15th July 2018

Having stood down as Chairman last year I am now pleased to announce that my good old friend Sue Washington will be taking over my role as Editor of the Weekly Newsletter as from next week. I would like to thank all members for your support over the past 8½ years (first newsletter 17th January 2010) with the absolute confidence in knowing that Sue will equally enjoy the same association with you all in the years ahead. For future ‘Requests’ and contributions please email Sue suewashington.cheslynhayhistory@btinternet.com

EVENTS On Thursday July 19th we are starting our beginners course on Family History at the Cheslyn Hay library from 2.00 pm until 5.00pm. We have already received a very encouraging response and Malcolm Podmore will be running them together with other experienced researchers on hand. For further information telephone Malcolm on 01922 410021 or 07794418295.

OUR SALEM BASE is open as usual for everyone from 9am – 2pm every Tuesday.

REQUESTS Further to the recent resurrected interest in the Stokes/Hodgekins/Bate families, Ann Molloy (nee Stokes) from Australia passes on her ‘grateful thanks to our team for all the documents just received’ and emails ‘It is so wonderful to have this information as we now think we are some way to getting to the bottom of the mystery of how John Stokes came into possession of the two properties but land transfers seem to have become organised in the late 1860s. So it is early days yet and we still have some digging to do! John Stokes was a miner all his life and so were his sons, my grandfather and his brothers probably being the last of a dying breed. My ancestor was Charles Stokes, the son of John and Rebecca born 1832, who went to Longton in the 1850s to find work. He lived with his brothers, Enoch, Sylvanus (Venus) and James. Some time later Venus went back to Cheslyn Hay to live and he died there in the 1860/70s possibly from a coal related illness. As far as we know, Moses did not leave Cheslyn Hay but stayed on with his mother and father until his marriage. Both John and Rebecca were widowed when they married in 1832 but they had lived together for many years before that. We cannot be sure who their spouses were but we think Rebecca was previously married to James Hodgkins.’ And Ann would be grateful for any further information to add to her researches.

There has been some interest raised of the copy we have in our archives of the first baptisms at the New Connexion (prior to the Salem) collated from 1790 – 1835. Unfortunately not all of our members are able to visit our Base so we will be only too pleased to help wherever possible. John Russell Davison emails from Reigate ‘I am still looking for clues about Joseph Russell born somewhere in Staffordshire circa 1806 and his wife Ann Locket(t) born in Cheslyn Hay circa 1816. There was another Ann Lockett daughter of Job Lockett & Jane Westwood born in Cheslyn Hay in 1817 but she died young. Could some kind person in the Society take a look at this new set of records for any mention of Joseph, Ann or any Russell children such as their daughter Eleanor Russell born in 1835 following their marriage on 28th October 1833?’

RESPONSES Vi, Jean and Malcolm have all chipped in with all the information that Norma required on her Onions family including births, marriages and deaths as well as addresses and occupation of all the family.

And Vi has now successfully responded to Jeanette Jones’s quest from Virginia in April to trace the part of her husband’s Cheslyn Hay family who remained here whilst the others emigrated in 1910 and has now been able to supply Jeanette with the name, address and telephone number of one of her husband’s Arrowsmith’s g-granddaughters.

Finally the only lead our Jean has for Lindsay on her Thomas Whitehouse (b1827 in Wyrley Bank) who married Martha Charles seems that they emigrated to Iowa in America.

ARCHIVE ADDITIONS/ARTEFACTS/DONATIONS Family history of four generations of the Peach family donated by Mick Clark going back to Thomas (b1838) and linking with others including the Leech, Frank, Wollaston and Middleton families.

