Brownhills

Robert Pilot's map of Staffordshire 1680 showing Brownhill

Robert Pilot's map of Staffordshire 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]

Brownhills Memorial Hall War Memmopopand the Brickworks jjjjjjjjBrownhills from a residents view

Was your ancestor a coal miner living in Clayhanger in 1881? You may find him here

Take a walk around Brownhills with the AA and view the sights of Chasewater

Lots of railway information is to be found on Chasewater Railway

History and information about Clayhanger

History and information about Clayhanger and the Brickworks by Sheila Norris (née Jones)

Was your ancestor a coal miner living in Clayhanger in 1881? You may find him on Hammerwich census 1881 as translated by Webster 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

All the information you could ask for around Brownhills is available at the library

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

Entries for Browhnhills as detailed in Pigot & Co's National Commercial Directory for 1828 - 29

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

Burntwood Family History Group has transcribed the parish records for Saint James Church and are available to purchase

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 Inscriptions

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

Stafford Record Office holds Saint James Church Registers

Burntwood Family History Group has photographed and transcribed all the names on Brownhills Memorial Hall War Memorials

Burntwood Family History Group has photographed and transcribed all the names on Brownhills Methodist Church War Memorials

Walsall Local History Centre holds the registers of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Silver Street (formerly High Street) Baptisms 1861 - 1908