BrownhillsBob's Brownhills Blog

The Sandhills Quarry cottage, as it was in 2003. Image kindly supplied by Ian Broad.

Reader and friend of the blog Ian Broad has once more been in touch to share another picture of the still derelict old bungalow at the old driveway to Shire Oak Quarry, just of Shire Oak Hill on the A461 near Sandhills, in which he grew up.

Ian has previously sent us wonderful memories of his father setting up the shop Toms Cabin in Brownhills, a carpet shop in the spot formerly occupied by Ladies Hairdresser May Brown. May was, of course, wife of noted barber Tommy Brown who used to operate from a shed in the back yard of May’s shop.

Ian had this to say about thee image above:

Hi Bob,

Just found this old pic of the old ‘quarry’ bungalow from about 2003.

I went down there to see what my childhood home looked like. I have more pics somewhere. I’ll find them.

Me and my dad put the concrete slab down in front of the house and also on the drive. As you can imagine there was no shortage of concrete living next to s quarry.

What I find incredible from recent aerial images is how much of the field behind the bungalow is overgrown and just ‘gone’ there is no distinguishing the three massive sycamore trees that were in the field side by side.

As you can see the front porch and side ‘lean to’ are still fairly in tact.

I also made a visit to Dave Kay who lives in the house that’s right next to the quarry lane. Incredibly he still has the Macaw bird called Stanley that I remember as a child. He’s 43 yrs old!

Anyway enough of my ramblings.

All the best,
Ian.

Thanks for the contribution, Ian, I’m still very interested in this lost house and memories of it – at the moment, I’m also very intrigued by the empty Fishpond Cottage on the other side of the quarry, and also for any memories of the transport cafe that used to be on the Chester Road between Shire Oak and Stonnall.

If you have anything to add, please do – either comment here or mail me: BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com.

Situtated at the fenced off, disused Lichfield Road entrance to Sandhills Quarry, stands this derelect, boarded up bungalow. It turns out that reader Ian lived there, and it was once quite a place!

Rest in peace Jack, never far away from your bike. What a wonderful gesture. Image posted on Facebook by Jimmy Morris.

I just had to share this – you’ll remember that much loved historian and Walsall cyclist and character Jack Haddock passed away recently – well, yesterday it was Jack’s funeral which took place in Lichfield.

Posted on the Jack Haddock appreciation page on Facebook, two images from an excellent, sensitive and beautiful memorial.

Rest in peace, Jack, a fine celebration of a great, great man. Your friends did you proud – my gratitude to them.

Do check out the Facebook group for memories, images and discussion of Jack and his work.

Flying Scotsman on the casket, faithful camera on top, steed nearby. Jack, you will be very much missed. Image posted on Facebook by Mark Sorrell.

I had to scan it quickly before it decomposed. I think this bookseller had a mask and pistol… but here it is: Men of Aldridge, published in 1957 and written by Jim Gould.

After the subject was broached here a few weeks ago by reader Brian Edwards, I resolved to find a copy of Jim Gould’s 1957 book ‘Men of Aldridge’, in order to read it for myself – which I finally managed to do last week.

The copy I bought – battered, falling apart – cost a fair amount, and I think with the rarity of the work and the unlikelihood of it being issued again, I’ve decided to scan it and make it available here on the blog for readers to peruse.

At 140 odd pages, it’s too big to do in one go, so here’s the first half consisting of chapters I to VIII dealing with the early history of Aldridge and it’s people.

I have read the whole book, but I’m not going to comment on the contents because I want to see what you readers think and I’d rather not lead the witnesses, so to speak… Suffice it to say Jim Gould was clearly a man of no little talent and charisma, and I pay tribute to an interesting, engaging and fascinating work.

Please, feel free to download the PDF at the link below, and have a good read. I shall make the remainder available at some point next week, so you can read the whole thing. It’s been straightened and is searchable for text.

Men of Aldridge Part one Chapters I-VIII PDF format 23.8 megabytes

This is a fascinating book and I recommend it to anyone interested not only in Aldridge and it’s local history, but in Jim Gould too.

Please feel free to comment, and let me know what you spot – there’s even a reference or two in there to early Brownhills! Go for it – post your thoughts here, or mail me – BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com. Cheers.

A gallery of the first 20 pages is below – click on any image to see the full size scan.

Coppice Lane in the 1950s – image supplied by Godfrey Hucker, originally donated byJean Houghton.

Here’s a couple of quick images I’ve been meaning to post here from Godfrey ‘Oakparkrunner’ Hucker who posted them to my ‘Brownhills Past and Present‘ page on Facebook, and I think they deserve a wider audience.

The first is the end of Coppice Lane in Brownhills, about where the junction of Coppice Side is today, [Later edit: I have this utterly wrong – see comments below. Sorry! – Bob] which would be off to the right, Marklew’s Pond through to the left. I think the buildings in the distance would be Coombe House, then home of Doctor George Bradford.

The image was originally donated to Godfrey by Jean Houghton. Godfrey says:

Taken about the 1950’s this photo, courtesy of Jean Houghton nee Hinks, shows her Uncle Elijah Hinton and my father Godfrey Hucker (with the cycle) returning home from a Sunday lunch time drink in the Jolly Collier.

The second is, of course, Brownhills Fire Station’s appliances parked in front of the station in the 1960s, with the Central Boys School in the background – this would be where Parade View senior citizen’s flats are today.

Brownhills fire engines outside the fire station in Chester Road North Brownhills in the late 1960’s.

Godfrey was, of course, a local fireman and his knowledge of the service and it’s history are encyclopaedic – as is his knowledge of Walsall Wood and local rail.

Thanks to Godfrey for letting me share, and I welcome comment and recollections – comment here or mail me: BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com. Thanks!

Brownhills fire appliances in the late 1960s. Image supplied by Godfrey Hucker.

Northfields Way from the red car to the bottom of the photo is a dead end and serves no purpose. Image by Pete Hummings.

Good news for people in Clayhanger and on the nearby Watermead estate who’ve been suffering antisocial behaviour and unauthorised traveller encampments – the next stage of the process to close the redundant, unused stub of Northfields Way off to traffic has taken place.

On Thursday 14th April 2016, Walsall Council published a draft Traffic Regulation Order, proposing to ban traffic from the affected section of Northfields Way; those objecting or wanting more details have until 6th May 2016 to inspect the plans, and to lodge an objection in writing if desired.

