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Weekly News – 29th January 2012

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:27:32 +0000

Last week at our Base we had twelve visitors with interests including the Steadmans, Fallows and Walley families plus visitors needing help on a couple of new projects. We are open every Tuesday for such enquiries at the Salem from 10am – 3pm.
A couple of requests this week. Gordon Pace from Canada asks if anyone is researching the Wootton surname as he has two links with them from the Pace family from Shareshill. Enoch Pace (b1832) a locksmith from Willenhall married Hannah Wootton (b abt1835) from Willenhall. Then the son of George (b Cannock) and Frances Emily Emery (nee Pace and b Shareshill), Joseph E Emery (1891-1952) married Florence E Wootton (1892-1931). Florence was born in Bloxwich to Charles and Sarah Ann Wootton and she emigrated to Canada in 1911 and died in Toledo.
And David Whitehouse is after information on the marriage of Rhoda Ridgway (b1869 to George and Rhoda) to William Leadbeater sometime between 1892 -94. They had at least six children all born in the 1890s – Ellen (Nellie) and William Henry (in Cheslyn Hay), John (Gt Wyrley), and Wilfred, Lucy, Elizabeth (in Bloxwich). Ellen and William appear to be registered as Ridgway while the other four as Leadbeater and David is hoping to find a descendent to help him to resolve the issue.
And here is a ‘longshot’ request and also from Canada. Does anyone know of any local independent dressmakers in the early 1900s and were they tagged in any way to identify the makers?
And some successful responses from previous requests with full details provided for Ellen Thomas, baptised 26 Oct 1830 and for John Thomas who married Sarah Ann Whitehouse in 1868. These are linked with the Hickman, Brindley, Read and Brookes families. Additions for the Beech family have been provided and more information on the Haycock family has come to light from a new member who has the family bible with records of births back to the early 19th century as well as family traditions, anecdotes and folklore, together with an autobiography of one of the family. There are also links with the Bills, the Perks and the Jones families. And finally our researcher has resolved the longstanding Bates/Whitehouse problem for Margaret in Shropshire. It reveals a rather complicated family tree from the late 1700s to the early 1800s with two unrelated Mary Whitehouses and illegimate chldren but fortunately we have a transcript of local entries at St Lukes which turned up the answers.
Handed in to our archives this week is a Salem School Anniversary Scented Card dated 10th May 1970 and the Rev W Clarke is named.
And in Mike Belcher’s newspaper reports of this week 50 and 100 years ago include the death of Mary Jane Worsey of 21 Hollybush and details of her life in 1961, but 100 years ago stories include the efforts to raise funds for a piano for the Girls Schools including the names of Mrs Allan, Mr J Jones, Miss Scragg, Harry Hawkins, Mr and Mrs Hosegood, Mrs Lowe, Mr and Mrs AE Hawkins, Mr and Mrs FW Hawkins, Mrs Minnie Hawkins, Mr and Mrs W Jukes and WJ Bowen (Great Wyrley). There was also a Whist Drive involving Mr AJ Jones, Miss Hunter, Mrs Baggaley, Mr J Bown, Wilfred Hawkins, Camilla M Gripton, Miss Mann and Hamar Holcroft.

Also news in 1912 of Wilfred Ridgway, who emigrated to America and also news of the two daughters of Mr W Lawson, caretaker of the Salem Church who were now living in Canada . And the Working Men’s Club ran a tournament of all-fours organised by A Perks, T Bickley and A Allen with details of the winners. Plus details of Percy Carpenter and his involvement in the area but is now leaving the Red Lion and the area.

Also 100 years ago this week Joseph Whitehouse and Bert Pee were charged with stealing with full details of the case mentioning Herbert James Price and PC Pearce.
And this week we welcome Joyce Gough’s first impressions of Cheslyn Hay when she came from Willenhall in the sixties.
Full details of any of the above items can be requested via the email address -
trevor.cheslynhayhistory@talktalk.net

Weekly News – 22nd January 2012

admin — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:18:33 +0000

We welcome local author Tony Hunt as our guest speaker this Thursday, 26th January at the Salem at 7.30pm talking on ‘Dr Palmer – the Rugeley Poisoner’. £1 including refreshments.
Our Salem Base is open every Tuesday from 10am – 3pm. Last week we had 9 visitors enquiring or researching into the Haycock, Whitehouse, Thomas, Baker, Fisher and Dace family trees.
Requests this week include where eleven of the Shorters were buried in the late 1800s and an appeal for information on the Haycock family that go back to the 1700s originating from Wedges Mills and there were six sons from Cheslyn Hay – William Henry b1908, Archibald b1905, Cyril b1912, Douglas b1919, Charles Leslie b1922 and Harold Kenneth b1925.
Also John Alsopp from Nottingham appeals for information on John Thomas who was christened at St Marks on 11 February 1849 and born to Ellen Thomas and Manuel Feorette. Does anyone have this Ellen Thomas in their tree? And a request from Margaret McGowan in Canada after details of Joseph Turner of Trysull, whose son Samuel married Eliza Beech. The Beech family lived in Little Wood in 1851 and Margaret would appreciate any help or information on them.
Last week’s request on Emma Thomas has been solved. She has been traced and so has Beatrice Whitehouse. Also information and relatives of the Cheslyn Hay Wolloxalls has been found and passed on.
New photographs this week include one of Ethel Dorothy Davis and two mystery photographs of a Christmas party at either the Mount Zion or the Bethel at Bridgtown and a shopkeeper and his family outside a Cheslyn Hay shop around 100 years ago.
And handed in for our archives is the detailed life of William Baker (1850 – 1922) and a family tree of the Whitehouse family going back to John Whitehouse (b1797) who married Jane (b1805). Plus a mincer in its box to add to our artefacts for our displays.
In Mike’s ‘What Happened 50 Years Ago’ this week the papers cover a Wesley Guild concert including Mrs Kath Spooner, Mr B Hackett and Miss A Alsop and also recorded was the death of Mr James (Jim) Jones of Old Falls off Low Street, and full details of his life as a miner and also as a noted singer. And ’100 Years Ago’ there was a full description of the renovations to the Salem church, and a meeting of 40 members of the Bricklayers Arms together with a meal and entertainment mentioning Mr and Mrs Henry Dutton, Mr JE Hart, and Messrs Boswell, Stanton, Smallman, Evans, S Sargent, A Bailey and Mr W Taylor.
And in Part Two of Peter Cadman‘s ‘Fings Aint What They Used To Be’ Memories, he expands on life in the fifties and sixties including Doctors Malone and Stott, Arnold Horton, Duncan Brough, Sergeant Tommy O’Neil, PC Murtagh, Clarence Biddle, Ethel Horton and the shops of Herbert and George Perks, Hacketts, Garbetts and Parkes. As well as some nostalgia about the Rec, the Razza, the Nook Basin and Middle Hill as well as Rosa’s ice cream!
Full reports of all of the above can be emailed via the address below.
trevor.cheslynhayhistory@talktalk.net

Weekly News – 15th January 2012

admin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:16:01 +0000

Our Base at the Salem is open every Tuesday from 10am – 3pm and everyone is welcome for help on all types of researches. And it’s free.
We are discussing ways of developing all the Whitehouse family trees and we would welcome all enquiries of anyone with such lonks with Cheslyn Hay.
And Katrina from Reykjavik has picked up on a mention of a Roseanna Wolloxall from an old Newsletter on our website and she is interested to get any details of any of the Cheslyn Hay Wolloxalls.
Our researcher has answered John Buckley’s query from last week with confirmation that the three children are those of Eliza and Jonathan Buckley together with their burial plots but no joy with John Wood’s enquiry as Mary Ann Cope was born in Wednesbury but there is certainly no baptism there. However her parents moved to Yorkshire in the 1880s and her father William Cope died in 1889 in Doncaster aged 69 with his widow still living there in the 1891 census.
And Sue has had much response to her Bullock family enquiry.
New photographs catalogued this week include seven of Sunshine Farm and the Fallows family, seven of the Baker and Haycock families, eight of the Daces, Piatts and Powell families plus the wedding of Norman Wright of the Accordian Band, Gladys Kingston, the Paxtons, Don Perks and one of the 1953 Carnival. All available at the Base.
This week we have been donated a Souvenir Programme dated 2nd January 1945 of a Musical Evening at the Salem celebrating 50 years of music. And three family trees – the Wolloxalls from 1818, the Carpenters from 1832 linking with the Baker, Follows, Smith, Beech and Bird families of Cheslyn Hay and also the Westwoods from 1790. Richard Westwood is also keen on linking his family tree with the other two Westwood trees from Cheslyn Hay and would appreciate any help.
And a trawl through the local papers of 50 years ago on 20th January 1962 reveal stories of the concrete cement works to be built in Coppice Lane, a pigeon show by the Cheslyn Hay Homing Society including prize winners J Owen, T Condrey, W Izon, A Bradbury, N Hughes, J Mason and S Baxter, and the death of Mr Wilfred Pee of 6a Station Street Cheslyn Hay together with full details of his life and all the mourners are named at his funeral.
Memories this week come from Ivor Plant of Ross-on-Wye recalling his boyhood days in Littlewood, the Coppice, the Raz and on the Rec with ‘The Policeman’s Helmet’ and the slide. He also recall stories of Mrs Kingston who lived in the Station House and being in Miss Cross’s class.
More information on any of the above stories can be obtained by request to the email address below.
trevor.cheslynhayhistory@talktalk.net

