Longbridge Parish Church newspaper clippings and photographs

 Longbridge Parish Church in newspaper clippings and photographs from the 1960s.

Last summer, I came across some newspaper clippings along with some photographs of the vicar and booklets in a local jumble sales. They were just loose in a box with other bric a brac. It looked like a the Northfield, Birmingham's church office clearance. So I collected as many bits as I could and paid just £1 for them. Here is the church findings. This is history - not only of the church but of the man who took over, is mentioned in the newspaper and shown in the photographs. The booklets I will blog about later as they are of a different church. 

Reverend John Oakes becomes the vicar of Longbridge, Birmingham, England on November 20th 1964.  

A group of clergy in a newspaper clipping, undated or named. But it looks like a very young John Oakes at possibly his ordination with other new clergy that were ordained at the same time.

Two newspaper clippings about the Reverend John Oakes being brought up in Birmingham.

A Christmas message from The reverend Canon and Mrs J S Leatherbarrow dated 1967, Martley Rectory, Worstershire.

Newspaper clipping 1965 of the Archdeacon of North Basutoland, The very reverend Fortescue Makhetha with Reverend John Oakes. 

Photograph of a church fete. Looks to be about the 1970s.

Contact newspaper June 1969

Longbridge Parish Church institution invitation. 1964.

Photographs found, I think of the reverend Oakes with his church attenders. This looks like the 1970s?  There was also the negatives amongst the church hoard, with many other prints not seen here. Also an older photograph from 1924. It does have the names on the back.

Two ladies from 1924.

Again about Reverend Oakes in a newspaper clip.

 Have a look at the newspaper clipping about Longbridge church and the reverend Oakes. I believe he is now retired but it just seemed a shame to throw his life's work into a jumble sale and eventually, if I had not picked them up. They would have been separated and probably consigned to the rubbish tip. 

Prayer at home booklet.

Back of the prayer booklet.

The Theolog 1955.

The old and new church etching. 

The negative sleeve with old money on the front.

Diocese  of Birmingham prayer booklet front. See the insides above.

The Olog booklet 1951

The Olog booklet Lent 1953.

The front of a photograph sleeve from Northfield - probably from a photograph shop now long gone. Sorry can not red the shop's name.

St Barnabas Balsall Heath, Birmingham's rebuilding and refurbishing after a fire in 1970s. Think the photograph sketches above may be the old church and newer smaller one. 

I have some leaflets of a Bedford church, but will show them at a later date. So have a happy Christmas and I hope next year gets a lot better,

 Mount Pleasant Chapel recipe book 1909.

A few years ago, I brought a small battered book in a church sale. The book had no cover and was falling apart. No information to see where Mount Pleasant Chapel was. There are many chapels of that name. So I just looked at the many recipes sent in by lots people all over England and Wales. Then thought it was a piece of history that could not be just thrown away and so put it on my bookshelf. Where it has stayed. Today I got it out and discovered the following after some research:

 It was a recipe book sold to raise funds for the Mount Pleasant Wesleyan Chapel in Leek Staffordshire. There is quite a write up in the Staffordshire Sentinel on the 27th April 1909 about the 3 day event. The book was compiled by Miss Rayner and raised £34.

The preface says "Dedicated with grateful thanks to all those who so willingly contributed to this book, which has been compiled in aid of the funds of the Mount Pleasant Chapel Bazaar, April 1909"

"Be to its faults a little blind,

And to its virtue very kind"

Annie & Catherine Rayner.

Sister's Anne and Catherine Rayner were the children of Peter Ascough Rayner and Anne Taylor. They lived in Leek all their lives and never married. Anne born in 1856 died in 1939 and her sister Catherine born two years later died in 1937. They had a younger brother Peter Ascough Rayner born in 1960, who although married appeared to have no children and died in 1907 in Lancashire. They also had another sister, who was called Amelia. Born in 1859, Amelia married a widow in 1885 in Leek. John Moses was a monumental mason and had five children by his previous marriage to Jane Eliza Crabtree already. The couple had one child Miriam Rayner Moses together.  

