Cradley Heath and Cradley

[Neville Bastable]

Referring back to the short cut Linell mentioned, at the Old Hill end the continuation of Peartree Lane which was the start (or end) of her route was originally the way to Codsall Colliery later covered over in the 1920’s by the Codsall Housing Estate.
Whilst speaking of Cradley Heath collieries, there was another 19th Century Pit at the Mousesweet end of the town namely Darby & Pargetters Colliery on the site of the old Foxoak Farm. Darby’s mound has already been mentioned. This was a spoil heap at the end of Bank Street (hence it’s name, nothing to do with financial institutions) being part of the D & P workings.
I mention this because I read that there was great surprise when constructing the Cradley Heath Bypass recently along the lines of Foxoak Street, at finding they were digging up coal. The old D & P Colliery had been completely forgotten !
Neville

[Sharon]

Hi Neville
Apparently people are referring to Cradley heath as tesco heath-awful!
My dad is Don Moore and was born in 1928 in 101 Graingers lane. His maternal gran, was Hannah Evans nee newton and was also married to a harbach? She kept a shop at no. 48?She had outlived both husbands when dad had to help with the shop. She was born Aug 1874 in Sheffield St., Quarry bank, but as yet I know nothing further...

[linell]

Hi Neville, many thanks for reminding me of Codsall and Darby and Pargeters Colliery, my Stringers lived at D&P's in 1861, I had worked out that it was somewhere at the back of Fox Oak. Had to laugh at the ignorant Workmen who were so surprised to find Coal whilst digging up Cradley Heath, I would have been worried if there wasn't any

Sharon, I have Harbach's in Graingers Lane, did we swap this information once before, was Hannah Married to John W. Harbach? My Haynes and Darby family also lived there, would your Dad remember any of them? Best Wishes from Linell.

[Sharon]

Hi linell. You helped me out with a search for John Moore, married Oldswinford 1854, earlier this year. His grandson was Hannah's son-in-law. I dont know the name of the harbach as yet. Dad's health is not so good of late, but he tells me he remembers a haynes family who lived near the New Inns pub, but no more than that .Wouldnt it be great if we had a link?! Hannah's parents were Elizabeth Priest and William Newton.
I agree about the coal link. I was forever in trouble as a child growing up on the Timbertree estate and getting black from playing on the coal spoil mound which is now the site of Timbertree school...

[linell]

Hi Sharon, sorry to hear about your Dad, but I am over the moon to hear he remembers my Haynes family, if only vaguely. I do remember your John Moore now Can't find a marriage for Hannah Evans and a Harbach I too remember Timbertree. There was an Irish family, 2 boys, Robert and Patrick, Robert Married my friend Jacqueline from Corngreaves Road circa 1970, can't remember their surnames anymore, but it was a long time ago. Great to swap old memories. Speak soon, best wishes from Linell.

[Neville Bastable]

Sharon, many thanks for the info. Knowing Graingers Lane quite well when I was young I had hoped I might know something of your family but I’m afraid that wasn’t the case but fortunately Linell appears to be turning up trumps on the subject.
As a child I also played, by the way on Timbertree bank. I lived in Barrs Road but in my day the housing estate you mention had not yet been built.
Linell, I have an idea there was a piece in the Black Country Bugle a few years ago on some documents that had turned up regarding the old D & P Foxoak Colliery. I know you keep back copies and when I have time I’ll look through the ones that I kept. Access to the to the colliery I believe was from St Anne’s Road, then called Scolding Green Road.
The coal seam under Cradley Heath was of course not very deep down hence the subsidence that used to occur as a result of the workings, the most serious occasion you’ll agree I’m sure being on the High Street in 1914. The road we are told caved in a few feet for quite a distance but most of the shops survived. My grandmother often spoke of when the “ways fell In” as she used to put it.
Stour Colliery commonly called “Rattle Chain” got the blame I believe. Access to that was from the bottom end of Graingers Lane, a track under two railway bridges you may recall.
Neville

[Northern Lass]

HI Neville I am not familiar with the area but my Roses were from Graingers lane at one time.
But into the 1960s my Gt grandma lived on Clifton St. Do you know of any info about families living there?
She was an Emily Tromans prev Emily Rose prev Emily Wilkins.
The house has gone now but I would love to find a photo of it before it was knocked down.
I do know that one of my Roses ran the Chainmakers arms on Corngreaves rd 1940's George Rose and a Gladys children Arthur and Harry
Dont think they ran it for long.

