Calling BCN experts – Naboth’s Wharf?

[Tony K]

I’m currently enjoying reading ‘Troubled Waters’ by Maurice Wiggin. The early chapters relate the authors ‘experiences’ which I believe are from early post WW1 years.

 

The 2^nd experience/chapter in the book is entitled ‘Pike at Naboth’s Wharf’.

 

In it the author describes it as ‘falling apart while you watched. It had been a loading-up place for coal from a now-derelict mine’.

In a paragraph further on, the author refers to ‘.......Holly Bank, who anyone who knows it will tell you is called Olly Bonk. It wasn’t very far from Olly Bonk, this ruined wharf called Naboth’s.’

 

Despite trawling the net and poring over maps of the area I’m unable to find any other reference to, or trace ‘Naboth’s Wharf’. Has any member heard of it previously? And if so, was that its ‘official’ name and more importantly can you ‘point me in the right direction’ as to its location on the BCN?

 

Many thanks

 

Tony

[Ray T]

Is it next to his vineyard on the Eastern slope of the hill of Jezreel?

 

Sorry poor attempt at humour, I'll go back beneath my stone.

[Tony K]

Doh - and there I was, all 'excited' when I saw that you'd posted Ray T

[David Mack]

I’m currently enjoying reading ‘Troubled Waters’ by Maurice Wiggin. The early chapters relate the authors ‘experiences’ which I believe are from early post WW1 years.

 

The 2^nd experience/chapter in the book is entitled ‘Pike at Naboth’s Wharf’.

 

In it the author describes it as ‘falling apart while you watched. It had been a loading-up place for coal from a now-derelict mine’.

In a paragraph further on, the author refers to ‘.......Holly Bank, who anyone who knows it will tell you is called Olly Bonk. It wasn’t very far from Olly Bonk, this ruined wharf called Naboth’s.’

 

Despite trawling the net and poring over maps of the area I’m unable to find any other reference to, or trace ‘Naboth’s Wharf’. Has any member heard of it previously? And if so, was that its ‘official’ name and more importantly can you ‘point me in the right direction’ as to its location on the BCN?

 

Many thanks

 

Tony

Holly Bank Basin is on the Wyrley and Essington Canal at Willenhall. Here's an earlier thread about it.

[Laurence Hogg]

Naboth is a Christian name and was used in Willenhall as were a lot of other "foriegn" names. My mothers parents are of probable East / Central European descent and some distant relatives have very odd names ie Jabbover, Fiskes etc.

There were without doubt a small group of immigrants earning a living in the "Little London" area of the town. This is not far from Holly Bank. West of Holly Bank at Broad lane lies a complex of basins which have been out of use for a very long time, they are still in water and can easily be seen on google earth. It could be one of these was "Naboth's wharf", other than these there were to my knowledge only three other basins between here and Holly Bank.

Naboth Barratt is recorded in the St Annes registers but the trade doesnt immediatly relate to a wharf, maybe a search of Kellys will turn up something. I dont think "Naboth's" is a local mis pronounced name but a real non English Christian name.

[mark99]

Troubled Waters is one of my favourite books. Lots of reference to the Black Country in the 20/30's.

 

Each chapter in that book is a work of art. I like the one where he befriended the Welsh recluse who lived in a shack in Wales. IIRC he (Vortigen Jones the recluse) used to catch sea trout (or was it wild brown trout) up the wild Welsh hills and fly a flag to notify there were fish available to eat - which were exchanged for pin money via a remote transcaction.

 

Maurice Wiggin was a really good author and I think a correspondant for the London Times.

 

Mark

Edited April 26, 2013 by mark99

[Tony K]

So true Mark – I’ve had to discipline myself into putting it down after a couple of chapters so that I don’t ‘race through it’..........in fact even though I’m only just past ‘half way’ through it, I’ve revisited some of those earlier chapters a few times now.

 

 

Yes – quite an interesting recollection of MW experiences and comradeship with Vortigern – it was trout by the way Mark

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to pen your thoughts Laurence. From what I can deduce, the author as a young lad originally lived in the vicinity of Bell lane Bloxwich. Having stated that the wharf was associated with ‘a now derelict mine’, he adds

 

‘I can’t just remember now what all the ruined pits were called, and that’s a pity, for all the pits had names, and the names were like a roll of battle honours.

It was something to have worked at the face down The Struggling Monkey or Spion Kop. There were names that told you something about the pits and more about the people who named and worked them, names like The Nine Days’ Wonder, and Hill 60, and Pig’s Nob, and Klondyke, and Kelley’s Swindle, and The Crooked Seam. And of course there was Holly Bank, which everyone who knows it will tell you is called Olly Bonk.

