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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
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged 1918, 1958, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Desmond Burton, Facebook, Farm, House, Ice Cream, local blogs, Local History, Main Street, sale, Shire Oak, Sonnall, Staffordshire, Stonnall, video, Walsall Wood, WH Cooke, Wordsley, Wordsley House
2 Comments
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.
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 archive, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Canal, Canal and River Trust, Cannock Extension Canal, colliery, Derelict, Disaster, Events, freight, Grove, Grove Colliery, House, images, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, mining, New Photos, Norton, photos, pit, pits, Redevelopment, Si Swain, Simon, Staffordshire, Things to do, tramway, viaduct, Wyrley common
1 Comment
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.
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 archive, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Canal, Canal and River Trust, Cannock Extension Canal, colliery, Derelict, Disaster, Events, freight, Grove, Grove Colliery, House, images, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, mining, New Photos, Norton, photos, pit, pits, Redevelopment, Si Swain, Simon, Staffordshire, Things to do, tramway, viaduct, Wyrley common
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.
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 2016, Aldridge, Book, ceremony, December, Events, House, Len Boulton, Library, Lichfield, Linda Mason, local blogs, Local History, Manor, Our Village, Somme, Staffordshire, Sue Satterthwaite, Things to do, Walsall Council
3 Comments
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.
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 1966, Aldridge, Brawn, brickworks, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Chasewater, Conduit, Coppice, Coppice Colliery, Film, House, Ian Pell, joberns, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, planet, Railway, Redevelopment, Simon Briercliffe, Staffordshire, Utopia, Walsall Wood
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.
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 A Walk Into History, Aldridge, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Freakily Bricks, FreakleyG, Gerald Reece, House, local blogs, Local History, Midland Railway, Mr, New Photos, Redevelopment, Staffordshire, Utopia, Walsall Wood
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.
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 Aldridge, Brawn, brickworks, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Coppice, Coppice Colliery, House, Ian Pell, joberns, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, Redevelopment, Simon Briercliffe, Staffordshire, Utopia, Walsall Wood
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.
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 1st july, 2016, Aldridge, Blue, ceremony, Events, House, Len Boulton, Library, Lichfield, Linda Mason, local blogs, Local History, Manor, Plaque, Somme, Staffordshire, Sue Satterthwaite, Talk, Things to do, Walsall Council, whistle
1 Comment
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.
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 1959, Birmingham Central Goods Station, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, charter, Chasewater, Conduit Colliery, coombe, Coppice, Coppice Colliery, Derelict, DJ Norton, Events, Heath Hayes, House, Ian Pell, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, rail tour, Redevelopment, Reservoir, RS Carpenter, Si Swain, Simon, Staffordshire, Stephenson Locomotive Society, Walsall Wood
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.
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 1959, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, charter, Chasewater, Conduit Colliery, coombe, Coppice, Derelict, Events, House, Ian Pell, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, rail tour, Redevelopment, Reservoir, Si Swain, Simon, Staffordshire, Stephenson Locomotive Society, Walsall Wood
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.
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 archive, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Canal, Canal and River Trust, Cannock Extension Canal, colliery, Derelict, Disaster, Events, freight, Grove, Grove Colliery, House, images, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, mining, New Photos, Norton, photos, pit, pits, Redevelopment, Si Swain, Simon, Staffordshire, Things to do, tramway, viaduct, Wyrley common
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.
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 1959, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, charter, Chasewater, Conduit Colliery, coombe, Derelict, Events, House, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, rail tour, Redevelopment, Reservoir, Si Swain, Simon, Staffordshire, Stephenson Locomotive Society, Walsall Wood
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.
Continue reading
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 15 January, 2016, Aldridge, Blue, ceremony, Events, House, Len Boulton, Lichfield, Linda Mason, local blogs, Local History, Manor, Plaque, Staffordshire, Sue Satterthwaite, Things to do, Walsall Council
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.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Express & Star, Local media, News, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged 11:45, 15 December, 2015, Ambulance, Avenue, Brownhills, Catshill, Cedar, elderly, Events, Express & Star, Facebook, Fire, Fire Service, House, injured, lady, Lichfield, lunch, noon, Ogley Hay, time, Twitter, Walsall
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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.
Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, 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
Tagged 2015, Anchor, bridge, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Facebook, heath End, House, Lichfield, Local History, New Photos, Pelsall, Pubs, Red Cow, Shire Oak, Staffordshire, Things to do, toll
7 Comments
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.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Express & Star, Local media, News, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged 2015, 4 October, Ambulance, Brownhills, Events, Express & Star, Facebook, Fire, Fire Service, House, injured, Lichfield, man, Ogle Hay, Twitter, Vernon Avenue, Walsall
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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.
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 1952, 2015, August, BootomClub, Brownhillls, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Clayhanger, club, Colony Bay, excursion, House, Laurence Hodgkinson, Laurence Hodkinson, Lichfield, Local History, Mens, Middle, Middleton, New Photos, Rail, Railway, Sanseis, Shire Oak, Special, Staffordshire, Stub, Things to do, ticker, ticket, Top, Walsall Wood, WMC, working, Working mens club
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.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Express & Star, Local media, News, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged apartment, arson, Brownhills, Brownhills Road, Events, Express & Star, Fire, flat, House, incident, Lindon Road, maisonette, Police, Shire Oak, Vandalism, Walsall, Walsall Wood, West Midlands Fire Service, WMFS
3 Comments
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.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Express & Star, Local media, News, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged 30th November 2013, Aldridge, Brownhills, Events, Express & Star, Fire, House, Lichfield, roof, Salters Road, Shire Oak, Walsall Wood
1 Comment
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.
Continue reading
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 13/0772/FL, alehouse, application, beer house, Black Cock, Black Cock Bridge, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Bullings Heath, Camden Street, Canal, close, David Evans, Derelict, developer, Events, Green Lane, House, Local History, new build, New Photos, old inn, Old maps, planning, Planning application, Pubs, Royal Oak, Staffordshire, Walsall Wood
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 Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Chasewater, Cyril, David Evans, Farm, Highfields, House, Local History, New Photos, Reservoir, Staffordshire, Thacker
9 Comments