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19 Comments
As a child I lived in Hanley Swan 1950-1957, and attended St Mary’s infants and St Gabriel’s juniors. My best friend in the village was Philip Webb, oldest son of Bernard and Peggy Webb of Home Farm, Blackmoor Park. Any ideas what happened to Philip ? I’d appreciate any information. Regards, Andy Robinson
I stumbled over your website today while digging though my family history – very interesting. As a teenager I stayed in Hanley Swan with my parents at the end of the 1960s and was told about Frederick Brush, although I never got to meet him.
We were – and, I suppose, still are – rather distantly linked. Fred Brush’s wife Margaret Baldwin was my grandmother’s first cousin. Her mother Elizabeth Hannah Smith (1961-1942) was born in Tewkesbury to Thomas Smith (1813-1860), a carpenter, and his wife Mary (formerly Mayall). Elizabeth’s brother Philip was a bootmaker who later moved to Birmingham and was my great grandfather.
If any of this is of interest to you, please feel free to use it. The only other observation I’d make is that Fred Brush was known to my mother as Billy Brush, William being his middle name. My mother and he had long lost touch, and I remember she was quite surprised to find he was still with us circa 1968.
I have 3 silver trophies in my possession, engraved, that would appear to have a connection with the Hanley Swan Village Hall. Whether they have been stolen and dumped or just lost, I don’t know. Can we progress with this issue further with a conversation, rather than by public domain. Please leave a contact number for me to phone you…. thanks.Chris
Thanks for recovering them for us – we will try to find a good use for them
I enjoyed the gallery. Maybe the aerial photo from the front sheet of the neighbourhood plan could be added.
This has now been added to the Gallery.
As I have lived in the village for the past 50 odd years it concerns me greatly why the Parish council want to propose wasting more money on fencing the village Green. Why bother spoiling the green it’s a Green not a field that needs fencing or defacing , I remember Fair grounds ,Circus , Bonfire on November the 5th, if we let this go ahead you will be spoiling the natural beauty of the Green and what the village stands for.
I am in he midst of family tree creation and have come across a very old document which relates to my great, great grandfather, named John Dale. He was in the mid to late 1800s the estate agent for the Berkeley family at Blackmore Park and my document which is original with red wax seal is signed by John Vincent Hornyold, Lord of the Manor of Blackmore Park. He appoints & nominates John Dale, gentleman of Spetchley to be steward of his manor at Hanley Castle etc.etc. and dated November 1 1892.
I also have retirement proclamations for Thomas Vincent Dale(very colourful) celebrating his retirement from Blackmore Park Estate in 1902 and a similar one for his retirement from the Spetchley Estate shorly before his death in 1906.l
Can you tell me?
1. Is Hanley Castle a place ? A manor house ? A castle ?
2. What if any is the relationship between Berkeley & Gandolfi(Hornyold) ?
3. Are the estates mentioned above, the same place ?
Thank you
J Dale Nicol
Hello Dale
Have picked up your questions rather late I’m afraid, but will do my best to answer them. Hanley Castle is both a parish and a village named after a medieval castle that is no longer standing. I cannot find any reference to a Berkeley family at Blackmore Park, the ancestral home of the Hornyold family, in the parish of Hanley Castle so, as far as I know, there is no relationship between the Berkeleys and Hornyolds.
Your ancestor John Dale seems to have slipped through the net of Hanley Castle census returns, as he is not mentioned in any census from 1881 to 1911.
Hope that helps.
Regards
Malcolm Fare
My mother, Catherine Frances Dale used to talk of her grandfather, a ‘country gentleman’ from Spetchley being appointed as the estate keeper to a Lady Catherine Berkley. They lived at the Redhouse, Spetchley Park. I know that he and his wife, my great grandmother, possibly named Constance, separated sometime around the turn of the century. They had four living children: Charles, Geoffrey (my grandfather) Constance and Humphrey. I hope this is helpful.
Best wishes for your research,
Joan Wiles
Hello Joan
Your list of the 4 Dale children is missing two:my grandfather Francis John who emigrated to Canada in 1907 & Reginald Bevan Dale who died at 5 years of age. Charles & Humphrey(really Arthur) followed as did their mother (Mary Edith Dale) and Constance( a nurse followed later). I was always told that Geoff
never came to Canada(he never stayed but I have located him here living with his mother for at least a year plus. He then went home I presume. I have
quite a bit of Dale family info if you are interested and I of course would share. Feel free to contact me by e mail.
Regards
Dale
stumbled on your web site. looking through has brough back many happy memories. I grew up in hanley swan. Lived in winning ton gdns we left village in 1983. I went to st. marys school then St. gabriels, before moving on to the hill school. My Grandfather also lived in the village George Jones. I am Denise Jones. Thank you for allowing to show my children and grandchildren where I grew up. If any one remembers me and would like to get in touch I am on Face book under name of Dee Hodgson I now live in coventry
I’m trying to do my family tree and have come a cross the Tombs Family . My maiden name is Saunders and I note these are also mentioned. If anyone has any information please contact me. Kind regards
Was St Mary’s primary school the infant school in Hanley Castle? I attended Hanley Castle infant school but didn’t know its name – my older brother was at the Haney Swan school. Ours parents ran the county council children’s home at Shepherd House – I was born while they were there and we left when I was 5. Great website.
hi please can some one please tell me who owns the post office in hanley castle as I would love to turn it back into a shop again ,please help me with deatails etc
Re:” THE HANLEYS ” puplication by Malcolm Fare (2nd. Edition)
The missing name in the cricket team photo on page 147(end of front row) is that for myself
ie. Gary Jones being at that time a guest player for Hanley on more than one occassion. I later strenthened my ties with Hanley by marrying a local girl at St Gabriels Church in 1961
An excellent site with lots of information which is always up to date. I don’t know how you find the time to do it all.
My grandfather Herbert Scriven was born in a cottage near the pub at Hanley Castle in 1892.His father William Scriven was born there circa.1870 and William’s father also William was born there in the 1840s. I would be interested to know if there are any family members still in the area or if any one locally can assist please Thankyou
An excellent website, really pleased to see the Census information for the villages. My wife Jenny is the grt grt grandaughter of George Dovey b 1819 and married to Eliza Devereux, he later married Jane Colley in 1853, Their son Joseph b 1863 was Jenny’s grt grandfather, Joseph was married to Rosanna from Coaley, they left the Hanley area between 1891 and 1901 and moved to Cheshire.
We would like correspond with any of the Dovey family still around Hanley or anyone who has an interest in family history of the Hanleys.
We visited the village a few years ago and met a lady who was a Dovey in the Bakery.
Congratulation again on the quality of the site
John and Jenny Saunders