Hi Dennis I think Isaac Wedge is his cousin and the son of Moses father's brother. It would appear that all of the Wedge's in Bilston and Sedgley are related and originally came from Wellington area of Shropshire. I have yet to join all of the dots but making good progress. Any information you have on Isaac Wedge would be useful to link him with the rest of the family Barry Jones -----Original Message----- From: Dennis Cooper [mailto:denniscooper@blueyonder.co.uk] Sent: 19 March 2006 10:16 To: Barry Subject: Re: [B.C.] MOSES WEDGE Hi Barry, I have an Isaac Wedge b1820 in my tree (GG Grandfather )living in Bilston in 1861, I have no other information, Moses could be his brother. Dennis.

The Independent Chapel in Oxford St Bilston move to Portway Rd Bilston in 1963,and I think the records are with Wolverhampton Archives Ray

You were asking about British Restaurants during WW2. My husband Gil was a telegraph boy in 1942 and he remembers being given tokens for free dinners at the British Restaurants in Walsall. There were at least three in the town. Darlaston Road (chapel) Dale Street (chapel) Upper Forster Street opposite the entrance to Queen Marys School. He says the meals were satisfying and anyone could go there. Most of the factories had their own canteens providing meals so no workers starved. I asked about Darlaston but he did not pedal his bike that far. Messengers for that area were based at Wednesbury. Regards Pat. ----- Original Message ----- From: <Greenways6@aol.com> To: <eng-black-country-d@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2006 11:05 AM Subject: Non Gen: British Restaurant > Can anyone remember anything about the old British Restaurant in > Darlaston?

I would be really grateful if the reply to Bob's request for info on the Chapel could be posted to the list. Maureen

I am trying to find MOSES WEDGE in the 1851 Census, he born approx 1829 in Bilston, Staffordshire, is there anyone else researching this family name. I have him in all other censuses from 1901 to 1861. I am hoping in 1851 he was with his parents so I can find out who they were. Barry Jones

Hi Pat, Mellie, Ron, Malcolm and List Thank you all very much. You are the Royal Gems of England (or wherever you are). Pat, I do not have those details. Where are the Registers of the Bilston Independent Chapel? What can you tell me about this chapel? Where can I find out more? And what is known about Miss Jane? Parkes, Murry and Blinkshaw? You are terriffic! Bob Cooper Oceanside, Calif. > -----Original Message----- > From: Pat Hayward [mailto:hayward325@btinternet.com] > Sent: Friday, March 17, 2006 7:27 AM > To: ENG-BLACK-COUNTRY-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [B.C.] Re: Parkes, Murry, Blinkshaw with Coopers 1841 > > > Hello Bob > The dates of birth and baptism for George & Abigail and George & Sarah > COOPER's children were in the Registers of the Bilston > Independent Chapel, > Oxford Street, Bilston. > Have you already got these details? > Regards > Pat. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Bob Cooper" <sierrasnow@cox.net> > To: <ENG-BLACK-COUNTRY-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2006 8:39 PM > Subject: Parkes, Murry, Blinkshaw with Coopers 1841 > > > > Hi Listers, Pat, Gil, Ruth, Carl, Nick; Julie, Tony and all you who have > > helped me blast the brickwall. > > I understand that the census takers occasionally registered visiting > > relatives, especially youngsters, as servants? > > Jane (or is it Jake? hard to read) Parkes and Maria Murry may > be examples > > from this (augmented) 1841 census: > > Also, would someone clarify the '41 census recording of age policy? Do > > they > > round adults age to nearest decade? > > I have George Cooper, 1st wife Abigail, 2nd wife Sarah in Bilston about > > 1815 > > to 1860. He was into coal & iron. 16+/- children including: > > George (age 50 '41 Census Bilston District 16 south side of Church St., > > page > > 1/39) occup. iron monger > > Sarah (age 30 '41 Census) > > George (1814 IGI), > > Mary Ann (1816 IGI?), > > Joseph (1818 IGI), > > William (1819 IGI) (1821 '41 Cens*), > > James abt 1821, > > George 1823? > > John 1825? > > Joseph (abt 1827 '41 Cens) > > Abigail (abt 1830 '41 Cens) > > Lila(Lala?) (abt 1832 '41 Cens) > > Thomas (abt 1834 '41 Cens) > > George (abt 1835 '41 Cens) > > Mary (abt 1837 '41 Cens) > > Samuel (abt 1838 '41 Cens) > > Ann (abt 1840 '41 Cens) > > Kinney / Henney (5 mos '41 Cens) > > Governess Martha Blinkshaw (age 20 '41 Cens), > > FS Maria Murry (age 22, '41 Cens), > > FS Jane/Jake Parkes age 13, '41 Cens). > > > > Any connections? > > > > Thank you all > > > > Bob Oceanside, Calif. > > > > ______________________________ > > > ==== ENG-BLACK-COUNTRY Mailing List ==== > The B.C. List Admin is Dave Ogden :- > d.ogden@blueyonder.co.uk > >