And also 100 years ago on 20th January 1912 stories involving horses trespassing on the allotments, the great blizzard in the week and a Dominoes tournament at the Working Men’s Club and Institute with J Brough, S Bills and A Perks taking the awards. But there is also a tragic story of Joseph Kingston, son of Thomas Kingston, of Station Street, Cheslyn Hay. He was only 18 years of age when he met with a serious accident to his spine at the brickyard last March. A committee has been formed consisting of F W Hawkins, T Kingston, W Brough , T Hand, I Smith, A Brough and W H Browell to raise funds for his needs with a special performance at the pictures at Brittannia Hall. There was much interest manifested in the event and at the time that the performance commenced the hall was crowded with an appreciative audience. There were two performances and the hall was filled on both occasions. The Victoria Brass Band Quartette played outside the building and also a duet was prettily rendered by Messrs T Holcroft and J Allen. The pictures were most interesting. In fact it was stated that they were the finest ever witnessed in the township. The programme mainly consisted of cowboys and Indians, which were not only amusing, but instructive and met with repeated applause from the audience.
Requests this week come from Canada on Edward Whitehouse (1846-1890) who married Ann Taylor b1849 and had 12 children but there are queries on two of the children Clara b1885 and Beatrice b1889. And also Emma Thomas b1872 in Cheslyn Hay to Joseph and Ann Thomas but after being baptized at St. Marks on 22 Dec 1872 there is no record of her.

