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Tag Archives: Gerald Reece
Dancing was allowed
Well, here it is – not merry Christmas (although that’s bearing down upon us) but the fourth and final instalment of the history of Ogley Hay, as researched and written by local historian Gerald Reece, in his remarkable book ‘Brownhills A Walk Into History’.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills activities, Brownhills local history, Canal, Cannock Chase Colliery Company, CLive L Roberts., Flour, Gerald Reece, Great CHarles Street, Iron Works, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, Mill, Ogley Hay, Old maps, Panoramio, Redevelopment, Shire Oak, Staffordshire, STeam, Steam Engine workshop, Stonnall, Warren House
15 Comments
Old Ground
Here’s some mapping I’ve been meaning to run since reader Peter mentioned it in the comments to the post ‘Keep out of Cotterill’s road’ on Friday last – I may have posted similar before, but if I have, I can’t find a copy.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Cannock Chase, Chasewater, Clayhanger stuff, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1838, Aldridge, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Canal, Chasewater, Clayhanger, first edition, Gerald Reece, Inclosure, Lichfield, Local History, Old maps, Ordnance Survey, Peter, Redevelopment, Shire Oak, Staffordshire, Stonnall, The Machine House, Tonnage House, Walsall, Walsall Wood
24 Comments
The Ironmaster
Welcome to the third of what was to be a three-instalment series, covering Ogley Hay, the history of Brownhills businessman Charles F Cotterill and the towns evolution into the place we know today, as written by local historian Gerald Reece, in his remarkable book ‘Brownhills A Walk Into History’.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills activities, Brownhills local history, Canal, Cannock Chase Colliery Company, CLive L Roberts., Flour, Gerald Reece, Great CHarles Street, Iron Works, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, Mill, Ogley Hay, Old maps, Panoramio, Redevelopment, Shire Oak, Staffordshire, STeam, Steam Engine workshop, Stonnall, Warren House
7 Comments
Keep out of Cotterill’s road…
Welcome to the second of a three-instalment series, covering Ogley Hay, landowner Charles F Cotterill and Brownhills’ evolution into the place we know today, as written by local historian Gerald Reece in his remarkable book ‘Brownhills A Walk Into History’.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Panoramio photo discussions, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills activities, Brownhills local history, Canal, Cannock Chase Colliery Company, Flour, Gerald Reece, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, Mill, Old maps, Panoramio, Redevelopment, Shire Oak, Staffordshire, STeam, Stonnall, Warren House
15 Comments
Ugly Ay it?
Today, it’s long overdue that I expand on a thread I commenced some weeks ago; that of Charles Foster Cotterill – you may remember that I raised the question of the man’s history as the named Bankrupt in a sale notice Peter ‘Pedro’ Cutler found in the Birmingham Gazette in 1850.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Panoramio photo discussions, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills activities, Brownhills local history, Canal, Cannock Chase Colliery Company, Gerald Reece, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, Old maps, Panoramio, Redevelopment, Shire Oak, Staffordshire, Stonnall, Warren House
17 Comments
Do the walk…
Andy Dennis touches on a sporting phenomena which seems to largely have lapsed: pedestrianism, to which these days, power or nordic walking would be comparable.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories
Tagged Anglesey Arms, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Chase Inn, ercury, Events, Fleur de lys, Gerald Reece, john, Lichfield, Local History, Pedestrian, Pedestrianism, Pubs, Samuel Jones, Shingler, Silly, Staffordshire, Walking match, Wallace
4 Comments
Let it pour
Here’s an interesting (and slightly daft) query for a pre-Christmas weekend. David Evans, reader, contributor and top Walsall Wood bloke, was very kindly given this commemorative jug by local history wonder Gerald Reece, when Gerald undertook his recent excellent talk in Brownhills.
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Posted in Churches, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Church, David Evans, Events, Gerald Reece, gift, Jug, Local History, memento, New Photos, pottery, St Johns, Walsall Wood
3 Comments
After the gold rush
I thought that today, I’d dig some interesting mapping out of the archive. In the light of Gerald Reece’s talk on Brownhills and it’s colliery history, I thought this 1884 1:2,500 scale plan of Wyrley Common was due an outing. It shows – in some clarity – the extent of mining in the Engine Lane area at the height of the Victorian period.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Local History, News, Shared media, Walsall community
Tagged 1884, 1:2500, Brownhills, Brownhills Colliey, Brownhills local history, Canal, Cathedral Pit, Engine Lane, Gerald Reece, Grove Colliery, Local History, Old maps, Ordnance Survey, Palmers Hay, Staffordshire, Wyrley common
8 Comments
Local history talk in Brownhills tonight!
