Tag Archives: House

A sale that shaped Stonnall

A delayed one here today courtesy of old friend of the blog and Stonnall historian Desmond Burton, who’s sent me scans of the sale particulars for Wordsley House Farm in 1918, and it’s attached estate including Fighting Cocks Farm. The … Continue reading

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Living next door to the Grove – what do you know?

Last year I featured a very popular set of images from a place I genuinely didn’t realise still existed: The Grove Colliery, the remnants of which – the house and offices situated just off Lime Lane, between Pelsall, Brownhills, Norton and Great Wyrley – were documented by old pal of the blog Simon Swain and drone wizard Steve Martin also captured the site from the air.

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The Grove Colliery – remembering a lost pit

Last year I featured a very popular set of images from a place I genuinely didn’t realise still existed: The Grove Colliery, the remnants of which – the house and offices situated just off Lime Lane, between Pelsall, Brownhills, Norton and Great Wyrley – were documented by old pal off the blog Simon Swain and posted here as a gallery I include below.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Our Village – a great new local history book for Aldridge – out now and selling fast!

There are a handful of great local history books out at the moment, just in time for Christmas, that would makes great gifts for those with a local interest – last week I noted the new book on Brownhills pubs by Clive Roberts, and I’m posting today to point up the new book by Sue Satterthwaite and Len Boulton covering Aldridge.

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A remarkable local rail journey – stepping right out of time

There’s currently a buzz in the local rail community and in some groups on Facebook about a 1968 cinefilm recently converted to digital and uploaded online by rail historian and blog regular, Ian Pell – it’s a remarkable, wonderful thing, and Ian has written a fascinating account of the film and line it covers especially for the blog, which I feature below.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Get your Freakley on…

Just recently we’ve talked extensively about the Midland Railway through Walsall Wood and Brownhills, and the notorious rail tour that seems to have been the last passenger train along it – but we’ve also discussed local brick making too, and I think this is an excellent time to feature this article by top local historian Gerald Reece.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Fired up

Last week, we looked at early evidence of local brick making on an industrial scale, after a remarkable passage describing a local brickworks was spotted in an 1850 book by the wonderful Simon Briercliffe.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Aldridge Remembers the Great War – coming soon

There is a vey interesting pair of Great War Remembrance events coming to Aldridge in a couple of weeks for people who wish to pay respects, those who had family involvement or perhaps historical interest in the Battle of the Somme.

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A Coppice, lots of timber and a little backtracking

The SLS rail tour that took place in 1959 has proven to be a rich seam of material, and has provoked much debate amongst blog readers about the locations of some photos, and just how and where the Diesel Multiple Unit pictured managed to reverse.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Up around the bend

More here today that goes to show the Venn diagram of history forever curiously overlaps – Ian pell has waded in once more on the subject of the notorious May 1959 rail tour up the Walsall Wood line to the Conduit Colliery – from which a few pictures have emerged over the years and was raised here again last week by Simon Swain with a great new picture.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

All that remains of the last one standing

Following my feature yesterday on perhaps the last passenger train to ever traverse the line from Aldridge to the Conduit Colliery in Norton Canes, Simon Swain has sent me a great gallery of images of the Grove Colliery site as it is today.
Image kindly supplied by Simon Swain Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 25 Comments

It’s the rail thing

A great one for the train enthusiasts comes in from new Brownhills resident Simon Swain, who’s been doing some great railway history stuff in the South Staffordshire Railway group on Facebook – it seems that the notorious May 1959 rail tour up the Walsall Wood line to the Conduit Colliery – from which a few pictures have emerged over the years – continues to fascinate and unearth new images.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Aldridge Manor – commemorate a great history this Friday!

I’ve just noticed that there’s a unique event happening this coming Friday afternoon in Aldridge at the Manor House, marking this fine building’s unique history as a military hospital.
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Posted in Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

House fire in Cedar Avenue, Brownhills today

Sad to report a house fire occurred late this morning (Tuesday 15th December 2015) in Cedar Road, Brownhills.

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The Toll Collector and the Red Cow

A bit busy this week to be honest, but I’ve had this pair of enquiries in for a week now, so I thought that this would be an opportune moment to throw them out to the audience both have come in via Facecebook.
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House fire in Vernon Avenue last night

Sad to report a house fire occurred in the early hours of this morning (Sunday, 4th October 2015) in Vernon Avenue, central Brownhills.

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Ticket to ride

A lovely enquiry for the Bank Holiday weekend came in a couple of days ago courtesy of reader Lawrence Hodgkinson, who has submitted a beautiful scan of a rather unusual ticket stub from a railway special excursion in 1952.

Brownhills Sankey Ticket Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared memories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Suspected arson attack in Brownhills last night

The Express & Star is this morning carrying a story about a suspected arson attack at a ground floor flat in Lindon Road, Brownhills – not sure exactly where, as the only maisonettes I can think of up there are on Brownhills Road, up by Streets Corner.

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House fire in Walsall Wood last night

I note this morning (1st December 2013) that the Express & Star website is carrying the story of a house fire in the roof of a property in Salters Road, Walsall Wood last night.

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The Royal Oak – a new chapter unfolding?

Thanks to reader Caz who pointed out last week that an application has been made to build a close of houses on the land currently occupied by the former Royal Oak pub in Bullings Heath, opposite the Black Cock pub in Walsall Wood.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, 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 Council, Walsall Wood stuff, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Thacker family, around 1930

Top local history fellow David Evans is currently beavering away on a few projects in the background, and the other day I posted up a taster for his Streets Corner research. Today, I can give you something David is researching … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Features, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Highfield House demolished

Just a quick note to point out that Highfield House, the cottage that formed Highfield House Farm, just off Pool Road off the A5 in Brownhills, has finally been demolished. Derelict for years, the site been subject to several planning … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, cycling, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Panoramio photo discussions, Panoramio updates, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Walsall community, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments