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Author Archives: simonbriercliffe
The Black Country flag and the uses of history (again)
In 1897, Robert Sherard published a collection of his Pearson’s Magazine articles documenting the exploitation and suffering of the working men and women of Britain in some of the ‘sweated’ trades – he visited chemical works in Widnes, white-lead works in Newcastle, … Continue reading
Pragmatism not idealism
keeping in contact with old friends It was twenty years ago today, went one of the contenders for greatest album ever. It was twenty years ago today since I and my friend Nathan made the eager after-school trip to MVC … Continue reading
Distance and Strangeness: the murder of Anne Spencer
I sometimes feel like I’ve spent the last three years trying to figure out my place within history. I still feel like there’s probably a huge mountain of scholarship that I’ve completely missed, but in general I’m starting to work out … Continue reading
Posted in Black Country, Everyday Life, History, Maps, PhD, Sources, Space, Staffordshire, Wolverhampton
Tagged crime, distant strangers, essington, historiography, james vernon, M54, moseley, murder, Staffordshire
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Telling family stories
As part of my research I will inevitably have to tell you some family histories. I say have to – it’s a vital, fascinating and relevant part of my research. But have you ever had someone try to tell you their … Continue reading
Posted in Black Country, History, Irish, Maps, Migration, PhD, Sources, Wolverhampton
Tagged carribee island, census, Coles Croft, creative history, immigration, ireland, irish immigration, maps, oral history, sources, storypast, storytelling
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St Patrick’s Day, 1873
Today is, of course, St Patrick’s Day, and no doubt pubs across the country will be celebrating this typically alcohol-soaked celebration with a wide range of inflatable shamrocks, green top hats, and “kiss me I’m Irish” t-shirts. I tend to think … Continue reading
Clay miles: Henry Doulton in the Black Country
On the North Worcestershire Path, not far from Iverley, there is a broken water pipe lying to one side of the track. It’s a bit forlorn, but clearly a very nice thing: it’s glazed, and the makers have taken the trouble … Continue reading
Posted in Birmingham, Black Country, Canal, History, industry, Public Health
Tagged civic gospel, clay, factory, health, henry doulton, industry, Lambeth, london, pipes, rowley regis, saltwells, sanitation, smethwick, St Helens, victorian, water
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Righteous Among The Nations
I often walk the dog in Mary Stevens Park, in Stourbridge, and walk through the grand, now-restored gates. This morning though, it was a plaque on the wall to the right of the gates that caught my eye. There’s a … Continue reading
Posted in Politics
Tagged donald trump, frank foley, history, nazi germany, racism, stourbridge
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The desi dialectic
Recent blog posts have been a little sparse, and that’s mostly a function of learning to be a freelancer – sometimes, apparently, work comes in thick and fast and leaves little time for much else. However, it has it’s upsides: … Continue reading
Posted in Black Country, Irish, Migration, Wolverhampton
Tagged asian migration, desi pubs, irish, irish pubs, pubs, punjab, sandwell, smethwick, west bromwich, wolverhampton
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Black Country Irish: lies, damned lies and statistics
We’ve had a quick look at some of the stories and statistics behind the Irish in the Black Country, particularly focusing on the census data for 1851. Data is an essential part of the story, but it is just a part. … Continue reading
Posted in Black Country, Irish, Quantitative data
Tagged bilston, Black Country Irish, data, economy, GIS, industry, nineteenth century, oldbury, space, stourbridge, urbanisation, walsall, wolverhampton
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