OLD NEWSPAPERS researched by Dave Washington An appeal for donations to build a new church (St Marks) to accommodate the townships of Great Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay. Family names aleady contributed include Walhouse, Gilpin, Hordern, Messenger, Smith, Greensill, Massen, Lycett, Forrester, Yates, Rathbone, Bettson, Charnley, Hatton, Sayer, Bowdler, Poyner, Jones, Green, Marshall, James, Edgerton, Lewis, Benton, Bate, Farnell, Evans, Stringitharm & Cooper. (Wolverhampton Chronicle 29 April 1840)

WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK 50/100 YEARS AGO by Mike Belcher

11th July 1968 Cannock Advertiser Glancing Backwards 25 Years to 10 July 1943 The second of a series of product shows in aid of the Red Cross and Village Comforts Funds was held at Cheslyn Hay Working Men’s Club on Sunday with names of judges and competitors.

11th July 1968 The Cheslyn Hay Women’s Own held their traditional garden party with an added attraction of a children’s dancing display with all od the stallholders named.

13th July 1918 Cannock Chase Courier A Garden Party was held on Saturday afternoon, at ‘Glenthorne’, the grounds being kindly lent by Mr and Mrs T A Hawkins. Full coverage of the event including the Pierriot Troupe and the appearance of Private Butterworth.

13th July 1918 On Sunday evening a sacred concert was well given in the grounds of ‘The Park’ with full details given of the performers.

13th July 1918 An government award given to Sapper William Brian of 40, Low Street. Details of his army service given.

GENERAL NEWS An interesting email comes from Phil Jones ‘Just noticed a Hawkins/Coppice/ Cheslyn Hay wagon just on sale (Hornby 00). Not sure if it’s a re-issue, but ideal if any locals want their own ‘coal-train’. The contact is Hattons, telephone 0151 733 3655. Ref : Hornby R6875 (coal wagon Hawkins £13). They have also had more batches in of the Warstones Bedford bus …. must be really popular!

trevor.cheslynhayhistory@talktalk.net

8th July 2018

EVENTS No Chat ‘n’ Char at the Salem this Thursday, 12th July as it has been replaced by our coach trip to the Liverpool World Museum to see the Terracotta Army. Please note the coaches will be leaving the Salem at 8am.

OUR SALEM BASE is open from 9am – 2pm every Tuesday and open to everyone.

REQUESTS A request from Lindsay on our website stating ‘I’m trying to find information on Thomas Whitehouse, born about 1827 to John Whitehouse and Sarah Auld. The 1861 Census shows Thomas was born in Wyrley Bank. He was married to Martha Charles and living in Tipton at the time. Thank you in advance for any information anyone might have!’

An unusual request from Norma Barta in Michigan who we have helped in the past to research her Bowen family from Cheslyn Hay but she appeals for help on her mother’s side who have no connection locally. Norma emails ‘I am going in circles trying to find information about my uncle, my mother’s brother. He was John T Onions, born in 1896/97 in Walsall, to my grandparents, Thomas Onions and Fanny Elizabeth (Brown) Onions I have him in the 1901 and 1911 censuses. In both, he was living with his parents at Croft Street in Walsall but I can’t find a record of his death. Can you help me please? I have only recently discovered his existence as as no-one in my family has ever mentioned him, so I really would appreciate some help if possible.’

RESPONSES Further to Steve Evans and Alison’s recent visit, our researcher Vi has confirmed that the evacuee was Barbara Joyce Gill and she remained in Cheslyn Hay after the war had ended and she married a Robert Marriner from Stafford. Also Steve has been given several memories from the friends that Barbara had.
We are also able to help William Thomason in his quest for information on his Peach and Wollaston family. Vi gives a full report on the family’s history and whereabouts and Mick Clark emails ‘Francis Peach and Ethel Wollaston were my grandparents and Francis was the ninth child of Thomas and Betsy Leech’. Mick then forwarded four generations of his family going back to 1838 together with dates of births and deaths and where they lived as well as photographs.

ARCHIVE ADDITIONS/ARTEFACTS/DONATIONS Copies of the deeds to Bowyers Farm (2 Littlewood Road) with information of the purchasers and other interested parties including the Stokes family (Moses, Charles, Harriet, Thomas, John, Rebecca, Enoch Stokes), Hawkins (John & Sophia Hawkins), Sophia Bate, Walker (Robert, Maria, George, Hannah Walker), Hatton (John Thomas, Frank, Christopher Hatton), Rogers (Emma & Arnold), John Wesley Thomas, John Baker, William Crutchley, Isaiah Bowen, Sarah Jane & Reuben Dunn, Harry Jones, Frederick John Ridgway, Albert George Bowyer.

