A wonderful submission here from the young David Evans on the subject of the 1962 Mount Zion anniversary – Mount Zion was the dark, imposing church that stood in the centre of Brownhills High Street until it’s demolition to make way for Ravens Court in the 1960s.
Mount Zion was replaced – as was the Wesleyan further up on the corner of Pier Street – by the Silver Street Methodist Church that is still so busy today – and it will soon be the 50th anniversary of that remarkable building.
If any of the Silver Street community would like to contact me with details of events I’d be happy to advertise them here. Come on folks, I know you’re keen readers of the blog 🙂
Thanks to David and of course to Len Fairlclough for the wonderful image – names, memeories and recollections welcome – either comment here or mail me – BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com. Thanks!
David Evans wrote:
There must be some readers of the blog on this remarkable photo of Mount Zion’s 1962 Sunday school Anniversary in 1962, kindly shared by Len Fairclough. Click for a larger version.
In the course of a pleasant chat -over a cup of coffee and slice of cake- with Mr Len Fairclough this morning he showed me this interesting photo. It shows a Sunday School Anniversary in Mount Zion Primitive Methodist Church, Brownhills, and bears the date , 1962.
This ‘double-decker’ church, which has an interesting history in itself, once stood in the High Street, Brownhills, and was demolished a few years after this photograph was taken. The replacement building now stands in Silver Street.
There seems to be some doubt regarding the name of the gentleman in the centre of the image, and also the good ladies and children. Perhaps your good readers may be able to help. Is the organist a Mr Brookes?
Many thanks to Mr Fairclough for kindly offering this image.
Kind regards
David
Mount Zion was. a remarkable building. Image kindly supplied by David Evans.
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My father and grand-parents talked about the Bradbery family who were “pillars” of the chapel. What happened to them and to their shop which was the main tailors and drapery shop in the town for many years ? Geoffrey Boulton.
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Lots of familiar faces, including my sister. The organist is E.Arthur Brookes, and the man on the back row of the choir is Stan Pheasant. When Stan hit a low note the whole chapel would reverberate.
I think it was J Arthur Brooke’s. Julia Craddock ( front, 5 from l), Patricia Baggley (2 from l) then me. Linda Chase (5 from l) then Wendy Pickstone (?). 3rd row, Janet Horton (3 from l) the Elizabeth Craddock. Far end, Ann Ashmore next to her sister, Joan. Brian Benton (middle boy in front of Stan). Yes, Miss Louie (Bradbury) used to teach us our recitations.
Stan Pheasant was my uncle, my mother was Freda Lucy Pheasant. Often went to services at Mount Zion and uncle Stan would take me to see Aston Villa matches.
pheasdear arthur brooks and stan pheasant what memouries athures prelude piece was always FINLANDIA a hymn close to my heart even today i still have my wife BRENDAS star card she went to ZION white frocks short trousers brylcream and the begging piece always seemed to be for the sunday school dads went in the morning the family in the afternoon and oh that tired on the front row at night the prize if you had been good a threpany bit A JOEY yes the days of ZION and WESLEY wonderfu
l we must not forget the congregational at coppice side THE STEVENS and dear old jonahs and the little chapel on the watling street and brownhills west what a wonderful world it was i still hear that remark when iwas akid we had to go twice a day today its whats the sermons god bless
As aerreg say’s as kids we were expected to go to Sunday school, i was always at the Park View Chapel on the A5 Watling Street and of course the yearly Anniversary was a main event were you were all dressed up in new clothes for the Day, lo and behold if you got dirty on that day, which was hard to do because Howdles Lane was only a dirt track then in the 1950’s, full of potholes and puddles , and me been a young lad always seem to step in one. there is a photo of the park View Anniversary some were in Bob Brownhills Blog Archives, i don’t think it did us any harm in going to Sunday School, had some happy memories.
Martin.
I remember Miss Bradbury (sp?) taught us our recitals! I recall Mr Brooks was also the choir master. I think I and my sister are here, Kay and Jane Shingler.
I now live in Albany, Western Austalia, where the last ANZAC fleet left for Gallipoli, linking to another post in the blog. Albany is the home to the National ANZAC Centre/Museum.
Hi Kay
there is some home cine of the Watling Street 1960s by Fred Shingler, somewhere in this blog ..Enjoy. and thanks for your interesting comments.
kind regards
David
Thanks David, I’ve seen that earlier taken by my Uncle Fred! Kay.
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