Top contributor, commentor and all round good egg David Evans has been busy over the last few weeks organising a treat for local history buffs in Brownhills and the wider community. David has kindly contacted noted local historian and author … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills a walk into history, Brownhills bypass, Brownhills local history, Canal, charity, Chasewater, Clayhanger, David Evans, Engine Lane, Events, Gerald Reece, historian, history, History Talk, Local History, Macmillan Cancer Support, mining, planning, Staffordshire, Things to do
4 Comments
Curious electric
It’s a curious fact of local history that little St. Anne’s Church, in Church Street, Chasetown, was the first church in Britain lit by electric light. The history of this installation, and of electricity coming to Chasewtown and Brownhills is inextricably tied up with the history of mining in the area.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Cannock Chase, Chasewater, Churches, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills a walk into history, Brownhills local history, Canal, Cannock Chase Colliery Company, charity, Chase Terrace, Chasetown, Chasewater, Clayhanger, Electricity, Events, Gerald Reece, historian, history, History Talk, Local History, Macmillan Cancer Support, mining, No 5 pit, planning, St. Anne's, Staffordshire, Things to do, UDC
19 Comments
Top local historian to give talk in Brownhills!
Top contributor, commentor and all round good egg David Evans has been busy over the last few weeks organising a treat for local history buffs in Brownhills and the wider community.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills a walk into history, Brownhills bypass, Brownhills local history, Canal, charity, Chasewater, Clayhanger, David Evans, Engine Lane, Events, Gerald Reece, historian, history, History Talk, Local History, Macmillan Cancer Support, mining, planning, Staffordshire, Things to do
11 Comments
Top local historian to give talk in Brownhills!
Top contributor, commentor and all round good egg David Evans has been busy over the last few weeks organising a treat for local history buffs in Brownhills and the wider community. Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills a walk into history, Brownhills bypass, Brownhills local history, Canal, charity, Chasewater, Clayhanger, David Evans, Engine Lane, Events, Gerald Reece, historian, history, History Talk, Local History, Macmillan Cancer Support, mining, planning, Staffordshire, Things to do
7 Comments
Face to face
Following on from my post last week where I featured local historian Gerald Reece’s research and loving reproductions of the mapping for the the proposed Norton Branch of the South Staffordshire Railway, I have an interesting document to share with … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Cannock Chase, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged 1884, Bettys Lane, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Canal, Cannock Chase Mining Historical Society, Conduit Colliery, Conduit colliery basin, Document, Draft, Gerald Reece, history, local blogs, Local History, London North Western Railway, mining, New Photos, Norton Branch, Norton Canes, Old maps, plan, Pubs, Railway, Red Lion, Redevelopment, South Staffordshire Raiway, Staffordshire
10 Comments
Up for sale – The Swan Inn, Brownhills, in 1835
Peter ‘Pedro’ Cutler has played another blinder and found this auction advert in the Staffordshire Advertiser of Saturday, 31st October 1835. It advertises the Swan Inn and it’s not inconsiderable estate for sale. This was quite some holding, and would have … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Followups, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community
Tagged 1835, Auction, Bell pit, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Canal, Engine Piece, Forster, Gerald Reece, Inn, Local History, mining, Naden, Norton, Ogley Hay, Pelsall Road, Peter Cutler, Pump, Staffordshire, Swingbridge Farm, The Swan, Thomas Bowen, Tithe, Watermead
3 Comments
Tenths
One of the wonderful things Gerald Reece sent me following our recent email exchange is a scan of a compilation of tithe maps of western Brownhills. I wasn’t actually aware this existed, and it helps clear up a few things, … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Churches, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, Panoramio photo discussions, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media
Tagged 1840, Auction, Bell pit, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Canal, Clayhanger, Derelict, Engine Piece, Gerald Reece, Local History, map, mining, Norton, Ogley Hay, Old maps, Panoramio, Peter Cutler, Pump, Staffordshire, Swingbridge Farm, Tithe, Watermead
25 Comments
A day at the races
I note today there’s been growing interest in the question of Brownhills Racecourse, such as it was. For younger readers, this wasn’t the old stadium by Chasewater which an unsuccessful trotting track, or it’s precursor, the trotting track on the … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Canal, charity, Clayhanger, David Evans, Dorsett, Events, football, Gerald Reece, Local History, New Photos, Old maps, Pedro Cutler, Peter Cutler, Rabbit coursing, Race Course, Ravens Court, Redevelopment, Staffordshire, Tesco Development, wakes, Water meadow, Watermead, William ROberts
12 Comments
Is Gerald Reece in the house, please?
Hi Gerald, if you’re reading this, any chance you could get in touch, please? Following your welcome and intriguing comments to this post, I sent a couple of emails, but no response, and I’m wondering if I have the correct … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, Features, Followups, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged A Walk Into History, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Gerald Reece, local authors, local blogs, local books, Local History, Staffordshire, Walsall Wood
7 Comments
Paradise lost… then found again.
Today, I received my very own copy of the excellent work, ‘Brownhills: A Walk Into History with Gerald Reece’. Up to know, I’ve been managing with photocopies and scans of critical parts of the work, and fortunately, a book search … Continue reading
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, Walsall community
Tagged A Walk Into History, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Coffee House, Derelict, Gerald Reece, Huntsman, Lichfield Road, Local History, New Photos, Plumbers Paradise, Pubs, RA Bennett, Rabtherm, Redevelopment, Smithys Forge, Sportsman, Working mens club
19 Comments
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