Spon House, Spon Lane, West Bromwich

[BordesleyExile]

Does anyone have a picture of Spon House in Spon Lane, West Bromwich? I have searched the web & a couple of books on West Bromwich to no avail.

 

[chucka]

Hi there, i lived in Spon Lane and the surrounding area for 60yrs, I have never heard anyone mention there ever being a Spon House. Where do you think it was situated as Spon Lane is quite a long Lane.

Chucka

 

[BordesleyExile]

Thank you for your response, Chucka. I suspect that Spon House was towards the eastern end of Spon Lane as the Alan Godfrey map Oldbury & Spon Lane 1904 ref 68.14 does not appear to show Spon House. Alternatively perhaps the house had been demolished by 1904. Indeed J B Priestly apparently described the area as "a picture of grimy desolation" unparralled in his experience. British History Online mentions Spon House in passing as being a former residence of Thomas Bache Salter up to 1860. Perhaps he did not like the Spon grime either.
My own interest in Spon House stems from my family members William Holloway & his mother Ann living in the Stable Appartment at Spon House in 1841. William's brother was the blacksmith.

 

[Gustav]

Hi BordesleyExile, I'm just looking into my wife's Holloway family. They are the Holloways shown living in Spon Hall on the same page as your family members in the 1841 Census. Elizabeth (nee Davis) is shown as "Mine Owner" and no trace of her husband William after 1825. Their son, Edward Holloway went to Australia in the 1850s. I was wondering if you were able to share any information on this family?

 

[MWS]

Bordesley Exile hasn't been on the site for some time so may not respond to your query.

There is a burial listed for a William Holloway 13 Dec 1837 Christ Church, West Brom. Address is listed as Spon Lane, age 48. There appears to be a matching death reg. which may give a few more details.

 

[Gustav]

Thanks so much for that MWS. The Spon Lane address and age certainly correlate - might I ask the source of that information? The only online record I can find for that burial states the age as 46 but gives no address. Unfortunately I am restricted to keyboard searching as I am in Australia. I have found a couple of Will/Probate records for other William Holloways of West Bromwich around that time but neither seem to have a wife or children.

 

[MWS]

Burial was found on freeReg...

Search Query | FreeREG

Search your ancestry with FreeREG. FreeREG provides free online access to transcriptions of birth, marriage and burial records from Church of England and Church of Scotland registers. You can also use FreeREG to discover: non-Conformist records from England, Scotland and Wales, Municipal...

www.freereg.org.uk

Death reg. is from GRO

 

[Gustav]

Have just found the following notice from Aris's Birmingham Gazette, etc. 16 Jul 1827 which may answer some of my questions. It explains William's dual occupations as victualler and coal mine proprietor.

 

[MWS]

If that's your William Holloway, the death and burial in 1837 is then incorrect. Holloway does appear to be a popular name in the area.

 

[Gustav]

If that's your William Holloway, the death and burial in 1837 is then incorrect. Holloway does appear to be a popular name in the area.

Just goes to show that ticking some of the boxes doesn't equate to ticking all the boxes. Another entry in Aris' Gazettes states that William died on 10th June 1827 "after a severe affliction". I have found his will/ which supports the family and business connections.
Again, thanks very much for your help.

 

[mikejee]

There is an Elizabeth Holloway listed as a brick & coal dealer, old wharf. in the Pigots 1841 directory. In that, and directories of 1845, 1849, Benjamin Hooloway is listed as a coal dealer at different addresses

 

[Gustav]

There is an Elizabeth Holloway listed as a brick & coal dealer, old wharf. in the Pigots 1841 directory. In that, and directories of 1845, 1849, Benjamin Hooloway is listed as a coal dealer at different addresses

Thanks mikejee. I have found lots of articles in Birmingham papers relating to the sale of various businesses and premises. Given that this thread relates to Spon House I have attached the 1841 advertisement re it's proposed sale along with other premises on Spon Lane. This is interesting when viewed with the 1841 Census return for those living in Spon Lane.
Elizabeth is elsewhere recorded as the owner of Springfield Colliery and, along with her son Samuel H Holloway, of Squarefield Colliery. There was a terrible accident at Springfield Colliery in 1833 when 5 men were killed by a coal collapse.