Tag Archives: Old maps

The way of the Sons of Waetla

As I’m still catching up, I thought today might be a good time to feature the writings of an old pal of the blog, Gerald Reece, and his musings on the A5 Watling Street, Newtown, Knaves Castle and the pubs … Continue reading

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

A feast of wire

Local rail buff Simon Swain has been busy of late covering the momentous and important Chase Line Electrification Project, which is seeing the rail line between Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley electrified for hopefully faster and more reliable services.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, News, Panoramio photo discussions, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Lamping it

For those who missed it, I had an interesting question commented to an old post in the week, and I thought I’d make a post out of it as it deserves a wider audience – this certainly sounds like a remarkable family history, which someone out there must be able to help with.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Interesting photos, It makes me mad!, Local History, Local media, Local politics, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

A hole lot of sink

One of the curious things about writing and keeping this blog has always been the steady, curious dynamic of story arcs – where an old subject gets continually, slowly and gradually expanded as Google lists it, people search and find the post, comment and expand it.
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Posted in Bad Science, 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, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Up the Ryecroft Junction

Local rail buff Simon Swain has once again been busy with the camera and maps, tracing out the history of the South Staffordshire railway line that used to run from Wychnor near Alrewas to Dudley, but called at Lichfield, Brownhills and Walsall on the way.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, News, Panoramio photo discussions, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The death throes of the local line

Local rail buff Simon Swain last week sent in the above image of one of the last freight workings on the South Staffordshire Line through central Brownhills – and there was a large amount of interest in this remarkably evocative photo.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, News, Panoramio photo discussions, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

One of the final few

Local rail buff Simon Swain has been in touch with a remarkable image of Brownhills recording the very last days of the railway here – just before construction of the Miner Island in 1984.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, News, Panoramio photo discussions, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Metz office?

An intriguing enquiry reaches me from local historian and blog dynamo the young David Evans, who’s after a rather specific bit of history relating to a lost courtyard of dwellings in Brownhills High Street Called ‘The Metz’.


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Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, It makes me mad!, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, Local politics, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A found connection

Way back last year, Patricia Cotton sent in the above photo of her brother Tony, family friends Dora Rathbone and her son Bob enjoying a picnic and a paddle in 1955 by the canal in Brownhills, aroundabout where the banks of the old clay pit are today.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Caught short on the Pelsall Road

I’ve received via Facebook from very generous reader Patricia Cotton who’s send a very interesting picture, not just because it’s a wonderful period photo, but because lurking on the skyline is an indication of something being present several people dispute.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Something fishy afoot?

I’ve had an interesting question in from Taffy of Tamworth, who’s an angler who enjoys fishing Marklews Pond, off Engine Lane in Brownhills – but he’s recently noticed something.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Panoramio photo discussions, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

And whose army?

Oh boy, is this a cracker – this wonderful enquiry came in yesterday from Derek Broadhurst, who’s found a very curious postcard which may shed light on the derivation of the name ‘Barracks Lane’, which is the road that funs from the A461 Lichfield Road at Sandhills, right over to the A5 Watling Street, east of Newtown.

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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, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Looking for traces

The wonderful Simon Swain has been in touch with an interesting article Continue reading

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

Are you Shaw?

Here’s a very quick enquiry for readers about a local family now spread far and wide, but involving one of the blog regulars.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Followups, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

That didn’t go to plan… or did it?

I realise this is a bit off piste for the Brownhills Blog, but we have interests in Lichfield, so I think it’s appropriate – a few weeks ago Peter ‘Pedro’ Cutler spotted the following clipping in the newspaper archives.

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Posted in Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Local politics, News, planning, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

One other Public Carriage Road or Highway

For those who don’t follow the comments here, there was an interesting discussion last week after I featured a section of the Teasdale 1842 map from Clive Roberts’ new history site: The discussion that sprang up was about the nature and purpose of Friezland Lane in Shire Oak, and amongst the discussion was rom rather wild speculation by myself about the way the Parish borders run between Brownhills and Walsall Wood.

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Personal delivery

I’m always keen to promote the work of other local historians here on the Brownhills Blog; we can never have too many voices in this thing and Clive Roberts, Walsall Wood historian and author is one of the nicest and most diligent of them all – his work on Walsall Wood and Shire Oak has been thorough, but understated, and from his emails to me, Clive is always working on something new of interest.
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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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Mining the information

People who follow the blog close will be aware of one particular contributor who’s well-loved by all, has his own distinct style, and never fails to cheer anyone reading his fascinating comments – and today, I can share with readers something remarkable donated by Reg ‘Aer Reg’ Fullelove for us to all to read and digest.

