Video stills don’t work very well from cinefilm, but this is clearly Brownhills Flats under construction, with the Walsall Wood pit mound in the foreground. I believe that’s Bayley House on the right, and Humphries house on the right. Image from the Charles Street film.
Things have been a bit lax this week, due to my atrocious working schedule which has meant that so far, I have been unable to share a remarkable bit of video from reader Charles Street, who’s a big fan of the blog.
Charles runs a lovely photography and nature blog, which I’ve also been meaning to plug for some time. Charles is a wonderfully talented photographer, and a great example of the kind of creative spirit that’s popping up so much online lately – and I’ll be plugging more great local blogs in the coming weeks.
The video features a surprise at the end, which appears to be a couple of pans around from the slag heap at the rear of Walsall Wood Colliery, showing the Jones House, Clayhanger Bridge and the Brownhills Flats under construction.
I believe this film to be contemporaneous with this image from Marion Jones, of a grassfire on The Spot, which is now Clayhanger Common.
I’m sure people will find this astounding. I know the South Staffordshire Rail Group, Ian Pell and Dave Moore will be intrigued, too.
Charles wrote:
Hi Bob,
I’m a regular follower of your blog – it’s generally more interesting than the daily papers!
Anyway I have some film footage taken by my dad of shunting etc. going on at the High Bridges yard in Pelsall. This would have been taken around 1965/66. I’ve edited the clip to around 7 minutes.
The quality isn’t great. It was shot on 8mm film, transferred to VHS about 40 years later and then finally copied to DVD in the last couple of weeks. Anyway have a peep and let me know if it’s usable.
I also have some footage of the go kart track at Chasewater and a motorbike scramble at Wharf lane – all taken in the mid 60’s if your blog readers show any interest then I’ll happily sort out some more.
My own nature blog still only has a very small following and if possible I’d like to get it across to a wider audience.
Look forward to hearing from you
Charles
I’d like to thank Charles for his generosity in supplying such a remarkable bit of footage (and also for his very kind words), as well as for sharing his beautiful wildlife photography. I implore him to post more, as it’s a joy to behold and so many folk don’t realise the amount of remarkable wildlife we have here in the UK.
May apologies are due to the gentleman for not getting around to this sooner. Sorry old chap, it can be a bit difficult fitting everything in sometimes.
Charles, just one further question if I may; any relation to the Street family of Walsall Wood, perchance?
Please, if you have anything to add, comment here, of mail me: BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com. Cheers.
A remarkable shot of a Jay – one of the UK’s most gorgeous birds, as taken by Charles Street and posted on his blog. Click the image to visit this wonderful site.