This fragment from the 1915 1:1250 Ordnance Survey map epoch doesn’t show a Fingerpost Farm, and neither to issues to 1947: However, there are several farms around the Fingerpost. Lots of good stuff here including the interesting ‘Grove’. Click for a larger version. Map from the National Library of Scotland (NLS) Archive.
In interesting historical enquiry reaches me from old friend of the blog and Friend of Brownhills Common Malcolm Littler, who’s looking for an image of a lost farm in Pelsall.
I’ll let him explain:
Hi Bob,
A long shot, but hope you can help.
A friend of mine was born at Fingerpost Farm, Pelsall in 1950.
He said the farm was demolished when he was 3 or 4. He would love a photograph of farm, but has been unable to trace one. I have seen one but can’t remember where.
Hope you can help…
Best wishes,
Malcolm Littler
I had a look at the maps and can’t find a Fingerpost Farm – that may be because the name was colloquial and never formalised, or may have changed – it may have been in a different place of course, too – but if you can help it would be most welcome.
Thanks to Malcolm for an excuse to get out a lovely bit of old mapping and if you can help, please do comment here or mail me – BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com, cheers.
The Fingerpost now is quiet suburbia surrounding a busy road junction. Image from Wikimedia Commons.
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I think it may have been later than 1954 when the farm was demolished, I started driving in 1957 and drawing coal form the Grove, I am sure there was a house and barn then, it may have survived into the Sixties, but it falls into the category of familiarity, one day you suddenly realise it is gone !, I certainly remember seeing ducks and moorhens on the pond
Just a thought, the late Sim Mayou may have had a photograph, his son still keeps the hardware shop in Pelsall
I think Sim Mayou is still with us. He is in his nineties now.
Wasn’t it Moat Farm by the ‘moat’ next to the Fingerpost hence the name of the new estate built were it was?
Hubby recalls it by pond and was called most farm.
I am sure it was Moat Farm. I moved to Pelsall when I was 6 (around 1964) and I remember the farm buildings being there for some years after that.
I was born in 1943 in Highbury Place Pelsall, just down the road from there, It was Howdles farm and we used to go fishing in the pond we called the Mod pond. We were told that it was an old lime pit and was very deep. I think that it was still there in the 60`s.
You should contact the Pelsall History Centre, I think that they have photos of the old farm.
Thankyou all, Moat Farm was adjacent to the fingerpost crossroads. Fingerpost Farm was approx. 100 yards west and north of Wolverhampton Road- Charles Crescent is built on the land. The suggestion that Sim Mayou may have had a photo is worth following up.
No photo sorry but looking at our OS map of Pelsall North 1883 the farm was called Pelsall Farm.
I was born at Moat Farm 1941, I remember Pelsall farm on the corner of Wolverhampton Road but only as old ruined buildings we had to pass through to get to some fields we rented.
The farm pm the finger post Pelsall was called Howdles farm and the guy that. Was Born their was John in the 1940 he was in my class at school ,
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