Hello Rita, Whilst you are correct about then being set up by the MoF, I think you will find that most of them were operated by the WVS. The basic reason for them being set up was to ensure workers could get a decent meal. You have to remember that few factories, unless it was very large like a car maker, had a factory canteen prior to the war. A lot of vital war materials were produced in small factories employing only a few dozen people, which made it uneconomic to have its own canteen. But with twelve hour shift work becoming the norm, mid day food was vital to keep workers going. In a similar way farm and some other workers received a special ration of food, cheese, butter tea etc, so that they or their wives could pack lunch for them. Ted ----- Original Message ----- From: <Greenways6@aol.com> To: <ENG-BLACK-COUNTRY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2006 11:05 AM Subject: [B.C.] Non Gen: British Restaurant > For those who don't know about British Restaurants they were places set up > by the Ministry of Food during WW2 so that people who had used up all > their > food ration could still get a decent meal at an economical price. These > restaurants were clean and well-managed, but their spartan decor usually > resembled > a works canteen, sometimes there were also very long queques. A main > meal > would cost about 1s. 6d. (8p). They carried on for quite a few years > after the > end of the war, sometimes under the name of Civic Restaurants. > > Rita > > > ==== ENG-BLACK-COUNTRY Mailing List ==== > The Assistant List Admins are Jean Morgan and Jan Ross > (Couldn't do it without those two great ladies) > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 268.2.2/280 - Release Date: 13/03/2006 > >

Thanks for replies to my question 'what papers does B'ham library/archives have?' As a now fairly frequent visitor to the 6th floor I think I've discovered how knowledgeable the staff are depends on who is on the desk. Once you've found your way around and know where to look there's much more available than I at first thought. My first visit resulted in being given a microfilm to view, for St Martin's, that was the index only! I rechecked the catalog on a later visit and got the correct one with the copy of the marriage on it. gaye

Hi all, I am searching for a d.o.b. for the above Sarah JEWKES, who was the first wife of my ancestor James PLANT. He was born abt. 1803 in the Dudley area, probably Tipton. Sarah died in childbirth, 8 April, 1843 in Dudley. She married James on 28 February, 1825 in Dudley. I am also searching for the d.o.b. of Sarah SCRIVEN, who was also married to a James PLANT on 3 April, 1803 at St. Thomas in Dudley. Can anyone help with either of these dates of birth? Many thanks, Marion

Hi Steph You nearest Records Office probably has the GRO indices on microfiche. They are complete and more accurate than those on Ancestry. They are alphabetical within years/quarters (depending on when you need). If you know approximate dates then it is not a major task to look them up. Hope this helps. John

Can anyone remember anything about the old British Restaurant in Darlaston? I have a vague recollection of being taken there when a youngster by my grandmother, as her niece worked there. Other relatives have said I was mistaken. This is what I can remember and it would date back to around 1950. Gran and I went by bus from West Bromwich and the buses at Darlaston stopped in a road altogether. We then walked, zig-zagging down sidestreets, passing a church in a square with a low brick wall round it. I remember spotting someone's pop bottle full of cold tea placed on the other side of the wall. Funny things you remember! When we got to the restaurant the counter was on the right and tables and chairs on the left. We were taken through to the upstairs room and I was fascinated by the crockery and food going up and down on a dumb waiter. In fact I got on a chair and had a look down the shaft and had to be restrained by my grandmother from going 'arse over tip.' I have now discovered the Women's Conservative and Primrose League Hall in Bilston Street, Darlaston was converted into a British Restaurant, known locally as "The Trough" and its location would seem to fit my childhood memories. For those who don't know about British Restaurants they were places set up by the Ministry of Food during WW2 so that people who had used up all their food ration could still get a decent meal at an economical price. These restaurants were clean and well-managed, but their spartan decor usually resembled a works canteen, sometimes there were also very long queques. A main meal would cost about 1s. 6d. (8p). They carried on for quite a few years after the end of the war, sometimes under the name of Civic Restaurants. Rita

