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Chasewater
Chasewater maps
Historic maps of Chasewater and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Chasewater maps
Chasewater area books
Displaying 1 of 7 books about Chasewater and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Chasewater
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West Midlands memories
Growing up in The Avenues
I left school in 1965, Ogley Hay Girls' School, my maiden name was Kathleen Cooper. My birth father was George Kelly although I was brought up by my grandparents, Nell and Gerald Cooper. I loved the avenues, everyone knew everyone, you could leave the doors open when you went to the club, nobody ever stole from their neighbours, helped more like. I would go down to the canal down Chemmy Hill where the factories were. I had some great friends, we made so much fun and it didn't cost money. Before I left school everyone looked forward to the trips from the local working mens clubs. Then Brownhills began to change, the old picture house went, we went there on a Saturday with our big cheap cream cakes and had a great time, then finished off by going to the park/or the bandstand. I was born in a terrace row called Metts, the proper name I cannot remember but it was just past Claridges tv shop and they built shops,... Read more
Down The Wood
Born next door to Smiths post office-chemist in 1949. The high street was full of shops and you could buy anything. I can recall: HOLMES FRUIT SHOP, FELTONS THE BUTCHERS, COLMANS BY THE BRIDGE WHO SOLD BIKES BY DAY AND FISH AND CHIPS AT NIGHT, THE HAWTHORN PUB, THE LION OVER THE ROAD NEXT TO HAIRDRESSERS AND BARBERS, THE VICARIGE WITH THE BIG TREES AND A GARDEN PARTY EVERY JUNE. THEN A GOOD CRICKET MATCH ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON. I left Streets Corner Secondary School in 1964, worked for Wernicks for a few years then went on the buses. I moved up on to the Castlefort estate in 1960. A gang of us used to go up the fox covey the woods at the end of holly lane. I live in Dolgellau in north Wales now, I came back 3 years ago to have a look. The buildings are still there, but the old atmosphere is missing. I've been invited back for a reunion in October so I'll drive down all... Read more
Jack Clayton Newsagent
Is there anyone who used to deliver papers for Jack Clayton when he had the newsagent shop from 1959 to 1981? If so please let me know John Clayton (son)
My Beloved Bonk
I have loads of memories of village life as a kid. I was born in 1961 and still live on the Bonk. I will probably die here as well. There were many old characters back then. Iron Bates the vegetable cart man (did some boxing apparently), he would come on his round down the Mitre RToad on Saturday. I remember his deep growling voice, as he shoved a brown paper bag with a few spuds in, saying "Gi' them to yer mam, she can pay next wick if her's short". If we were lucky we could ride on the horse to the top of the road round to owd Maxi Potts, on the corner of Pinfold Cottages. We would sit on his doorstep, with a jam sarnie each, and listen to the tales of how he shot Adolf Hitler when he was younger. He would show us a revolver wrapped in an old oily rag and say "There see, that's what I shot him with. Right between the eyes". Later... Read more
My Links to Cheslyn Hay
I was born in 'The Lot' on Cheslyn Hay in 1950. I have been able to trace my lineage back to the 1700's through the Brough, Horton and Cadman families. The Horton family lived in all or some of the cottages in Dundalk Lane. The last family member was Clarice Biddle[nee Horton] who died in the early 1980s. The cottages then passed to my mother and were eventually sold. They are called Rose Cottage and Pickwick Cottage respectively today. The Brough family can again be traced back to the 1700's. Interestingly, the Horton and Brough family became linked by marriage. Frederick Horton married Hannah Brough, thus, my mother and father are second cousins! The Cadman family first appear in Cheslyn Hay in 1919 when James Henry married Lillian Brough. A Horton marries a Brough and a Cadman marries a Brough! James Henry Cadman is my grandfather and he was always know as Harry. He spent all of his working life as a face worker at Hawkins Colliery. He died in 1989. His son Joseph, my... Read more
As it Was
I left Walsall at the age of fifteen, at the time of the date of this picture. I loved the trolley buses and watching the trolley conductor change the rails. I remember the Bridge well, as shown in this picture. It was my task on a Saturday to collect and return my younger nephew every Saturday morning from my older sister, taking him home to Mom for the day so my sister could work in one of the shops on the Bridge. On my return I sometimes waited outside the pictures in Walsall town centre, asking adults if they would take me in with them to see an A grade picture (I would not reccomend that now!).
It was a penny in those days from the Fulbrook where I lived in Brockhurst Street to the Bridge, and half a penny to either Palfrey of Caldmore. The school I attended was Joseph Leckie and Walsall Technical College, before the family moved to Bearwood, Smethwick.
I have plenty of good... Read more
First Love
I meet my husband, who was my first boyfriend, at Walsall and Staffs Technical College in 1970, we would often go into the George for a drink at lunchtimes. It holds special memories for us both, still together after 33 years of marriage, and we were horrified when they pulled it down.
