About the Black Country

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About the Black Country

Postby Northern Lass » Fri Dec 31, 2010 1:59 pm

The Black Country- "The Workshop of the World"

"their plague of smoke, obscured the light, and made foul this melancholy air" (Dickens The Old Curiosity shop)

The Black Country is used to describe an Industrial area in the Midlands.
Famous for Chainmaking, Coal mines, Iron Works and Nail making.
Inhabited by Hard working People proud of their dialect , history and humour.

"Whatst back from thee wairk already for" sez the Black Country wife to hubby
"Well I'll be blowed" sez hubby "thee knowst I terned round ter light me pipe in the wind and I've forgot ter turn round agen!"

:shock:

Black Country homes all were much of a muchness, Long entries, a nailshop and brewhouse.
Houses usually in 3's with an open yard, an ashpit and a lavatory. Inside the two up two down it was a shrine to cleaning. The lady of the house showing her devotion to the god of spick and span, with the blackleaded grate , the copper kettles that reflected her strong right polishin' hand, not to mention the trinkets to polish, red quarry tiles to clean, anything that could be brassod got the treatment!
A homely retreat from the relentless drudgery of the outside world.

A typical week of Black Country folk may have looked like this!:-
Sunday - Prepare the dinner -Church for the men -Sunday afternoon nap - Church
Monday - Nail makin' and washin'
Tuesday- Brewin' and nail makin'
Wednesday- House Cleanin' and nail makin'
Thursday - House Cleanin' and nail makin
Friday- Ess hole and grate cleanin',knife polishin' and nail makin
Saturday Window cleanin' and nail makin'
and this went on from about 6am - 10 pm :shock:

There is disagreement as regards the geography ie where The Black Country starts and finishes!
These 2 links may be helpful.
Black Country Map-Here
and here The Black country Map

It may well have been a place "black by day and red by night" but it also gave birth to some marvellous
Buildings, Churches and interesting Villages. A legacy for all us researchers and visitors to the area.

More about the Black Country -Here
More about the Black Country- and here

:wink:


Last bumped by Northern Lass on Fri Dec 31, 2010 1:59 pm.
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