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Moseley Tea & Honey Shop ?

Interestingly the person I searched for on the 1901 was Frederick Harris (see letter in post #33). He is listed at the Post Office and is down as a blacksmith and subpostmaster.
I did wonder but don't thin he is the person Tolkein stayed with.
 
On the census for 1901 Frederick Harris is down as 26 Post Office Rednal village, Blacksmith and Sub post master. Now in 1896 he says he is at Woodside Cottage, so Fern Cottage and Woodside cottage do not appear to be the same place ?
 
It appears that Dr. Newman, to build Oratory House, purchased the land on which stood a small cottage.
The Western Daily Press said in August 1890, at the time of his death, "With the village postmaster, who is a blacksmith and wheelwright by trade, he frequently held long and kindly conversation, and at his last visit to the Post office he presented him with a copy of Deharbe's Small Catechism, translated by the Fathers of the Society of Jesus of the Province of Missouri."
 
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The late BillDargue located Fern Cottage " just off Lickey Road". Also, for reference, attached is the Oratory Retreat building located on Rednal Hill, also from Bill's site.
 

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True - so does the Oratory site but I haven't found a postman listed on the census so far. It may be in a different book. Will do some more searching tomorrow (or rather later today lol)
 
Vivienne14 said:
The late BillDargue located Fern Cottage " just off Lickey Road". Also, for reference, attached is the Oratory Retreat building located on Rednal Hill, also from Bill's site.
Click to expand...
nice photo of the front door and entrance to the cottage...the little building to the right also shown in the original photo could have been where the honey was once bottled..

lyn
 
hi superdad compering the 2 photos on post 12 and reading the link below there can be little doubt in my mind that the one labelled moseley and the one of fern cottage are one and the same..however as you will read fern cottage was over rednal way and once the home of tolkien...at the min we are leaning towards the original photo having the wrong location on it but nothing is certain...bit of a mystery at the min

www.picturesofengland.com

Fern Cottage, Lickey Hills, Birmingham. A boyhood home of famous author, JRR Tolkien by Colin Taylor at PicturesofEngland.com

- Rednal at PicturesofEngland.com where you can explore the beautiful country of England with photos, history, facts, maps and more.
www.picturesofengland.com www.picturesofengland.com

lyn.
 
Astoness said:
pedro i think viv is correct in saying that the location given as moseley is due to the advert for moseley cycles...no doubt in my mind that the fern cottage you found is correct..info suggests it is/was in the grounds of the oratory retreat...whever that is..

lyn
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In 1970's the parent's of a friend were caretakers at Oratory House Rednal, I was fortunate to visit a few times, remember a library where there was a telescope which I understood belonged to Cardinal Newman.
 
Of course Tolkein had association with Moseley, and maybe that is why it was in the one time Trafalgar. I don’t think it is a postcard as the caption is printed and would normally be hand written ? There is no similar picture on the internet, maybe this is an original obtained by the pub ?
 
Pedrocut said:
Of course Tolkein had association with Moseley, and maybe that is why it was in the one time Trafalgar. I don’t think it is a postcard as the caption is printed and would normally be hand written ? There is no similar picture on the internet, maybe this is an original obtained by the pub ?
Click to expand...
what we need pedro is to find a photo of the cottage that actually says fern cottage either on a gate or on brickwork but so far i cant find one however i have asked carl chinn...if he has anything i will post it

lyn
 
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The modern picture of Fern Cottage came from the site "Pictures of England" which doesn't seem to have a search facility. The only detail it gives is copyright Colin Taylor.
The cottage seems to pretty to have disappeared !
 
And this…

sites.google.com

Fern Cottage

On the edge of the grounds of the Birmingham Oratory there stands a small house known as Fern Cottage. During Tolkien’s childhood it was occupied by the local postman and his wife. When Mabel Tolkien’s diabetes worsened, she and her sons relocated to the cottage where they could rent some space
sites.google.com sites.google.com
 
Building on Pedro's post #51, could this be the lady in the photo ? Tolkien's mother, Mabel nee Suffield) who died young at Fern Cottage in 1904 ? It would make the photo a very significant part of Tolkien history. Tolkien's father had died some years before in South Africa. Her family, the Suffields , lived in Trafalgar Road.
Screenshot_20250408_205705_Chrome.jpg
 
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Mr Till was a Rednal postman, home located at (2?) Leach Green Road. It's very near to and just off Lickey Road. Could fit with the late Bill Dargue's suggested location.
Source: British Newspaper Archive
 

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Vivienne14 said:
Mr Till was a Rednal postman, home located at (2?) Leach Green Road. It's very near to and just off Lickey Road. Could fit with the late Bill Dargue's suggested location.
Source: British Newspaper Archive
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funny you should post that viv as i am just taking a st walk down leach green lane which is also off lickey road..

lyn
 
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