Ogley Hay Road, before the roundabout 1993. Image supplied by Wendy Jones.

Oh my goodness, this is massive, and it all happened by chance. I was browsing Facebook the other day, and I noticed Chasetown lady Wendy Jones had posted some rather interesting pictures of Jasmine Cottage and the Wharf Lane/Triangle area. Intending to ask permission to use her pictures in a post on the blog, we got chatting.

It turns out Wendy has a massive collection of images of the area taken in 1993, from both film and camcorder video, taken by herself and her father. Not only that, but there’s loads of material from 2001 as the M6 Toll was starting to be built. This is a remarkable collection of images that capture an area before, and subsequently undergoing, massive change.

Throw in the effects of the 2001 Foot & Mouth disease outbreak, and this makes for a very engaging treasury. Over the last couple of days Wendy has put in a huge amount of work scanning and uploading images, each one with her own caption. I can’t thank this very generous lady enough.

Wendy had this to say:

My father CIive Harper was bom 1930 and retired from work during 1993, after working 42 years for Ibstock Brick, Aldridge. Dad didn’t like having all this spare time suddenly thrust upon him.

Bom a local lad into a mining family at Stock Hay Lane, Hammerwich to Arthur and Gladys Harper, I remember my Grandfather coming home from work as black as coal, he was a Hewer picking at the black gold to earn a living. Dad explored the local areas during his childhood with his two brothers and local friends. Over the years he had gained lots of local knowledge and enjoyed sharing his experiences. He had lived all his life in Hammerwich and Chasetown. He often walked to Brownhills as a child using short cuts across the meadows and fields. My father married in 1951 and started his married life at 15 Wharf Lane, living with his new wife and Grandmother.

Old quary, Wharf Lane 1993. Image supplied by Wendy Jones. I’d forgotten that Rushton-Bucyrus excavator.

During the years before 1993 there had been much talk about the forthcoming motorway (M6 Toll) and how it was going to change the local landscape. Twice weekly we would walk for miles different areas, perhaps Hammerwich, Chasetown, or Wharf Lane and the Triangle and the routes of the canals. We walked old public footpaths, down Dark Lane, Hammerwich (now fully overgrown), the old railway lines with wooden sleepers, he showed me the old wooden stables and talked about the pit ponies. We were aware these areas were going to drastically change. During our walks we decided to photograph and film various areas of local interest. Dad was aware Jasmine Cottage was going to be compulsory purchased and finally demolished to make way for the new motorway. The old quarry was to be filled and the scramble track to be flattened.

Dad showed me many points of interest, where the first drift tunnel was situated, the route of the railway line where the cuttings could be seen, the old sidings and canal wharf, where ail the local pits where once situated. We walked several times the old railway embankment towards Chamngtons Oil Terminal, walked Ogley Hay Road, Green Lane, Wharf Lane, Church Road and Hanny Hay Road and most of the lanes in the village of Chasetown, Hammerwich and Burntwood.

Such a simple pleasure of walking and simply talking and reminiscing with each other, enjoying each others company in our beautiful countryside that we take for granted. The photographs are a cherished memento of our special times together. Sadly my Dad passed away during 1999. However, he loved sharing his photographs and he would be delighted that his photographs are still bringing much pleasure and enjoyment to many people.

Jasmine Cottage. Thats actually me on the right hand side with the huge camcorder bag March 1993. Image supplied by Wendy Jones.

My husband and myself carried on taking photographs in 2001 where they were cutting down the old trees and hedge rows and marking out the route of the direction the new road would proceed.

20 years on from taking our walks, the M6 Toll has been operational for 10 years. The photographs are our memories, and it is time that makes our history.

Wendy has supplied lots more material, including family ancestry detailing the occupants of Jasmine Cottage, and lots of images of the construction of the motorway, which I shall save for subsequent posts.

All the images remain property of Wendy Jones, so please don’t re-use them without permission. Some are scans, some are video stills and some early digital camera images. In each case these are the best quality available.

Thanks again to Wendy for sharing such a great collection.

8 April 2001, I think the wooden stakes on the left hand side are the markers for the bridge to be

From 1993 video: Anglesey wharf drift remains

8 April 2001, I think the wooden stakes on the left hand side are the markers for the bridge to be

Taken from Wharf Lane 8 April 2001

Wharf Lane, 1993

Chasewater 1993

Ogley Hay Road and Green Lane 1993, taken from railway embankment

Rugby Pitch, Chasetown before bypass 1993

Charringtons, 1993

The Wharf 1993

Railway track from Dark Lane, North & South but I not sure which way round

Foot and Mouth sign taken from Wharf Lane 8 April 2001

8 April 2001, Jasmine house garden would have been to the left

The canal, Wharf Lane, 1993

Jasmine Cottage 1993

Old quary, Wharf Lane 1993

Foot & Mouth sign 8 April 2001

Taken from Wharf Lane 8 April 2001

1993, these photos are taken from the old video recording

Taken from Wharf Lane 8 April 2001 – From where Jasmine Cottage stood

Hanney Hay Road, with scramble track in background 1993

Anglesey Wharf 1993

8 April 2001, the tree was in the garden of Jasmine garden and I think the only tree still left standing today

8 April 2001, old gate to the Wharf, now fully over grown with weeds etc

Photograph take from the old road next to the trotting stadium from the old video

Ogley Hay Road, facing Chasetown 1993

Thats actually me on the right hand side with the huge camcorder bag March 1993

Jasmine Cottage 1993

You would get run over if you stood there today 1993, Charrringtons is in the distance

Church Street, Chasetown, the original first house built 1993

Wharf Lane 1993

Wharf Lane Bridge 1993

Wharf Lane 1993

Anglesey Wharf 1993

Green Lane, Hammerwich 1993

Charringtons 1993

Anglesey Wharf 1993

Chasewater 1993

Old railway embankment next to Jasmine House

Wharf Lane 1993

I think every body has a photo of the swans 1993

Old railway embankment 1993

One of my Dad’s land marks – the remnants of the drift shaft

Ogley Hay Road, before the roundabout 1993

Drift shaft remnants 1993

Wharf Lane 1993

Trotting Track 1993

Ogley Hay Road, taken from the fields in Hammerwich 1993, before new roundabout

The Wharf 1993

A5 taken from Dark Lane 1993

The Wharf 1993

Jasmine Cottage 1993

Railway track from Dark Lane, North & South but I not sure which way round

Hanney Hay Road and Green Lane, the motorway now runs straight across 1993

Thats my Dad

Trotting Stadium 1993