A copy of the first baptisms at the New Connexion (prior to the Salem) collated by James Lawson in 1835. Total of 152 baptisms from 1790 – 1835 together with some research notes available at our Base on Tuesdays.

WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK 50/100 YEARS AGO by Mike Belcher

4th July 1968 Cannock Advertiser Details of Cheslyn Hay Salem Wesley Women’s barbeque at the home of Mrs B Hackett of 5 High Street, Cheslyn Hay, to raise funds to subsidise their autumn fair last week. Nearly 70 people attended the event and all the names of stallholders and helpers given.
4th July 1968 Representatives from Great Wyrley Secondary Modern School entertained the members of Cheslyn Hay Over 60s Club at their meeting last week. The headmaster of the school, Mr A E Sweet, was the guest speaker. Also involved were Mr D Smith, Mr Poxon, Mrs G Plant, Mrs Waltho, Mrs Knott, Mrs L Baker, Mr Poxon, Mrs Grant, Mrs Bray and Mrs Collins.

6th July 1918 Cannock Chase Courier Full details of one of the most interesting bowling matches that has taken place on the Senior Bowling Green, was witnessed on Saturday, when Wood Green, Wednesbury, were the visitors.

6th July 1918 Activities given of the children attending the Council School for the local Soldiers benefit.

6th July 1918 At the meeting of Cannock Rural District Council, on Friday, Mr and Mrs S Mellor, of Station Street, Cheslyn Hay, were elected caretakers at the Isolation Hospital.

APPEAL Roger is appealing to anyone who may have use of any Childrens or Adults Dressmaker dummies to lend to ourselves over the weekend 5th & 6th October for our Exhibition. Please contact Roger on 01785 212412 or 07928070061.

FOR FAMILY HISTORIANS With the interest in family history research through DNA databases, below is a theoretical number of ancestors you could have in 18 generation … without any cross linking. Assuming each generation averages out at 25 years you are looking at over a quarter of a million ancestors taking you back to just the mid 17th century. An interesting thought…..

15th Great Grandparents 131,072

14th Great Grandparents 65,536

13th Great Grandparents 32,768

12th Great Grandparents 16,384

11th Great Grandparents 8,192

10th Great Grandparents 4,096

9th Great Grandparents 2,048

8th Great Grandparents 1,024

7th Great Grandparents 512

6th Great Grandparents 256

5th Great Grandparents 128

4th Great Grandparents 64

3rd Great Grandparents 32

2nd Great Grandparents 16

Great Grandparents 8

Grandparents 4

Parents 2

Self 0

Total Number of Ancestors in 18 Generations 262,142

trevor.cheslynhayhistory@talktalk.net

EVENTS  In conjunction with the Cheslyn Hay Library, we are offering free sessions in family history for beginners this month at the library on Thursday July 19th from 2.00 pm until 5.00pm.  Malcolm Podmore has organised them and can be contacted for further information on 01922 410021 or 07794418295.  There will also be experienced researchers to assist anyone and we will have access to almost 40 billion online records on hand.

OUR SALEM BASE is open from 9am – 2pm every Tuesday.  Everyone welcome to view our photographs and archives with plenty of advice on hand.

REQUESTS  William Thomason emails ‘I`m trying to find information, such as where and when born etc, on Thomas Peach(1838-1920) and his wife Elizabeth Leech (1838-1902).  Their son Francis (1880-1973) married Ethel Wollaston (1886-1942) which suggests that Thomas and Elizabeth were in their forties when Francis was born, which is a possibility of course.  Ethel Wollaston is my grandfather’s cousin.

