Sutton Coldfield Local History Research Group

Helen Holbeche was one of seven sisters: Sarah, Jane, Elizabeth, Catherine, Frances, Helen and Mary. In their later years, apart from Mary, they all lived together at 58 High Street, Sutton Coldfield. In 1998, I discovered a small notebook containing Helen's recollections amongst other Holbeche family memorabilia kept by Mrs Helen Springall (her great great niece) at Keele University Campus.

I believe that it was written sometime in the late 1880s, during which time Richard was stationed in Bengal with The Royal Munster Fusiliers. He finally returned to the Holbeche family home at No. 3 Coleshill Street, Sutton Coldfield in 1891.

On March 22nd 1791, Eliza Duncumb of Sutton Coldfield, daughter of Joseph Duncumb and, later, wife of Shirley Farmer Steele Perkins, was sitting somewhere in Moat House, her pen poised to begin her collection of culinary recipes. Perhaps there was a pile of suggestions in front of her. Two, coming from Doctor John Johnstone, were the first to be entered - he, possibly, being the family physician. These were remedies for 'a Soar Mouth or Canker'. Mrs Wills' recipe for 'Calv...

Thomas Vincent Holbeche, Sutton Coldfield’s First Town Clerk, may not be one of Sutton’s better known characters, but his influence on the town in the late 1800s seems to have been remarkable and he deserves to be remembered.  This is his story:-

Richard Holbeche wrote his 'diary' in 1892. It is a recollection of the places he knew and the people he met during his childhood whilst living in the company of family, relatives and friends, in and around the quiet rural town of Sutton Coldfield.

In this Translation, every page equates as far as possible to the same page in Twamley’s original manuscript (in Sutton Coldfield Local History Reference Library, Ref: SH97SUT). Therefore, the Index can be used for both copies.

In examining the 1841 Census for unusual occupations in Sutton Coldfield, I noticed some entries that indicated canal based employment. From this small amount of information, I set out to discover what happened to some of the families who lived alongside the ‘Cut’ on the southern boundary of the Royal Town.

Anyone having an interest in local or family history is hugely indebted to the early Victorian and Edwardian photographers for the wealth of pictorial information they have left us. Images bring the past to life and make researching our families, local surroundings, architecture, churches and parks so much more interesting. Frederick Whitlock.

This article uses extensive research done by Roy Woodward-Clarke and his wife, Diane, following their purchase at a stamp auction of a letter written by Agnes Bracken to her mother in 1827. Such was their interest in this letter that it encouraged them to search for further details of the Bracken Family. They have kindly allowed me use of their written notes for this article. Other material was found in Sutton Coldfield Reference Library (references given herein), particul...

Baldmore Lake, as it was known, was a sizeable area of water which lay mostly in Sutton Coldfield, with the remainder in Erdington. Why would such a large lake, which gave its name to the district of Boldmere, disappear? Why did some early maps show the lake in one place while present-day residents firmly point to an entirely different location? Did it really disappear without trace? What was the lake like, where exactly was it and why can it no longer be found?