A remarkable bit of Brownhills Social History. Do you recognise the Avenues estate here? Click for a larger version.
I have no chance whatsoever of reading this. Help welcomed. Click for a larger version.
I’d just like to share these Brownhills postcard images, one of which is for sale on eBay currently, and two others which were shared by a reader who wishes to remain anonymous a couple of weeks ago.
Thee most remarkable is the Garden City postcard, which was the name first given to the Avenues Estate on Co-op Corner, where the Ogley/Chase Road crosses the Lichfield Road. The image and a partner on have been discussed before, but I’ve never seen a good quality scan before.
The whole Garden City thing is fascinating and was discussed in this post here. I wonder when the houses were faced with render, from the bare brick, and why? The card appears to have been postally used in 1926 to an address in Tamworth.
If you fancy this, you can see the original sale here from mafcard1 where it’s offered for just ÂŁ2 with proceeds to charity – which seems like a good buy for those interested.
The remaining two cards were sent by an old pal of the blog who says he grabbed the images from eBay, but can’t remember when. Agin, they’re very good quality scans and worth posting here, despite being familiar images. That’s the clearest I’ve seen of the Norton Pool one and would be interested to see where readers think it was taken from.
Anything to add? Please do comment here or mail me: BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot
St. James Church, Ogley Hay, before the awful extension was added. Click for a larger version.
A very clear image of a rather placid-looking Norton Pool (Chasewater) with children on the shore. Note the pit chimney on the skyline. Click for a larger version.
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My Mom was born in 4th Avenue, just to the left of the houses in this picture. She was born in 1923. Later moved into 1st Avenue where me and my brother were born. She told me the “Avenues” were originally known as the Garden City as they were such nice houses with quite big gardens especially as before then the houses they lived in only had a shared yard.
Hi Lynn
I too was born in first avenue 🙂
Hi Ann, I may have gone to school with you then, my maiden name was Wright.
just a couple of points first the buildings as ive often remarked are my childhood days built by cornish tin miners in days of their hardship to send money bacto their families the second one norton pool the back ground is norton east road proof is the chapel location is it the chase side where we padled or is the swag where the train runs today the stack is wemblys pit me sure abit of a challenge for the old grey matter again bless you and thanks
Looks like fishermen on Norton Pool, but what is the strange reflection in the centre?
in humuore bottom left looks like a wale er byke wale to the right the fish tail looks like a real un in the midle a tree with no leeves all bostin stuff
idont know if its of any interest but on the subject of garden city in the very early years as you entered the second avenue one of the houses on the right next door to mr and mrs roberts was uesed as an housing office staffed by mr clough and mr udaul mr udaul lived in lichfield and travelled there and back on an early motor cycle he was also one of the first instigaters of the first brownhills home guard now you would not have slept tonight if i had not told you that ha ha
Reg, that information is very useful – thanks!