From a forthcoming treat, supplied generously by David Evans, a map of Cannock Chase and surrounds, dating from about 1930. Click for a larger version.
A nice thing here from the young David Evans that I’ve been meaning to share for a while: an unusual Ordnance Survey based map of Cannock Chase and environs in about 1930.
It comes from a 1947 cycling booklet which I’ll share in full another time – but I don’;t want to distract from this wonderful bit of cartographic history. Note that Rugeley challenges Cannock for Size, and the sprawling villages of Chadsmoor, Green Heath and Hednesford yet to be expanded. There are lost names here too, like Furnace Coppice, Bevin’s Lane, Cherrytree Slade and Benty Hill.
But the most remarkable thing is the lack of forestation, and the amount of collieries marked. Little woodland exists around around Sherbrook Valley, Milford, Wolsely Plain or Brindley Heath – it was not until after the Second World War and the Forestry Commission that Cannock Chase was re-wooded.
Have a good look of this, and see what you can find. The more you look, the more you see – it’s a cracker, and I’m really grateful to David for sharing it.
What have you spotted? Comment here or mail me: BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com.