Wallheath based author Terry Church launched his latest book “Lost Cricket and Football Clubs…” at Stourbridge Cricket Club on Saturday (9th November). The book recalls over 100 clubs now lost to the area, including many in Brierley Hill including:
- Brierley Hill Grammar School Cricket Club
- Wordsley hospital cricket ground
- Stuart Crystal sports club
- E.J. and J. Pearson Ltd cricket ground (behind the Birch Tree Public House)
- Jury Hollow-ware Cricket Club – on Thorns Road
- Brierley Hill Alliance (now ASDA in Brierley Hill)
- Marsh and Baxter – now at least still a sports ground with Dudley Social occupying the High Ercal site
- Richard and Thomas Badwin (Cookley)
- Round Oak Steel Works (now the privately owned David Lloyd Leisure Centre.
The list reads like a roll call of lost industries too.
The grounds of Marsh and Baxter, Richard Thomas and Baldwin’s and Round Oak were provided by the three major employers of labour in the town of Brierley Hill…The employment and wealth generated by these three companies was immense and at one time (they) would have employed…close on five thousand people
It was more than jobs that were lost when the old industries closed, mainly in the late seventies and early nineties. A whole social infrastructure was lost too.
The book tells the story of the clubs and makes fascinating reading.Terry’s website is www.wallheath.org.uk.