Reg Fullelove mining history bookletPeople who follow the blog close will be aware of one particular contributor who’s well-loved by all Continue reading

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Matters arising…

I often get lots of short questions or observations that aren’t, despite my best efforts, big enough to make one post out of; so here are a selection of recent ones which aren’t connected to each other, but I’m thinking readers may be able to help with them, or perhaps they’ll provoke debate.
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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, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Doctor Fell

This is just a quick one, as I thought we needed to get at least a little bit of history in at long last – and this one has piqued my curiosity, as my antenna always twitch when I hear subsidence legends.
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Posted in Bad Science, Chasewater, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Your guide to Walsall – 125 years ago

Here’s one I’ve been meaning to do for ages, but the sheer labour of it has been off-putting; but now I have access to a professional scanner, it’s a lot easier to scan publications like W Henry Robinson’s ‘Guide to Walsall – an illustrated guide’, which was published in 1889 and is a captivating gazetteer and document of a growing town and its life.
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Posted in Churches, Environment, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Action stations

Thanks to Twitter cycling whizz and all round top guy @WolvesOnWheels who tipped me off last week, there’s a Facebook group that’s been featuring a lot of Brownhills, Walsall Wood and Pelsall railway photographs lately, posted by Si Swain.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, News, Panoramio photo discussions, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The lost Howdles Lane dam

In a remarkable instance of coincidence, last Friday, reader and top local history ferret Andy Dennis sent me an astounding piece on a lost reservoir near Howdles Lane, in north Brownhills, between Chasewater and the Watling Street.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Cannock Chase, Chasewater, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Panoramio updates, Shared media, Shared memories, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

A lesson in local history

A couple of weeks ago, I featured here scans of a local history book I’d unexpectedly found in a bookshop – it was a real cracker, and at the same time, a valuable and overlooked bit of Brownhills social history.

The book even made Local History magazine! Image kindly supplied by Mark Staples. Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Clayhanger stuff, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Stacked

A few weeks ago, I shared here a mining plan of how workings in the Robbins coal seam under Walsall Wood, Clayhanger and Brownhills affected the railway line above it, showing the coal mine excavations in great detail under the village.

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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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

A son of The Wood

I’ve finally bought my own copy of Clive Roberts’ book ‘ Snippets of History In and around Walsall Wood’ which I review here today – I must say the 79 page £8 book is a cracker – and it’s available right now.

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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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Building your new transport network… in 1974

I’m hoping some of the bus and rail enthusiasts can help with this one – a few weeks ago I picked up a 40 year old bus route map for Walsall, Aldridge Lichfield, Brownhills and Cannock, and it’s an interesting little time capsule all of it’s own.

busmap 1974
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, Local politics, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Hunting Lodge

It’s often the case when compiling the blog that unconnected threads spring at tangents from original articles – and so it was last week when I featured Ruth Penrhyn-Lowe’s excellent scanned postcards in the awfully titled ‘Overcome with emulsion’ post.

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Posted in Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Quality is important – What lies beneath once more

Hi folks – it’s not often I do this here on the blog, but I feel that quality is important, particularly in the recording of historically important documents I present, and an article I wasn’t happy with at all was published here a few weeks ago with a very heavy heart.
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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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

What lies beneath

Way back at the beginning of August, I shared a partial scan of a document I’d acquired – a mining plan of how workings in the Robbins coal seam under Walsall Wood, Clayhanger and Brownhills affected the railway line above.
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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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Now the water has drained away

Following my post recently concerning some great maps sent to me by Bruce Littley, reader, friend of the blog and top local allotment whiz Steve Hames has been in touch with some great images of the path of the former Cannock Extension Canal which was pictured in the Aerofilms image in the post.

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Posted in Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What’s the plan?

