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Tag Archives: Stuart Williams
Welcome to the pleasure grounds
I am indebted to friends of the blog and top local historians Clive Roberts and Stuart Williams who both sent me copies of the following image of Coalpool Pleasure Grounds taken I believe around 1910.
Posted in Churches, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Council
Tagged 2015, Architecture, Arden, brewer, cardigan, Chapel, Clive Roberts, Coalpool, Derelict, garden, Grounds, Harden, Historic England, Ian, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, Pedro, Pell, Peter Cutler, Pleaseure, Simon Briercliffe, Staffordshire, Stuart Williams, Things to do, up the oss road, Walsall, Walsall Council
1 Comment
Get them before they’re gone!
Here’s a message from Walsall Local History Centre, specifically for readers of the Brownhills Blog – I’m always banging on about getting copies of local history books while they’re still around, and now’s your chance to bag copies of three of Stuart Williams works about Walsall.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Churches, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, 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, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Books, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Darlaston, gifts, Local History, local history books, New Photos, Pelsall, Rushall, session, Signing, Streetly, Stuart Williams, Walsall, Walsall Borough Past & Present, Walsall Council, Walsall Local History Cente, Walsall Museum, Walsall Wood, Waterstones, Willenhall, WLHC
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New local history book out soon!
It’s coming up to Christmas, and Stuart Williams and Walsall Local History Centre have a message for readers off the Brownhills Blog…
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Churches, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, 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, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Aldridge, Bloxwich, Books, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Darlaston, gifts, Local History, local history books, New Photos, Pelsall, Rushall, session, Signing, Streetly, Stuart Williams, Walsall, Walsall Borough Past & Present, Walsall Council, Walsall Local History Cente, Walsall Museum, Walsall Wood, Waterstones, Willenhall, WLHC
9 Comments
Fist of Glory, fists of rage
I see the genius of SalmonCorporation has been at work again – this film is an uncomfortable piece of genius that needs to be spread far and wide, like it’s precursor ‘Walsall: Everything a pound’.
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Posted in Environment, Events, 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, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Council
Tagged animation, £1, Cheap tat, Derelict, Events, Everything a pound, Fist of Glory, Local History, Local politics, planning, Politics, Pubs, Redevelopment, SalmonCorporation, short, Silly, Stuart Williams, Tesco, Tesco Development, Twitter, Vandalism, video, Walsall, Walsall Council, Walsall politics, Youtube
3 Comments
Fair brings history alive at The Crossing today!
A special event bringing local and family history alive across the borough is all set to take place in Walsall town centre this Saturday 2nd November – and admission will be free of charge!
Posted in Churches, Environment, Events, Fun stuff to see and do, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Council
Tagged Bloxwich Telegraph, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Canal, Clayhanger, Events, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, Shire Oak, Staffordshire, Stuart Williams, Things to do, Twitter, Walsall, Walsall Council, Walsall Local History Centre, Walsall Local History Fair, Walsall Museum, Walsall Wood
1 Comment
Some Mummers do have ’em
There is a long tradition in British history of Mummer’s Plays – folkloric parables, stories and satires – performed for the benefit of the working classes by mostly itinerant actors and Walsall has seen a revival of this very old tradition in recent years with the plays written by former Walsall Wood teacher and local arts supremo Dave Calcutt.
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Posted in Environment, Events, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Local music, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Council
Tagged 1st September, 2013, 31st August, amateur dramatics, Bayards Colts, Bloxwich, Bloxwich Telegraph, Bookmark Theatre, Dave Calcutt, Events, free, Glen Buglass, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, Mummers, Night Market, Performance, Robin Hood and the Giant, Saturday, Silly, Staffordshire, Street Theatre, Stuart Williams, Sunday, The Cart Before The Horse, Theatre, Things to do, Walsall, Walsall Council
10 Comments
Following the engine
Yesterday, I featured a fascinating analysis of a great picture of steam locomotive at Brownhills Station in the early part of last century, sent in by reader Ian Pell = the picture originated in a press release for the upcoming Walsall Local History Centre exhibition entitled Brownhills Past & Present.
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, Walsall community, Walsall Council
Tagged Archives, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Dasher, Dodger, Dudley, Events, Exhibition, Francis Webb, Ian Pell, LNWR, local blogs, Local History, Locomotive, New Photos, Samson Class, Staffordshire, Station, steam engine, Stuart Williams, Things to do, Thomas Hinckley, train, Twitter, Walsall, Walsall Council, Walsall local history
4 Comments
Now departed
Yesterday, I posted about a new exhibition coming to the Walsall Local History Centre on the subject of Brownhills Past & Present – Stuart Williams had supplied some really great images with the exhibition press release, one of them being of a steam locomotive at Brownhills Station from ‘the early 1900s’.
