I started doing my family tree a few years ago. I was warned to expect a few skeletons, and they wasn’t wrong.
When my nanny Addis died, mom saved a box of photos, well that is what we thought it was, until I took some of the photos out and found a thick black envelope. As I knew everything in the box was delicate, I was very careful when retrieving the contents.
To my amazement, it had birth and death certificates in it. One in particular puzzled me greatly. Then I remembered when I had looked on a census, and noticed a lodger. It was his birth certificate. hmmmmmmmmmmm I thought to myself.
I can go back further than the people I am going to talk about now.
Richard E Addis was born about 1859, in Walsallwood. He married Charlotte Nutting who was born about 1860. Richard died in 1892. There were many children, and I have photos of them outside the Beehive, Hall lane Walsallwood, where they lived, now I need to do further research to find out if they moved into it before it was flats, or did they convert it to flats?
My granddad, Ernest Addis was born in 1900,Ding dong, My brain went, dad died in 1892, So who was his dad. The lodger, we worked out. It looked like he took the Addis name, I cannot find a marriage at all for him and Charlotte, but she would have taken his name. Also I am not sure if the child, born before granddad, was Richards or the lodgers.
I have loads of question on a list about them all, and I am in contact with one of the grandchildren of my grandfathers sister.
My granddad was a little ginger haired man, whom I remember fondly, sitting in his chair, smoking his Park Drive Cigarettes. He was affectionately known as Soss. I can remember him coming home from work, going in the pantry, and with his pen knife, which he always carried, Slicing a bacon rasher off the quarter of pig hanging in there.
My Nan, had an air of grandeur about her, I will mention that later on. She was a short stout woman, who always wore a hat. She came from Madeley in Shropshire. She was the eldest of five children. She came to the Walsall area to be in service to a business Family in Walsall. I am having trouble remembering who the family were, but will add it when I have looked at my files.
Nan and Granddad lived at 188 Lichfield Road, Shire Oaks. My Dad, John Addis, and his sister Nita were born there. Although, everyone knew my dad as John, his full name was Ernest John Addis. Also living in the house was my granddad nephew, Willy or Monty, I believe he was a shunter at the pit.. He even went on honeymoon with my Grandparents. Later on he worked at Aldridge Plastics, I found out he also worked at the BRD too. He had a gammy leg, due to having polio when a child.
Granddad Soss, drove the Lord Kitchener, At Walsallwood colliery, I remember mom taking me to the track, when we lived on Clayhanger to wave to him. He had lost the end of his one fingers, because the young lad that worked with him shut the fire door on it.
I am still not sure why I do not remember my granddad relatives, maybe never met them. I remember my Nans family from Shropshire. I know that one of the Addis sisters went to the Wirral to marry a man, last name Plant. This research is still ongoing on the Addis side.
Granddads sister Sarah, had a shop, where the steps are now on the bridge in Walsallwood. That was where the roads used to be to Hall Lane.
I am aware of another Addis sister who went to live in Dover.
In the box was an account about Charlotte, Great grandmother, Giving evidence in court at the inquest to her sister’s death. She had a brain bleed and fell down stairs. I think I am correct in saying It was at the blackcock pub, but I will look that up again and correct it, if untrue.
I used to work in Hall Lane, and walked past the Beehive everyday, and was unaware that my relatives had lived there. So while I am visiting the area at the moment I shall have to venture to the Walsall archives to investigate further.
Research I have to do on this side of the tree, Is still vast. Even though I have gone back the late 1700’s. I am having major problems finding my Nans birth cert. I recently went to Shrewsbury Archives to find out more, as Nan was a Wesleyan Methodist. Could I find her, NO. I found the marriage of her parents, 1915. She was born In 1913, cough, cough. I am aware they may have not registered her. On her marriage cert, it says she was a fancy leather worker, We are only aware of her in service, and then she got married. So that needs looking into, I do have photos, of her in service with the family she worked with. Another thought, was she lied about her age when she got married. In all of the certs I have, her birth cert is not there. I cannot send for a new one unless I have the reference number. I know they got married at Cannock registrar office.
I also have letters from my Nans Brother during the war. I will publish these at a later date.