Area manager 2Laura Terry has asked me and fellow local blog Madwblog to share this information with you. Laura wrote:

Good evening both

Thank you for following closely the work we have undertaken in relation to Northfields Way.

As you are aware the Traffic Regulation Order was scheduled to commence today and as such I provide you with an update below.

I will endeavour to contact individual residents who have requested an update when I am back in the office on Monday – I mention this for your information should you receive comments or queries regarding correspondence via your blog.

Best wishes
Laura

Here’s the notice posted in the Advertiser and on site notices in the relevant area:

Official notice as required by law, published in the Walsall Advertiser. Thursday 14th April 2016. Click for a larger version.

The important bit is:

Full details of the proposal is contained in the Draft Order and plans which show the roads subject to the Order and the extent and details of the controls proposed. This Order, the plans and a statement of the Council’s reasons for proposing to make the Order may be examined at the offices of the Head of Democratic Services, The Council House, Darwall Street, WALSALL, during normal office hours.(Ref: PBW/DC/2265/3795)

Objections

Formal objections to the Order should be sent with the grounds for making them in writing (quoting Ref: PBW/DC/2265/3795) to the Head of Democratic Services, The Council House, Walsall WS1 1TW by not later than 6th May, 2016.

Once the order has been approved, the Council can then block the road off, the proposals for which were featured in this post a few weeks ago, and a plan can be seen below.

Please fell free to comment here or mail me: BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com – but if you have an objection, remember that complaining here or on social media won’t count – you need to do so in writing as stated above.

Draft plan of the stopping-up works as supplied from Walsall Council by Laura Terry. Click for a larger version.

Rocky says ‘A little corner of Brownhills Common at the end of Engine Lane off Coppice Side this time. Early 1980’s and the chap doing a turn is Phil Wilkinson – Foreman of the Tower Shop. Again the background will be of more interest to the local historians.’

Over the years, local factories made some pretty famous products – Crabtree made world-renowned electrical products, Aldridge Plastics moulded toys like Hungry Hippos and Action Man, Craig & Derricott still make well known control gear, Geometry International made brands of stationary we all knew.

One very important and successful product was made for years at structural engineering and fabrication company, Strumech who were based on Coppice Side in Brownhills, opposite the Potclays clay pit, latterly a landfill.

The Strumech Versatower is a telescopic, trailer mounted tower used by everyone from lighting providers to the military to outside broadcast units to radio hams. Wherever you need to get something high in the air in a  portable manner that can be easily erected and dismantled, you use a Versatower.

Rocky says ‘Chasewater 1968, has a look of the French Riviera.’

These were made at Coppice Side for years, until Strumech was bought by another company, Elliott Workspace, a few years ago. The Brownhills factory is now occupied by a different company, but in it’s day, it was a hive of industry turning out not just the towers, but structural and heavy steelwork of all kinds.

In the last week, good mate of the blog and former Strumech man Rocky Sprogs has been scanning some old images of Strumech which he’s kindly allowed me to post here – for which I’m very grateful. We have precious little recent industrial history here and test are wonderful images, so evocative of the time.

Note the changing state of the clay pit, several photos of which it’s in the background.

Cheers to Rocky for a wonderful donation, and if you have anything to add, and memories you wish to share, feel free: comment here or mail me: BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com. Thanks.

Rocky says ‘Coppice Side, Brownhills about 1986 once the Tip was full and capped off. Can’t say much about the young chap as it might give my age away – Ha!’

Rocky says ‘This pre-dates me but shows a pretty open view from Coppice Side across the tip and Potters Clay site to the houses on Lichfield Road. In the Picture is Brian Hinton testing out the winch action on a lighting unit. Hidden behind the lights is Paul Sealey, Works Enginner and sometime Mr. Fix It.’

Rocky says ‘Chasewater sailing club at night – the light, of course, from a Versatower.’

Rocky says ‘This was some form of wheel fabrication for seperating something like clay and water. It also features Chas O’Neil (Slaes Director) and Roy Garbett (at this time a Foreman & later Works Manager) Taken at Strumech on Coppice Side Brownhills.’

Rocky says ‘This is on Coppice Side, Brownhills and I believe it is inside the tip known as Birch Coppice whilst it was being filled in. I can’t remeber the chaps name though. (Late 70’s or early 80’s)’

Rocky says ‘Chasewater 1968 again and this time 3 of the 4 main players at Strumech are in the picture. Left to right Frank Weetman (Factory Manager later MD) In the middle one half of the MD team Brian Hinton (Mech – anical) and on the right Chas O’Neil Sales Manager. The forth (un-pictured) being George Parsons (Stru – crural).’

Rocky says ‘A contact sheet of shots taken at a boat event on Chasewater from 1968.’

Brownhills and the wider borough – where to next? Photo supplied by Pete Hummings via Madwblog.

Hey folks – sorry about the late notice but just spotted on Twatter that there a planning consultation going on today in Brownhills – just on Tesco car park from 10am until 3:30pm – it’s about wider planning strategies in the borough and your views on current policy – feel free to attend and have your say.

Walsall has to create planning and development frameworks by law and the process is ongoing. If you miss this event, see the press release below and there will be other chances to make yourself heard.

Walsall Planning said:

http://twitter.com/wmbc_planning/status/718392624131018753

Planning bosses in Walsall are urging businesses and residents to have their say in the third stage of its consultation for the Site Allocation Document, Town Centre Area Action Plan and Community Infrastructure Levy.

A consultation event has been arranged at Brownhills, outside Tesco on Monday 11th April between 10am and 3:30pm for people to drop in, ask questions and have their say on the proposals.

These three key documents form the basis of where homes will be built, jobs created and the environment protected across the borough, and how the Walsall town centre will develop over the next 10 years.

This third stage of consultation is known as the ‘publication stage’ and are the final versions of the Document that the council intends to submit for examination by a Planning Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State. The plans look to address comments and views received from members of the public and organisations in response to the ‘preferred options’ consultation from last Autumn.

One of the key changes in this latest document is that we have confirmed which sites are proposed to be allocated for development as permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches and we have also reduced our estimate of the total number of additional pitches that are likely to be needed over the next 10 years. Several of the potential sites identified at the previous stage are no longer proposed to be taken forward.

The 8 week consultation began on Monday 7 March and concludes on Tuesday 3 May.

