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Tag Archives: Howmuch
The race for space
Thanks to Stuart Williams of Walsall Local History Centre, I can share with readers today another piece in the remarkable jigsaw that is the Ferrie family history – the Ferries, as many old hands will recall, were a larger than life father and son who were well known in Aldridge and Brownhills for their entrepreneurialism and propensity to acts of community largesse and showmanship.
Posted in Bad Science, 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, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1958, Bristol, Charles, Ferrie, Howmuch, ICI McKechnie, IMI, Kynoch, Ph.D, physicist, Ralph, rocket, rocket science, Shelfield, Space Reasearch Group, Sputnik, University, Walsall Observer
8 Comments
A case of the trots!
A great image has come in from friend of the blog and long time contributor Andy Dennis, who’s dug out this fascinating picture of a once prominent local sport that used to take place in Brownhills.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, cycling, Environment, Events, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community
Tagged 1971, 1977, Andy Dennis, April, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Chasewater, Chasewater Promotions, Chasewater Stadium, Cheap tat, Derelict, Events, Howmuch, International Long Track, JB Cox, Local History, MCN, motorbike, Motorcycle, Motorcycle News, Opening, planning, programme, race, Race of the Year, Redevelopment, Reservoir, Stadium, Staffordshire, Things to do, track, Trotting
17 Comments
Remembering Chasewater Stadium
Following my recent request for memories of Chasewater Stadium, I had a great contribution from long time friend of the blog Fred Butler, who has a rather interesting contribution. I’m after any ephemera or memorabilia anyone can supply, as there’s … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, cycling, Environment, Events, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community
Tagged 1971, 1977, April, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Chasewater, Chasewater Promotions, Chasewater Stadium, Cheap tat, Derelict, Events, Fred Butler, Howmuch, International Long Track, JB Cox, Local History, MCN, motorbike, Motorcycle, Motorcycle News, Opening, planning, programme, race, Race of the Year, Redevelopment, Reservoir, Stadium, Staffordshire, Things to do, track, Trotting
2 Comments
Chasewater Stadium – what do you recall?
Thanks to a curious sale on eBay, I can now share exactly when Chasewater Trotting Track opened – it was Monday 16th August, 1971.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, cycling, Environment, Events, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community
Tagged 1971, 1977, April, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Chasewater, Chasewater Promotions, Chasewater Stadium, Cheap tat, Derelict, Events, Howmuch, International Long Track, JB Cox, Local History, MCN, motorbike, Motorcycle, Motorcycle News, Opening, planning, programme, race, Race of the Year, Redevelopment, Reservoir, Stadium, Staffordshire, Things to do, track, Trotting
22 Comments
Is it our fault?
Reader John Blanchard has been in touch all the way from Aukland in New Zealand with some interesting and hopefully debate-provoking memories of subsidence effects in Walsall Wood from the 1960s onwards.
Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Local politics, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Castlefornt, Derelict, Fort Crescent, Fred Burt, Howmuch, John Blanchard, Local History, Local politics, mine, mining, mining damage, Salters Road, Sewer, Subsidence, subsidence damage, Vandalism, Walsall Council, Walsall Housing Committee, Walsall Observer, Walsall politics, Walsall Wood
6 Comments
Park up, take a pew…
Over the last few weeks, a newspaper clipping found in the Walsall Observer archive by [Howmuch?] has caused a whole heap of interest, reporting the laying of a foundation stone for the ‘new schools at Watling Street’, readers have debated where it might actually relate to.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Churches, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories
Tagged A5, Barry Aylett-Warner, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Castle Street, ceremony, Chapel, Church, David Evans, Events, Foundation Stone, Howmuch, Keith Rothery, laying, Lichfield, Local History, Methodist, New Photos, Park View, Prince of Wales, Redevelopment, School, Staffordshire, Things to do, Walsall Observer, Watling Street
15 Comments
Tell me on a Sunday
Last Saturday, I featured the above newspaper clipping, taken from the Walsall Observer reporting the laying of a foundation stone for the ‘new schools at Watling Street’ – the image, which was found by local history wonk [Howmuch?], had scant accompanying information, but since posted, he has told me that he’s fairly sure the clip dates from 1931.
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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
Tagged A5, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, ceremony, Events, Foundation Stone, Howmuch, laying, Lichfield, Local History, New Photos, Redevelopment, School, Staffordshire, Things to do, Walsall Observer, Watling Street
22 Comments
Set in stone… but by who, and when?
Here’s a quick puzzle for the researchers out there, and think it’ll also be interesting to Mike Stackhouse, who I know has a particular interest in Watling Street School – a fumble in the newspaper archive has left me coming up empty – so I’m wondering if anyone knows anything about the clipping below?