At the front of the book are two pages of quotations:

The names include The late Sir Thomas Wardle by Sam Johnson, Rev G E Sheers, B A, Rev T F Bryant, Rev H R Crosby, Mrs H Cope, Mr Vernon Davies by Owen Meridith, Mr Percy W Gray (London) and Mr H salt. 

 The cookery recipes are numerous. So in this blog post I will show just a few. Over the coming months, I hope to photograph the whole book and add them on this website.

Artichoke soup by Mrs Wright of Spring Lodge.

Bonne Femme soup by Miss K Hall of Ball Haye Hall.

Italian soup by Mrs Davenport of Fox Lowe.

Kidney soup by Mrs Clark of Buxton road.

Bon Appetit..  

Buying Vintage - Jumble Sales

Buying vintage and second hand from a jumble sale.

Back in the thirties and forties here in the UK, a horse drawn cart would go around the streets. Children would bring out their rags in exchange for a gold fish. The small gold fish were in a large jar on the cart. You also had to bring a jam jar with you to get your fish! Many elderly people can remember going back to their parents and begging for more old clothes to exchange because what they had - was not enough to get a fish. The rag man had sent them for more. 

 In the sixties I can remember the rag and bone man rooming the streets. He had a very large hand cart, piled high with old clothes, bags and other stuff. How he could see where he was going always used to puzzle me. I spent many an hour following, sitting in the gutter to see if he tipped the cart over or pushed the cart into one of the few vehicles that were parked in the street Now days, it is easy to buy vintage. From special high street shops, on the internet, auctions, charity shops, newspaper adverts, car boot sales or from a good old fashion JUMBLE SALE Church and charity jumble sales have been around for years. In the seventies, I was going to meet someone and was for once early! So popped into the local church jumble sale - never been to one before. Came away with two waistcoats, a black cord one and a maroon suede one. Wore them for years with my jeans and cheese cloth tops. Those were the hippy/rock days!! Bargain cost only a few pence at the time. I think the maroon suede waistcoat came from a sixties three piece men's suit. 

 We still go to jumble sales. They are great fun and have found some great clothes, many unworn and named brands. Ideal if you want to pick up cheap clothes, shoes, bags, household items, books, furniture, toys - in fact absolutely anything. At a recent jumble sale, a wooden fire surround was for sale. Hand carved and would have cost a fortune if brought from new. Jumble sale price = £20.00. You just never know what you'll find

Here is our guide to going to a jumble sale:

• Go early 15 to 30 minutes before opening and queue. Great fun to talk to the other jumblers. Also the best bargains get snapped up quickly, so get in early
• Take a load of change. You want to give the right change as the sellers may have trouble finding change. Many items can be brought for as little as 5p up to 50p or more
• Have a few bags (plastic or a re-usable one) for your finds. Often there are bags available, but some sales seem to forget.
• A jumble sale can get very crowded and busy. Please don't take a small child in a push chair into a sale and expect to have a relaxed buy. For one, you can not get to the tables and I have almost fallen over a pushchair before now. Children get frightened and fretful when all they can see is legs and loads of people. If you have a little one, take someone else to look after them. They can go to the refreshment tables, sit and have tea or fruit juice and the pick of some scrummy home made cakes. Don't leave them at home as children learn through experience. Older children can be given some pocket money and they will have great fun finding and buying on their own. Usually what you gave away last week!!
• Some sales can be manic, many people all trying to get to the tables to look. Wait patiently just behind and soon they will move on and you can get in. Or walk around the room. There is usually parts that are not so crowded and easier to look.
• Check what you are buying for size, any repairs needed or buttons missing. You can always repair, change buttons and even re - fashion or do a GOK! on many clothes.
• Looking for curtains or other soft furnishings. Measure before and don't forget to take the measurements with you. They are no good on the kitchen table. Also take a tape measure. Many sales will have one, but they are often in use. I am always amazed at the nearly new or new curtains, covers and bed linen given to jumble sales. My daughter picked up a brand new touch control table lamp.... for 50p
• If you are into sewing, craft, making or patchwork. Jumbles are a must. Where else are so many different materials available for a small amount of money. Just use your creative imagination.
• Don't forget - have fun. A great way to spend a Saturday morning or afternoon. Finished buying. Treat yourself to a cupper - and don't forget all those home made cakes that are usually available

I will be looking at charity shops, auctions, the internet and car boot vintage buying experience in this Jewels Vintage Vibes blog. so bookmark..... Pictures taken from "The Jumble Sale" by Roderich Hunt (now out of print) first published 1989.