More events will be arranged throughout the borough and details will be available on http://www.walsall.gov.uk. We would also welcome suggestions for events and people should contact Planning Policy to discuss ideas.

To have your say online and view the consultation documents go here, read the blog here, visit the Facebook page: Walsall Planning 2026 or on Twitter @wmbc_planning, using the hashtag #Walsall2026

In order for the Council to formally take into account your views they must be submitted in writing and forms are available on our website to help you to give us your comments. Responses can be sent to planningpolicy@walsall.gov.uk or by post to Planning Policy, Regeneration and Development, Economy & Environment Directorate, Walsall Council, Civic Centre, Darwall Street, Walsall, WS1 1DG.

The Pelsall Hall Colliery, near Walsall, the Scene of the Flooding. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 23 November 1872.

I’m pleased to feature here today a fascinating research article into the infamous Pelsall Hall Colliery disaster, wonderfully written by Peter ‘Pedro’ Cutler. This will be the first of two articles relating to mining accidents today – and this is a great precursor to the following one, which will ask for help with the Grove Pit Disaster.

The question of the identities of those lost in Pelsall on that fateful day in 1872 has periodically arisen in the local history community, and has once more come to the fore following a recent book release by Pelsall historian Annita Bates. Seeing this release and with his interest piqued, Peter acquired a copy of the book, and went to work.

As usual with Peter, this is a beautifully constructed piece that raises some very thought-provoking points, and also shows that journalism hasn’t changed much in one and a half centuries.

Thanks to Peter for yet another wonderful work of collaborative history, helped here in no small measure by the wonderful roving reporter in the form of the young David Evans, who took the photos for this article (there’s a complete gallery at the bottom). Thanks to both gentleman, this blog would be very much the poorer without such wonderful contributions. Cheers to you both.

I’m sure readers will have things to say: please do – either by commenting here or by mailing me: BrownhillsBob at Googlemailgot com. Cheers.

Peter Cutler wrote:

Pelsall Church – St. Michael and All Angels. Image generously supplied by David Evans.

Pelsall Hall Colliery Disaster 1872, an Unsolved Mystery?

Two recent articles, ‘Having no Truck with it‘ and ‘Better men than us?‘ concerning the Bloomer family and the Pelsall Ironworks have cast doubts on some facts and interpretations of Pelsall history, especially those contained in the Wikipedia article.

One question posed by the latter article is… Why has the Pelsall Hall Colliery disaster of November 1872 been linked to the Pelsall Ironworks, and Boaz Bloomer? The colliery was leased to Messrs Morgan and Starkey.

I looked into the Newspaper Archives to uncover the history of Pelsall Hall Colliery and the 1872 disaster and discovered many more interesting facts concerning the colliery and the Relief Fund.

If you make a Google search for the disaster it quickly comes up with some familiar names, including the Cannock Chase Mining History Society whose interpretation of the disaster can be seen here.

However, among the first results is a reference to an Express and Star article about a recently published book by Annita Bates: Pelsall’s Black Gold, Pelsall Hall Colliery disaster, the history, the unsolved mysteries, and the lasting legacy. (The book is available from Walsall Libraries.)

The Pelsall Hall Colliery Disaster memorial obelisk. Image generously supplied by David Evans.

I must say that the book is an excellent account of the tragedy built up from the Archives, but I was puzzled by the inclusion of ‘unsolved mysteries’ in the title, as I had not come across anything untoward in my search, except that the body of William Richards was never found.

The Conclusion of the book says:

The history of Pelsall Hall Colliery disaster presents more questions than answers, as illustrated in this book. There are many inconsistencies and many aspects which simply do not add up…. The most significant mystery of all of this is that of the missing miner. Despite numerous extensive search attempts, even up to the final closure of Pelsall Hall Colliery in 1892, the body of the missing miner was never found. The identity of the missing miner was so uncertain that in his official Mining Inspectorate, Mr Baker was only prepared to refer to him as miner 22, unknown and not found…

The first of the two lists below appears in the book and is taken from the Inspectorate of Mines Annual Report for South Staffordshire and Worcestershire, 31 December 1872, by Mr. J. Baker. The second list is from the Memorial Obelisk in the Churchyard which was reported, in January 1875, to have just been erected and unveiled without ceremony.

The Pelsall Hall Colliery Disaster memorial obelisk. Image generously supplied by David Evans.

There are some discrepancies between the lists but they can be matched up as shown. I have great regard for Mines Inspectors who had onerous and sometimes thankless task for poor reward. It was only in 1873 that they acquired assistants, and their number increased from 12 to 26. It can be seen that the Memorial carries the name of William Richards, and therefore first thoughts would suggest that William corresponds to No.22 on Mr. Baker’s list being ‘Unknown and not found.’

I don’t believe that it can be assumed that Mr. Baker was so uncertain of the missing miner that he was only prepared to use the term ‘unknown and not found.’ He could well of used the term unknown in the sense of unidentified.

The Pelsall Hall Colliery Disaster memorial obelisk. Image generously supplied by David Evans.

At this point there is a confusion. The Memorial inscription is for the 22 men and boys who lost their lives in the disaster and it infers that all are buried in the vault beneath, except for John Hubbard who is buried with his family at Aldridge. However, in the report of the unveiling of the Memorial in 1875 it states vault contains 20 of the victims of the disaster, as William Richard’s body had not been found and John Hubbard lay at Aldridge.

[Note that in the list given by the CCMHS link above, one of the miners is referred to as Thomas Richards (30 years old). I believe that Thomas was the second name of the William Richards named on the Memorial.]

Inspectorate —-  Memorial (Jan 1875)

1 Thomas Starkey —- Thomas Starkey
2 Thomas Coleman —- Thomas Coleman
3 Michael Cash —- Michael Cash
4 John Quarter —- John Quarters
5 George Ball/Bull —- George Bauch
6 John Hubbard —- John Hubbard
7 Thomas Hackward —- Thomas Orcutt
8 Charles Cash —- Charles Cash
9 John Hayward —- John Heyward
10 Thomas Hollis —- Thomas Hollis
11 George ?Castle —- George Cassel
12 Joseph Hollis —- Joseph Hollis
13 Charles Cape —- Charles Capewell
14 Edward Williams —- Edward Williams
15 Charles Astlebury —- Charles Astbury
16 Richard Hyde —- Richard Hyde
17 Frank Dilkes —- Frank Dilkes
18 Stephen Lawton —- Stephen Lawton
19 John Roberts —- John Roberts
20 John Starkey —- John Starkey
21 Thomas Starkey Snr —- Thoms Starkey
22 Unknown and not found —- (William Richards)

The Pelsall Hall Colliery Disaster memorial obelisk. Image generously supplied by David Evans.