Hi Marlene Sorry, I haven't come across this name. I hope you received the earlier message I sent you off-list in response to your first enquiry. I am glad other people have been able to tell you where Harbourne is. I wouldn't have a clue. Kind regards Wendy X-Message: #1 Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2006 09:53:16 -0500 From: Marlene Jackson <mjackson@xcelco.on.ca> To: ENG-BLACK-COUNTRY-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <44197BDC.2010304@xcelco.on.ca> Subject: Stringer/Weston Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Wendy, From the replies you received to your STRINGER query, did you hear of a STRINGER marying a John Henry Pix WESTON c 1895 around Harbourne. Could someone tell me where harbourne is? TIA Marlene Jackson Ontario, Canada

Hi All I've searched & searched on GRO images on Ancestry for the marriage of: Stanley Webb & Ethel Lilian Rutter (b 1915) - first child born 1947. Some on the images are missing on Ancestry, I've found.... They probably married either Wolverhampton (where she came from) or around the Stourbridge / Kingswinford / Brierley Hill area (where he came from). I've also tried to find her parents (Rutter & Till) marriage or other siblings without success. Hopefully Ancestry will sort out the images eventually. Thanks Steph Research areas: CRADLEY, HALESOWEN, ROWLEY REGIS Details on web site www.stephrobinson.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk Research names (amongst others): ATTWOOD, BARNSLEY, BAYLISS, BEASLEY, BRIDGEWATER, COPESTICK, COX, CRUMPTON, FENDALL, HARPER, HARRIS, HODGETTS, HOMER, INGRAM, PARSONS, POUND, ROBINSON, SMART, SOUTHALL, SOUTHWELL, STOKES, WESTWOOD, WHITE

My great grandmother was called Fanny Snape and she married a Richard Powick !! Not spelling it out any further for fear of getting struck off the list ROTLF bet jonathon woss would have fun with it WOTFL Mellie How Come My Coat Of Arms Has Buckles At The Back?

Hi All Try this site for interesting things about the black country.You can even have a listen to what we sound like if your not a local. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blackcountry/features/2002/12/accents/black_country_dialect.shtml All the best Dave ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mellie" <chouikh2006@btinternet.com> To: <ENG-BLACK-COUNTRY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 1:40 PM Subject: [B.C.] Re: Mellie >>>I almost feel like ringing Mellie, Just to see how this language really > sounds, problem being if I can't understand it typed there is no way I > would > understand it spoken. > Cheers Karen > Central Queensland Australia > PS- Still waiting to hear about Casseys fish<< > > you would be dissapointed LOL, I dont speak black country on the telephone > or at work LOL but I do have a black country accent LOL > the clue to "reading" black country is to say it as it sounds aka "tell it > like it is" the black country way LOL > when I write "black country "speak" (or spake as we say it LOL) I write > it how it is pronounced.as in "you are" is spelt "yowm" becuase thats what > we say LOL as in "you am" (yam yam LOL) there is nothing gramatically or > politically correct in the black country, we dont care for it LOL, > ses me having to deal with enquiries about the home office's latest > campaign ("NO MEANS NO") launched today LOL > Mellie > How Come My Coat Of Arms Has Buckles At The Back? > > ==== ENG-BLACK-COUNTRY Mailing List ==== > The Assistant List Admins are Jean Morgan and Jan Ross > (Couldn't do it without those two great ladies) > >

My interests are: AUSTIN--Dudley,Sedgley, and Bilston 1820 onwards SPICER--Coseley,Sedgley 1861 onwards,Leicestershire 1690 GROUCUTT--Coseley,early1800's onwards and Dawley Magna 1650.

Good evening to all, My BC interests are, ELKS: Bilston. FOLLOWS: Bradley. I would be interested in finding my GF John Thomas FOLLOWS died c1936 age 55 which makes his birth c 1881 and I am led to believe was in Tipton. He married Mary Ann MILLINGTON b: 1884 Coseley d: 1971 Bradley, any other information I have so far been unable to find. I would be grateful if SKS could help out on this one. Ed.

My great grandmother was called Fanny Snape and she married a Richard Powick !! Not spelling it out any further for fear of getting struck off the list !!!

Looking in the List of Occupation it says: Cheese Factor / Cheeseman / Cheese Monger - dealer in cheeses. Thanks Linda Is the list you mention on the web? Gaye

Got an Igal HARRIS born Rowley. Father also Igal born abt 1838 Halesowen. Also got Samuel 1803 Rowley, daughters Elizabeth 1843, Rebecca 1825, Sarah 1845, Hannah 1834 and son Jason 1831 Halesowen. Gaye