This blog posting gives details of the names of those commemorated on Brierley Hill war memorial on Church Hill. Clicking on the name gives details of any press coverage I’ve identified together with war records where available. Clicking on the name of a cemetery or memorial gives details of location of death and an indication of in the action the commemorated individual lost their life. I would be especially grateful if you could notify me if you spot any errors.
This blog posting gives details of the names of those commemorated on Brierley Hill war memorial on Church Hill. Clicking on the name gives details of any press coverage I’ve identified together with war records where available. Clicking on the name of a cemetery or memorial gives details of location of death and an indication of in the action the commemorated individual lost their life. I would be especially grateful if you could notify me if you spot any errors.
The owners of the locally listed Plough, Church Street, Brierley Hill have submitted a planning application to convert the nearly derelict building into four flats.
The building’s owners, Danbury Associates Ltd, Co Fermanagh, Ireland, submitted the application on 23rd May and it was registered on 13th June.
Pushing open the unsecured door of The Plough in Church Street highlighted the sad state of this locally listed building. Despite its dereliction the rooms were still atmospheric as if haunted by the ghosts of past drinkers who still haunt their favourite venue. I remember it as a popular Simpkiss pub with a roaring fire. The local authority are pursuing the owners who are located in Ireland to persuade them to repair this historic building.
Good news received this morning. The historic painting by WW1 soldier Edward Warren in being retreived from Brierley Hill library and taken for safe keeping to Dudley Archives. It will then be assessed by the keeper of fine arts whilst its future is decided. The painting is one of two presented to the town during • Read More »
The loan of a photograph has prompted Terry Church to recall the accession of Queen Elizabeth in 1952. The photographs shows children from Brierley Hill Grammar School in front of the old town hall. Terry recognises one or two of the characters in the photograph. Can you help identify the others?
A second painting, given to the people of Brierley Hill in memory of one of its fallen in the Great War, is now in a perilous state in the town’s library.
A painting of Brierley Hill war hero Sgt William Jordan rescuing a wounded colleague has gone missing from Brierley Hill library. Sgt Jordan lived in Campbell Street, Brockmoor, an area of which he was hugely proud. He killed on the opening day of the Battle of Loos on 25th September 1915 and the painting, by award winning artist Francis Gibbons, was presented to Brierley Hill Council in 1917. Archivists in Dudley are now being asked to help find the irreplaceable work of art.
In 1944 Brierley Hill UDC published its ‘master plan’ for the future of the town. It gave the first recorded mention of the ‘new’ road for Brierley Hill – opened 64 years later as Venture Way, set out plans for new homes and a new Civic Centre. One has to wonder how influential the plan was in the development of the area, but followers of the current Brierley Hill Area Action Plan might feel that the picture of the plan does look strangely familiar!
On being honoured by Brierley Hill District Council in September 1917, Lance Corporal Stanley Harley modestly accepted a gift of a watch. He didn’t give a full story of his achievements though – this would have been a breech of duty given the secretive nature of war. A regimental history filled in the missing details.