Relief for the victims drew support from all over the country, but the owners of the colliery were not typical as they actually had family members working. This may account for the meagre contribution of financial help from the richer local owners. The rescue and search costs were born by the owners and there were times when the colliery was near to being abandoned, but they pressed on and in June of 1873 an axe and saw was found and thought to have been used by the missing man, who was engaged in removing rails at the time of the inundation, but still no body was found.

At some stage the search for the missing man would have been called off, and in January 1882 the mine was again flooded along with pits associated with the Ironworks, resulting in 700 being thrown out of employment, but with no loss of life. In March 1883 the Colliery was closed down due to an extensive fire with 220 out of work. And finally in 1890 the colliery was abandoned according to CCMHS. In June 1905 there is a:

Bankruptcy of John Starkey, of Ridding House, Pelsall, described as a former colliery proprietor, now out of business. Up to 1885 he was a manager for his father, who carried on business as a Colliery proprietor at Pelsall Hall Colliery….he and his brother took over the Colliery at a value of £6000, no money changed hands, but surrender of interests in their father’s estate….

There is a remarkable connection between the two inundations. In 1872 George Goreham had gone down to the pit bottom and helped to pull struggling men into the cage…

In 1882 a workmen who was trying to rescue the horses narrowly escaped with his life, but was succoured and rescued by a fellow workmen named George Goreham, who distinguished himself in a marked manner at the time of the former inundation, and on this occasion bravely descended one of the shafts and made his way along the working through the water, which reached up to his neck, and brought his exhausted friend up the other shaft.

The 1872 disaster touched the whole nation and contributions to the Relief Fund came from far afield, but also the Press descended on Pelsall.

The Pelsall Hall Colliery Disaster memorial obelisk. Image generously supplied by David Evans.

One of the journalists was the celebrated war correspondent Archibald Forbes and another the young up and coming David Christie Murray from West Bromwich.

Murray was later to relate:

I began my friendship with Archibald Forbes at Pelsall, and I began it in a rather curious fashion. The place was a wretched little mining village with a solitary beer shop in it, and there was only one house in which it was possible to secure decent accommodation….

They were both rented the same room by a husband and wife. When Forbes found out he threatened to throw Murray through the window. Murray replied that if he went through the window he would take Forbes with him. To that Forbes laughed at said that if he could not bully a man he would make a friend of him!

The dialect of the Black Country, when spoken at its broadest, is not easy for a stranger to understand. I, as a native of the district, was of course familiar with it, but Forbes was out of his element altogether, and might almost have tried talking chockjaw. I, knowing perfectly well that the intended attempt could not be made for at least…

….I learned at the mine head the hour at which the rescue party was to descend and I made arrangements to join it. Then I walked in to Walsall and there hired a saddle horse which I bestowed in the stables of the beer shop. This done, I made my way back to the mine and found the party just in readiness to make the descent. There were six of us, all told, and the little contingent was captained by Mr Walter Ness, who, partly as a reward for gallantry as I believe, was afterwards appointed manager of Her Majesty’s mines in Warora, Central India. We were all lowered in a skip together and the position of the air-way having been precisely ascertained one man lay face downwards on the skip’s bottom and broke through the brickwork with a pick. The sullen waters of the pool were only some eight or ten feet beneath us…

….I was holding a candle to the dead man’s face and we were all gathered round when the light went out suddenly as if it had been quenched in water. In a second we were in pitch darkness and our leader called out ‘Choke damp, back for your lives,’ and in the pitchy darkness back we struggled…

…And then I made all haste to the beer shop where I mounted my horse and rode full tilt into Birmingham. The paper had gone to press early that night and the press was already clanking when I rode into Pinfold Street and sat down, all muddy and dishevelled as I was, to dictate my copy to a shorthand writer.

I had to say filled two large type columns and with the copy of the paper in my pocket, I rode back to Pelsall. There I found Forbes at breakfast he asked where I had been and I produced the paper and showed my work in silence….

The Press, even back in 1872, were prone to sensationalise some stories. I doesn’t surprise me that the report from the Birmingham Daily Post on November 26 adds at the end…

…The missing body of Richards, if it be Richards, for the clothes taken from one of the corpses have been claimed as his, has not yet been found.

As the body of the missing miner was never found then there must be some degree of uncertainty, but I would say it was a small degree. William Richards RIP.

Images from the churchyard of St. Michael and All Angels, Pelsall, kindly supplied by David Evans.

Jack Haddock in 2013, in a wonderful photo that really captures his spirit. Image by Jimmy Morris.

Following the sad loss of photographer, local historian and champion of Walsall Jack Haddock last week, his great friend Robert Selvey has asked me to share the details of the arrangements for Jack’s funeral.

There’s more information available from Walsall Local History Centre’s blog here.

All who knew Jack are invited and welcome to pay their respects.

Robert wrote:

Arrangements for the funeral of John Frederick (Jack) Haddock have now been made, and members of the public are more than welcome to attend if they wish.

Monday April 18th at Lichfield crematorium in Fradley, service commences at 12.30.

Please share far and wide so as many of his acquaintances as possible get to hear about it.

Thank you
Robert Selvey

Walsall Local History centre also said:

Details of the funeral of noted Walsall local historian and photographer John Frederick (Jack) Haddock, who passed away recently, have now been announced.

The funeral will take place on Monday 18th April 2016 at Lichfield Crematorium in Fradley, Staffordshire.

All of Jack’s family, friends, acquaintances and members of the public wishing to pay their respects are welcome to attend.

The funeral party will leave from 78 Webster Road, Walsall, at approx 11.15am (TBC).

The service commences at 12.30pm.

In accordance with Mr Haddock’s wishes, there will be an opportunity at the Crematorium for those attending to make donations to Walsall Local History Centre. He requested no flowers.

You are invited to share this post as widely as possible.

For details and location of the crematorium, please click on this link.

For more information about Jack Haddock, please follow this link.

Thanks to Robert for letting us know, and please do attend if you want to. Jack was a popular man who loved to talk and I think he would like to see as many of you as possible.