Weekly News – 8th January 2012

admin — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:55:35 +0000

Coffee Morning this week on Thursday, 12th January in the Lecture Room at 10am for a presentation by Derrick Middleton on ‘Do you remember what Sundays were like?!’
Our Salem Base will be open as usual on Tuesday from 10am – 3pm for viewings of all photographs and help with local family history research.
After we were able to supply John with the burial place of his g-grandmother Eliza Buckley (née Walker) from his request of last week, John is after burial plots of Elizabeth (7 months) and Harriet Florence (9 months) Buckley in 1878, and would like to know if these are Eliza and Jonathan’s children. Plus a request for details of the caretakers at the Salem Chapel which we are appealing for help with.
The Bullock enquiry has been satisfactorily resolved with current details of where the family is still living, as well as the entire Bullock family tree going back to 1801 linking with the Knowles, James, Morgan, Owen, Pearson, Pritchard, Smith and of course the Whitehouse families.
And more on Tom Beardsley from John who used to live next door to him as a lad.
Donations handed in include the handwritten last will and testament of John Lockley of Bridgtown, husband of Martha, dated 21st October 1880 as well as two excellent pages covering the story of the Buckley family in Cheslyn Hay from the early 1800s, together with the family tree which links in with other local families like Walker, Bowen, Simmons and Bates. Also ‘A History of Walsall Hospitals (1838 – 1998) donated by its author Percy B Carpenter, a consultant at the Manor Hospital for many years and born in Landywood. The book includes the Cheslyn Hay Isolation Hospital.
In Mike Belcher’s column of ‘What was in the newspapers 50/100 years ago’ covers a strange story of Bert Kingston’s cow stuck down his well and also the death of George T Dutton of 199 Station Street Cheslyn Hay and his life story together with the demises of cricket umpire Richard William Hood of 15 Windsor Road Cheslyn Hay and miner Wallace Timmins of 30 Low Street and their life stories. And an article explaining a rather unusual way of raising money for the Methodist Women’s Work by the Rev WR Kerry.
And 100 years ago, details of the Cheslyn Hay branch of the Unionist Association tea and concert reception involving Mr G A Lloyd MP, Minnie Hawkins, Annie Hampton, J Mason, Mrs Devereux, Mrs J C Browell, Mrs Sambrook, Mrs Lawson, Miss A Hampton, Miss C Whitehouse, Miss F Thomas, Miss A Sayer, Miss Connie Greensill, Miss Horobin , Miss C M Gripton, Miss J Grose, Mr A R Knox, J Thomas, J. Garrett, A. Wollaston, Laurence C Hawkins, Carrie Whitehouse, Miss K Hosegood, Miss Carter, Miss Pass, Percy Edgar, Mr W Barrett and W H Steadman.
Also in the same edition was an advert for W Brian’s shop in Low Street.
Sheila (nee Ridgeway) from Sussex recalls a flood of memories from her childhood days in Cheslyn Hay covering stories of her friends and the characters she remembers from her schooldays including Maureen Downton, Jackie Cross, Norman Fletcher, Johnny Sivorns, Alfie Rogers, Paul Zazalak, George Gaskin, Roger Moore, Wilfred Barker, Ernie Heminsley and Vera Pringle.
Throughout December there were 103 sightings of our local scenes on staffspasttrack They were - Brittania Picture House 29, Walter Hackett 16, Albert Hawkins shop 12, Salem 12, Hackets Butchers shop 11, Garrett’s shop 9, High Street 7 and Wootton’s Post Office 7.
Fuller details on any of the above stories can be obtained by contacting me on
trevor.cheslynhayhistory@talktalk.net

Weekly News – 1st January 2012

admin — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:35:06 +0000

Our Salem Base is open as usual every Tuesday from 10am – 3pm for all researches and enquiries. Everyone welcome.
With increasing interest for Family Tree researches we have invested in more websites to accommodate these enquiries. Now we have all the censuses throughout all of the country including Scotland and Ireland at our fingertips. Plus WWI Military Records, local Church, Parish and Burial Records, and also School Log Books and Records as well as Newspaper Reports now going back over 180 years.
Sue is researching her Bullock family tree from Great Wyrley and she believes they were caretakers at the local school and lived in the schoolhouse for a time. She emails ‘My great aunt Florrie did ‘emigrate’ to Cheslyn Hay when she married my uncle Owen Whitehouse but the others stayed close to home. Some lived in the old cottages on the Walsall Road and the other girls married names were Hartwell, Knowles and Pritchard. I have a couple of second cousins from the Hartwell side – Aunt Nancy (baptised Ann Marie Bullock) had two daughters, Doreen (who I don’t think had any children) and Joyce (had two sons Malcolm and Terry Brown). I have no idea what happened to them but they would be in their early sixties. My gran’s married name was Standley and I seem to remember second cousins called Robert and Brian Bullock – one of them had a newsagents in Great Wyrley. Hope someone will help me to track them down but my main interest is in finding out who my great grandfather was as I only found out in later life that my grandmother was illegitimate. And the lady I’d always thought fondly of as a lovely auntie was actually my great grandmother. I think this often happened in families !
And John appeals for help in finding where his g-grandmother Eliza Buckley (née Walker) is buried. She was returned from Bedworth to Cheslyn Hay in December 1935 but the records show that there are no Buckleys buried at all in the Cheslyn Hay cemetery. And a desperate plea from Margaret who has spent some years trying to trace the Bate and the Whitehouse families back to the late 1600s to either Cheslyn Hay or Great Wyrley and has continually drawn a blank. Can anyone help Margaret please?
Also re the Beardsmores, Sheila emails saying that ‘Aunty Ivy Beardsmore was my dads sister and last year I came across John Beardsmore, my long lost cousin, on Friends Reunited but he went off the site before I could contact him. So I would love to find him as he was my dad’s favourite nephew. I am also looking for Susan Robinson whose dad was Les and they moved into the cottage we lived in at 101 Littlewood, next to the Woodman.
Correction from the last Newsletter’s ‘Responses’ re Benny Thompson the bookie. Alf reminds me that he was referring to Tommy Beardsmore driving the three tonners with his mate Jim Bates. My fault and my apologies!
And we have now been able to trace the Bridgtown addresses of the Startin family, and also details of the widow who remarried in 1915. And Elaine responds to the Newspaper Report of 100 years ago on the death of Josiah Dawkins due to a pit accident with sad details of his orphaned children.
Peter Cadman has drawn up a family tree for the Hortons back to 1790′s and is also forwarding copies of BMD certificates of this family for our records. Peter also now confirms that he and David from Canada are 5th cousins and that their g-g-g-g-grandparents are George Whitehouse (b1758) m Lucy Brindley (b1772) on the 10th May 1790.

