Brownhills George continues to surprise and delight with a phenomenal selection of photos on Panoramio uploaded in the last week. George has sent me some wonderful emails in which he discusses local history matters with passion and clear enthusiasm, and a great deal of knowledge. I’ll be returning to the points he’s raised with me at the weekend, but for now, here’s a selection of images from George’s gallery on Panoramio that light up recent stories.
I cannot thank George enough – these images are gold dust, and will help illuminate many things for readers new and old alike.
Please pop to George’s gallery and browse. It’s growing all the time! Click on any image below to visit it at Panoramio.
George – my thanks.
For me, this is the star of the show. A look down Anglesey Basin from near the original Ray Shill image, but that must be Jasmine Cottage in the distance. Brilliant. Image uploaded to Panoramio by Brownhills George.
For more about these views, and Jasmine and Wharf Cottages, please check out these posts. A remarkable contribution from Brownhills George there.
Anglesey Basin and Wharf Cottages (if I’m not mistaken), in surprising clarity. Image uploaded to Panoramio by Brownhills George.
Most readers will recognise the old Iron Bridge, but the building behind is The Pier Inn, or Fortune of War, one of the many lost pubs of Brownhills. This is taken from the old Spot Path – note the climb up the canal bank that isn’t there today. Image uploaded to Panoramio by Brownhills George.
For some surprising history of the Fortune of War, please check this post. These images are of remarkable quality, the best I’ve seen of this lost alehouse.
A wider angle shot showing the relationship between the pub and the bridge. The area was known as ‘Pike Helve’ for years. Click on the image to see it in Panoramio, then click it again to zoom; just look at the changed landscape beyond the bridge. Image uploaded to Panoramio by Brownhills George.
Related to the Chasewater Stadium post at the weekend, Motorcycle Generation. I’d forgotten the Dunlop boards at the far end. This would be near the Balti Garden today. When I was a child, I can remember my mum bustling me past here like it was some place of ill repute. I can still smell the leathers. Image uploaded to Panoramio by Brownhills George.
Chasewater Stadium – a day of motorbike racing in 1977.
This one is also very interesting. This is where Chandlers Keep is today, and I’d guess this was taken at the time the old foundry was demolished, which I think would be early 1990s. Few pictures of this site exist. Image uploaded to Panoramio by Brownhills George.
More about this yard as viewed from Waine House, and in earlier times. The mapping record can be found at the foot of this post, too.