 

It wasn’t very far from Olly Bonk, this ruined wharf called Naboth’s. We used to come at it from the south, across a space of desolate ruined land, cratered and mined, like an old battlefield (which in a way it was) or a fragment of the moon; and then suddenly you breasted an old slag-heap and went sliding down the far side of it to the dead-leg of canal with ruinous timbers planted round all three sides.’

 

 

I guess given the passage of time, we’ll never ever know the exact location of Naboth’s. What’s more, the last recollection and memory of it probably resides in this brilliant book.

[Tony K]

Ps - thanks David Mack for the link

[Derek R.]

That recollection is begging to be turned into a ghost story!

[Laurence Hogg]

So true Mark – I’ve had to discipline myself into putting it down after a couple of chapters so that I don’t ‘race through it’..........in fact even though I’m only just past ‘half way’ through it, I’ve revisited some of those earlier chapters a few times now.

 

 

Yes – quite an interesting recollection of MW experiences and comradeship with Vortigern – it was trout by the way Mark

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to pen your thoughts Laurence. From what I can deduce, the author as a young lad originally lived in the vicinity of Bell lane Bloxwich. Having stated that the wharf was associated with ‘a now derelict mine’, he adds

 

‘I can’t just remember now what all the ruined pits were called, and that’s a pity, for all the pits had names, and the names were like a roll of battle honours.

It was something to have worked at the face down The Struggling Monkey or Spion Kop. There were names that told you something about the pits and more about the people who named and worked them, names like The Nine Days’ Wonder, and Hill 60, and Pig’s Nob, and Klondyke, and Kelley’s Swindle, and The Crooked Seam. And of course there was Holly Bank, which everyone who knows it will tell you is called Olly Bonk.

 

It wasn’t very far from Olly Bonk, this ruined wharf called Naboth’s. We used to come at it from the south, across a space of desolate ruined land, cratered and mined, like an old battlefield (which in a way it was) or a fragment of the moon; and then suddenly you breasted an old slag-heap and went sliding down the far side of it to the dead-leg of canal with ruinous timbers planted round all three sides.’

 

 

I guess given the passage of time, we’ll never ever know the exact location of Naboth’s. What’s more, the last recollection and memory of it probably resides in this brilliant book.

 

Very interesting. Coming at it from the south could well be the land which is still unbuilt on known locally as the "five fields". This was a area of many small pits and was used in WW2 as the place where anti aircraft guns were set up, it is almost oppositte the long derelict basins at Broad Lane (Perry Hall bridge) and would seem to fit the bill. Check the 1945 Google earth image and you will see the basin obviously long out of use. Incidently also on the 1945 image of the Wyley several tugs and joey trains are visible with huge prop wash trails - see the one coming up to Sneyd jcn.

[Tony K]

Thanks again Laurence- looks like I'll be spending the next hour or so on that '45 map..........no doubt another question or two will arise

[RLWP]

And taking photos?

 

Richard

[Tony K]

And taking photos?

 

Richard

 

 

[Heartland]

The Wyrley & Essington passed through an extensive mining area in the vicinity of Holly Bank Basin with some mines dating back to the making of the canal and some even earlier. The reference to the approach from the South may be taken as coming from the Wolverhampton direction. If this is the case then there were a number of pits near the canal, which started with Castle Bridge, then Perry Hall and then Pool Hayes. Holly Bank then came next. In 1900 William Bickley worked Pool Hayes and Miles Meadow collieries. In 1889 the firm of W G Bagnall provided a narrow gauge steam engine, MARIA, which worked on the tramway hauling pit tubs to a basin on the WE canal west of what was to become Holly Bank Basin ( In those days Short Heath basin was a BCN owned basin with a BCN owned tramway to mines at New Invention). It may be that the recollection of Naboth's Wharf, is the same as that which once served Bickleys mines.

 

Ray Shill

[winja]

Is Mr Wiggins talking about Olly Bonk Basin or Olly Bonk Pit ? in which case Naboths Wharf could be off Broad Lane Essington

[Tony K]

Cheers for the input Heartland

 

 

Thats an interesting point Winja - sadly he doesnt specify. Given that he lived in Bell Lane if he headed 'up' Broad Lane he certainly would be coming 'at it from the south'

[Tony K]

Is Mr Wiggins talking about Olly Bonk Basin or Olly Bonk Pit ? in which case Naboths Wharf could be off Broad Lane Essington

 

 

Winja - are you aware of an Olly Bonk Basin off Broad Lane?