I wrote this guide in 2009 originally and it still applies today. So I have re-published it. Jumble sales will re-appear again and re-open when this Covid 19 is through with the world. So we all have to have a little patience.

Taylor family photographs - Heir hunting!

 Taylor and Gossage family photographs - Heir hunting find.

Another car boot find about a month ago - 2 wedding albums and a large photo album. They all were from the same family with at least 3 different weddings, a engagement, holiday snaps, work, friends and family life photos. There was a wedding photo from the 50s included. But I have written a separate blog for it. As I  am not sure if the seller just put it into the album or it was from this family also. See vintage wedding photo unknown. 

Wedding and photo albums

I think all the photos were once owned by Brenda Esther Taylor nee Gossage; who lived in Birmingham, Shirley, Solihull and Halesowen. She was born 19th March 1936 and died 12th March 2013 apparently. A search on the internet brought up a request for heir information for an unclaimed estate. However, the recent list from the government does not have her estate on it. So I am assuming that her family have claimed it. However it is so sad that her life in photographs ended up in a car boot lot. There are many pictures and so they may be recognised by a wide range of people. There were 2 wedding albums. Both of Brenda's wedding. The larger one belonged to the couple. The smaller was traditionally given to the bride's parents. There would have been another for the groom's family. So here are the photographs from the bride and groom's album and her parent's album.  

  Brenda Gossage and Albert Taylor married on the 28th September 1957 at Shirley Parish Church, Solihull, West Midlands. The best man was Mr H Hougham and the bridesmaid was Miss Barbara Townson. The information is in the front of the large album see below.

Barbara J Townson made a beautiful bridesmaid. She lived at 207 Shirley Rd for a while and married Bernard J Wall in 1961. In 1960, her family lived next door to the Wall family. I have researched her and believe she has passed away also. Her family may or may not know these photos exist. I am not sure if she was a friend or relative. It is possible they were friends, although there was about 4 year different in age.

                                                 

 Outside the church before marriage. Brenda with her father, George Gossage. George was registered at the GRO in 1910, born on the 3rd November. However to get into the Royal Artillery in 1927, he went back almost 2 years and said 1908. In 1939 he said he said he was born on the 3rd November 1909. George was a toolmaker, living in Birmingham and Shirley. He died in 1962 registered death in Solihull. Also a close up photograph of Brenda who was very pretty.

This is of Brenda Taylor after the wedding. She has a fine assortment of good luck horseshoes and other wedding tokens. Brenda has her mother's middle name of Esther. Her mother was Esther Dann born in 1911. 

Here is Brenda with her new husband Albert F Taylor, her father George Gossage, Best man H Hougham and Barbara Townson. I can not find out about Albert, as there are too many with the same name in Birmingham to just make a guess. I would have to obtain the marriage certificate for more information if I was tracing this family tree. But what I do think is that he probably died some years before Brenda. 

Not sure who this little girl is giving a good luck horseshoe to Brenda. She was probably a relative as she is also in the parent's albums. 

In 1960, Albert and Brenda Taylor lived at 49 Gillot Rd, All Saints, Rotton Park, Birmingham. They lodged with Stanley T Scott and Joyce G Scott. In 1962, they lived in flat 11 Stanmore Rd, Harborne, Birmingham. This time they shared with Jeanette Meredith, John S Moore, Joan M Moore, Ralph A James and Audrey C James.

St James Church in Shirley is quite a beautiful church to get married at. Here is Brenda and her bridesmaid Barbara. There are two photos the same one in the main album and one in the bride's parents smaller one.

The bride, groom, parents, best man and bridesmaid photograph. Brenda's parents look younger than Alberts. Researching the Gossage family shows them in 1939 at 876 Pershore Rd, Birmingham. George was a tool setter and dis turner. He was an ARP in the fire service during the day and an ARP casualty Red Cross at night. Esther Gossage nee Dann born 19th October 1910 was a housewife. There is one space blanked out on this report that I believe to be Brenda's details. There are 2 further families living at 876. Thomas J Dann and Carrie Dann with one space blanked. Also Arthur J Liffetts and Louisa Liffetts with another space blanked out.

