Hi Mason, To take it within your timeframe isn't too hard although nowadays it looks nothing at all as it did even ten years ago. Could do a better job with 1800 as a date though <G> Best to take a trip down it in @1840 from a pub called the Dartmouth Arms on the left and the Baptist Chapel on the right, with the junction of the new Turnpike (built by Telford) now known as the Holyhead Road and Dudley Street (which incidentally was also a turnpike, but much earlier than Telfords effort) facing you. Behind you on the rise would be High Bullen with Whimseys above the pits around the area and St. Bartholomews Church on the hill overlooking the whole town of Wednesbury (there is much, much more but this is very simplified). Start walking down Dudley Street and off in the distance would be/still is, Ocker Hill with St. Marks Church. To the right, would be the Packhorse pub and a few yards further on would be the Four Ways Tavern (St. James Street didn't exist back then) all mixed in with a small number of shops and houses. On the left are a terrace of houses fronting Dudley Street followed by a gap leading to Sparrows Field, not as nice as it sounds with pits dotted over it. There is now a crossroad, on the right is Portway Road (now simply Portway) and on the left is Potters Lane followed immediately by Fidoes Piece, again with its' associated pits. On the right following Portway Road (later to become known as Irish Town) is very little, no sign then of the Patent Shaft and Axeltree Company. Dudley Street ends at the Toll House and from there Lea Brook Road takes over up to Ocker Hill. From start to finish would take less than 5 minutes walking, and from the Toll House to Ocker Hill would take a further 5 mins. In a car these days, 2 mins for the whole lot from Holyhead Road to Ocker Hill. I must say that reading back, this is very simplified, but near enough for 1840 at this end of town. It was Telfords Turnpike (@1826 with the bridging of the Tame) that moved things slightly West of the centre towards this area. Dave 8-)) Wednesbury England List Admin: BC -----Original Message----- From: Mason Woodson [mailto:mhem@bellsouth.net] Sent: 12 April 2006 15:27 To: ENG-BLACK-COUNTRY-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [B.C.] What our ancestors did I had a GG Grandfather John Flynn who lived on Dudley Street in Wednesbury in 1858 who is listed on my Great Grandmother Ellen's Marriage Registration as being a "Inspector of Nuisance" a good article on this is "POLLUTED CITIES -THE DREAM AND THE REALITY compiled by Dee Finney Air Pollution before late Victorian times". I would like to know more about Dudley Street and Wednesbury in the time frame of 1837 to 1865. Mason mhem@bellsouth.net