Black Country Links

The Barnsley Nocks of Quarry Bank As a child, Erica Williams wondered if her grandmother's maiden name of Barnsley indicated that her family had maybe come from Barnsley to the Black Country. As she delved into the family history she also wondered why sometimes they called themselves by the surname Barnsley, sometimes Nock, and sometimes the double-barrelled Barnsley Nock…

Batham's Brewery Black Country brewery, based in Brierley Hill. Daniel Batham's first pub was the White Horse in Cradley High Street in 1882. Five Batham generations have been involved in creating a legendary beer of the Black Country.

BBC TV / Radio Black Country homepage BBC Radio West Midlands: Explore the Black Country

Black Country information Black Country information and links, including information on The Black Country Society

Black Country Bugle Weekly newspaper with Black Country local and family history articles. Its all "old news"!

Black Country Connections This is an attempt to see how our Black Country ancestors all link together. It is fast becoming a huge genealogical tree for the Black Country area. Take a look, and consider submitting your contribution to the project.

Black Country History The searchable online catalogue for the Black Country archive services enables you to search simultaneously across all four Black Country record office catalogues to find information about records held by Dudley Archives and Local History Service; Sandwell Community History and Archives Service; Walsall Local History Centre; and Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies.

Black Country Living Museum Discover the Black Country at this 26 acres urban heritage park in the shadow of Dudley Castle. Historic buildings from all around the Black Country have been moved and authentically rebuilt at the Museum, to create a tribute to the traditional skills and enterprise of the people that once lived in the heart of industrial Britain.

Black Country Nostalgia Simon Donnelly's website is dedicated to the work of his late father, Peter Donnelly, especially his photographic legacy. Peter's photography and poems are an important record of the time - especially the 1960s - of the Black Country and its many wonders (also Birmingham). Pete worked in the Lye and Cradley Heath.

Black Country Pages Dave Ogden's site covers Genealogy, Geography and the History of the area, as well as the language and humour of the people.

Black Country Pubs Tony Hitchmough's wonderful web site contains a wealth of well-researched information about the People, Life and Times of more than 5,500 Black Country Pubs

Black Country Society The Society's stated aim is 'to foster interest in the past, present and future of the Black Country'.

Black Country TeeT Shirts Be proud to wear a T-shirt that says "Ar bay a Brummie" or "Owamya"?

Chain Making in the Black Country Review of this book by Ron Moss. At the end of the nineteenth century 90 per cent of all the chain workshops in England and Wales were in the five chain making towns of Cradley, Cradley Heath, Old Hill, Quarry Bank and Netherton…

Chain Making in the Black Country, including a brief history of chain Review of another "wonderful little booklet" by Ron Moss.

Chartism in the Black Country Lists many of those who risked their freedom, and sometimes their lives, for the Chartist cause.

Distinctly Black Country

A Network aiming to develop understanding of the Black Country as a single historic landscape. Distinctly is funded by English Heritage and hosted by Wolverhampton Council's Arts & Heritage Service.

George Dunn (1887-1975) The life and times of George Dunn, chainmaker, singer and songwriter of Quarry Bank.

History of Oldbury, Langley and Warley This website exists to record and make widely available the history of Oldbury, Langley and Warley, using the research carried out by three local history societies, and the archive of documents and photographs they have built up.

Industrial Heritage Stronghold Luke Perry is a Black Country artist, craftsman and historian, who specialises in creating public monuments that capture the identity of local communities. He created the Cradley Column, a Monument to the Fall of Black Country Industry, installed in Cradley Heath High Street.

Lost Labours Ian Grant's photographic exploration of the Black Country landscape, in the Stour Valley region of the area. "One evening in 1988 I went for a walk in the Black Country, and I realised my next work would be of this urban landscape, and made a decision to spend 5 years exploring and photographing the area, with a view to exhibiting the images."

Lye in Pictures Hart Photography Ltd. of Lye High Street. Photographic records of the Lye, Clent, Stourbridge and Blackheath.

Ma Pardoe's One of the oldest home brew pubs still in existence, close to hand in Netherton. An outstanding pub, for food as well as beer.

Phoenix West Midlands Brass Phoenix West Midlands Brass was formed in September 2000 and performed their debut concert at the Overend Methodist Church in Cradley with twenty four players. In May 2007 the band represented England at the European Brass Band Championships held at Symphony Hall, Birmingham, and achieved second place.

Revolutionary Players History of the Industrial Revolution in the West Midlands in Britain between the years 1700 and 1830.

Rowley Village Bob Adams' new web site, much needed for our neighbouring parish of Rowley. Its a "work in progress" but worth a look now, and hopefully even more so in the future. Good luck!

Saint Thomas Parish Church, Dudley Many Cradley people chose to travel to Dudley to be married at St Thomas and St Luke Parish Church, known locally as "Top Church" because it stands at the top of the High Street.

Sedgley Manor The Ancient Manor of Sedgley, designed to give Genealogists and local Historians an insight into the Staffordshire village of Sedgley, its parish and the surrounding hamlets and to the life and times of the people who lived there.