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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, Walsall community, Walsall Council
Tagged Archives, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Dasher, Dodger, Dudley, Events, Exhibition, Francis Webb, Ian Pell, LNWR, local blogs, Local History, Locomotive, New Photos, Samson Class, Staffordshire, Station, steam engine, Stuart Williams, Things to do, Thomas Hinckley, train, Twitter, Walsall, Walsall Council, Walsall local history
2 Comments
Brownhills Past & Present: new exhibition coming soon
Stuart Williams of the Walsall Local History Centre has been in touch regarding a soon-to-start new exhibition of Brownhills photos and ephemera at the town archives.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, 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, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Archives, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Canal, Carnival 1938, Clayhanger, Essex Street, Events, Exhibition, Hussey Arms, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, Old maps, plan, Pubs, Queen, Shire Oak, Staffordshire, Station, steam engine, Stuart Williams, Things to do, Twitter, Walsall, Walsall Council, Walsall local history, Walsall Wood
4 Comments
A Shire thing
Here’s a treat for Brownhills folk into local history – A new local history book, focussing on Shire Oak and it’s environs has been written by Walsall Wood chap Clive Roberts.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Book, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Clive Roberts, Events, Facebook, Local History, New Photos, Old maps, pub, Pubs, Shire Oak, Snippets of Local History, Staffordshire, Stonnall, Stuart Williams, Things to do, Walsall Council, Walsall Local History Centre, Walsall Wood
18 Comments
No accommodation for the poor…
As promised, for reader Alison Ball, here’s the entry for Bloxwich Church – All Saints – in the book ‘Visitations of the Archdeaconry of Stafford 1829-1841′ published by the Historical Manuscripts Commission and Her Majesty’s Stationary Office (HMSO). This copy was published in 1980, and bears the ISBN of 0 11 440066 0. The work is edited by David Robinson MA, Ph D.
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Posted in Churches, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Walsall community
Tagged 1830, Alison Ball, All Saints, Archdeacon, Bloxwich, Church, Curch Hill, George Hodson, Inspection, local blogs, Local History, Old maps, parish, Report, Slum, Stafford, Staffordshire, Stuart Williams, Things to do, Visitation, Visitations of the Archdeaconry of Stafford, Walsall
4 Comments
Walsall, everything a pound…
My thanks to Stuart Williams, curator of the Bloxwich telegraph, who spotted this short film this evening. It’s a tribute to the lost buildings of Walsall.
Watch it to the end. It’s very, very sad. A totally brilliant, beautifully animated piece of work. Turn your sound on too.
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Posted in Environment, Events, 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, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Council
Tagged animation, £1, Cheap tat, Derelict, Events, Everything a pound, Local History, Local politics, planning, Politics, Pubs, Redevelopment, SalmonCorporation, short, Silly, Stuart Williams, Tesco, Tesco Development, Twitter, Vandalism, video, Walsall, Walsall Council, Walsall politics, Youtube
10 Comments
Sons of the circus
Here’s an interesting one from top reader and contributor David Evans, whose contributions continue to be excellent, popular and engaging. This is something I had no idea about, and invite contributions from folks who have memories or anecdotes to add. … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Features, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Betina, Big Top, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Cecine, circus, Clayhanger, Clown, Commonside, David Evans, Greg, Herbert Clarke, Lindon Road, Lion Tamer, Local History, New Photos, Pat Collins, Paulo, Reggie, Shire Oak, Staffordshire, Stuart Williams, Tampoline, trapeze, Trevor, Walsall Wood, Wendy
1 Comment
Plane bizarre
Here’s one from the odd box: spotted by local history whizz Stuart ‘The Edditer’ Williams, curator of the superlative Bloxwich Telegraph. Do any readers remember this? First mention of the event I’ve ever seen. A remarkable occurrence, which must have … Continue reading
Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Features, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Council
Tagged 1959, aircraft, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, emergency landing, Glider, Holland Park, local blogs, Local History, Silly, Staffordshire, storm, Stuart Williams, thunder, Walsall Council, Walsall Observer
3 Comments
The perfect gift…
So, what do you buy the person who has everything? I suppose penicillin might be a start, but until that’s available over the counter, there’s some great ideas from Walsall Council. I’ve been sent a couple of press releases in … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, 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 Council, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Books, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Clayhanger, DVD, gifts, Local History, local history books, Memories of Brownhills Past, New Photos, Stuart Williams, Walsall, Walsall Council, Walsall Local History Cente, Walsall Museum, Walsall Wood, WLHC
3 Comments
Stay pressed
