Cheslyn Hay & District Local History Society

Our Salem Base will be open as usual from 10am – 3pm on Tuesday.  Last week we enjoyed the enquiries and researches from 10 visitors and this week we are expecting members of the Merchant family.
A member is after news of Frances Lockley who seemed to have been fostered out to another local family and sent to work probably at the brickworks.  As well as Violet Lockley who married a John Bullas.
And from last week’s enquiry re William Richard Bradford request, he died of acute pneumonia and we now have his service records and his enlistment papers.
New photographs include one of  Nancy Mason and a couple of excellent old ones of the backs of the houses in Littlewood Lane.
And additional artefacts to our archives this week include a Home Guard badge which belonged to Miss Pauline Benton, and a delightful Salem Souvenir 1927 Booklet of the British Empire ‘Gleanings’ which includes quotes from the local Salemites Walter Bull, Corona Price and the Benton, Brough, Cartwright, Corns, Devereux, Fletcher, Fereday, Goodman, Horton, Hudson, Jones, Perks, Plant, Ridgway, Rogers, Sambrooks, Smith, Stokes, Taylor, Wootton, Whitehouse, Wollaston, Haycock and the Hawkins families. Also three more Cheslyn Hay Family Trees – one of the Henry Pearson (b1792) and Dace (b1822) family, one of the William Benton (b1785) line and another one of the Hawkins family tree – but not following the line of Joseph Hawkins of ‘Hawkins, Colliery, Hawkins Tileries etc’ but of Jabez, younger brother of Joseph, and son of Benjamin (b1786).  We’ve also received more information on the soldier mentioned in the book, William Usher Parnaby, who committed suicide.
The newspaper reports of one hundred years ago include the death of Mr Jas Hickman of Station Street , Cheslyn Hay and full details of the presentation to Miss Jennie Lawson on her emigration to Canada.
And Memories this week come from the late Joe Cadman’s memoirs and researches on the Salem mentioning its history and memories of  Mr John Hitchens, Mr George Wootton, Joseph Baker and Fred Wootton.   As well as on the musical side Kathleen Ferrier, Constance Shatlock, Robert Easter, Heddle Nash, Mr Arnold Hawkins, Mr Amphlett and Howard Benton.  Also a story of the councillor Denis Brough.
Fuller details of the above can be obtained, free of charge by contacting this email.
trevor.cheslynhayhistory@talktalk.net

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740 copies of our new book ‘Cheslyn Hay Lives – Volume Two’ have already been sold or in the shops leaving just 260 books in stock.
Our Salem Base is open as usual this Tuesday from 10am – 3pm and this week we are entertaining two sections of the Merchant family researching their family roots as well as a discussion on the killing of Mr George Barnett that is included in our new book.
A request has been received this week for information on William Richard Bradford who enlisted into the army in 1917 and the family believed he went to France but never returned. However it now appears he never got to France. He enlisted on the 2nd February 1917 and died 22 days later. His service number is T/293775 and he is buried at Baswich Church in Stafford.
And we have responses last week’s enquiry re William Lockley with details of his background as well as 10 photographs of him in our archives from early part of last century.
Donations from last week’s Exhibition include an old Cycling Map and two books presented to Mr D Brian 1911 and Agnes Benton 1890 by Mr George Wootton of the Cheslyn Hay Social Club. Also two Hawkins floor tiles found in a garden at Eagle Close.
And details from the local papers from 100 years ago include the wedding of Sydney, son of Mr Job Whitehouse, of the Stores in High Street Cheslyn Hay and Beatrice, daughter of Mr Jabez Shorter of Wolverhampton Road Cheslyn Hay. As well as details of the Reunion Meeting of the Salem Church Social Class in Cheslyn Hay with mentions of Mr George Wootton, Arthur Wollaston, A Jarvis, the Rev A Colbeck and Mr Owen Costello.
This week’s Memories are from Peter Cadman’s recollections at ‘The Big School’ with recollections and tales of Ian Scott, Owen Lawson, Roger Westwood, David Leach, John Turner, Michael Zazulak, Jeff Hardwick, Tony Cartwright, Roger ‘George‘ Stevenson, Margaret Humphries, Lynda Hemmingsley, Alan Brown, Kevin Gunn, David ‘Wal’ Bylick, Robert Lyle, Robert Brevitt, Paul Whitehouse, Chris Jervis, Philip Perks and Mike Walker with teachers Mr W G Davies, Ken Handley, Mrs Ludlow, Mr Savage, Mr Albert ‘Tomcat’ Tomkinson, Mr Frank Harvey, Miss Wilson, Mr Stan Burton, Mr Bob Pointon, Miss Bruce, Mr Kimber and Mr Cuthbert Bail.
Fuller details of any of the above can be obtained by emailing -

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Our Exhibition was a tremendous success and after all the hard work, it certainly was worth it.
A request this week for William Henry Lockley who was born in Cheslyn Hay and Lynn wants to find out as much information as possible about her g-grandparents.  His wife was Charlotte Butler who died very young and the five children were left to be looked after by the father James Henry Lockley, but by 1910 he seems to have disappeared and the children were left to fend for themselves or taken in by local families. seemingly working in the brickworks.  Lynn’s grandfather, William Henry Lockley played football at league level, possibly West Bromwich and served in the Army in WWI.
   Our researcher Vi answers Maslen query from last week with full details of Caroline Sambrook and James Stokes with addresses and dates of marriages etc.
Fifty years ago in the local papers were details of the Children’s Gift Service with the Rev Luke Hicks, John Cartwright, Mrs Corona Price, Mr L C Hawkins, Mrs Dace and Mrs F Rogers.
And one hundred years ago there is a story of a serious accident involving Frederick Altree (32) whilst following his employment as a Stallman at the Great Wyrley Colliery.
More details via the email below.
trevor.cheslynhayhistory@talktalk.net

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