Remarkable Ordnance Survey 1921 edition 1:10,560 sheet covering Central and North Brownhills. Note hand sketches and marks. Click for a larger version. Image courtesy of Gareth Thomas and Lichfield District Council.
In my last post here, earlier today, I explained what a wonderful thing I consider collaborative local history to be. One of the people I praised was Gareth Thomas, geographical Services Officer at Lichfield District Council. I praised the gentleman with very good reason.
Here I can share with you four 1:10,560 scale maps. We don’t cover that scale issue much on the blog, as oddly, they’re quite scarce. Their existence online in scanned or digitised form – even from professional map service companies – tends to be horrid, with contrast and other image aberrations.
Not so these samples from Gareth, covering all the Brownhills area. And they have some pretty special sketch marks on them too, concerning planned changes in the road system which date from the 1930s – although many of the modifications didn’t happen until the postwar period.
I’m after help decoding some of it, but note the demolition note in Stonnall (why, I wonder?) and the detail on Castlehill, nearby. An interesting note in the Knave’s Castle/Fort area may be of interest to reader Andy Dennis. Proposed road changes at Wall are interesting, too.
For everyone else, there’s plenty to look at, peruse and study. Please share in the comments anything of interest you find – I’m sure the Walsall Wood contingent will be very interested, and I’m sure there’s much of other historical interest.
My thanks to Gareth, of course. The man is a star.When else would we have been able to access such cartographical dynamite? I owe him a pint. Meanwhile, do go look at his blog, it’s fab.
Ordnance Survey 1924 edition 1:10,560 sheet covering Muckley Corner, Hammerwich and Wall. Note hand sketches and marks. Click for a larger version. Image courtesy of Gareth Thomas and Lichfield District Council.
Ordnance Survey 1903 edition 1:10,560 sheet covering Ryders Hays, Bullings Heath, South Brownhills and Walsall Wood. Note hand sketches and marks. Click for a larger version. Image courtesy of Gareth Thomas and Lichfield District Council.
Ordnance Survey 1924 edition 1:10,560 sheet covering Stonnall, Footherley and west Shenstone. Note hand sketches and marks. Click for a larger version. Image courtesy of Gareth Thomas and Lichfield District Council.