Burntwood Family History Group
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Burntwood Family History Group
 Brownhills
 
Robert Pilot's map of Staffordshire in 1680 showing Brownhill
 
 
 
Long before the Romans built Watling Street, some important ancient track ways crossed in the here. Remains of an ancient burial ground at Catshill have been unearthed and there was a reputed Roman watch post at Knaves Castle which has long since been destroyed. It is a comparatively recent name appearing over the last couple of centuries. The meaning refers to the hills’ appearance from a distance rather than the soil colour. For many centuries, mostly the area was uninhabited and the oldest known building is that of the church of Saint James. The name first appeared on maps and documents in the early 18th century. The lands belonged to the Hussey family, Lords of the Manor of Norton Canes. The area along Pelsall Road, then Wolverhampton Lane, was settled by coal miners and coal remained the main industry until the 1950's.
 
The Wyrley and Essington Canal was opened in 1797. Norton Pool, now Chasewater, was built in 1799 as a reservoir for the canal system. In 1877 Brownhills Local Board of Health was formed, giving control of the town to a locally elected council. The first Board meetings were held at 14 Pelsall Road. In 1882 the Board Offices were built and the distinctive clock added in 1911. In 1894 Brownhills Urban District Council was formed, lasting until amalgamation with Aldridge in 1966 and finally being swallowed up into Walsall Metropolitan Borough in 1974
Brownhills, a locality in the south of Staffordshire; on the Birmingham and Derby railway, near Cannock Chase, 5¼ miles NNE of Walsall. It has a station on the railway, and a post office, under Walsall.
[John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales 1870 - 1872]
 
 
Coordinates:-   52.647°N 1.933°W
OS Grid Reference:-  SK045055
 
Brownhills from a residents view 
A website for a Surname Index of Ogley Hay on microfiche of the 1841 census
Take a walk around Brownhills and view the sights of Chasewater
Did your ancestor work on the railways? Lots of railway information is to be found here
History and information about Clayhanger by Websters Genealogy
History and information about Clayhanger Brickworks by Websters Genealogy
Was your ancestor a coal miner living in Clayhanger in 1881? You may find him on Clayhanger Census 1881 as translated by Websters Genealogy
Walsall Local History Centre holds the registers of Clayhanger Methodist Church Marriages 1972 - 1988
Was your ancestor a coal miner living in Clayhanger in 1881? You may find him on Clayhanger Census 1881 as translated by Websters Genealogy
Walsall Local History Centre holds the registers of Coppice Side Independent Congregational Church Baptisms 1860 - 1976, Marriages 1865 - 1974 and Burials 1898, 1952 - 1976
Have you got a Gilbert family ancestor in Brownhills? You may find them here
Was your ancestor one of the fourteen men killed in the Grove Colliery disaster in 1930? If so, you will find him recorded here
Have you got Johnson fgamily ancestors? Is your ancestor Walter Johnson born 2nd August 1911? Then you may find some oif your family on this tree
All the information you could ask for is at Brownhills Libriary
Brownhills Memorial Hall or "The Memo" as it affectionately known locally was first built bin 1927 for the people of Brownhills to commemorate the lives of the young men who lost their lives during the war
Brownhills Methodist Church website
 
 
Walsall Local History Centre holds the registers of Mount Pleasant Watling Street Primitive Methodist Church Baptisms 1876 - 1965
 
 
Walsall Local History Centre holds the registers of Mount Zion Primitive Methodist Church Baptisms 1938 - 1967
 
 
Walsall Local History Centre holds the registers of Park View Methodist Church Marriages 1964 - 1971
 
 
Are you related to a person with a Brownhills connection? Find information here on Brownhils people as detailed by Spartacus Education and Wikipedia
 
 
The B F H G Photograph Album contains many photographs of landmarks within Brownhills
 
 
Entries for Browhnhills as detailed in Pigot & Co's National Commercial Directory for 1828 - 29
 
 
The B F H G Postcard Album contains many postcards of Brownhills
 
 
Public Houses in Brownhills as described by David Hodgkinson
 
 
Have you got Rogers family ancestors in your family tree? If so, you may find them here
 
 
The Parish website for Saint James Church
 
 
A website for the history of Saint James Church
 
 
A voluntary Look-up exchange is provided by Sue Lote for Saint James Church Monumental mInscriptions
 
 
A voluntary Look-up exchange is provided by Kaye Christian for Saint James Church registers, Baptisms 1849 - 1931, Marriages 1854 - 1932 and Burials 1851 - 1914
 
 
Saint James Church Registers 
Saint James Church Registers can be found at Lichfield Record Office, Stafford Record Office and Wallsall Local History Centre 
 
 
The B F H G has photographed and transcribed all the names on war memorials in Brownhills
 
 
Walsall Local History Centre holds the registers of the Wesdleyan Methodist Church of Silver Street (formerly High Street) Baptisms 1861 - 1908