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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
Tagged A5, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, ceremony, Events, Foundation Stone, Howmuch, laying, Lichfield, Local History, New Photos, Redevelopment, School, Staffordshire, Things to do, Walsall Observer, Watling Street
10 Comments
Stuck in there real good, that is…
Some weeks ago I raised the story of the football stuck in the decorative cross on the roof of St. Michael’s Church in Caldmore, Walsall – last weekend, twitter top bloke and all round good egg @BillytheBez answered my plea and took a couple of pictures, confirming the decades-old ball was still lodged firmly where only birds and steeplejacks dare.
Posted in Bad Science, Churches, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community
Tagged Bath Road, Billythebez, Black Country Bugle, Cladmor, cross, dafy, Derelict, Events, football, Howmuch, legend, Local History, New Photos, Redevelopment, roof, Silly, St Michaels Street, St. Michaels, Things to do, Twitter, Walsall
3 Comments
Ghosts on tape
Old mucker [Howmuch?], fresh from a morning rootling around the Chasewater Transport Show on Sunday, was inspired to go trawling for interesting Chasewater related historical footage on the internet when he got home.
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Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, 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, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged 1970, British Powerboat Grand Prix, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Chasewater, Chasewater Dam, culvert, Drain, Events, exploration, Go Kart, Howmuch, Local History, MrTechTalk, New Photos, old film, overflow, Phil55uk, Powerboat, Reservoir, Silly, speedboat, Staffordshire, Steveskitrip, Things to do
7 Comments
Race of the Year, 1977
Here’s a curious piece of ephemera, found by local history ferret [Howmuch?] – I’m not sure of the source, but it was probably a charity or secondhand shop, as he can often be found ferreting around the darker corners for history oddities.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, cycling, Environment, Events, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community
Tagged 1977, April, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Chasewater, Chasewater Promotions, Chasewater Stadium, Cheap tat, Derelict, Events, Howmuch, International Long Track, JB Cox, Local History, MCN, motorbike, Motorcycle, Motorcycle News, planning, programme, race, Race of the Year, Redevelopment, Reservoir, Stadium, Staffordshire, Things to do, track, Trotting
64 Comments
Don’t believe everything you read…
I’ve been droning on now for some months about the need for accuracy and careful research in local history. It’s because I know that I’m as fallible as the next man that I, like you readers, worry so much about … Continue reading
Posted in Bad Science, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, It makes me mad!, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1905, Black Cock, Black Cock Bridge, Brick Arch, Bridge replacement, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Bullings Heath, Camden Street, Canal, Errors, Girder bridge, Grove Pit Bridge, Hall Lane, Howmuch, Lime Lane, Local History, mine damage, Mining Subsidence, Mistaken, mistakes, Pelsall Past and Present, Silly, Staffordshire, Subsidence, Walsall Wood, Walsall Wood Colliery, Walsall Wood Pit, Wyrley and Essington
4 Comments
Who’d be a carthorse?
Here’s another gem from [Howmuch?], who’s found this wonderful photo in the archives at Lichfield. It took us a while to work out, as it was unlabelled, but it is, of course, the western approach to the Black Cock Bridge, … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1905, Black Cock, Black Cock Bridge, Brick Arch, Bridge replacement, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Bullings Heath, Camden Street, Canal, Girder bridge, Hall Lane, Howmuch, Local History, mine damage, Mining Subsidence, Silly, Staffordshire, Subsidence, Walsall Wood, Walsall Wood Colliery, Walsall Wood Pit, Wyrley and Essington
7 Comments
Enclosed spaces
Top local history technician [Howmuch?] has been working on this beauty for a while now. It’s an ‘Inclosure’ map of Walsall Wood, dating from, I believe, 1876. This will be of interest, no doubt, to the Walsall Wood Wallahs like … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1876, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, David Evans, Enclosure map, High Heath, Howmuch, Inclosure map, Local History, Old maps, Politics, Shelfied, Shire Oak, Staffordshire, Walsall Wood
12 Comments
Where the streets have a name
Here’s a fragment: a taster. David Evans has been working hard of late on a number of blog-related projects, and one of the things that caught his interest was Streets Corner, in Walsall Wood, and how it took the name … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills local history, David Evans, Howmuch, Local History, Old maps, Shire Oak, Staffordshire, Street's Corner, Walsall Wood
9 Comments
Build a rocket, boys!
This just in from the ‘You couldn’t make it up’ department. Top local history ferret [Howmuch?] spotted this article in the archive of The Walsall Observer, from the issue of Friday, 3rd January 1958. Charles Ferrie was the father of … Continue reading
Posted in Bad Science, 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, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1958, Bristol, Charles, Ferrie, Howmuch, ICI McKechnie, IMI, Kynoch, Ph.D, physicist, Ralph, rocket, rocket science, Shelfield, Space Reasearch Group, Sputnik, University, Walsall Observer
17 Comments
Sink estate?
