"John Tysoe" writes: > Sorry, but Tipton was NEVER in WOR (although a *very* small part of > it WAS > transferred into WOR as recently as 1934)... It was in STS. > > Granted that it was in Dudley Registration District from 1 July 1837 > which > might give the impression that it might've been in WOR - but the > whole of > the Registration District was treated for Census and other > statistical > purposes as if it was STS... > Let me see if I have this straight . . . Dudley WAS an "island" belonging to WOR surrounded by STS. Tipton WAS a part of Dudley Registration District in 1839 (when g-grandma was born there) but IS and WAS really in STS. Now both are part of West Midlands County. There's a church on a hill in Dudley with a tunneled passage ending in a pub and a two mile subterranean canal without a towpath. I'm afraid I'll need Bill Perry to "slash" my way through this tangled landscape. Juraj :-)

Hi Juraj, You're Getting There ..... :-) > Dudley WAS an "island" belonging to WOR surrounded by STS. YES (Until 1966, when it was transferred to STS amid many Lamentations by the Labour Government of the day.) > Tipton WAS a part of Dudley Registration District in 1839 but IS and WAS really in STS. YES (Until 1973, when the greatly-unloved "Metropolitan County of West Midlands" was created - by the Conservative Government.) > Now both are part of West Midlands County. Well - er - not QUITE... West Midlands did a Yugoslavia in the later 1990s (albeit without TOO much Ethnic Cleansing). The Newer Conservative Government of the day saw that its predecessors had made a Total Pig's Ear in creating WMC, and so split it up. I don't know "where" Tipton is now - it could well be an Independent People's Republic for all I know, although it may be a part of Dudley :-) You'll need a Native Guide here.... > There's a church on a hill in Dudley with a tunneled passage ending in a pub I'll have to Pass on this one.... Netherton Church is *certainly* on a hill, but it wasn't built until c.1840 - one of my Happier Views when working at the Steelworks in the late 60s was to look across the railway lines and to see the church standing out on the skyline... But I can't speak for Dudley St Thomas. > a two mile subterranean canal without a towpath. YES (up to a point) - for the Dudley No 1 Canal Tunnel is actually only 3172 yards long (and is WELL worth a trip into, starting from the Black Country Museum**) but it's almost matched by the Dudley No 2 Canal Tunnel that's 145 yards shorter - yet has 2 towpaths! The Black Country is marvellous, despite its sad Decline - and the Natives are Friendly. My Major Holidays for the past 4 years have been to Brierley Hill or Oldbury - with Winter Breaks at Smethwick... THIS from one born, grown up, and lived all my life within 10 miles of Worcester Cross! Gus ** The Other End is just below The White Swan ("Ma Pardoe's") - even today still a Place of Pilgrimage. The Black Country Museum is worth the trip WITHOUT going into the Tunnel, especially on a day when the Exhibits are In Steam... [A working Newcomen Engine is probably the High Point - but you'd need to spend at least a whole day there (NOT an Advert!)]