North Staffordshire Heritage supports the campaign to save Walsall Leather Museum. This fascinating and unique museum must be saved. It is a local and regional asset that can easily be transformed into a significant national and international heritage tourism attraction. North Staffordshire Heritage takes no pleasure in reminding the local council that a town or city that destroys its heritage is a town or city without a future. We ask everyone in the UK who cares about our country’s history and heritage to sign the Petition to keep the museum open. Remember that once it’s gone, it’s gone!
Category: British History
North Staffordshire and the Battle of Britain
Monday, 15th September, was Battle of Britain Day.
It’s the day we pay tribute to the courage of the pilots who, fighting against overwhelming odds, won the battle. We also remember members of the armed forces killed in action and the civilians who died when enemy bombs fell on British towns and cities.
The role North Staffordshire played in the battle must not be underestimated. RAF pilots were trained at Meir. Firefighters from the Potteries were sent to help their colleagues in Coventry when it was bombed.
Two of the world’s leading aircraft designers, John Lloyd and Reginald Mitchell, grew up in the Potteries. Both men were educated at Hanley High School and served their engineering apprenticeships with local firms.
John Lloyd designed the Whitley, a heavy bomber. During the Battle of Britain the Whitley bombed and destroyed strategic targets in Germany and Italy.
The Spitfire, designed by Reginald Mitchell, became a living legend. It was the aircraft that gave Britain its Finest Hour and saved the world from Nazi domination.
Went the day well?
We died and never knew.
But, well or ill,
Freedom, we died for you.
Researching Members of Your Family Who Served in the Armed Forces
The Staffordshire History Centre in Stafford has a collection of military records, personal letters, photographs and regimental histories. If your ancestor served in the armed forces, the centre could help you to trace them.
Poor Law Records Acquired By Derbyshire Record Office
The Poor Law Acts were passed in 1597 and 1601 towards the end of the reign of Elizabeth I. These laws required every parish to care for its own poor. Poor relief for each parish was the responsibility of the Overseers of the Poor. They who were elected every year and were answerable to the Justices of the Peace at Quarter Sessions. The Overseers of the Poor were unpaid officers who were often local farmers and craftsmen. The overseers had the right to raise money from local rates or ‘assessments’, to relieve the poor. They had to balance the requests from the poor with pressure from the ratepayers to keep costs down.
OatcakeWorld: Staffordshire Oatcakes
Staffordshire oatcakes are a traditional British food from the Potteries. They differ from Scottish or Irish oatcakes, which are more biscuit-like. The Staffordshire oatcakes are like pancakes or crepes. They are made from batter that includes oatmeal, which gives them their unique texture and flavour. Other ingredients include whole wheat or plain flour, salt, sugar, yeast, warm water, and warm milk. These ingredients are mixed to form a batter. The batter is cooked like pancakes in a frying pan on a griddle or a bakestone.
Staffordshire oatcakes were originally a staple food for the working class in the Staffordshire region. They were traditionally eaten by workers in the pottery and mining industries. Oatcakes can be eaten hot or cold. Popular fillings include cheese, bacon, sausage, and eggs. When they want a quick snack, many people spread butter and jam on them.
OatcakeWorld: Anglo-Saxon Oatcakes
North Staffordshire Heritage is starting the week with a lighthearted and amusing video. It tells you how to make Anglo-Saxon Oatcakes. We hope our ancestors who lived in medieval Tunstall enjoyed eating these oatcakes with their breakfast on Sundays. What do you think?
When the Romans Left
Do you know what happened when the Romans left Britain?
The centuries after the Romans left Britain were once called the Dark Ages by historians. These centuries are some of the most mysterious in English history. They are also the most fascinating.
Images of Life on the Home Front
Historical photographs show life at home during the First World War (1914-1918)
Self-Service Stores Revolutionised Shopping
In the 1950s and 60s, self-service stores replaced local shops in town centres throughout North Staffordshire and South Cheshire.
If your family used self-service stores, please share your memories of shopping there with our readers. Tell them how self-service stores differed from High Street and corner shops.
To read the full post, click on “How England’s First Self-Service Store Heralded the Birth of the Modern Supermarket” below the photograph.
High Street Shopping (1880-1980)
These photographs depict shops, shopkeepers, and shoppers from each decade, from the 1880s to the 1980s.
They illustrate a century of changing shopping habits and shop architecture.
To see these images, click on “100 Years of High Street Shopping from 1880 to 1980” below the photograph.
North Staffordshire Heritage 