[Sharon]

Blimey Linell-I think I know your irish family! if its who i'm thinking of, their sister was my best friend at school!
I'll PM you.
I'll ask dad about the Rose family for you Northern Lass...I'll also ask you about my forgotten password for BCC!
(I know, I know.. so many ancestors crammed in, I cant remember the other stuff!)
Your BCC may be expanding again...JUlien who is new to this site and I share gt grandparents!

Good old Cradley heath-always been navigated by pubs! Who needs satnavs! dad tells me that visitors were made welcome by being taken for a drink up the high street, you paid up one side and your visitor paid on the other..as one side had about 13 pubs and the other 2, it proved most entertaining. As dad married a brummie, he took full advantage when the in-laws came!
Sharon

[Northern Lass]

Sharon you have been sent a reminder

[Sharon]

Thanks NL. Gosh your quick!

[Neville Bastable]

There were Rose Families in the area , Northern Lass but the only
one that I knew personally was Bert Rose who was a “strongman” I believe when he was young, performing regularly on the stage of the Empire Theatre, Cradley Heath and who became a Methodist local preacher later in life.
I know Clifton Street, Old Hill of course, but I’m not sure now whether I knew anyone who lived there.
I certainly remember the Chainmaker's Arms. I was nearly killed outside there when I was about 5 or 6, I ran across the road in front of a bus, but he just braked in time, a few feet from me. I can still remember the look on the driver's face.
Sorry I couldn’t be more help.
Neville

[Northern Lass]

Thanks Neville
would like to know more about this Bert Rose
what sort of birth date
as we had a few called Bert Rose
might be one of ours!
any more details on him do let me know interesting that...

[Neville Bastable]

Northern Lass, Born about 1900 or perhaps earlier I should think. I'll have a further think if you believe he might be one of yours. Now to a bit more history about Corngreaves Iron Works which whilst not completely dominating Cradley Heath provided employment for many men from both towns.. Owners the New British Iron Company built houses for it’s employees and a school for their children.
The story started I suppose when George Attwood purchased a modest works on the site in the 1770’s later to be taken over. The Attwood family lived at Hawne House, Halesowen which I remember in its latter days but which was demolished and built over some years ago and also Corngreaves Hall, Belle Vale, Cradley Heath, now I believe in process of renovation… does any member know the present position on this?.
A network of rails was laid to carry the locos and trucks carrying the coal supplies to the Corngreaves blast furnaces from pits like the Black Wagon in Old Hill, New Hawne in Halesowen, Witley Pit Halesowen and the local Timbertree Colliery. Timbertree was so close by, a loco wasn’t necessary an endless rope system being used. My father described to me how the full tubs of coal descending caused the empty tubs to go back up again. The tubs had to pass through a tunnel under the road near my home which was still there then and we used to play in that tunnel as we did in the whole defunct works not yet fully dismantled. Old rusting boilers were pretend submarines, that sort of thing. Happy days !
Neville

[Northern Lass]

Northern Lass, Born about 1900 or perhaps earlier I should think. I'll have a further think if you believe he might be one of yours. .............Neville

Hi Neville

I am sure it is the same one....well it could be...living Graingers lane

http://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/tr ... onnections

Do let me know how you know of him?
and we can open a thread too.
Do you know who he married and any photos of him?
Did you actually know him?
this is very interesting....

[Neville Bastable]

Northern Lass, I think your man might be too old and I never heard him called Bertie. I knew him at the chapel I attended.He would be middle aged then I suppose and I am pretty certain he lived at Old Hill. I cannot remember his wife's name but he had a son and daughter who also attended. His son was Walter Rose and he married Eileen Cockin, They had one son Peter who is still alive. Bert's daughter was Cissie and she married Albert Brooks. They had three children John, Roger and Margaret. The latter two are still alive but I'm not sure about John.
That's the best I can do, I'm afraid.
I've started another new topic. Hope that's OK!
Neville