RESPONSES  Following the visit to the Base last week of Steve Evans and his daughter Alison from Carlisle we have received two most appreciative emails from them both.  Alison says ‘Thank you so much for everything you did yesterday to make my Dad’s visit to Cheslyn Hay so successful. Everyone was so welcoming and you all went to such a lot of trouble to help Dad find out the things he wanted to, and to see again some of the places from his childhood.  Dad still has lots of memories from his childhood growing up in the village and it was lovely to be able to spend time with so many people reminiscing about the past and sharing stories from their childhoods.  It was fascinating for me too!  Special thanks to Mike Belcher for being so helpful and escorting us down to The Lot and to everyone who came especially to say hello to Dad.  You have an amazing set up there – not just in terms of all the well catalogued records you so carefully preserve, but also the wonderful social support and friendship you facilitate. You clearly provide a lifeline for lots of local people and volunteers.  We went away with lots to talk about and it was lovely to have things to reflect on with Dad on the way home.’  Such visits always add to our own enjoyments at the Base and thanks to his incisive memory Steve was able to provide much insight of how life was during and after the war.  However one casual comment by Steve deserves a little more research as he mentioned an evacuee he used to be friends with at the Mount Zion Chapel.  Her name was Barbara Gill and she stayed with Mr Fred Smith and their family in Station Street Cheslyn Hay.  In our archives we have nine photographs of her in both the Mount Zion and Salem choirs as well as at Great Wyrley School, so does anyone else remember Barbara?

And on the same line of thought another email arrived this week from Neil Anstee from New Zealand ‘On behalf of myself and my elderly parents can I please thank you for enduring my enquiring emails both from the UK and NZ over the past several months.  As you may be aware, we all met Vi Leach a few weeks ago and to say that we were all so very impressed it would be a tremendous understatement.  The detailed work that she has carried out for us is amazing and we are extremely grateful to her and to you for your kind patience.  Thank you seems so inappropriate when we have such a lot to be grateful to you both for.’

After Sylvia’s request from last week we have been able to provide her with full information on all the burials of the Jukes family in the Cheslyn Hay cemetery and we are now researching all references we have to this family in our archives.  An added bonus however was a contact a direct relative of Sylvia’s g-g-g-g-grandparents Job Dukes who was born in 1771.  They are now in contact with each other and exchanging information.

And Donald Parbrook comments on his Whitehouse family including one who emigrated in the late 1700s after being sentenced to death but commuted to life in colonies.  He has now got a ‘prime suspect’ family group in 1881 who have definite DNA links to him and also linking in with the Parbrook, Brevitt and Weetman families.

ARCHIVE ADDITIONS/ARTEFACTS/DONATIONS  A set of Pastry Cutters from the Cheslyn Hay Infants School at Pinfold Lane and a Bean Slicer all added to the Don McCulloch Collection and a mincing machine from the early 1900s from Kath Walmsley.  Plus two recent  Memorial Service cards commemorating the lives of Patricia Margaret Potts (b 5 Aug 1924) and Reginald Thomas George Whittingham (b 18 April 1938).

WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK 50 YEARS AGO by Mike Belcher

27th June 1968  Cannock Advertiser  Details of a full sports programme at the Cheslyn Hay Primary School naming Paul Fowler, Lesley Ryan, Graham Sambrook, Keith Rogers and Nulia Bylic.

27th June 1968  Cheslyn Hay Parish Council discussing the existing football pitch on the recreation ground currently being used by both Landywood and the Talbot.

FOR FAMILY HISTORIANS

A poignant poem from Judy Desha in Australia entitled ‘Dear Ancestor’

Your tombstone stands among the rest, neglected and alone,

The name and date are chiselled out on polished, marbled stone.

It reaches out to all who care, it is too late to mourn,

You did not know that I exist, you died and I was born.

Yet each of us are cells of you, in flesh, in blood, in bone,

Our blood contracts and beats a pulse, entirely not our own.

Dear Ancestor, the place you filled one hundred years ago,

Spreads out among the ones you left, who would have loved you so.

I wonder if you lived and loved, I wonder if you knew,

That someday I would find this spot, and come to visit you.

