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Interesting Splinter. I've looked for a suicide or hanging before 1834 when the name is used on the Harbourne map. Of course, 'Knocker' might have been Tommy's nickname? He might have lived and died in the 1700s?

Thanks for the musical memories of my teenage years, Ozzy. RIP.

Wendy in 2010 wrote that according to legend Tom Knocker hanged himself there.... post #333 https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/threads/brummie-ghosts.10330/page-12

Aris's Birmingham Gazette Sat 24 June 1876 describes walking the Harbourne Boundary, reaching Tom Knocker's Wood where there was 'a most formidable thicket' 'Bearlands Coppice' which they struggled to cross.

Birmingham Mail - Saturday 14 November 1908

I'm so sorry to hear about your wife, you spent a long time together and I'm glad it was a happy one. I hope too that you can see your family. Derek

Photo from 2011 Wikimedia commons Gordon Griffiths / Halesowen Abbey / CC BY-SA 2.0 Obviously taken with a long lens from the footpath, but it does show considerable remains of the abbey still exist.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/halesowen-abbey/#beforeyougo While the remains of Halesowen Abbey are owned by English Heritage, the surrounding land is private with no access to the building. The exterior of a barn at Manor Farm incorporates some medieval stone and can be seen...

Webbs of Bearwood have a Facebook page which has a lot of historic pictures and photos behind the scenes. I wish Pauline and Steve a happy retirement. Tomorrow is their last trading day. Lots of nostalgic memories for me of buying bulbs in the Autumn and poinsettia for Christmas.

Happy Birthday, Richard! Derek

See my post #19 above. I linked to the copyrighted picture, the text below says the major bombing and subsequent fire was the following night 28 July 1942. 'L G While in his booklet `Raiders over Rotton Park’ names them as Bill Griffin, Bill Russell, Harry Norgrove and Bill Field. Two nights...

Can't find any mention of the air raid or fire in the papers, but Birmingham Images has a photo of the damping down. https://www.search.birminghamimages.org.uk/Details.aspx?ResourceID=7423&PageIndex=1&ThemeID=857

https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/threads/dockers-paints-rotten-park-street-ladywood.43410/ 28 July 1942 Air raid set Dockers alight. I heard vivid accounts from the locals 20 years later. Four brave firemen were lost. But as a child they didn't tell me that.

Looks good the Benjamin Zephaniah building will house the relocated College of Education.https://associated-architects.co.uk/bcu_bzb/

Andrew That's very disappointing when people tip. In Worcestershire gateways, fields and footpaths together with canals have the same issue. Some of it is undoubtedly trade waste. I was delighted to see the Harborne line which is a cycle and walkway in Birmingham. Derek

Just started to explore this. There's a lot here including some closed lines. It is scalable like the NLS mapping. https://www.openrailwaymap.org//index.php?style=standard&lat=52.293180116799626&lon=-2.087770957586094&zoom=19&mobile=0 Top right is a box with three horizontal lines - click and...

That's good and I'm happy to hear it. Surveys of British perceptions of accent even among young people tell a different story https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyjdyj729ro

I suspect that Steven Knight was inspired more by 'The Godfather' rather than social history. I wish him success in making film and TV in Birmingham, but associating the city with violent gangs is unfortunate. I stopped watching at a similar place when it shifted to fantasy. Derek

I was interviewed for a role copywriting and recording adverts on a local radio station and was told firmly that listeners didn't respond to local accents. Years ago, but I'm afraid many are still prejudiced about Birmingham and Black Country accents.

I'm sure everything will have been measured and photographed. MOLA are a respected commercial archaeological contractor. But this is rescue archaeology and the new station will be built on top of the roundhouse site? https://www.hs2.org.uk/building-hs2/archaeology/curzon-street-station-archaeology/