Chasewater South shore, 1976, 1:5,000 scale. Remarkable. Click for a larger version. Very large, so may take a while. Courtesy Gareth Thomas and Lichfield District Council.
Brownhills central, 1963, 1:10,000 scale. Click for a larger version. Very large, so may take a while. Courtesy Gareth Thomas and Lichfield District Council.
This is a teaser. Gareth Thomas, top geographical services officer and mapping wonk from Lichfield District Council has been dipping into the aerial photography archives, and sent me a whole truanche of new wonders. Mostly these are at a larger scale, and date from 1976, meaning they show far more detail. They will interest so many people – from Chasewater Wildlife Group, to Brownhills history enthusiasts, mining geeks and canal buffs.
I can’t thank Gareth enough for his wonderful act enough. All the images in the set are fascinating, and there will be more to come at the weekend. Gareth’s actions to share material that would otherwise stay hidden are a groundbreaking thing and hugely appreciated. I know of no other council working with the local history community in this way.
Comments are invited. More to come at the weekend. Isn’t this just wonderful?