In Mike Belcher’s column of what happened 50 and 100 years ago this week, he covers the funeral of Mrs Mary Ann Perrins of 1 Chapel Square , Cheslyn Hay with full details of the mourners and of Mrs Perrins life.

But 100 years ago Haydn Whitehouse was sentenced to hard labour in prison. Whilst on a lighter note the Cheslyn Hay Social Class convened their annual re-union with a full programme of entertainment with George Evans, Arnold S Hawkins, Laurence Hawkins, Joe Baker, George Wooton, T Garrett, S Altree, Miss E Horton, Miss Nellie Carter, Raymond Hawkins, Laurence Hawkins, Mr Altree, Miss Horton, Kelly Carter, R Brough, H Perks, F Goodman, Sam Wheat, Ed Brough, Mr Johnson and J Warburton.

The Cannock Chronicle are starting a new weekly ‘Memory Lane’ series and we were asked to provide them with the opening column. We were happy to oblige and chose ‘The Bleak Midwinter of 1947′ including five of our photographs and it was printed last week – December 22nd. Also, thanks to the Great Wyrley LHS, Carl Chinn published a two page spread in Thursday night’s Express & Star on Harrison’s pit and local coal mining.

trevor.cheslynhayhistory@talktalk.net

Memories this week comes from Peter Cadman’s ‘Things Ain’t What They Used To Be’ covering life in the fifties with local characters Percy and Emma Poole, Jean Hemmingsley and Mr Eggerton.

Weekly News – 18th December 2011

admin — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:34:29 +0000

Our Salem Base will be open as usual this Tuesday from 10am – 3pm and also the following Tuesday 27th December but only from 10am – 12.30pm. This is mainly for those who cannot make it on our normal Tuesdays and in particular for those who are visiting their relatives over Christmas – but everyone is welcome.
A couple of requests this week come from people researching the Buckler family tree and concerns Jonathan Buckley who married Eliza Walker in 1871.
And responses to previous queries have produced details of when and where William Henry Startin was buried and where the Davisons lived in the 1911 census. Also more memories on the Beardsmore family of Dundalk Lane including mentions of Bill Barsby, George Chetter, the Poxons and the Kendalls. Plus more on Ben Thompson, the bookie, and the Brough/Whitehouse connections.
Mike Belchers column of ‘What Happened 50/100 Tears Ago’ include news of William Gilpin Senior & Company Ltd in liquidation, and a full report of the tragic death of Josiah Dawkins, a miner of Queen Street. Also news of the Cheslyn Hay Salvation Army who were moving from their base in Hill Street to new premises. And news of the Cheslyn Hay Allotment and Cottage Gardener’s Association. Fuller reports of these stories can be obtained by contacting me at the below address.

There will be no Newsletter next week – so a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of our readers!!!!!!

