Tag Archives: 1970’s

Aldridge Carnival – late 1960’s

This is a quick one that’s popped up via Facebook and the hero behind the Aldridge Cinema project: Russell Smith, who’s found and converted some cinefilm of Aldridge Carnival in the late 1960s – it’s really rather wonderful and very high quality.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

It’s not Christmas without the cards

I’ve had this one in preparation for a while, and to paraphrase, it’s an absolute boster of a post – regular readers will remember with fondness Ruth Penrhyn-Lowe, who has previously sent scans of some remarkable postcards of Brownhills, a stunning large set of Aldridge, and another bunch from Aldridge and Stubbers Green – all of which were collected by her late father.

 Image generously supplied by Ruth Penrhyn-Lowe. Continue reading

Posted in Cannock Chase, Churches, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Just look at those haircuts!

Today, I did a deal with Walsall Wood historian and author Clive Roberts – he sent me scans of the above wonderful 1970s photo of a Walsall Wood Football Club team lineup, and said I’d happily point out that Clive’s latest book ‘Snippets of History in and around Walsall Wood’ is still available with new stock now at Egans grocery shop in Brownhills High Street.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Lose, and you’re in the drink!

Here’s a rather wonderful, quick photo to get the grey matter going amongst the readership – yesterday, Godfrey ‘Oakparkrunner’ Hucker sent me the above excellent photo, sourced from Linda Robottom, of a Walsall Wood tug of war team.
Red Lion tug of war team Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Django unchanged

It’s been over a year now since I noted the sad news of the passing of Paul Degville, jazz musician extraordinaire and leading light in the formerly little recorded jazz scene that existed around the Crown Pub in Brownhills in the 1970s.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Churches, Followups, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Local music, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Crowning glory

I’m sure you’ll remember that way back, I featured some recordings of live Jazz being played at the Crown pub in Brownhills West, by amongst others, Ken Rattenbury, Paul and Fred Degville – very respected musicians -this was lifted from a reel to reel recording of Meanwhile, Down at the Local, a program then broadcast by BBC Radio Birmingham.

Crown Sextet Continue reading

Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Local music, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

We’m gooin ta Brum, yow coming?

I’ve had a great image sent by reader and pal of the blog Tony Martin, who knows a thing or two about busses. Tony, you’ll remember, sent the wonderful picture of the Harpers busses at Aldridge, which provoked much recollection from readers.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

A request from the Degville Family

A touching and lovely message comes to me from Jackie and Sammie Degville, who are undertaking the race for life in aid of Cancer Research in honour of their beloved husband and father Paul Degville, who died following a protracted battle with the illness in January.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Local music, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

In memorial: Paul Degville

Following on from the sad news of the passing of Paul Degville, Ian Bourne has been back in touch to ask if I’d let readers know about a memorial service taking place on the 23rd January in Ledbury, and to thank readers for their kind wishes and memories.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Churches, Followups, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Local music, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

A sad announcement

A few people have contacted me now to inform me of the sad passing of Paul Degville. Paul was a great musician and his music played a fascinating part in Brownhills musical history.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Events, Followups, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Local music, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Alley cats

An interesting question comes in from reader Mike Leonard, about the Wilkin Estate and Brownhills West in the 1970s. I’m not a Brownhills West man, so I’m hoping readers from that part of town can help. I vaguely remember a … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Fun stuff to see and do, Just plain daft, Local History, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Crown jewels

I received a great email yesterday from reader David Danks relating to the great archive recordings of the Degville band and live music at The Crown pub in Brownhills in the 1970’s. I’m astounded at the huge level of interest … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Events, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Local music, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

All jazz hands on tape deck!

Here’s something very special, which I’m immensely proud and humbled to share with readers. It shows what a great online community we all share in Walsall, and the generosity of time, spirit and expertise that exists within it. I’m sure … Continue reading

Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Local music, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Magic and loss

Spare a thought for jazz enthusiast and all round good-egg Peter Barker. Having found and converted the soothing, stunning, seventies sounds of jazz at The Crown in Brownhills, he discovered another recording, and attempted to convert it too. Sadly, the … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Local music, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Uncategorized, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

All that jazz…

When Peter Barker approached me the other day with his found recording of jazz at the Crown in the 1970’s, I found it interesting, but wasn’t sure how the readership would take to it. I needn’t have worried, as reaction to … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Events, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Local music, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Rushall Carnival – early 1970’s

Over on the Pigblog, the Stymaster continues his painstaking and wonderful mission to preserve his late father’s collection of photographic and cine film ephemera from the seventies. I’ve already pointed out the posts covering Stubbers Green, a video of Chasewater … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments