Black Country Ride No 9 - The Rowley Hills

[Rob]

Now i'm sure i knew a Vic Bastable when i worked down The Hypo Accles and Pollock "doggin' up"at the age of 17. I only worked there so i could play for The Colts.
He was older than me but he and his brothers worked in The Hypo ( a department at The Paddock works Oldbury).
Great photos by the way Dennis.

[queeny]

Rob that was Vics elder brothers Bill and Arthur.Vic never worked there.Arthur died about 2years ago at the age of 91

[BC Wench]

Brilliant as ever Dennis. Many many thanks.

[mallosa]

I'm so pleased you are all enjoying Our Den's Black Country Rides as much as me

Excellent Dennis, thankyou!

[Dennis]

Many thanks, folks!

[Annie]

Looking forwarded to the next Dennis.

Annie

[IanD]

Hi Dennis

Yet more memories stirred here!!

I often went walking on the hills with my grandfather who lived nearby and remember us visiting your grandparents' house up on the hill.

You may remember meeting my distant cousin Sarah last summer... she often writes about Rowley local history in the Black Country Bugle?? Her family farmed Halestone Farm, Turners Hill when we were all children and her Dad, George, taught me to ride on the Rowley Hills, often precariously close to quarry edges. The sounds of blasting made me jump out of my skin, but the ponies totally ignored it!!

Even in those days (well over 50 years ago) acccess to the farm was via a narrow track between two quarries and I ended up covered in stone dust when I helped with haymaking (in those innocent years before they invented Health & Safety). I'm surprised that they didn't end up with a nasty industrial disease but George, who is in his eighties now, has a small-holding in leafy Worcestershire where he still keeps horses and goes carriage-driving, Prince Philip style!!

Half of Halestone Farm was eventually swallowed up by the quarries while the Springfield end was used for housing.

I haven't been up Turners Hill for a very long time but can still remember the amazing views. Apparently it is the highest point in the West Midlands and now has SSSI status.

Many thanks for the reminder

Ian

[Dennis]

Good to hear from you, Ian! I know you have strong connections with that quarry area. The noise of blasting was once part of everyday life, like the sound of the steam hammers in Langley. the factory sirens and the clanking of shunting engines in the night near Rowley Regis station...

[Rob]

HI Ian where are those Good Shepherd photos you were going to sort out for me??

[Antie Em]

Just read through this Dennis - what a lovely piece of work. I know the Rowley Hills well - used to live at the top of Longbank Road, before we went to live on the new estate by the Quarry. In the winter we used to sledge down Longbank Road, not many cars around then. We used to have to stop on the bend because then the round went straight down to the Wolverhampton Road.

My mom's road leads up to the quarry and we used to take a shortcut through a little gully to get to school. It's all been redeveloped now and a new estate has been built on the filled up quarry.

I took my grandkids up there for a walk last summer and it really is very nice - you'd think you were in the middle of the countryside but for the spectacular view from the top.

I remember Rowley Grammer School, my best friend went there and I should have joined her the year after, but that's when they opened Tividale Comp and everyone had to go there, even if you'd passed the 11 Plus.

When we were kids there was a farm opposite our house, Lye Farm I think but we used to call it Old Hadley's farm. We used to play in his fields and take a shortcut to Bury Hill Park. I remember there being a stream and you had to be very careful where you walked - it was very boggy. Lost a shoe in there once - mom wasn't happy.

Thanks for the memories Dennis

[mallosa]

Nice to see Dennis's hard work is helping to revive those memories!

Rest assured, he will be going on more rides in the near future

[Rob]

I spent all morning trying to find the name of that house!! Edale!!

[Rob]

my husband is vic bastable

Just realized who Vic Bastable is!! He played for Four Ways Rangers end of the 50's beginning of the 60's !!!

[Dennis]

Many thanks, folks, that's very kind of you. I've been hibernating, but I'm planning another sortie as soon as the weather's reasonable!

[snoopysue]

Many thanks, folks, that's very kind of you. I've been hibernating, but I'm planning another sortie as soon as the weather's reasonable!

Looking forward to it!