Weekly News – 11 December 2011

admin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:32:04 +0000

Our Salem Base will be open as usual on Tuesday from 10am – 3pm.
This weeks Requests include tracing the family of William Henry Startin of Rosemary Road who died in Cheslyn Hay in 1910 and an enquiry on Ralph Hall Davison and Annie Sowerby Davison.
Responses include the Bowring enquiry and confirmation of links on the Whitehouse, Brough and Tuft families as well as two newspaper articles on the death of William Henry Reaney down the local pit. Plus details of the Henry Pearson, Sarah Whitehouse and Henry Dace recently requested as well as full details being provided on the Rev William Edward Maiden and Mildred Whitehouse, and the Rev Oliver Harry Thomas. Also details of the Farmer family tree. We are researching stories for next year’s book and we already have drafted out a chapter on the 1980s, so if anyone can add any stories or events – no matter how trivial – that happened during this time around Cheslyn Hay and support it with photographs we would appreciate them for the book or for our archives. Also any stories passed down through the family containing anything of interest will be welcomed.
‘What Happened 50 Years Ago’ column include the annual presentation of bowling prizes held at the Cheslyn Hay WMC with Mr F Worsey, Mr F Bowen, Mr J Evans, Mr H Marshall, Mr S J Perry, Mr P Hudson and Mr C Holloway all mentioned in a full report.
Memories this week are from Peter Cadman and entitled ‘Things Aint What They Used To Be!’ recalling life in Cheslyn Hay in the fifties with stories about Ron Mayou, Ethel Horton, Annie Wesley, Joe ‘Badger’ Wesley, Tim Perks, George Lunt and Hilda Hicken.
The full Newsletter can be available on request.

Weekly News – 4th December 2011

admin — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:38:16 +0000

And ‘Speakers Night’ is also this Thursday 8th December as well where we have the full 24 piece Salvation Army Brass Band to entertain us with Christmas carols and songs at the Salem. Should be a great night and the doors will be open at 7pm.
Our Sallem Base will be open on Tuesday from 10am – 3pm.
Requests this week come from David Whitehouse in Canada involving the Reverend and Mrs William E Maiden who were the nephew and niece of Oliver Harry Thomas as mentioned on p 97 of ‘The Bygone Days of Cheslyn Hay’ book. And David says it seems that Kate Thomas, sister of Oliver Harry, married Henry Whitehouse in 1895 and had a daughter Mildred May born in 1897 in Cheslyn Hay and Mildred married William E Maiden in Cannock in 1921.
Also David Powell recently found a reference to the death of his great grandfather, William Henry Reaney (1868 – 1923) in a mining accident and requests more information. David does not live in the area any more but mentions that his grandfather was Frank Powell (1894-1972) was the landlord of the Royal Oak in Norton Lane. Also someone called in to the Pet Shop this week and asked if anyone can recall a family named Bowring who had a shop in the 1940s in Cheslyn Hay, possibly in Low Street.
And Peter Cadman follows up with information on David Whitehouse’s request of last week is trying to work out if their two family trees converge at Lucy and George Whitehouse. Rhoda Brough b 26 Dec 1792 (nee Whitehouse) was Peter’s g-g-g-grandmother, but he has been unable to trace the Brough line any further back. David states that Lucy was born in 1800, but the Lucy (Brough) in Peter’s family tree was born in 1817 and her mother was Rhoda Brough (nee Whitehouse) and Peter asks could they be the same people as those in Davids tree? More confusingly, the Lucy in Peter’s family tree did marry a Simeon Tuft on 10 Sept 1837 but he doesn’t know if they had a daughter Mary Ann, who in turn had sons called Josiah and Oliver.
Peter Cadman also adds in his email ‘with his memories of Tom Beardsmore with his father, Joe Cadman and his Aunt Clarice Biddle.
And in response to the recent Cheslyn Hay Lives book, Ron Whitehouse points out that the bookmaker mentioned on p34 was Ben Thompson and not Thomas and gives fuller information on him and his family. And Mac Tonks is more than happy to respond to Lynn on her request for information on John and Arabella Winifred Piatt. remembering them from the 1940s.
The Story of Belsen has been added to our WWII archives and is written by Captain Andrew Pares plus a copy of the Residential Lists of Cheslyn Hay residents and tradesmen from the Cannock Chase Blue Book of 1916. Also a potted history of members of the Perks, Baker, Smith, Follows and the Simms families as recorded in 1948 and goes back a further 100 years. And a newspaper report of the death of John Henry Powell of the Parachute Regiment in WWII.

