner of nuisances that we inflicted on our elders when out playing in the lane till as late as ten O’clock at night under the street lamps, it was safe then and we lived in a little paradise and loved mischief but innocently compared to what goes on now. These chaps really did get through to us though, they made us realise the truth of the existence of God and the reality of the death and resurrection Jesus. Good times, really good times. Roger Mosedale
I became a Methodist Local Preacher, “on note” in 1956 and my mentor was Howard Craddock, he was a very experienced Methodist Local Preacher at the time. My sister worked for Horace Craddock, the wholesale Grocer in the mid 1950s. When I was a Theological Student, in the early 60s, Horace gave me a “vac job” driving a Morris Commercial van delivering orders to small retail Grocers. I was also helped at times by Lorin Craddock. It was never absolutely clear to me who was related to whom
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reading about the craddocks frank craddock had a daughter jean a good singer she made a few good records mr share who was mentioned about clayhanger road gospel hall was my grandfather my mom and dad both played piano at the chapel happy days
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