JANET RANKINE (nee GUNN)   Janet, a long standing member from Littlewood Lane, sadly passed away last Tuesday 19th June, aged 78, after a long illness.  Lived in Bridgtown until 1952 before her family moved to Mount Pleasant when she attended Great Wyrley High School and Cannock Mining College studying shorthand and typing which provided her with a career in the offices of Stella Tileries, Rosemary Tileries, Schrader’s and in later life for the DSS in Cannock.  Described by everyone who knew her as ‘a kind, pleasant and lovely person who loved her home and family’.  Our thoughts are with her husband John and the family.  Funeral is on Friday 6th July at Bushbury Crematorium at 3pm.  Family flowers only.  Donations to Cancer Research.

trevor.cheslynhayhistory@talktalk.net

EVENTS This month’s speaker is Sue Bray, the curator of Samuel Johnson House in Lichfield who will be giving a talk about Samuel Johnson’s life entitled ‘A Delve into the Dictionary’ and will include a light hearted quiz. Thursday 28th February at 7.30pm at the Salem. £1 including refreshments.

OUR SALEM BASE is open from 9am – 2pm every Tuesday and this week we welcome Steve Evans and his family who are travelling down from Carlisle on Monday to spend Tuesday with us researching their Evans and Lawson families. Steve is interested in what records we hold on the Mount Zion Methodist Chapel, the Pinfold Lane log books throughout the war years and the Cheslyn Hay Working Mens Club. We will also have on hand members with local knowledge going back to these times and we look forward to escorting the family around the village. Anyone who are connected to these families will all be most welcome. Steve’s father, also Steve, was a keen bowls player and his mother Eva Lawson was originally born in Bridgtown.

REQUESTS Roger Winfer emails a request to view the range of local maps we have now installed ‘on the cloud’ with his particular interest being of Shareshill showing roads and properties around the 1880s. This will be dealt with by our archivists Graham and Daz at our Base on Tuesday.

RESPONSES Sylvia Parsons visited Cheslyn Hay during the week but unfortunately called when our Base wasn’t open, so we were unable to show her round the Cheslyn Hay cemetery where her family ancestors were buried. However since our last contact with us in January Sylvia has had more success in her research of her Jukes family and confirms that Thomas & Susanna Jukes (Dukes) are her ancestors and although she does not have a birth certificate for Job, Sylvia has wills of his brothers who name him and his wife Maria. Also Sylvia has Birth, Death and Marriage Certificates as well as Wills relating to her family ancestry and has kindly offered to donate copies of these to our archives for the benefit of other members researching her family.

APPEAL Although our coach trip to Liverpool’s World Museum to see the Terracotta Army was sold out immediately, we’ve have just received three cancellations. The date is Thursday, 12th July leaving the Salem at 8am and is £25 a seat inclusive of entrance to the museum. Please phone Roger on 01785 212412 or 07928070061 if interested.

ARCHIVE ADDITIONS/ARTEFACTS/DONATIONS Certificates and records all relating to the Perks & Rhodes families plus a nightdress case and spectacles from the 1870s. Also letters from John H Garratt and James Henry Cadman and newspaper cuttings on a dispute with farmer Edgar Hackett concerning the public footpath that ran along the disused railroad in New Horse Road and Great Wyrley.

WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK 50/100 YEARS AGO by Mike Belcher

20th June 1968 Cannock Advertiser The Cheslyn Hay Wednesday afternoon Art and Needlework class to disband.

20th June 1968 Accident concerning Graham Barry Ralph Pearce of Five Bars, Woodman Lane, Cheslyn Hay.

20th June 1968 Success of the Gingham Girls, the Katrinas and the Honeytots at the National Championship Competition in Oswestry with names of the individuals.

22nd June 1918 Cannock Chase Courier Details of the newly formed Prisoner of War Fund.

WWI COMMEMORATION researched by Bob Brevitt This July we commemorate the death of 12162 Joseph Thomas Holland of the 184thTunnelling Company of the Royal Engineers who was killed on 21st August 1918 aged 31, son of Joseph and Mary Holland, and husband of Beatrice of 148 Station Street, Cheslyn Hay, and buried with honour at the Lijssenhoek Military Cemetery.

