Black Country Muse

You will find over 1,000 different stories of numerous  Blackcountry Facts, Memorabilia, Murders, Crime and Punishment, Miscellanous Stories, Mining History, Military History, Heroes, and for the end, a few Epitaphs to send you on your way.  Hundreds of names, places events and dates to check, hopefully, an aid to your family history research. Contributions about the many subjects welcomed, just Press the Contact Me button, and I will endeavour to respond as quickly as I can. Alternatively, you can post a comment on my Blog Page.

 Over 1,000 Photographs, Illustrations, Sketches, Maps, and Aerial Views from around the region, to stir and aid your memory. Can you spot a relative, a favourite place, a happy event, or even where you, or your ancesters lived and worked.?? Have you a memory of what you have seen?, then why not leave a comment on my Blog Page.

Subjects include, Local and National Executioners, Mines and Owners, Ironworking, Steam Engines, older Census Returns, Folklore, Coal Masters, Nailmaking, Foul Murders, Locally sponsered Warships, and Prison Condtions. Names, dates and Events are included in all the many subjects. A Blog page is available, for comments about the site, and how to contact us is easy, just press the Contact Me Button. There are more details about the site, on the Home Page.

Does your family have the surname Reynolds in it?i Were any involved in Irish War of Independence, or the later Irish Civil War?  Read this Page for details. Updated,19th June,2013.

Religion and a bit of Church history.

Updated, 18th Dec 2012.  A detailed look at the four local men who took up this gruesome task. Included, is a look at some other famous Hangmen, and a few facts you might not really want to know.

A bit of prose, fancy words, insults, and a few of the more unusual inscriptions, found on Headstones and Memorials. You wouldn't get away with some of these today, but they can be very funny, as well as bitingly cruel. If you have a favourite one I have not included, get in touch and I will put it in.

14 stories, a mixture of various dastardly deeds that remain unsolved, and the poor victims unavenged. Some from the distant past, and many from more recent times. Who, for instance, brutally slew Esther Baggott,  bludgened to death a Dudley money lender, and why did someone snuff out the life of a Pregnant Tennis player.

14, very nasty and messy Murders. Sharp implements as well as some Blunt ones included. Even more in the Ghastly Murders Topic on the Forums.

The old Nailers Cottage, Hagley Road Hasbury.  Any Information, history, and photographs, requested for this almost 200 year old reminder of days long gone. Did your relatives live or work in the area, and can you help in the search. Read more in the Topic.

A bit of a tongue in cheek look at History. In two parts, 1800-1816, then 1817 - 1901. A series of dates and events, that you may be able to fit into your family tree research.  Some of it may help to explain just why your relatives acted as they did.