TOM KNOCKERS WOOD HARBORNE

[Astoness]

has anyone any info about this wood...where exactly in harborne was or is it and was it actually named after someone named tom knocker..maybe there is a map showing it

lyn

 

[Radiorails]

http://www.theharbornesociety.org.uk/uploads/3/9/5/2/39529175/1998.pdf

Lyn, a little here in post 21:

Woodgate valley

there used to be a fun fair that came every year to woodgate valley in the 60's....anyone remember it?

birminghamhistory.co.uk

 

[mw0njm.]

Mopbeggar Farm (Moor End Farm)

Mopbeggar Farm was a large farm estate which straddled the border between Warley and Harborne and extended as far north as Quinton Lane. The name Mopbeggar is thought to derive from a corruption of Mockbeggar – an old and common name used to describe a large house which gave little charity.


The farmhouse was situated at the end of a meandering trackway leading south from Tennall Road, located where Simmons Drive is today.


In 1840 the farm was owned by William Penn, occupied by William Johnson.


There were a number of blocks of woodland in the estate. The northernmost of which – Pits Wood – still exists today just off Overdale Road, though it is much smaller than it was shown in 1840. The wood is outside of the Country Park boundary.


To the south, were three further woods, which fell outside of the modern day Country Park. Where Ridgemont Croft is today, was Pool Tail Plantation. This is marked on later maps (1880s) as an old sand pit. In the location of the modern day Bolney Road stood Feston Wood, which had also been cleared by the 1880s. Where First Meadow Piece is today stood Bearlands Wood (also known as Tom Knocker’s Wood)...
Woodgate Valley – a History – ANDY_UNDERSCORE

 

[mw0njm.]

Late last night and the night before
Tommyknockers, Tommyknockers
knocking at the door.
I want to go out;
don't know if I can,
'cause I'm so afraid
of the Tommyknocker man.

 

[Pedrocut]

 

[Astoness]

thanks everyone...most interesting info...i am taking it that the house in pedros photo is long gone now

lyn

 

[lesley60]

thanks everyone...most interesting info...i am taking it that the house in pedros photo is long gone now
lyn

Hi Lyn,
That 'House' In the picture Pedrocut posted, Is the old Monarch Pub In Quinton Road West, which is now, The Island Inn Pub restaurant.
Lesley.

 

[Pedro Torpe]

has anyone any info about this wood...where exactly in harborne was or is it and was it actually named after someone named tom knocker..maybe there is a map showing it

lyn

View attachment 141258

 

[Pedro Torpe]

I went to Four Dwellings School at end of 40s/early 50s. In a school notebook I have written that the class went to Tom Knockers Wood and planted trees!

 

[K-T]

Very interesting! I'm coming across this thread after searching for 'Tommy Knockers Wood', which my grandad described. He lived in Harborne in the 30s and fondly remembered going 'just up the hill' to get into the countryside when he lived on West Boulevard. Maybe its now part of the country park there?

That said, he may not be aware the wood was decimated in 1945 by the looks of that newspaper article - and I'd rather not tell him! Kids can do terrible things in every generation... By that point he'd left for Yardley.

 

[Stokkie]

A 'Tommy Knocker' is a hob or goblin, often thought to haunt mines. As a child, I knew the woods well in the 1960s -1970s, but I think this wood was long gone by then. Looking at the newspaper photo, I doubt this was done by children. More like housing developers.

 

[K-T]

A 'Tommy Knocker' is a hob or goblin, often thought to haunt mines. As a child, I knew the woods well in the 1960s -1970s, but I think this wood was long gone by then. Looking at the newspaper photo, I doubt this was done by children. More like housing developers.

Undoubtedly true. There are houses there now by the looks of it!