He was such a vital, positive and open-hearted man.You can find out more about Jack and his work by visiting the exhibition about jack running at Walsall Local History Centere in Essex Street on online at the group set up in tribute to him by Robert and Mick Stackhouse.

Jack shall never be forgotten. We have lost a gentleman of charm, intelligence and sensitivity. May he rest in peace.

A Jack Haddock image, showing why he was such a remarkable photographer. Reeds wood Power Station has long gone, but through Jack’s images we can see how it was.

The photo of Brookline Juniors specified as ‘Walsall Wood’ on Walsall Council’s Click in Time site turned out to not be quite right, as pointed out in a comment by David Oakley. See text for details.

Last week, we delved into Walsall Council and the Walsall Local History Centre’s online photo archive with a couple of images David Evans found browsing – both images were very interesting, but the football team above, said to be of Brookland Juniors, Walsall Wood in 1930 turns out not to be as it would appear.

It’s worth checking out that post here if you don’t remember it.

We found this out following a remarkable comment by elder statesman of the Brownhills Blog community, David Oakley. David had this to say:

Hi Bob,

Wassat!!! A football team in Brookland Road in my old ‘neck of the woods’, 1930’s style. Never in this world ! My old eyes rushed to the photo to search for old, familiar faces. Nothing. Didn’t take long to discover the photo had nothing to do with Walsall Wood, so out came my rather blunt and rusty research spade.

First off, from my memory there was never enough kids of the right age in Brookland Road. Coronation Road was but a twinkle in the eye of B.U.D.C. at this time. Benny Yates’s Social Club produced lashings of Club Brewery beer and Jones’s crisps, but very little else, athletically speaking. A semi-clincher came when I discovered the league this team played in Sutton and District League, Hmm, a long way to go, in those days, for a game of football.

I peered more closely at the photo. Didn’t look a very happy group, matching shirts, of course, but stockings didn’t appear to match and wasn’t there a mix of coloured and white shorts? Yet the name on the ball was clear enough ‘Brookland or Brooklands’.

On my steam-driven computer I googled ‘Sutton and Brooklands’ and soon struck oil. Marston Green Cottage Homes was the residence for Birmingham kids who had lost their parents or who had been taken into care. The name ‘Brooklands’ was more elusive, whether the homes were titled Brooklands, or the surrounding area. I do not know, but after the homes were demolished, the name ‘Brooklands Way’ was given to a road which passed over the spot. From my research I think that in the 1970’s there was a home still bearing the name Brooklands Children Home in the vicinity.

Thanks to Birmingham Central Library who some little while ago, established a small team to develop a history of Birmingham Children’s Homes, any research is richly rewarded. There are personal memories of youngsters posted, who shook off the habitual discipline of the Home for a game of football, so I suspect, there would be keen competition for places in the team. Coaching would be thin on the ground as one player remembers, ‘We learned our football skills from the older lads’.

So back to semi-hibernation go I, honour is satisfied. The torment of having a football team in the next street, of my own age of which I knew nothing, has gone. Back to sleep, David.

I am indebted to David Oakley for such a wonderful, insightful and informative contribution – it just goes to show that even ‘authoritative’ sources need to be treated with a degree of scepticism!

However, the thing doesn’t end there. David Evans, following some discussion with David Oakley offline, suggested I make the following request, which I’m happy to do…

David Evans wrote:

1934 football league results from the Lichfield Mercury, which Peter ‘Pedro’ Cutler found looking for Brooklands Juniors. But there’s more here… click for a larger version.

Hi Bob

Our wonderful Pedro found this 1934 soccer fixture list… So I sent a copy to David Oakley to see what he might remember!

In a following telephone conversation it transpires that David’s first job was at Handford-Greatrex Ltd. – a leather firm at Walsall.

He told me about his interest in and acquired knowledge of the leather manufacturing process, and also the firm’s football team

I would love David to write his memoirs of both the firm and their amazing football team, so I am taking the liberty of sending him a copy of this mail in the hope..etc

Please excuse me taking this liberty, but I sincerely hope he will kindly consent to putting pen to paper metaphorically, and that you will kindly consider publishing the resultant article.

That’s a huge please… To both of you good gentlemen

kind regards
David, the Young

P.S. I wonder how many of the teams shown were works teams and how many were colliery teams!

That is, of course, a wonderful suggestion David, and if Mr. Oakley is happy to do so, the floor is his and I’dd be only to happy to publish his work, as I always am.

Thanks to everyone involved in this, another bit of wonderfully collaborative, tangential local history.

Please feel free to comment here your encouragement from the wings! Cheers.

1883 Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 map from NLS archive showing a lost pool by the ‘o’ in Walsall Wood. Click for a larger version.

The young David Evans has of late been having one of his periodic rumination on the physical geography of Walsall Wood, that have previously proved so popular here on the blog – previously he’s looked for long-forgotten watercourses, the legendary Walsall Wood fault and recalled the commons and heaths before the housing was built here.

David has been mentioning in emails to me a lost pool in Walsall that would today lie under the area of the small row of shops just off Salters Road, between Streets Corner and the Vigo Road Junction. True to form, he’s been taking a look at the mapping and come up with another wonderfully thought-provoking article.

Just one note – the historic landfill record (which is fascinating to peruse on the Environment Agency website) has nothing on this, although it’s hardly surprising if no records were kept. Have a poke around and see what you can find.

Thanks to David, and if you have anything to add, please do – either comment here or BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com.

David Evans wrote:

1884 paper copy or a similar map, showing the pool near the top of the image, Click for a larger version. Image supplied by David Evans.

Salters Road had new council houses built along it in the 1930s and we have seen that the brook was culverted at around that time, when Oak Road and Coronation Roads were constructed.

Along the bottom of the back gardens of some of the houses in Coronation Road, which adjoined those houses in Salters Road, there was a dry ditch, which was a wonderful place for the local children like me to explore.

The old cottage, with the wooden shed and shops, where Mr Jones Butcher’s stood, is where the newer row of shops is today on Salters Road.

But, certainly in post war years, there was no pool, as marked on the maps above – just an empty ditch that led seemingly to nowhere. Like the brook which ‘disappeared down a drain on must have gone to Australia‘, we children could not fathom this mystery .

Perhaps Peter ‘Pedro’ Cutler or David Oakley have a likely answer to its demise!