What happened 50 Years ago covers the life story and the death of John William Steadman of 1 Station Street Cheslyn Hay. Also a report on the Cheslyn Hay Wesley Guild Speakers Night involving Mr W E Simpson, Mr W Pearce, Ian Bickley and Miss Ann Allsop.
Another 104 sightings on staffpasttrack in November as follows – Salem 21, Brittania Picture House 20, Walter Hackett 16, High Street 13, Albert Hawkins shop 10, Garretts shop 9, Hacketts butchers shop 8, Wootton’s Post Office 7.
Fuller information of the above stories can be obtained via the email address below.
trevor.cheslynhayhistory@talktalk.net

This week’s memories column is by Gladys Hughes (nee Fallows) recalling the times when her family rented the 28 acres of Sunshine Farm from Mr Arnold Hawkins from 1940 – 1954. Her parents were Lilian and Bill, and she mentions Kathleen Ferrier, Robert Easton and Heddle Nash when they would visit the farm. Gladys also mentions Mr Hawkins whose house backed on to the Rec, Jean Johnson, the singer, Ruby Hackett, and the Youth Club with the Reverend Hicks, Mr Hudson and Mr Roland Ridgway. Also mentioned are Sam Marshall, Jack Palmer and Norman Wright of the Norman Wright Ace Accordian Band.

Weekly News – 27th November 2011

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:22:01 +0000

Our Base at the Salem will be open as usual on Tuesday from 10am – 3pm.
Four requests this week. Stephanie requests details on the history of Cheslyn Hay allotments and when they were formed.
Anna (nee Brevitt) from Cairns in Australia has contacted us re her dad Frederick John Brevitt and mum is Kathleen Jones and Anna says she comes from centuries of Brevitts from Cheslyn Hay’. So do these names fit into anyone’s research from these two well known families?

Marion from South Wales has responded to the information on Howard Benton and the hymn ‘How Great Thou Art’ as well as the records that were made over 40 years ago.

New photographs this week include some of Churchbridge Coaches and their drivers (1950s – 70s), different members of the Webb family, some of Joe Baker, Roy and Jim Bate, Will Perks, Sadie Perks and Joe Lawrence, Charlie Benton and Ethel Merchant, the Staceys and Dennis Westcott, Cheslyn Hay WMC of 2002, Lawrence Delaney, three day trips from the Dog fifty years ago including the families of the Perks, Illidge, Smith, Pearson, Chambers, Altree, Horton and Davis. An early local football team where only Sid Perry, Tom Perks and Jim Rogers are named and a Landywood trip to Blackpool with Ralph Cheshire, Harper, Norman Hughes, Frank Webb and Ray Farrington.
And the Staffordshire Lawn Tennis Association Handbook of 1957 showing details of the Salem teams has been handed in for our archives.
In Mike Belcher column of ‘What Happened Fifty Years Ago’ there is the tragic death of Ian William Wood of 42 Low Street, Cheslyn Hay. Also Headmaster Mr Jack Martin introducing a new alphabet and reading project. Plus the dedication service at Cheslyn Hay Salem Methodist Church on Sunday of a memorial window to Mr Thomas Spooner. .