The 1939 information was used for the NHS and updated until about the 1990s. So you find the maiden names of women who were children in 1939 and also those who were still blacked out were thought to be alive. But mistakes were made. I have a relative shown but he is still very much alive today.

Here are all the wedding guests. Cant find much about their best man. Though I think his name was Herbert Hougham. Here are a couple of close up shots of this guest group.

All guests groom's side.

All the guests bride's side. Do you recognise anyone?

The happy couple getting into their car after their wedding.

At the reception with the wedding cake. The photo taken as about to cut it. 

The albums and photographer were from the Morris Studios at 246 Ladypool Rd in Birmingham. 

Included with the wedding album were all the telegraphs sent to the couple. This one is from Elma and Arthur.

Another telegraph from the Docker brothers. A family firm in Birmingham and also one of the reasons why I wanted to buy this photograph group. The Dockers are in fact part of my family ancestors - a couple of generations back. I suspect one of the couple worked for the Dockers in their paint factory.

From Eve and Elsie - maybe friends or neighbours if not family. Sent to the Mermaid Hotel on the Stratford Rd, Sparkhill, Birmingham.

From George Cross. George may have been another employer. Most women of this time, worked until they had their first baby. It was seen as the man's responsibility to provide for his family. 

 From Maureen and Harry. Another couple of friends, neighbours, work colleagues or family? 

From Mr and Mrs Garner. Probably an older couple due to the term Mr and Mrs. 

From Mrs Hougham. I am assuming that this is the best man's mother. It may however be his wife, but surely she would have included her husband in the best wishes!! Odd that the best man is referred to as H Hougham in the front of Brenda's album. It is as if she did not know him very well and he was much older than her or married. 

The wedding toast to a long and happy life together. I hope they did have a long and happy life together. 

This was the scruffy blue 70s photograph album that the rest of the photos were in. I have taken them all out and thrown it away. Mostly for space and I don't think that the album is acid proof and may eventually damage the enclosed photos. 

This appears to be Brenda and Albert's engagement party. 

Then there are an assortment for 1960s taken photographs. It shows 5 different children. Although I can not find if Brenda and Albert had children. There appears to be at least 2 children born in the late 50s and early 60s that may be belonging to them.  

  

The baby has no details - but just has the same facial details as Brenda. Probably dating to the early 60s. The middle photograph has on the back. Mike 3 years, 3 months and Mark 16 months, December 1962. There are a few more but I am not going to show them here.

In June 1968, there is Linda's wedding. No further details. But with a bit of research the church is in Harborne. It is St Peter's Old Church. Harborne, Birmingham. Would suggest Linda is from the Taylor side as the photographs show his parents.

Another family wedding at a register office. Looks to be the Taylor side again - as the couple at one end are Albert's parents. 

1974 on the back but no names. There is a photograph with the dog's name on - Fritz. 

1973, Brenda and a child and Fritz the dog. There are a few more photographs taken in this decade. Not all shown here.

1971. Albert, his mother and three children. Along with the family dog.

1974, Western Super Mare on the reverse. Western was a popular destination with people from Birmingham. It was the closest seaside resort to travel to by car or by coach. 

October 1975. 

No names or dates. But there are more photographs of these two children in the album.

Christmas 1977. Rent control section, housing Dept, Sandwell. Photography by B Binns. 

The latest photograph was in October 2002. 

I don't know as to why all these photographs ended up in a car boot sale. They were amongst house clearance stuff. It may be that the house was cleared by the council and without any heirs being found at that time. They may have ended up being stored and eventually sold if not claimed in time. Or the heirs did not want them.  

I buy photographs and other ephemera that may or may not be identifiable from car boots mostly. In recent weeks I have brought some photographs and a WW1discharge paper. which I will show soon It is amazing what is thrown out and what ends up in car boot sales. Some of the items, I have discovered are from people who are still alive. Newspaper clippings, photographs, negatives and also projector slides. I believe in preserving the past.