Interestingly, since the Vigo is a former landfill, it’s intriguing to note the following from the Friday, 13th September 1901 copy of The Lichfield Mercury, spotted by Environmental correspondent Peter ‘Pedro’ Cutler:

AN AWKWARD MATTER – The Clerk read a letter from Messrs. Shelton, Walker and Taylor, complaining that the Council had been depositing rubbish on King’s Hayes Farm, Walsall Wood, close to the road, and giving the Council 7 days notice to remove the rubbish and not to trespass on the land again.

The Surveyor reported that he had visited the spot and found that some hundreds of loads of rubbish there. It would be a big job to move it. The night soil foreman (Mr. Harrison) was called upon to explain, and said the rubbish had been tipped there for the last ten years.  A complaint was recently made and none had since been deposited there. The Clerk was directed to reply that the work of removal was proceeding.

So the question kind of remains, what on earth did they do with all that rubbish?

This view shows an interesting round clump of trees, just where the pool once existed. Imagery from Google Maps. Click for a larger version.

Perhaps we have found the ghost of the long-lost pool, and the likely reason for its demise.

David
April 2016

1921 1:10,000 Ordnance Survey map of the Brindley Heat and Cannock Chase, from the NLS archive. Click for a larger version. Click for a larger version.

Sorry folks some technical issues past couple of days so I’m running behind – apologies.

I’ve had an enquiry in from Charlie Hutton releasing to an bit of Cannock Chase I know nothing about – but in a bit of hunting around, it’s turned up an intriguing map and I have a feeling that readers on the Cannock side of the territory as well as fellow Chase-lovers may have stuff to say here.

The White House is in a lonely spot on the corner of Penkridge Bank Road and Marquis Drive. Image from 1921 map above, sourced from NLS archive. Click for a larger version.

The White House stands on the junction of Marquis Drive and Penkridge Bank Road, and is a familiar landmark to anyone exploring this side of the chase.

Charlie wrote:

Hi Bob,

I’m working on a landscape project at The White House on the junction of Penkridge Bank Road and Marquis Drive on Cannock Chase. I would like to use the image to demonstrate the post-war afforestation as part of my report, but I’m wondering if it’s more of a OS copyright issue?

Do you have any further information about the pre-1980s building on this site, or indeed, any records of its demise in the fire? My remit is just to gather information about the White House and the surrounding area. I have details of the railway & WW1 camp but any additional or supplementary info or images that I could use would be incredibly helpful.

The purpose is to develop a more appropriate landscape/garden layout for the existing property. Its a prominent corner & steeped in so mush recent history so would be good to better integrate it into the surrounding environment. Any help or pointers appreciated! Email address below.

regards
Charlie

To answer the immediate question, I think you’d be OK and fair use applies here as regards the map.

I have no idea about the building at all – it seems to appear on 1:10,000 OS sheets of the area on the 1921 edition, and it may even have once been a pub (although that may be totally wrong). It’s latterly been a religious facility.

The White House as shown on Google Earth imagery.

I am sure, however, that I’ve seen old pictures of it somewhere, so if readers could help Charlie that would be wonderful.

I went diving into the mapping, and include the 1921 1:10,000 sheet from the NLS above – a better quality version can be perused here. What’s really snagged my attention is the Hospital – referred to on later mapping as ‘Brindley Village’ — what was that, and what do we know? I’ve a feeling I should know about that, but I don’t.

No visible trace of it seems to remain today.

The White House, Brindley Heath and RAF Hednesford (right) on 1947 1:25,000 mapping from the NLS archive. What’s Brindley Village all about then? Click for a larger version.

Anything you can help Charlie with (especially pictures would be great), or anything else on the general area, please do shout up – either comment here or Brownhills Bob at Googlemail dot com. Cheers, as ever.

This is fantastic. I knew nothing about it, and I’m a huge fan of the NLS site. Not the transparency slider at the bottom of the control menu box on the left. Click for a larger version. Cheers to Bill Bishop for sharing a lovely thing.

Reader Bill Bishop has written to me to share something wonderful, which I just have to quickly show blog readers, as I know most of you love perusing old maps just like I do.

Bill has found part of the wonderful National Library of Scotland (NLS) Archive where one can overlay quite a few maps over current Google Earth imagery and adjust transparency, forming an endless, tuneable overlay.

This is something that’s going to  make my life a whole bunch easier – I had no idea it existed and my thanks to Bill for spotting and sharing it.

I’ve loved the NLS site for years, and gradually, they’ve been making a huge amount of historic mapping available for free. It’s a great project. See also the historic mapping browser here.

Bill wrote:

Hi Bob,

I’ve seen loads of posts about now and then maps… there is finally a site where you can compare then and now maps.

It has a few old Ordnance Survey maps that overlay google maps and the overlays are quite accurate. For example, I chose the map overlay O/S six inch 1888 – 1913 over brownhills then moved the transparency slider of the overlay to show the Google map and well the rest will explain itself.

There are a few O/S maps to choose from…

I’m sure if youve not already seen this site you will enjoy it, I’ve lost many hours enjoying it.

http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore

Best regards
Bill Bishop
Brownhills

As I say, my thanks to Bill and if you find anything interesting, please share it with readers – either comment here, or mail me: BrownhillsBob at Goopglemail dot com.

It’s also a great way to explore some gorgeous historical mapping. Image from the National Library of Scotland.

Over the course of my near seven year tenure at the helm of this blog, I’ve tried to encourage a pride in Brownhills and the place we live, and despite a few playful forays, there’s a tricky subject I’ve rarely broached, but something occurred this week that’s made me truly angry, and I need to share it with readers.

Up until 1974, Brownhills, along with most of the Black Country, was in Staffordshire. After the West Midlands was formed in that year, our town was unceremoniously bolted to Walsall, and we shared its fate – bad governance. For decades we’ve suffered from  poor investment and low regard from the burghers to our southwest who see little point in investing much in this frontier town who could see Walsall Council for what it was – bumbling, and rather stupid.

Back in the good old days, before we left Staffordshire, the sight of international playboys and their toys was common at Chaswater.

The border that so callously cleaved us from our fellow Staffordians even cut through Chasewater for a while, and runs around the very periphery of Brownhills. Frequently, we look out on rural idylls – say at Shire Oak, or towards Hammerwich – from dingy, urban sprawl. Even the Staffordshire Hoard was cruelly taken from us in advance by the mercenary scalpel cut of a few measly yards of demarkation.

