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Hopwas
Hopwas maps
Historic maps of Hopwas and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Hopwas maps
Hopwas area books
Displaying 1 of 4 books about Hopwas and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Hopwas
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Hopwas.
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Nursery Lane Bridge
I think that the photograph was taken in 1965 as the photo shows me and my brother David Jones fishing from the bottom of the garden of 4 Nursery Lane. I was born in 1955 in Tamworth and we moved to Hopwas in April of 1961 when I was just 8 years old and my brother 5 years old. I think that I look about 12 in the photo? The bungalow was built in part of the house next door's garden which was owned by Len Harper. Mum was disabled and Dad, Leonard Jones, bought the land from the Harpers and had the shell of a bungalow built as she couldn't manage the stairs in our house in Tamworth. His brothers Bob and Peter Jones and brothers in law Harry Harper and George Collins were responsible for the plumbing and the electrics. My Aunt and Uncle, Myra and Harry Harper, lived at the end of the drive in 10 Nursery Lane and many a track was worn with the comings... Read more
The Harpers
I remember this view very well, though by 1965, I'd married and left the village. We lived at the top of Nursery Lane, No 37. My dad worked at the Nursery. I remember Ann's mum and their bungalow being built. I was a frequent visitor to Myra and Harry Harper's bungalow as their son, Alan, was a pal. Alan is now Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of the Church of Ireland. Quite a leap from Hopwas! I can remember Alan and I shopping on Saturday mornings for Anne's mum when she lived in Tamworth. If I recall correctly she'd had polio and was disabled for that reason.
I lived in the village from 1952 until 1964. My parents moved when my dad was forced by ill health to retire in 1973 and they moved to Twycross.
I also have strong memories of the village school and Miss Podmore. Miss Jackson was headmistress up until 1955 when I left and went on to the Grammar School in Tamworth.
Staffordshire memories
NAME SEARCH
I have no memories of Bangley as such but am very interested in the place (or rather the NAME) as I married into the Bangley family and because the name is so unusual, any references I find regarding the name Bangley gives me great interest
To date (after some 35 years research) I have still not been able to source the origins of the name "Bangley"
The Bangley family I married into all hail from the Cambridgeshire areas of Huntingdon and Ely
Should anyone read this message and know something of the name of Bangley I would be most grateful if you would care to drop me an E mail at:-
alan666@blueyonder.co.uk
My name is Alan Walker and I am currently living in Essex - - Thank You
GRANDMAS HOUSE
MY GRANDMA ANNIE MAYCOCK LIVED IN THE HOUSE AT THE BACK OF PEACOCKS IT WAS END OF TERRACE DOWN AN ENTRY AT THE BACK OF BUTLERS BUTCHERS WHEN I VISITED THE SMELLS WERE FANTASTIC AND ON SATURDAYS THE BELLS WOULD RING FROM THE CHURCH FOR WEDDINGS SHE USED TO GIVE ME 6PENCE TO GET SOME BLACK PUMPS FROM WOOLWORTHS ,THE BACK DOOR SQUEAKED WHEN YOU USED IT AND SHE USED TO GO DOWN THE CELLAR FOR COAL EVEN AT 70 YEARS OF AGE THE LOO WAS IN THE BACK YARD THERE WAS A PIANO IN THE FRONT ROOM BUT THEY WERE HAPPY DAYS GRANMA I STILL MISS YOU GOD BLESSXX
Tamworth Outdoor Swimming Pool
I have wonderful memories of visiting 'Tamworth baths' on a Sunday afternoon. I loved swimming underneath the concrete barrier and always had to watch I didn't lift my head up too early!
Mum used to take me and she would sunbath and I would swim. Everyone was really friendly and it is such a shame the outdoor 'baths' are no longer there.
The 1950s And Early 1960s
I lived in Hopwas from 1952 to 1964 and attended QEGS from 1955 to 1962.
These street scenes are very familiar to me. I found the town very 'small', not so much in size but in its cultural and intellectual dimensions. I remember there wasn't a single bookshop in the town then, except for a paperback bookshop next to the Palace cinema, just up the street on the left in this picture. So I could hardly wait to get away to college and then to work.
But going back regularly now to visit my mother in Twycross, and driving along the re-aligned A5 to the M42, observing the view across the retail sheds and vast car parks that occupy what was once the Castle Pleasure Grounds and Gardens, I despair at what the planners, councillors and time have done to the place.
In mid 2008 I walked around the streets with an old pal who also remembers the place from the same period and he, too, shares... Read more
Spencers Farm (Dosthill)
I remember, has a young boy going up to Spencers farm (next to the church) to help Mrs S collect eggs. I also helped with the milking,cail cutting and potato picking, Bill (son) would collect us from the village green (the island) and take us kids with our mums to the field. We also used to play in the barns attached to the Bbasford's property which the Spencers looked after. When I got to about 14 I used to walk over to Drayton Manor Park and helped out on the swing boats and penny arcade. We used to cross the river by using an old iron bridge (Ii wonder if it is still there, I think it was on Lord Litchfield's land). We lived in Welford Road and would walk through the fields to Tamworth Castle Pleasure Grounds to swim and roller skate. I remember the coach and train trips that where organised by the commitee of the workingmens club (is that still there?). Our gran used to live in a place called... Read more
