The Marl Hole

The Marl hole was the fun place for every Rubery kid, originaly there were three clay pits, the clay being used to supply the Brick & tile works which was situated at the end of the Avenue. The cottages along the Avenue and in Brook ROAd were built for the workers at the brick works. After the brick works stopped producing, the area was left to nature and the marl holes filled with water, and the area became overgrown. The largest pool started at Callowbrook Lane and stretched up past the works. There was a causeway between the next pool which was about 100 yds long, then another causeway and a larger pool, all these pools were about the same depth, 40ft. Around the pools the margins were lined with bullrushes and flag, and they were full of fish, I caught bream to 5lb 4oz, good size roach and tench, also pike, my dad caught perch to 3lb, he was a great perch fisherman my dad. These pools were also the home of smooth and great crested newts, frogs, Natterjack toads with their distinctive yellow stripe, dragonflies and damselflies, also sand lizards and grass snakes. Kids would spend all day with their nets catching newts, dragonfly larvae and all sorts of bugs and butterflies, and men after finishing work would spend balmy summer evenings fishing. Sadly the pools were filled in and although I enquired I don't believe the fish were taken out, they were just buried. If anyone knows any different please let me know. There were many tales of people being drowned there, also a horse fell in and was dragged to the bottom as it was still attached to a cart, also a man coming home drunk by the light of a lantern stumbled and fell in and drowned. Some say that on a dark moonless night you can still see the light from his lantern at the bottom of the pool. All daft things to frighten the kids of course. It was a loveley place, there was so much fun to be had, it was filled in about 1963. It seemed every time I went there, there was a kid fishing, his name was Roy Hughes. We formed a special freindship that was to last 53 years till his death in 2010. RIP.