In the wake of the continuing closure of local papers, this time in Cannock and South Staffordshire, there’s a very interesting article written by good friend of the Brownhills Blog, Stuart Williams, over at he is revitalised Bloxwich Telegraph. I … Continue reading
Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Express & Star, Fun stuff to see and do, It makes me mad!, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged Blowich Telegraph, Bloxidge Tallygraph, Brownhills, Cheap tat, Common people, Connect Cannock, Express & Star, Jayne Howarth, local blogs, local journalism, local press, New media, press decline, Stuart Williams, The Plastic Hippo, Twitter, Walsall, Walsall Observer, WV11
5 Comments
Memories of Old Stonnall
The fantastic, resourceful and dedicated Julian Ward-Davies has been in touch to point out that there’s a new article on his blog entitled ‘Memories of Old Stonnall’, a collaborative work with Gordon Mycock whose memories of his life in the … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Churches, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Andy Dennis, Borough Blog, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, David Evans, Facebook, Gordon Mycock, Graham Evans, Julian Ward-Davies, Lichfield Lore, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, Old maps, Pastorm, Q-trax, Shire Oak, Staffordshire, Steve Hickman, Stonnal, Stonnal Local History Group, Stonnall, Stuart Williams, Tamworth Time Hikes, Walsall Wood
6 Comments
Tanking along…
The question of tank testing in Shire Oak Quarry is ongoing. I’ve received a large number of fine contributions from David Evans, not least this email communication between him and the Tank Museum…. From: David Evans Sent: 26 September 2011 … 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, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Bloxidge Tallygraph, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Chester Road sand and gravel, David Fletcher, Ernest Jones, Gentleshaw Sand & Gravel, Hoveringham, Janice Tait, Len Jones, Local History, Sandhills, Second World War, Sheila Norris, Shire Oak, Shire Oak nature reserve, Shire Oak quarry, Staffordshire, Steve Hickman, Stuart Williams, Tank, tank testing, The tank museum, Valentine Tank, Walsall Local History Centre, Walsall Wood, world war two
44 Comments
Further afield – some great local history sites
This is a post to highlight some excellent local history sites – a couple are new, and one familiar, but they’re all doing really fabulous work and sadly represent yet another time suck preventing me from getting my arse into … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged Abe, amateur history, cardigan, Collaborative History, community, Ernst, ganzey, Kate, landscape history, Lichfield Lore, local blogs, Local History, Lorenzor, Mark, Old maps, Past Storm, Pastorm, Silly, Staffordshire, Stuart Williams, Tamworth Tim Hikes, The Bloxidge Tallygraph, The Borough Blog, The Edditer, Twitter, Walsall, Ye Olde City
4 Comments
Go west…
Since it’s Pelsall Canal Festival weekend, I thought I’d focus on the village over the swag this week. Although traditionally separate communities, I’m aware that in these enlightened times, some mingling has taken place and many folks in Brownhills have … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, Features, Followups, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community
Tagged Canal, Car Crash, Commonside, Jayne Howarth, local blogs, Local History, Millennium, Nest Common, New Photos, North Common, Old Corner House, Pelsall, Pelsall Canal Festival, Pelsall Off-licence, Pubs, Royal Oak, Staffordshire, Stuart Williams, The Edditer, The Fingerpost, traffic accident
5 Comments
I have nothing to add…
…except this is all a bit surreal. Nice pic of The Edditer, though.
Posted in Express & Star, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local media, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged apps, Chris Davies, ConnectCannock, Express & Star, Favouite apps, Ian Mellet, iPhone, local blogs, Silly, Steph Jennings, Stuart Williams, WV13
3 Comments
A body of evidence
It’s not often that I feel the need to lift an item out of the comments and publish it as a post of it’s own, but yesterday, Paul Ford, Walsall Local History Centre expert and research genius stunned me. … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, Local politics, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Council
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Bullings Heath, Camden Street, Green Lane, Local History, Local politics, Morgue, Mortuary, Old maps, Paul Ford, Pubs, Research, Staffordshire, Stuart Williams, The Boot inn, Walsall, Walsall Council, Walsall Local History Centre, Walsall politics
20 Comments
Somewhere, in the distance…
Today is the last day of that wonderful Walsall institution, The YamYam. Yes, I’m afraid that the site that was instrumental and continual in support for The Brownhills Blog, is being mothballed as Mark, the chap behind this king of … Continue reading
Posted in Events, Express & Star, Followups, It makes me mad!, Local Blogs, Local media, Local politics, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged aggregator, Andy Holyhead, Blogging, blogs, Bob Piper, Brownhills, Derek Bennett, end of an era, Express & Star, hyperlocal, Jayne Howarth, local blogs, Local politics, Localism, Mark Blackstock, Pheasey Views, Stuart Williams, The Plastic Hippo, The YamYam, The YamYam closure, Twitter, Walsall, Walsall Council, Walsall Online, Walsall politics
4 Comments
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