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Rivers: River Tame

Some photos of the River Tame.

Walsall Road, Perry Barr.



Between Salford Park and the Aston Expressway.




Over in Walsall near Bescot Stadium and the M6.

 
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The Contamination of Birmingham Water Supply, Birmingham Journal, September 1854

From the Thread “Water Peter Walker” ....“In 1854 a gas tank at Willenhall suddenly burst; the fluid from this found its way into the River Tame, poisoning the fish and rendering the water unfit for domestic use. Fortunately the Company had time to exclude the polluted water from entering the reservoir and mains, but water for domestic purposes had once again to be taken round in carts for a time.”

With the advent of the Newspaper Archives it is possible to see contemporaneous reports and the thumbnails give one from the Birmingham Journal. The accident was caused by The Willenhall Gas Company trying to erect a new gasometer close to an old one. The earth gave way due to the weight of tar in the old gasometer, the evacuation and the gutters of the public streets were inundated with tar and ammonical liquor, which found its way into the River Tame via a tributary. A pump was actually used to send the liquid more “expeditiously” and it then had to travel 10-12 miles to Aston Reservoir. At the time it appears that the River Tame supplied about a third of Birmingham with water.

The effect on wildlife drew the attention as hundreds of fish died, of which there were numerous eels, and fortunately the engineer Mr Rofe was able to stop the contaminated water from entering Aston and Erdington Reservoirs. Worried that stock of pure water would not last, a notice was posted that water should not to be used for drinking or cooking until the River has been purified. Drinking water was to be delivered from house to house by water carts, but only for Company customers, thus increasing the alarm.
 
I think it was the River Tame I used to see when I visited Hay Mills as a lad (not sure). It looked lovely meandering through the greenery, but was sterile through pollution and I always found that sad. I would love to have been able to fish in it. I hope it's able to support fish life now.

Regards, Ray T.
 
Ray T said:
I think it was the River Tame I used to see when I visited Hay Mills as a lad (not sure). It looked lovely meandering through the greenery, but was sterile through pollution and I always found that sad. I would love to have been able to fish in it. I hope it's able to support fish life now.

Regards, Ray T.
Click to expand...

In the post above concerning the contamination of the River Tame in 1854, it seems there was a good deal of fish in the Tame. The great number of eels was noted. It made me wonder how many people would put out night lines and slip back in the morning to pick up their catch.

Passing the Tame, just up from the Yew Tree, the River becomes quite shallow. The far bank has always had beautiful willow trees overhanging the water. You could even imagine someone casting a fly.
 
Probably the River Cole if it's near Small Heath and Tyseley. The Small Heath Bypass is nearby, and I've seen a path that you could walk down, but I've not done that section yet.
 
Tales from the Riverbank...

Even before 1854 there was grave concern about the danger to health by pollution of the River Tame. However in June 1874 three youths were ordered to pay 10s plus costs or 14 days imprisonment for taking six Roach. (Being liable to a £5 fine or 2 months imprisonment)

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Nearly 120 years after the contamination of 1854, in March 1971, the situation is no better.

"Steps have been taken, and are being taken, to clean up the Tame, but it is one of the most pointed rivers in Britain."

In another report around that time it was remarked that "pollutants would be harmful
to fish if they were any in the Tame."
 
In trying to find the present state of the River Tame I came across...

"Up to the 1800s the Tame was a productive fishery and popular with anglers; Isaac Walton, the author of 'The Complete Angler' (1653), fished the river, and trout from the Tame were served at Queen Victoria's coronation dinner in 1838."

Is it a true I wonder!

If you Google "River Tame pollution" the first to come up is the river Tame in Manchester

“One section of the River Tame was found to have 517,000 plastic particles per square metre of sediment - double the previous record for any waterway or ocean in the world.”
 
Pedrocut said:
In trying to find the present state of the River Tame I came across...

"Up to the 1800s the Tame was a productive fishery and popular with anglers; Isaac Walton, the author of 'The Complete Angler' (1653), fished the river, and trout from the Tame were served at Queen Victoria's coronation dinner in 1838."

Is it a true I wonder!

If you Google "River Tame pollution" the first to come up is the river Tame in Manchester

“One section of the River Tame was found to have 517,000 plastic particles per square metre of sediment - double the previous record for any waterway or ocean in the world.”
Click to expand...
I remember sitting on the 5a, running alongside the Tame and looking at its oily, detritus ridden surface, spot the dead rats and birds amongst the bits of wood and cardboard, it also moved very sluggishly. The only pleasing sight was the Higgs Motors engine with its black and white drive shaft. What happened to Higgs Motors? Presumably the stretch along Witton Road is cleaner nowadays.
Bob
 
Dear Walter Frank Higgs; ....empty bellies is the one thing that will make Britons work...we want 11 people after 10 jobs.... With such sound enconomic thinking, you wuld have thought Higgis would be there for an eternity, not. They were bought up by Newman Industrys in the early 60's.
 
Saturday morning, I woke up, got out of bed in my hotel and looked at a quintessentially English scene. A clear slow flowing river, the weed in the bottom very obvious and the silver flash had to be a fish, perhaps a small roach? Tree lined, first an Egret landed, ì know what they are from the Rivers Exe, Sid and Axe, then a Heron landed a little way away from the Egret. Beautiful, Sunday morning, same scene, sun, slow flowing river, the Heron and three Canada Geese. This was obviousky a regular spot for the Heron. The only sound was the north bound M6, The river, the Tame, the hotel Holiday Inn Express at Castle Bromwich. Unbelievable for someone who remembers the Tame as my previous post.
Bob
 
Astoness said:
hi bob and that is proof that some places can change for the better:)

lyn
Click to expand...
In actual fact if it had not been that you could see and hear the motorway, you could have been in the country, it was a beautiful scene, rather the same as the canals, once you are away from the industry, going through the suburbs on the Birmingham and Worcester, or Birmingham and Fazeley it is a different world. The most surprising place is at Merry Hill walk past the two pubs and around the corner going towards Dudley and although you can see a high factory wall behind the fence, the rest of the area is just canal and trees and there was very little noise when we walked it oe hot Saturday Afternoon, other than birdsong. On Saturday I drove through the Black Country and was aware how houses had replaced the terraces of workers houses and the factories that used to be there. I wondered if the ladies of Cradley Heath still made chains at home in their Taylor Wimpey detached house. Wasn't it 'ommer em Crodley?'

Bob
 
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