Hi all, It's ages since I've posted to the BC List (I'm usually under the radar sorting you all out!). I must say that on a review of Jane's site, it's brought back a huge amount of very dear memories. The very first reunion (actually only four of us) was eclipse day on 11th August 1999. There was myself, Jane, Jo and Anne (my wife and daughter) whizzing around the Black Country and ending up at the Lion pub at Hampton Loade on the river Severn (now closed!) for a pint and a meal. Jane said that it would be a great idea to have a Black Country reunion for us all to enjoy. The idea was taken up, driven by Jane, and the next year (2000), we had the first full blown BC List reunion with many people from all corners of the world joining in. We all had a great time with many places visited and nattered about. The BC reunions were a feature of our list for a number of years, and still, ex-pats come to visit their roots. The Leathern Bottel may not be our "centre of operations" (hasn't been for the last 3 years actually) these days but we're still here via email or in "The Horse and Jockey" at Wednesbury occasionally. So here's a proposition, How's about a BC list reunion tenth Anniversary in Sept 2010. There are flights to the BC from Philadelphia with US airways, New York with Continental, the Antipodes with Emirates etc, etc. There are members who have passed away who would have loved this, none more shocking than Phil Collins who died earlier this year at such a young age, a lovely man who was taken way before his time. Let's get the List back to the way it was and the reasons why it was set up. Not just Gen and Family History, but tales about the BC and the way it was. It's what made our list tick! Hopefully, see you in Sept 2010 for our proper tenth anniversary. The Pie Factory is still going strong <g> as are many other attractions that we utilised on our first BCR. Dave 8-) Wednesbury England Listowner: The Black Country, Staffordshire, The Potteries, Ironbridge, Leek & Lowe, Wolverhampton etc.,

Oh, YES! Count me in for that reunion, Dave! I'd love to see everyone again, and I'd love to learn more B.C. culture in the meantime. Speaking of which, if someone lived "in the Packet", what is that? Starting to Pack, Lois -----Original Message----- From: Dave Ogden <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Tue, Oct 27, 2009 8:00 pm Subject: [Black Country] Jane's site plus bits and bobs plus BCR 2010! Hi all, It's ages since I've posted to the BC List (I'm usually under the radar sorting you all out!). I must say that on a review of Jane's site, it's brought back a huge amount of very dear memories. The very first reunion (actually only four of us) was eclipse day on 11th August 1999. There was myself, Jane, Jo and Anne (my wife and daughter) whizzing around the Black Country and ending up at the Lion pub at Hampton Loade on the river Severn (now closed!) for a pint and a meal. Jane said that it would be a great idea to have a Black Country reunion for us all to enjoy. The idea was taken up, driven by Jane, and the next year (2000), we had the first full blown BC List reunion with many people from all corners of the world joining in. We all had a great time with many places visited and nattered about. The BC reunions were a feature of our list for a number of years, and still, ex-pats come to visit their roots. The Leathern Bottel may not be our "centre of operations" (hasn't been for the last 3 years actually) these days but we're still here via email or in "The Horse and Jockey" at Wednesbury occasionally. So here's a proposition, How's about a BC list reunion tenth Anniversary in Sept 2010. There are flights to the BC from Philadelphia with US airways, New York with Continental, the Antipodes with Emirates etc, etc. There are members who have passed away who would have loved this, none more shocking than Phil Collins who died earlier this year at such a young age, a lovely man who was taken way before his time. Let's get the List back to the way it was and the reasons why it was set up. Not just Gen and Family History, but tales about the BC and the way it was. It's what made our list tick! Hopefully, see you in Sept 2010 for our proper tenth anniversary. The Pie Factory is still going strong <g> as are many other attractions that we utilised on our first BCR. Dave 8-) Wednesbury England Listowner: The Black Country, Staffordshire, The Potteries, Ironbridge, Leek & Lowe, Wolverhampton etc., ------------------------------------- The only List that specifically covers the whole of the Black Country. Run by Black Country folk who were born and still live in the area. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Dear Group & Dave, The rest of the story about my meeting Dave, his wife Jo and daughter Anne is that Dave had been helping me locate people and places. On a basic rootsweb list I innocently asked where Upper Gornal was. Actually it wasn't so innocent, I hadn't been getting any responses and I thought that might stir up some comment. The first reply was from a clever lad who said it was just above Lower Gornal. The second reply was from Dave who typed " I am sitting in my office over looking the lights of Upper Gornal. What do you want to know?" We corresponded for at least a year before I built up the courage to show up in the Black Country again. Again because I had been on a narrowboat holiday with my husband and friends and had visited the Black Country Museum and the limestone mine in 1996. Dave helped me find out that my great grandfather had worked in that mine. During our conversations and conversations with others, Dave decided he would start the Rootsweb Black Country List which has flourished ever since. Supper at The Lion was interesting because I could see similarities in the landscape between Western Pennsylvania and the area between Wolverhampton and The Lion. My grandparents emigrated to a coal mining and iron, then steel making area of Pennsylvania from the coal mining, iron making area of England. The land forms are similar as are the flora and fauna. There is a lot more to the study of genealogy than the listing of names and dates. Family stories are extremely important. That is why our BC list is set up to allow that to happen. Thank you Dave. Not sure I can make it to the reunion. Economy is not great over here. I will try. I remember setting up lots of things from a very long distance and was grateful for help from many folks. You know who you are and I hope you know how grateful I was and still am that it all worked out. Through the process I found friends for life at a reunion of people who had never met before. I have cousins in Wolverhampton and Penkridge that I see now and again. I am shocked about Phil's death. He was a great addition to that first reunion. Jane nb WishIwashomeintheBCagain (I love narrowboats and my signature usually reflects that) > > > > > > ------------------------------------- > The only List that specifically covers the whole of the Black Country. Run > by Black Country folk who were born and still live in the area. > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Good Grief, Dave i never knew about Phil, what a shock. A 10th reunion sounds a brilliant idea. Count us in :-)) Jan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Ogden" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 12:00 AM Subject: [Black Country] Jane's site plus bits and bobs plus BCR 2010! > Hi all, > It's ages since I've posted to the BC List (I'm usually under the > radar sorting you all out!). > So here's a proposition, How's about a BC list reunion tenth Anniversary > in > Sept 2010.

Good Grief, Dave i never knew about Phil, what a shock. A 10th reunion sounds a brilliant idea. Count us in :-)) Jan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Ogden" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 12:00 AM Subject: [Black Country] Jane's site plus bits and bobs plus BCR 2010! > Hi all, > It's ages since I've posted to the BC List (I'm usually under the > radar sorting you all out!). > So here's a proposition, How's about a BC list reunion tenth Anniversary > in > Sept 2010.