Meriden
Meriden maps (2 available)
Map of West Midlands
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
See this old map of West Midlands
Personalised maps
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Meriden books (9 available)
Meriden memories
Read and share memories of Meriden and West Midlands inspired by Frith photos
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You can also read memories of nearby places in West Midlands below.
West Midlands memories
Elmdon Airport during the war years 1940-
Hi
This is not my memory but my mother's. My mother was stationed at Elmdon during the war. She joined the Women's Mechanized Transport Corp (Army) at age 17. She came from a rather influential family Dick and Jeanne Robinson. She was eager to join and serve. She has told me numerous tales of how she would get rides in the airplanes from guys in the airforce and how her and one young officer went up and he flew the plane upside down. Her name was Jackie Robinson. She even drove VIPs around on the base including Winston Churchill. I would like it if anyone had any pictures of the base during that period, or any memories I would love ...read more here
A memory of Elmdon contributed by First name Last name
Chemo Woods
We moved from Aston, (Lichfield Road) to Tile cross, in 1948. Talk about a breath of fresh air??
We soon discovered Chelmsley woods, it was a grand trek, down Bell lane, past the smithy on the right and down to "Ye Olde Bell" .
Acoss the fields at the back of the bell, past the bomb crater, and on to the woods.
Absolutely wonderful, original primeval forest with Oak trees, Silver birch etc. truly wonderful, I can never forget it!! We had some wonderful days there as boys.
But alas, it had to be cut down to make way for a huge housing estate. I think that was a crying shame, I think, that if the ...read more here
A memory of Chelmsley Wood contributed by norm bourne
The Blue Bell Wood
Having recently moved to Kingshust from Aston it was wonderful to have Chelmsley Wood within walking distance. Taking a picnic we would set off and thoroughly enjoy the walk, climbing over the style and venturing into the woods especially when the wood was carpeted with the most amazing blue bells. We would play hide and seek and be amazed at all the wonderful smells and beautiful things to see. It was nature at its best. We would all stagger home exhaused carrying arms full of blue bells. These were the days when we didn't live in fear of strangers and of course before the lovely woods were demolished to make way for the CHELMSLEY WOOD that ...read more here
A memory of Chelmsley Wood contributed by Lynda Ridgard
Knowle window cleaners
My Mother, brother and I arrived in the Knowle and Dorridge area about 1941, being evacuated from London during World War Two.My Father had remained in London,. At first we were billeted in a large house opposite the Dorridge Cricket Ground, the owner of the house was very nice. Later we were moved to a large house in Temple Road Dorridge, the name of the house was Selborne. I attended school at an emergency school (no other school being available) in a hall attached to the church of St George in Station Road Dorridge, Mr Doyle being the head teacher and Miss Vaughan looking after the infants class. I attended that school until the age of 14 years when I left ...read more here
A memory of Knowle contributed by Ted George
Extracts From Meriden & West Midlands books
St Lawrence’s stands on Meriden Hill, aloof from most of the community it serves, but close to a small cluster of old
houses and with views towards Coventry. It is often said to have been founded by Lady Godiva, but Meriden’s main
claim to fame is the ancient cross on the village green reputed to mark the centre of England.
An extract from from"West Midlands Living Memories".
Round Oak Iron Works in the 1850s.Though by no means the first
iron works in the area, it would become the most important. It was
constructed on the opposite side of the canal to the New Level
Furnaces and adjacent to the tracks of the recently opened Oxford,
Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway. Production began at Round
Oak in 1857, and as demand grew the works was gradually
extended. In 1889 a chain works was commissioned, and in 1892
Round Oak switched over to producing steel. Our pictures of
Brierley Hill were taken in the 1960s, a time when Round Oak was
one of the most modern steel plants in the West Midlands and
capable of producing in excess of 250,000 tonnes a year.
Stourbridge came into existence at a crossing point of the Stour.
An extract from from"West Midlands Pocket Album".
Just two miles from Wolverhampton,Tettenhall retained
its two greens despite the Enclosure Commissioners. In
AD910 Tettenhall was the scene of one of the most
important battles in English history. It was here that
Edward the Elder of Wessex defeated the Danes. The
battle marked a turning point. From then onwards the
English went over to the offensive, Edward’s ultimate
aim being the total reconquest of the Danelaw.
An extract from from"West Midlands Pocket Album".
As at Tipton and Wednesbury, the 30 ft seam of Thick Coal was near
the surface at Bilston.Though there is evidence for coal pits at the time
of Edward I, Bilston came into its own during the 19th century. In
1827 local mines produced an estimated 317,000 tonnes, and by the
mid 1860s output was around 10 million tonnes. The population
expanded from 6,900 in 1801 to 24,000 in 1861.
An extract from from"West Midlands Pocket Album".
The Bridge was a busy tram interchange and terminus. After
Wolverhampton, Walsall is the largest of the Black Country
towns. Between 1801 and 1901 its population rose from 10,000
to 87,000—and it is considerably higher today at over 184,000.
Though famous for its leather goods,Walsall grew up on coal and
ironstone mining, iron working, and limestone quarrying.
An extract from from"West Midlands Pocket Album".