I’m pleased and delighted to have been contacted once more by top local photographer and friend of the blog Peter Booth, who this time has sent me some images from his father’s collection of Chasewater and Brownhills on a bank holiday in 1966. These are some astounding images.
Peter Booth is a remarkable photographer with a genuine talent and has previously supplied black and white galleries of Brownhills, and also one in full colour. A few months ago, Peter also sent in a stunning set of a late 1970s Brownhills carnival, and he Urbexed the derelict Chasewater stadium before it was demolished.
In the last few weeks Peter has sent remarkable sets from Roy Craddock and the Craddock family of Brownhills Carnival in 1972, Brownhills Wesleyan Chapel and the construction of Silver Street Methodist Church.
It’s worth remembering that Peter’s dad was working with conventional film, not digital.
Hello Bob
Found these images while looking through some of my Dads old slides taken in 1966 – shows how bad the bank holiday traffic used to be through Brownhills, along the A5 and through the High Street.The one on the A5 looks like it’s taken from by the Prince of Wales (the little one on that photo is me being dragged along by my Mom and my Auntie) and the other on the bridge looking down the High Street.
Also a few of Chasewater, could have been taken the same day I’m not sure – it certainly shows how popular it was back in the 60s by the sheer amount of people there.
Regards Peter Booth
Peter said:
Again, my thanks and gratitude to Peter, it’s a pleasure and an honour to feature material of this quality here. We have had so many fine donations from Peter I must surely owe him a beer or eight now!
If readers have anything to add, please do comment here, tug my sleeve on social media or mail me: Brownhillsbob at Googlemail dot com. Thanks.
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happy days havnt you grown brought back memories of the days in lichfield road when nieghbours were nieughbours whe duckets owned the shop god bless
Wow, look at that beehive, my sister had one like that! The picture of the paddling pool really brought back memories
Great photo’s brought back lot’s of memories of Chasewater when I was a nipper. Thank you Peter and BrownhillsBob.
Fantastic photos, does anyone have any of Chasewaters fairground , back then too, tried and failed to find any decent images of it back in its heyday
hi mark can u tell me did there used to be a wooden rollercoaster or may have been called a scenic railway then in chasewater
Yes there was a wooden rollercoaster.
Bob
Pictures featuring rollercoaster here
https://brownhillsbob.com/2019/09/14/gerald-reeces-chasewater-in-the-1960s/
The scenic railway is featured here
https://brownhillsbob.com/2015/10/03/narrow-gauge-minded/
best wishes
Bob
My Dad looked at the photo of the dignitaries and the carnival queens and said the chap with the chain of office is councillor Ash and his wife in the hat of Aldridge district council .
Thank you Peter for the wonderful photo’s. Aldridge and Brownhills urban district council had just become one council in 1966 which explains the dignitaries from Aldridge being there, love the photo of Watling Street (A5),the grey building with the little flat roof was originally a pub called the The Lamb, before my time,then it became living quarters with a shop on the front selling fish and chips then after it it became a general store, in the distant on the the right you can see the The Anglesey Arms Pub. all gone now, i can remember it very well like that,the traffic on Bank Holidays i have seen it stretch back as far as Barracks Lane, it use to be a nightmare.
Chasewater at that time was a thriving place, people would come from miles away, as i have said in earlier posts, it had great prospects ,like the sayings,( if only, what could have been, we shall never no,) but in the end may be for the best we have good wildlife nice walks, open spaces.
The two ladies holding Peters hand are his mom and his auntie. My mom used to sing with them in Brownhills Methodist Choir. As a youngster I used to sing with them in the Sunday School Anniversaries.
Peter,
I take it from your comment that your dad is still alive, and I hope well.
Please give him my very best regards.
He was my Sunday Shool teacher for a long time.
Hello Les yes my Dad is still going strong just celebrated his 94th birthday he’s just read your message and wishes to be remembered to you and hopes your well too.
Hi peter how do u put photos on this page only i have a couple of old photos of my dad he used to collect the money from cars going on to chasewater from the hednesford road gate they also show a price list to enter chasewater it was taken sometime in the 60s.
Hi Peter, I was surprised to see pictures of your Mom Doreen and Auntie Nancy I lived next door to them in the Pelsall Road until I got married in 1962, I hear from Ron Hill news about your Dad, I also have pictures of your Aunties Nancy, Mary and Marie that I took with my Brownie Box camera.
Pat Ward
The 2 girls standing either side of the queen are Yvonne Turly in the sash & Yvonne Allport in the gold dress .. that 2as there maiden names
An interesting vehicle on the first view, behind the Ford Zodiac is a small “people carrier”, but I cannot make out its name. Was it a rare foreign manufactured vehicle?
Looks like a Ford Thames 400 van, precursor to the transit
Cheers
Bob