Here’s an interesting one turfed out by local history genius [Howmuch?], who’s still raiding the box under his sideboard for interesting clippings from local papers. The man really is a history magpie and a bit of a star. This extract … Continue reading
Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Local politics, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Castlefornt, Derelict, Fort Crescent, Fred Burt, Howmuch, Local History, Local politics, mine, mining, mining damage, Subsidence, subsidence damage, Vandalism, Walsall Council, Walsall Housing Committee, Walsall Observer, Walsall politics, Walsall Wood
2 Comments
Heroes of the underground
I thank [Howmuch?] for the following contribution, which he found amongst his paperwork while having his annual clear out. He really is every it the star… CENTRAL CHANCERY OF THE ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD. St. James’s Paloce, S.W.1. 12th February, 1957. … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Cannock Chase, Features, Followups, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1957, Bravery, British Empire Medal, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, colliery, George Albert Schofield, George Bywater, Howmuch, Local History, London Gazette, mininers, New Photos, Order tf the British Empire, pit disaster, roof fall, Staffordshire, Walsall Observer, Walsall Wood, Walsall Wood Colliery, William Henry Joiner
4 Comments
Get your teeth into this…
You can always rely on top friend of the Brownhills Blog [Howmuch?] to come up with the really, really offbeat stuff. Whilst rooting through the archives recently, the intrepid researcher spotted the above patent application for ‘Improvements in artificial teeth’. … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Features, Fun stuff to see and do, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1863, Anne Abbey Downes, Artificial teeth, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, False Teeth, Howmuch, Invention, Local History, London Gazette, Patent, Silly, Spinster, Staffordshire, Stonnall, Walsall Wood
12 Comments
The boat currently approaching platform one…
Behold another great find by top reader, great friend and local history whizz [Howmuch?]. Spotted in the Walsall Observer from August, 1922, an unusual view of Walsall Wood railway station following what is described as ‘the holiday deluge’. Of course, … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Features, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills local history, flood, Howmuch, Local History, New Photos, Staffordshire, Walsall Wood, Walsall Wood station
2 Comments
The name’s Bond…
…War Bond. Reader [Howmuch?] has been ferreting around in his copious stock of interesting newspaper clippings with an eye to the tank testing quandary and found out the promotional advertisement for what was probably the first tank ever to visit … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, Events, Features, Followups, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Howmuch, Local History, old newspapers, reader contributions, Staffordshire, Tank, tank parade, Walsall, Walsall Council, Walsall politics, Walsall Wood, war bonds, war office, War savings certificate, World War I
1 Comment
On the wing
I’ll be completely honest with you guys here, I know nothing about football whatsoever, but this week in the pictures from the past slot, I have a soccer special. Top reader and contributor [Howmuch?] recently located some interesting newspaper scans … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Followups, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1921, Aldridge & Brownhills Scholls FA, Aldridge Brownhills Teachers Team, Around Pelsall & Brownhills, Brownhills, Brownhills Central Boy's School, Brownhills local history, Brownhills Town, Chasetown Colliery Football Team, David F. Vodden, Howmuch, Little Norton Football Team, Local History, New Photos, Staffordshire
4 Comments
The Book Lovers
Here’s one for the Central School chaps to ponder over, and may also be of interest to the folks at Brownhills Memorial Hall. Thanks to [Howmuch?] for the spot.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Followups, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community
Tagged 1967, Brownhills, Brownhills Central School, Brownhills local history, Brownhills Memorial Hall, Howmuch, Local History, New Photos, Speech Day, Staffordshire, The Memo, Walsall Observer
6 Comments
The teams that meet in caffs…
A bit of recent history here that might jog a few memories. Just thought I’d sneak it in for the nostalgia, more than anything. Yesterday, Top contributor and local history wonk [Howmuch?] was rooting through his large photo collection and … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, Shared media, Shared memories
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Derelict, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Howmuch, Local History, Lost transport cafes, New Photos, PJ's Sudbury, Redevelopment, Silly, Taylor's Cafe
2 Comments
Deerly beloved
A week ago, Brownhills Blog contributor, fellow Panoramio fan and top local history operative [Howmuch] went for a ride round Chasewater on a quiet Monday, armed as ever with his camera. As seems to be customary in spring, the local … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Fun stuff to see and do, Local media, Panoramio photo discussions, Panoramio updates, Shared media, Wildlife
Tagged Brownhills, Chasewater, Chasewater Dam, Chasewater deer, Chasewater Wildlife Group, Howmuch, New Photos, Panoramio, Red deer, Reservoir, Staffordshire, Wildlife
9 Comments
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