 

 

Looking at the 1902 OS maps if he did go up Broad Lane Essington as the W&E canal heads north east we have

 

a) Springhill Colliery basin nr to Essington Wood sidings

 

 

Further on there is

 

Norton Cannock Colliery – with extensive basins to the east just before the canal ‘doglegs off’ to Long Lane

 

 

 

Alternatively, going west from Broad Lane bridge, back in the direction of what I ‘relate ‘ to as Olly Bonk (by the Mitre PH) there’s firstly a large basin just above Essington Farm Colliery (which is marked as disused way back then on the 1902 OS maps)

 

 

And as we do approach Holly Bank Colliery, the disused canal above ‘Essington Locks’ appears to end with these pronged ‘arms’ on the ‘other side of the road’ to the colliery

 

 

Edited April 29, 2013 by Tony K

[mark99]

Tony,

 

After you finish that book I can recommend "Despite the Price of Hay" and "A Cottage Idyl" both by same author.

[winja]

No the only Holly Bank Basin is near Lane Head

 

But there is a Holly Bank House in Essington and Holly Bank Farm was at the top end of Broad Lane Essington

Is Troubled Waters a Biography or a story ? and is it about canals or canal life ?

[Tony K]

Hi Mark - thanks for the recommendations. I'd noticed 'Despite the Price of Hay'; and the title intrigued me so much that I'd added it to the agenda to track down a copy.

 

So enthralled by the first few chapters of Troubled Waters it inspired me to 'search out' and pick up a copy of 'Memoirs of a Maverick' last week - and with only a couple of chapters of T W left, I'll be digesting that in the next day or two

 

Looks like I'll be shelling out a few more bob on 'A cottage Idyl' too now

[mark99]

WINJA - it's biographical, but centred around fishing so unless a fisherman or a lover of Black Country references beware.

 

I bought it as a fishing book (got a vast collection) but it's more than that - it's a warm recollection of social interactions largely centred around the BC where he was born. I'm a Londoner but it tuned my ear to the BC.

 

 

Mark

Edited April 29, 2013 by mark99

[Tony K]

Cheers Winja - I'll check out the maps of Broad Lane again, I was just poring over the 1902 OS Lane Head area - but just wondered if that may have been a tad too far for him too venture fishing as a child, given the sections of canal closer to Bell Lane...........?

 

I'm also having a bit of an education into some of the local mines - and note, or am led to believe that interestingly The Holly Bank Colliery Company Limited was formed in 1891 taking over from the Essington Wood Colliery - just got to do a bit more digging - did E W Cy have a colliery near to those sidings up Broad Lane.....?

 

Changing subject, the book is primarily the piscatorial adventures and experiences of the author - all 27 of them - which span a few decades, starting 'locally' on the canals and then futher afield when adulthood comes along.. As Mark states above, those early chapters contain several references to Bloxwich and surrounding areas and also go some way to paint a picture of life and values back then, not forgetting the true life 'characters' he comes into contact with.

Ooooops - didnt spot Marks incoming post........

[Heartland]

The Essington Branch canal up 5 locks from the Wyrley Canal (above Sneyd Locks) is generally accepted to be disused by 1830 or 1830 ish (before or after, probably before). Norton Cannock was disused by 1910- they also worked Cannock Lodge nearby. Spring Hill was associated with Essington Farm Colliery Co, which also had a small narrow gauge steam loco. These are all on the branch up the locks, but are they in the area being looked at.

 

HollyBank Colliery, previously known as Essington Wood, was a group of pits, some of which were in existence when the canal was made there, but Holly Bank was not on the canal that was navigable in the 20th Century although the Essington Branch did go to north by the Mitre Pit, as shown on map extract.

 

I tend to think the wharf described was on the main canal as opposed to the branch. And yes the BCN did move their headquarters to Sneyd House, thus continuing a canal traffic of a sort, but I suspect little else at that time. The Great Wyrley Colliery No 3 traffic had ceased by then, I believe.

 

Ray Shill

[Tony K]

Talking of Sneyd House Heartland, I'm still waiting for young bro to catch up with the ex owner - he did pop round at the weekend, but sadly it was an abortive visit.

 

Would love to see a picture or two of it on this forum

[Heartland]

The reference to Broad Lane Wharf, BCN distance tables record the Wyrley Branch as Sneyd Locks Branch. They also mention that Broad Lane Wharf was a BCN owned wharf.

 

Ray Shill