JOSEPH THOMAS HOLLAND researched by Bob Brevitt Bob adds details of the final days of this soldier as from this extract from ‘The True and Faithful Men’ by Ken Wayman.

trevor.cheslynhayhistory@talktalk.net

EVENTS  This month’s Chat n Char is on Thursday 14th June at 10.00am in the Main Hall of the Salem with Roger in charge as usual.

OUR SALEM BASE is open from 9am – 2pm every Tuesday.  Researchers always available to help any enquiries.  Everyone welcome.

REQUESTS  None received this week.

RESPONSES  An immediate response to Ann Molloy’s request of last week came from Daz, our researcher and archivist, who confirms that ‘the cottages referred to owned by John Stokes in the mid 19th Century were later to become one property of 2 Littlewood Road, known later as Bowyer’s farm. We were kindly donated copies of these deeds to the old farm which mention the Stokes family and looking at the maps it seems the cottages were pulled down at some stage and the farm house built to replace them.’  We are now producing copies of the map showing the cottages and later, the farm, for both Ann and Trevor Bate.  We also received an email from Margaret Wilson who wonders if ‘my Stokes/Hodgekins/Bate family links in with your  enquiry as the reply from Trevor Bate does confirm my suspicions.  I seem to have a maze of Whitehouse and Bate lines interweaving in a very confusing manner.  My tree looks more like a plait in some places than a tree!’  I am now arranging for all interested parties to share information.

Vicki’s memories of her grandfather Jack Sishton collecting his Christmas pensioner’s bonus of £10 in the seventies proved correct with members recalling other pubs and clubs operating similar schemes.

And we’ve had a couple of names added to Vanessa’s stories of nicknames through the memories of her grandfather, Christopher Lawson.  It was Tom Perks of the Lot known as ‘Slam’, James Walker of Bridgtown was always called ‘Smiler’ and Herbie was the well known undertaker George Herbert Hudson.

NEW PHOTOGRAPHS  Photographs of the Potts family including Pat, Joe & Robert Potts, Phoebe & Pauline Baker, Pat, Horace & Emma Marshall, Johnny Smith & Charlie Worsey (PE-POT-10,11,12,13,14,15).  Two of the Poxons in service during the war Alan David & Wilfred Harry Poxon (PE-POX-10,11),  Glenys Hammond as the 1950 Blossom Queen (PE-HAM-5) and one together with her sister Marilyn and mother Gladys Baker (PE-HAM-6).  £1 per 6×4 Photographic Print.

ARCHIVE ADDITIONS/ARTEFACTS/DONATIONS  History of Old Heath Hayes for our library and a raft of old newspapers for our collection donated by Geoff Sellman.

WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK 50/100 YEARS AGO by Mike Belcher

6th June 1968  Cannock Advertiser  Six paragraphs of this year’s carnival naming countless people taking part together with the Carnival Queen and her attendants.  Also all the activities, floats, stallholders and all the winners.  (More information available on request)

8th June 1918  Cannock Chase Courier  An award by His Majesty the King of a Victoria Cross, which has considerable interest to the people of Cannock district, is that bestowed on Second Lieutenant Cecil Leonard Knox, of the Royal Engineers, son of Mr Jaz Knox JP, and Managing Director of Messrs G W Lewis Tileries Ltd of Cheslyn Hay.  (Full details of his actions on request)

trevor.cheslynhayhistory@talktalk.net 

EVENTS  Roger’s coach trip to Alrewas and then Tutbury Castle on the afternoon for a guided tour by the curator Lesley Smith including a cream tea this Thursday 7th June but unfortunately all places were booked weeks ago.

OUR SALEM BASE is open from 9am – 2pm every Tuesday and this week we are helping Bridgtown LHS with their research on all aspects of Hawkins Tileries for their new book on ‘Industry’.