The bitterness of our involuntary separation and forced adoption by a town who clearly didn’t want or understand us has lingered like the smell of industrial effluent over the area ever since, and has on many occasions been addressed by politicians. Several independents and even a few far-right types have promised, in the unlikely event of winning a place at Walsall’s swill-trough, that they would ‘Take us back into Staffordshire’.

The seal of Brownhills Urban District Council: lost forever to be subjugated by heathens to our southwest.

Sadly, save for the votes a few credulous hopefuls, these candidates have rarely polled higher than their own IQ, itself usually barely in double figures. It seem as though those still wistfully writing their address as ‘Brownhills, Staffs’ would forever be hopeful, but their desire would remain unsated.

Why I bring this up now is that last weekend I saw some papers and had a chance to speak to a few souls who had actually been involved in negotiations to take Brownhills back home into the loving bosom of Stafford, only to be cruelly thwarted.

After the Conservative-Liberal coalition came to power in Walsall in 2009, and Mike Bird was reinstated as leader, a team was formed to look at reshaping the borough, to streamline it and make the whole authority agile and ready for a difficult financial future. A crack squad picked from the cream of the authority’s political and social talent was formed in secret, and both contractors set about work to try and streamline the UK’s most incongruous council.

It didn’t take long for the brains down in the Civic Centre to come up with a solution; Brownhills was to be annexed back into Staffordshire, Darlaston into Sandwell and Pheasey Park Farm into Sutton Coldfield. It was a no brainer: most of these places wanted out anyway and money that was continually wasted in the ingrate areas like ours – paying for things like grass cutting, street lighting and refuse collection could then be redirected at really needy areas like Aldridge and Pelsall, which had the misfortune of being so affluent they didn’t even qualify for Deprived Area Status Grants.

We were deprived by an unjust, cruelly-drawn border. And the fact that we were too broke to stump up.

Teams were quickly dispatched in secret to neighbouring boroughs to sell this excellent idea. Over the matter of Brownhills, Staffordshire were said to be hugely positive providing copyright was included on Morris Miner merchandise and Brownhills West could be transferred to Pelsall. Birmingham were cool with Pheasey Park Farm providing the offer didn’t include ownership of Adrian Andrew, and Sandwell’s councillors were happy as long as they finally got reduced entry deals to the Greenhouse at Darkeston Green.

All was going swimmingly, but there was to be a fly in the ointment: Lichfield District Council had got wind of the potential deal, and the city were not happy at all.

Records from the time that I’ve seen showed that once news leaked into LDC chambers, rumours spread in the small city, and the population became unsettled. Brownhills back in Staffordshire? The drunks had only just sobered from the 1974 leaving party and like a really unpleasant verruca that came back after cutting, there was nothing left but to freeze the unpleasant parasite out.

Questions were being asked – would Brownhillians be allowed to travel into Lichfield? The bus service had been pitiful for years, acting as a filter so only those with a high disposable income or with a car could get there; if we were reunified, would there be C1, C2, D’s and E’s  bearing down on Bore Street? Would these people develop ideas of social progression, maybe moving into the city? Over 12,000 potential incomers, not a single one with any idea what a grapefruit knife looked like, nor owning an ironically named cat?

It was shame enough that Lichfield Cathedral had a WS postcode as it was, without inflicting the grubby little town to the south on them. Imagine if these people got into local drinking establishments of civility and charm, like The Scales? There was no way the city’s MP could be expected to cover Brownhills, either: it was bad enough having to ignore Burntwood.

Left: Lichfeldian wildlife. Right: Honourable member.

If this awful plan came to fruition, there would soon be men with monosyllabic names in Waitrose manhandling the melons and fondling the focaccia. There would be civil insurrection – this would have to be stopped forthwith.

At a crisis meeting of Lichfield District Council in 2012, the salient points were debated: The historic city couldn’t risk being overrun with the proletariat, and would need to play it’s trump card – if Brownhills joined Staffordshire – Lichfield would leave, and offer it’s countyhood to the highest bidder.

Sadly, the prospect of losing a city full of Gilbert and Sullivan corduroy fetishists was too much for Staffordshire, and they pulled out of the deal. Similar trouble was encountered with Birmingham when they realised that the wheelie bins in common use in Walsall were incompatible with the horse-drawn carts they used to collect refuse and Sandwell back-pedalled when they realised Rough Hay wasn’t really the quaint nature reserve the regeneration team had described.

We all want to be part of Staffordshire, and they really want us to be part of them – after all, why else would they wish to erect a giant metal Saxon Warrior if not in tribute to the great Morris Miner? – but as long as Lichfield has it’s head up it’s arse, it seems like we’ll be forever unloved as part of Walsall.

A miner case of metallic envy.

Northfields Way from the red car to the bottom of the photo is a dead end and serves no purpose. Image by Pete Hummings.

This one is urgent – my apologies to Area Manager Laura Terry, who asked me to post this a couple of hours ago and I’ve been indisposed elsewhere – anyway, onwards…

This is for residents mainly of Clayhanger and the Watermead Estate in Brownhills who have been suffering ongoing antisocial behaviour from unauthorised encampments and other such issues in the truncated stub of Northfields Way in Clayhanger.

This unused, dead-end stretch of road that was originally to be continued to Brownhills is unlikely to be developed anytime soon, and following complaints caused by repeated gatherings of cars, youths and traveller encampments, a consultation has been ongoing with residents as to the stopping up of the road to prevent vehicular access.

Despite some rash and rather foolish statements made by aspiring politicians, process has to be followed and a full consultation is being undertaken outside the political system to ensure a solution is found that takes into account as wide a range of public opinion as is possible.

To this end, the following proposal was released today by Laura Terry, the Loacal Area Partnership Manager for the area – there will be copies of the letter posted to affected residents, the material has been published on social media and Laura has sent it  to myself and top Clanger blog Madwblog, who was quicker of the mark than me with an excellent post.

Please feel free to comment here if you like, but constructive comments are better directed at those concerned with the project: Laura dot Terry at Walsall dot gov dot uk

Laura wrote:

Dear Brownhills Bob,

Following the community consultation regarding the issues in Northfields Way I attach above for your reference the next release of information to the community.

These letters will be distributed to all properties within the estate accessed via Northfields Way, in the first instance. We are able to share this freely electronically to communicate as far and wide as possible.

I will be posting to the ‘Clayhanger has a Community Centre’ Facebook Page today, with the afore mentioned letter drop tomorrow.