I know Soss was in the home guard, as I have all his paperwork, which was a great find. Also something to do with a fire man at the pit, during this time.
I remember fondly going to the Top Oak, Public House to meet Granddad and walk home with him. Nan used to make him Cheese and Onion crusty Cobs to take with him.
That is it for the moment, until I find more out about this side of the tree.
Hi, My name is Trevor Brown, I now live in Queensland Australia,
I lived at 216 Litchfield Rd Shire Oak Hill, From 1949 untill I got married in1965
I went to School with Edmond Howdle who you mentioned,
I also remember Nita Addis and John Addis, My Brother also still lives up Shire Oak Hill
John Addis was my dad, he sadly died, 12 months ago, Nita is still alive, well I think she is. What a small world eh. I will be doing more on my family bit soon. So much I have found out since starting my tree. Thanks for the reply.
Trevor, sorry it was a quick reply, was very busy the day I replied. My Dad lived at 188. Until he married my mom. I have some wonderful stories to tell, well I think they are. If you have any to add please do.
Hi goodcuppa do you remember anyone from shire oak i have just made contact with a lot of my old mates in the wood through this blog some that i lost contact with fifty years ago. Did you live up Shire Oak as you mentioned the Oak pub,.? Can you tell me your name.
Regards.Trevor
Hi Trevor, I can only remember from being at my Nans during holidays and visits. Dad was born at 118. I remember the Orobins, Think that is where I used to fetch milk from, but maybe mistaken. I, like you do not live near home anymore. Have to depend on the old brain cells. I will ask mom if she can tell me more when she gets back from her weekend away. We lived on Clayhanger until we moved to Hednesford when I was Thirteen. Nan lived is a row of four houses, two up two down. Next to the drive was the Bains family. The rest are on the tip of my tongue, but are sat there not coming out. You may remember a man with a floppy leg being at 188. He was my granddad nephew willy, or monty he was know as. He used to spend hours leaning up the front wall watching the traffic. So when mom comes back, again, she seems to be away a lot these days, I will ask her the names, and she will probably tell me what they are doing, or what has happened to them. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
how lovely to hear all about your moms memories, i kept on reading about your family tree. your grandad soss did he ever live on chester rd opposite friezland lane.
Thank you Christine. family tree is a nightmare at the moment, just collating all the searches I have and then i have to start sending for certs. as far as I am aware, Granddad sos and Nan lived at 188 Lichfield road,Shire oaks all their life. I know Granddad lived at the canal lane cottages, then the family moved into the Bee Hive in hall lane when it was turned into flats. Granddad used to work at the Coppie Pit . If I do find out they lived there I will let you know. I am just going to put some photos on here in a bit.
Good Cuppa, How are you ?
Here is some perhaps good or useless imformation for you,
I have tried to look on google earth for 188 Shire oak Road, is the house 188 the one with the blue front door? House numbers to small for my eyes,
anyway here goes,
The white stone looking house across the road was Cresswells, the next house down the hill toward the Wood was Stackhouse, the milk people were Horribins as you know Mr, Mrs, Older boy and Alan who was my age, his photo I have put on Brownhillsbob blog under local history, football he is back row left on the end,
Four houses to the north of Horribins were Hattens, the son was named Tommy next Greenwoods Mr, Mrs, Jean, Brian, Mary and David who was my best man who I am in touch with again after all these years, then Merricks they had one girl, Then the Jones’s, there son Brian went on to be a scientist at Harwell,
On the Right side 210 was David and Nelle Langford, 212 Charly and Glad Langly, 214 Arthur and Nelle Langford, and 216 My Mom and Dad Fred and Dorrie Brown, and at 218 the Freemans,
Kind regards to you all,
Trevor Brown, Queensland, Australia,
I remember going to get the milk from there for my nan. I hated crossing the road. If you look at the Orobins house, there is a big bungalow next to it, well a little on now too,as I have just seen, turn around and there are a block of four houses, the one with the double gates was nans, It always, as long as I can remember had a black door. The gates were never there in their day, as It wasn’t until it was sold the new owners found out they had sole right away of the entry, and shut it off from the other people. That is why most have lost the front gardens now, to use for parking. I noticed they have gone into the roof. I would love to see what they have done inside,