RESPONSES  Further to Jeanette’s request from Virginia in the newsletter dated 8th April re her g-grandfather, John William Jones, of Prees in Shropshire, who married Emma K Butler of Cheslyn Hay, she emails her thanks for the information we have provided for her from one of our members, Gill, who is a direct descendant of Emma and they have been able to exchange much family history.  Jeanette adds that ‘I have to tell you that your help enabled me to drill down into missing family members here in the US and I have found the children and grandchildren of George Jones, born to John and Emma Butler Jones in Cheslyn Hay in 1898.  I have a reunion scheduled with both sides in July.  I cannot wait!  I hope then to have more info on John and Emma and their sons John and George Jones.  I’m told there are several boxes of documents and photos for me to go through!’

Although we have been unable to contact Ann Molloy’s other Australian part of her Isaiah & Sophia Bate family, we have had an immediate response from Trevor Bate, one of our local members, who has extensive research into this family line and they will now be in contact with one another.  Our own records show that ‘Sophia Hodgkins b abt1822 in Cheslyn Hay and christened 20 April 1822 married Isaiah Bate (b abt1821) & christened 14 June 1821.  They married at St Peters in Wolverhampton on 27 Dec 1841.  Ann emails ‘It’s so exciting learning about my Cheslyn Hay relatives as my relatives left to go to Stoke in the mid 1800s.  My dad used to tell me his grandfather walked all the way from Cannock although he could not read track signs.  He was a besom maker, who I believe was Charles Stokes (b1832).  His father was John Stokes who was married to Rebecca Hodgkins, living in Little Wood.  According to the records, he owned two cottages there.  In his 1870 will he stipulated that his daughter Sophia Bate and family were to live in the other cottage for as long as necessary after which it would be sold upon the death of Rebecca.  He died in 1874 and she in 1878.   Sophia remarried and eventually moved.   I would like to find where the cottages stood if possible.’

OLD NEWSPAPERS researched by Dave Washington  All three reports from the Walsall Observer, all dated 1918, and all concerning the First World War involving Councillor Mr Baxter, Second Lieutenant Harold Hawkins and L/Corp George Allen.

WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK 50/100 YEARS AGO by Mike Belcher

30th May 1968 Cannock Advertiser   The outcome of the Cheslyn Hay residents petition for the continued use of a petrol filling station for car repairs from the Minister of Housing and Local Government.  Full details.

30th May 1968  The funeral of Mr Dennis Jackson, of 195 Station Street, Cheslyn Hay.

30th May 1968  Information of Talbot S C’s successful football season with B Charlesworth, R Benton, Maginess and Thompson.

1st June 1918 Cannock Chase Courier  Successful year for the allotments particularly mentioning the methods and experiments of M T Wright.

1st June 1918  News that Private George Kingston of Queen Street, had been wounded and was a Prisoner of War.

1st June 1918  At the weekly meeting of the Relief Committee Mrs Harvey had received a letter from Private Norman Jones, who is in Salonica, giving details.

1st June 1918  The Salem Methodist Church and the adjoining Institute are forming a cycling and tennis club for the members with information.

REG WHITTINGHAM  Another one of our long standing members passed away on Saturday, 25th May.  Having celebrated his recent 80th birthday with us at the Base he will be greatly missed for his knowledge and his companionship.  Born locally and educated at Pinfold Lane School, Reg had a lifelong career down the mines working at several of the local pits including Hawkins before finishing at Littleton Colliery as an overman.  He was also one of the last surviving members of the Rescue Services in the area but he will always be appreciated for the time he so generously gave to display his range of fossils and mining equipment at our Annual Exhibitions.

PAT POTTS (nee Marshall)  Funeral of Mrs Pat Potts is at St Mark’s Church at 10am this Tuesday 5th June, followed by interment at Cheslyn Hay Cemetery and a repast at Great Wyrley Old Hall and not last Tuesday as incorrectly reported.

MEMORIES  A poem from Glenys (nee Hammond) of her childhood memories of the tramway, the Slings, the trains, the canal barges and the pubs and the everyday working lives of the old miners.

trevor.cheslynhayhistory@talktalk.net