And Lynne has been tracing the Daces but is now working on her mom’s family tree, the Piatt’s. She has managed to trace them back to their origins in Lancashire but emails ‘have any of your members information on John Piatt’s first wife, Arabella Winnifred or his second wife Gladys M Wilson. John and Arabella lived at 76 Low St. and we visited the Cheslyn Hay cemetery on Sunday to try and locate the graves of John and Annie Dace and Arabella Piatt but although we could not find these we did come across the well kept grave and stone of John H Powell. John was the first husband of our mom Winnifred Grace Piatt. He was a private in the Parachute Regiment and died of his wounds from the invasion of Normandy. Mom went on to marry Jack Dace (P.O.W.) and she never spoke of John, as the pain must have been too great, but she held many momentos of him of which were unknown to us until after she passed away. I am now trying to research my husband’s grandmother’s family Florence Ellen Dutton (1887 -1958) and I wondered if you can help me with birth dates for her children and any past history of her family. Florence married John Edmund Dace and her parents were Alfred and Maria.
Plus David Whitehouse from Canada is currently tracking the descendents of George and Lucy Whitehouse and says ‘I believe my g-g-grandmother is Ann Whitehouse who married first James Whitehouse in 1818 and second Joseph Baker in 1824. When Ann married James the witness is shown as Rhoda Brough which of course would be her sister and that is why I believe this Ann is the daughter of George. On page 223 of the ‘Bygone Days of CH’ book there is information to William Baker (b 1850) that states he was the son of Joe Baker and Ann Whitehouse daughter of George and Lucy (b1800). It does say that William’s parents were ‘probably’ and wonder if you have any information to support that. I find it improbable but not impossible that Ann was having children at 50 and therefore doubt this connection somewhat. Also I have connected Josiah Thomas to the same family. In the 1901 census Josiah is shown as a minister at Methodist New Connexion, which peaked my interest and had me looking for some mention of him in the book. On page 97 there is mention of him and his brother Oliver. Josiah and Oliver were sons of Mary Ann Tuft, daughter of Lucy Brough who was daughter of Rhoda Whitehouse who of course was the daughter of George and Lucy.’
After the mention of Dundalk Lane, last week, Barbara from Birmingham asks whether anyone remembers the Beardsmore family and their smallholding where her Uncle Tom grew massive chrysanthemums? They also had a very smelly toilet a long way from the house and Tom’s wife (nee Ridgeway) went to live at 8 Zion Close when the cottages were demolished.
Memories this week is on Nellie Pee, owner of the shoe shop in Station Street.
All enquiries welcomed or more detailed information of any of the above notes available through the email below.
trevor.cheslynhayhistory@talktalk.net

Weekly News – 6th November 2011

admin — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:40:01 +0000

Coffee Morning this Thursday, 10th November at the Salem starting at 10am and Mike Belcher will be giving a Powerpoint Presentation on ‘Cheslyn Hay – Now and Then’.
Remembrance Sunday is next Sunday, 13th November and we will be laying our usual wreath at the Cheslyn Hay War Memorial.
Our Salem Base will be open as usual on Tuesday between 10am – 3pm and in the four weeks in October we welcomed 27 visitors with a variety of enquiries.
Two family tree enquiries this week – one tracing the Stanton family and an enquiry for the Farmer mining family who had Cheslyn Hay connections in the early part of the last century as well as owning the George pub in Cannock. Any help appreciated.
Following Heather’s request we have looked up the newspaper report on the fatality of John Farnell of 27 Low Street at Hawkins pit and his funeral in April 1921, a copy of which is now kept in the archives.
And Marlene emails to thank us for the response she has received from her request for memories of her father, George Pepper who lived in Great Wyrley Colliery yard in the early 1900s with his parents Thomas and Frances Mary. She adds ‘I was delighted that Carole (second cousin) was given my contact telephone number. I want to say thank you so much for putting us in touch, as we have met and were able to exchange information which has helped us both.’
A full report of Charlie Moore’s footballing career including four previously unseen photographs from Dave Shaw the Hednesford Town FC Archivist has been added to our Archives..
Mike Belcher’s Newspaper Reports of 50 years ago include the opening of this year’s Cheslyn Hay Salem Autumn Fair with the Rev W R Kerry with mentions of Mr Seabridge and his wife, the Rev G F H Purshouse, Mr I Stokes, Karen Thomas, Steve Dace and Mrs Kathleen Spooner. This was followed by a full Musical Programme.
In the Memories Column this week are recollections of Dr McAinsh and the Isolation Hospital and life in Low Street and ‘the Alley’with the Scotts, June Steadman, Minnie Wright and Ginny Webb.
Plus faggots from Hackett’s shop! Also mention of Mrs Ballance, Haydn Whitehouse of New Street in Bridgtown and local girls Mary Whitehouse, Winnie Foster, Peggy Turner and her sister Ann.
Another 81 sighting on staffspasttrack in October. They were Salem 21, Garretts Shop 17, High Street 17, Brittania Picture House 8, Albert Hawkins Shop 6, Walter Hackett 6, Hacketts Butchers Shop 3, Woottons Post Office 3.
Also recent local history publications include a Bridgtown Calendars £5, The History of Darlaston FC £7.50, Walsall Calendar £5. All can be ordered by emailing below.
More information can be obtained for free at the email address below.
trevor.cheslynhayhistory@talktalk.net

Weekly News – 9th October 2011

admin — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:17:30 +0000

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

Weekly News – 2nd October 2011

admin — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 08:07:01 +0000

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 -