The letter indicates that the formal posting of the TRO is likely to commence on 15 April, so we aren’t too far away from the statutory process, which has to run for three weeks minimum.

I hope that you are able to share this with your community.

Best wishes
Laura Terry
Area Manager;
Brownhills, Pelsall, Rushall Shelfield Area Partnership

Draft plan of the stopping-up works as supplied from Walsall Council by Laura Terry. Click for a larger version.

Here’s the Resident’s Letter from the Area Partnership. I”ve pasted the text so it’s at hand; you can read the letter in it’s original format here (PDF).

jack Haddock and neighbour Taj. Image from Walsall Express & Star.

Last night (Tuesday, 29th March 2016), Walsall lost one of it’s greatest citizens: Historian, raconteur, photographer, chronicler of change, cyclist and friend to thousands, Jack Haddock.

There’s a lovely eulogy to Jack on Walsall Local History Centre’s blog here.

Jack’s loyal friend, Robert Selvey, posted the following message on Jack’s appreciation page on Facebook a few hours ago:

It is with real sadness that I post to tell you all that Jack Haddock hung up his bicycle clips yesterday for the last time. He passed away peacefully in the Manor hospital at teatime. He had been ill for a short while but mercifully was comfortable with no pain at the end. He was immensely proud of the record he has left for the town so I hope we will all keep his memory alive, both here and in our hearts. Goodbye old friend, I for one am richer for your friendship.

Jack Haddock, born in Hospital Street in 1927, lived in the same council house until his death, and spent his free time recording his beloved town – trains, busses, buildings and people. Jack spent lots of time at the Local History Centre and was never too busy to talk, never too proud to help. A true gentleman, kind and funny – he was always in conversation with someone.

This blog, and so many involved in local history in Walsall and beyond, stand on Jack’s shoulders.

He was a great photographer, recording many thousands of images that provide a remarkable record of Walsall and beyond; Jack authored several books, as well as starring in a video about his life for Walsall Housing Group.

What Jack gave us was not glamorous or attention seeking. It was the gift of a kind, thoughtful uncle – a history and gentle guidance to treasure. In an age where anyone making a Facebook page and learning to use Google image search is calling themselves a historian, Jack was a very rare person indeed: he recorded, curated and created material for us all to enjoy. And he shared it freely, with great pride.

Jack was also a remarkable cyclist – you always knew when he was in the History Centre because you’d see the trusty bike there; he rode many thousands of miles and I hope I’m still riding like he was in such advanced years. Never again will I be passed in Leamore by a wee dot of a man gliding effortlessly past me, smiling gently.

Jack as a younger man, before an iconic view of Walsall. Image from the Jack Haddock collection.

The civic elders of Walsall, in my view, never showed Jack the appreciation her deserved: While happy to laud fading pop stars, a man who had done more for Walsall’s history than any other I know remained relatively overlooked, and in my mind Jack should have been awarded the Freemanship: but then, Jack was already a free man of Walsall. He knew this town, he wandered it’s streets and paths and Walsall will never know a more faithful son.

I spoke with Jack many times, and his influence echoes through the Brownhills Blog and all my work online; he remains an inspiration to me, and I wish I’d known him better.

I don’t know where you’ve gone Jack, but if there’s a loco shed, I just know you’ll be in there, camera round your neck, stood by the stove, chatting to the railmen and laughing.

Rest in peace old chap.

There is still a steady trickle of information coming in on the late, great Edgar Pritchard and his amateur cinefilms, of which I think the most notable is ‘The Poacher’s Apprentice’, the wonderful short, silent movie about a young lad befriending a greengrass, filmed in and around the village of Hints, near Tamworth, in 1952.

Brownhills camera whizz Edgar filmed the 1934/5 Brownhills Carnival and made the comedic short Hope Springs Eternal, both of which I featured here before I really understood the genius of the man. We now know of the existence other films – mainly due to the diligent research of Peter ‘Pedro’ Cutler, which I’m hoping to get a look at when I get some time off and can travel to the archives holding them.

Since I posted The Poacher’s Apprentice here a few months ago, much of the interest has come from Hints itself, and highlighted some of my early, incorrect assumptions. For the benefit of readers and others who might have missed it, I’m going to pull this prescient comment into the light from Hints resident Peter Edwards:

Bob

Your two posts have been brought to the attention of Villagers today, and are fascinating.

We live in ‘The School House’ and have done so since 1980. Comments as follows:

‘The Poacher‘

The picture is actually Rose Cottage – the School House is the bit that runs at right angles to School Lane. We have salveged the old village pump – it’s in our back garden after a tractor & trailer broke it off at ground level! There is no truth in the Church bell being the old school bell – the school bell was saved after the school was converted into housing, it was stored at the back of the Village Hall but unfortunately about 1990 someone nicked it! The Church bell is he original from 1883 and has been refurbished, so it IS rung for Church services.

This is the best angle I can get on Bing! Maps of The Schoolhouse and Rose Cottage. The blind’ gable is an interesting feature. Click for a larger version.

‘Taking the Hints‘

The old school gates ARE original – they lead on to what was the old school quad and we use them every day to secure our cars!

The building known as ‘The School House’ was built about 1728 – it together with Rose Cottage was originally three cottages, converted to two. It used to be the Headmaster’s house from which he ran the school, but James Chadwick built a new school about 1860, just to the east – you can see it on one photo with the bell tower.

Might have more info if you ask!

Peter Edwards

Peter, that’s absolutely brilliant – thanks for the help. The funny thing about Hints is I never stop learning about the place. Sorry it took so long to feature this here, but the backlog at the moment is quite considerable. I am, of course, interested in your offer and will be in touch in the next week.

Hints Post Office (left), on a postcard kindly supplied by Joe Headley.

There was also another comment that’s worth highlighting. I spoke of a transport cafe that I remembered in the 1980s on the A5 at Hints, that was in the same building as the Post Office: mistakenly, I called it Rosa’s: I was wrong about that, too, as Bob Wright informed me:

In the 80’s it was ‘Maria’s cafe’ but this picture was taken long before that time.

Any information on the bakery next to the cafe and Post Office would be interesting, especially when it opened and who ran it, could solve a mystery that l was told of, concerning a child.

That’s fascinating – I never realised the bakery existed. Can anyone help here please, or add to the comments made by Peter? If you can, please feel free – either here on this post or to BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com. Thanks!

Edgar Pritchard in a self-portrait. Clearly a remarkable and talented man.