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The information appearing in this section is an edited (for clarity) version of discussions that have taken place in The Bilstononline email discussion group.  I’ve only lived on Stowlawn for about 10 years so most of this information is all new to me. Martin

As I have an interest in Bilston's history, I was wondering if anyone knew where the people re-housed in Stowlawn originally came from. Was the estate mainly built for people who had come from a specific area of Bilston?
Any replies would be much appreciated.  Matt

Hi,
The people moving to the new Stowlawn Estate in the 1950's came from all over Bilston. The house my family moved into was built in 1952.
The next year we had the Coronation street party. The Happy Wanderer pub across the road was built a year or two later. I believe the landlords were from the south coast.
We moved from Chapel Street. The house we left had electricity & gas, & a wc in the outside passage.
They were little houses, and badly in need of upgrades. These were done & new tenants then moved in.
Stowlawn got bigger over the years and in some respects lost some of its original charm.
As kids we could walk across fields just the other side of Middleway Green to get to East Park.
Dont think you can do that today.  Jo

Re Middleway Green to East Park most of this section is now covered by houses although there is still an open space adjacent to Stow Heath. Martin


Hello Bilston, from Richmond British Columbia Canada.
I lived on Stowlawn Estate from 1947 to 1950, when I emigrated to Canada. Before that we lived in Hughes Place. Where Stowlawn is now, was our play ground.
it was a large open waste space where we could escape from the built up area. At what was then the end of Marchant Road was the "Pink Pool" about where Fairway Green is now. There was also another pool the "Cracker". There was also a golf coarse that had a pool, where we could fish by joining a club for 2/6p a year. Across this waste land ran the "Rusty Brook". It was the heavily contaminated River Tame. I hope it has been cleaned up now. We lived at 45 Oaklands Green. The house was brand new and then the centre of the Green was a green space, it was built on much later.
I can add more to my recollection of Bilston, If anyone is interested.  Lawrence

 
Thank you Lawrence......
 I remembered the Rusty brook, just couldn't think of its name.  We had to jump over it, wasn't very wide, just muddy. Sometimes there would be stones we could step on to cross. The waste land at the bottom of Marchant Road was on the other side to Fairway Green.  Its boundary's were the  pub land, high bank of gardens at the back of Haddock road,  and a large high fence at the back of a  detached house in Green lanes which faced the cemetery.  It was a fair size plot.
As kids we crossed to the large wooden fence, held on tight to overhanging  tree branches on the bank or the fence posts to scrump apples.  That was fine till the owner of the apple trees laid in wait with a big stick......... right across the knuckles. OUCH !  Apart from that... the pond in that waste ground had fantastic wild life, and the biggest Dragon flies ever. The bus to Bilston ran every 20 mins. and turned around just by the shops in Middleway Green.
The grocers was run by a Mrs. Shortland. a rather stocky elderly lady who took no nonsense, and several helpers.  Now the memories are coming back. !!!!! Jo
 

Does anybody have a photo showing my uncles shop (Frank Donnelly Barbers) in oxford street. Not the one in the orchard. Also another uncle (Peter) had a barbers shop in Bradley. Any photos or recollections?
best wishes John D

Hi everyone, thanks for your replies. It is very interesting to hear that people from all over Bilston came to Stowlawn - I was always under the impression that most people re-housed on large estates often came from the same areas. It was very interesting to read Lawrence's and Jo's memories of Stowlawn.
The estate must have been a real achievement for Bilston Council, considering the number of houses built. The estate is also very well designed with its greens. I seem to remember that in lthe late 1980s the houses were a different colour, weren't they?  Matt
 
Hi John
what year was Frank Donnelly in Oxford St?
 
Gladys

More soon!