This is an interesting one I’ve had cooking for a while – reader Bruce Littley has kindly sent me these scans of maps that he’s come across, and he’d like to know more about them – or at least the annotations sketched thereupon.
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Posted in Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Seam stress

Now, since it’s been a few days of catching up with little bits and pieces, here’s something massive for readers to get their teeth into – this is a historical artefact which I’ve been lucky enough to find, and I’m very excited about it.
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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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Truncated

I’m going to share here an absolutely astounding image donated by Brownhills Local History researcher in exile Gerald Reece, which is sure to create some debate – I’m going to be brief, as I feel it’s best.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

West of here – welcome to WyrleyBlog

Local historian, researcher and author Clive Roberts has been in touch to alert me of a new blog on the scene – I’d spotted it a few times in my site stats, but not had chance to check it out. It’s actually rather wonderful.
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Posted in Cannock Chase, Churches, Environment, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What was lost, now restored

I am indebted to a Burnell yet again, as top chap and fellow cyclist Richard contacts me and points out something he noticed that I didn’t – Bullings Heath Grove is now a real place, with street signs and everything.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, cycling, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

If the cap fits…

On Sunday I rode up Coppice Lane in Brownhills for the first time in a few weeks, and noticed that contractors for The Coal Authority – the body charged with monitoring and remediating historic mineworkings – had been hard at work capping the two shafts left over from the West Coppice Colliery, near the old level Crossing. 

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, 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 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

When the dam burst

Chasewater has been, as any long-term reader here knows, a continual and recurring obsession of mine – I love the place; I grew up with it, visiting regularly I came to love its air of faded, end-of-the-pier decay and beautiful, often unexpected wildlife.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Cannock Chase, Chasewater, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Panoramio updates, Shared media, Shared memories, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Dead ground?

I’ve had an interesting enquiry from Laura Watkins, about the cemetery in Barnetts Lane, Brownhills, and it’s a little unusual in nature.
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Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Churches, Environment, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Lose yourself in the mapping

If you’re engaged in the local online community, you’ll have no doubt caught up with this already, but for those who haven’t, there’s a new historical mapping resource available online right now, free of charge, and it’s really rather special.Untitled 7 Continue reading

Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Pepper ground

I have been sent this remarkable and incredibly thorough piece of research into the historical and mapping record for Pepper Alley by Hilary Little, who you’ll remember as the driving force behind the project to record the history and fabric of the lost beer house, the Royal Oak, in Bullings Heath, Waslall Wood.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 40 Comments

Get another glimpse into Brownhills Past

Regular readers will remember that last Autumn, there was an exhibition at Walsall Local History Centre featuring a whole tranche of of historic Brownhills photos and ephemera from the civic collection – this had proven to be so successful, that the top operatives at the town archives have decided to set many of the exhibits up on show in Brownhills Library, at the Parkview Centre, from now until the end of February 2014.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Churches, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A fine rate of Exchange

Last week, I posted the first part of a remarkable article by Susan M Luzy about the history of the families connected with the Royal Echange pub in Walsall Wood – this unassuming, but well-loved pub has been the subject of much local historical study, and since the first part of this article was posted, local historians have turned up some remarkable material which Andy Dennis, David Evans and a whole host others are working on in the background.

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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

I think that nails it…

Periodically, I’ve expressed my intrigue at the history of Chesterfield Lodge, at the tiny hamlet between Wall and Shenstone – Chesterfield is a small place, but has some remarkable architecture demonstrated in its houses and farms.
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Posted in Churches, cycling, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Panoramio photo discussions, Panoramio updates, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

A foreign Exchange

The subject of the Royal Echange pub in Walsall Wood, and the families who were connected with it, continues to be the subject of much local historical study – in fact, I don’t think any other pub or building, apart from perhaps The Shire Oak Pub that has generated so much local historical interest.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 40 Comments

Court out

Here’s a little bit of a curiosity we’ve dabbled with here on the blog for the last few weeks – Silver Court in Brownhills, and the possibility it was once extended. P1110076 Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

The lost and fallen, lost then found again

This post is in answer to the query of 19th Noveber 2013, when Kathy Hodson of Wolverhampton, contacted me on twitter looking for the war memorial from Browhills West Methodist Church.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Following the map – those abbreviations in full

One of the good things about Christmas is having time to catch up with the posts I’ve been meaning to compile for ages – this one is a specific one that’s been needed since I started the blog really, and is a key to very large scale maps I use here on the blog.
Lichfield 1966
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Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Silver caught?

A couple of weeks ago, I posted the following map here of central Brownhills from the late 1960s, in answer to an enquiry tied up with the thread about the Salvation Army Hall in Brownhills – it’s a great map, and at the time it caused quite a bit of interest.
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Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Churches, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local History, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

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’.

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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 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments