Part 1

Mr Chandler: "I was born in Smethwick. (1916) We came to Bilbrook when I was four years old and I was four there, look. (Indicates picture of self). I was just four years old, I'm going in 86 now. I shall be 86 this December. Put me at 85, make it a bit easier, like. So, what have I been?. 81 years int it?. Right? That's how long I've lived in Bilbrook. When we came to Bilbrook, I was four years old and we took the small-holding... oh, where Llewelyns is now. You know where LLewellyns is now?

Mrs Page: "Down By The Canal? Oh no, down Lane Green Road"

Mr Chandler: "Down Lane Green Road. They had used to be down.. (by the canal) but down Lane Green Road. Me Dad took that holding then and we were in there for ten years. We came up from then to Lane Green Farm which was all pulled down and built on now."

Author: "Where was that?"

Mr Chandler: "Beg Pardon?"

Author: "Where was it, the Farm?"

Mr Chandler: "Right opposite the Woodman, you know the Green? Well me Dads farm was on that but that's all been pulled down and built on now. Me Dad took that farm. I worked for me Dad, like, until I was eighteen. I had a milk round but I stopped with my Dad 'til I was eighteen.

Mrs Page: "And how did you deliver the milk?"

Mr Chandler: "By pony and float. It's up there, look ya (indicates picture of self on horse drawn milk float, below)

From a picture on the wall of Chandlers Farm, Bilbrook

I used to deliver about fifty gallon of milk a day, right. I used to deliver the milk, oh I'm overrunning my tale here, see. When we first come round here, there was the small holdings which were built in 1921. All these small holdings. There was nine of them, built in 1921. Well, they belonged to the Wolverhampton Corporation then, you see. The biggest part of the tenants couldn't make it pay because, By God, things was tight. I'll tell you that. I mean I've sold milk at tuppence a pint. The old money I'm talking about. Tuppence a pint. And even some of them was, you know, even less than that. There was quite a fair few milkmen, come from Coven and all over the place to try to sell a pint of milk, if you can understand. Times was blasted 'ard. But as I'm trying to tell you now... When we first came to Bilbrook... there was the small holdings. There were nine of them....There was the Little Church (said as a name) of course. You know the Little Church in Bilbrook? The little Church... Now then, there was a little wooden hut. I've got a shed on the yard, it wasn't much bigger than that and the people of the name of Linyards used to keep this and they used to sell a bit of grocery of any description, so forth, this, that and the other, you know.

Mrs Page: "Was that opposite the Church or...?"

Mr Chandler: "Right opp.. where the..

Mrs Page: Where the old Post Office used to be?

Mr Chandler: "Where the old pst office used to be, that was where this little shed was. It was only a little shed.

Mrs Page: "Where Rainbows is now"

Mr Chandler: "Right?...a little shed and someone of the name of Linyards used to keep it, and then later on they emmigrated and went to Canada. Then come Clarkes... They took it over, like then. But I'm overrunning me tale. This... When Linyards had it.. oh! and Clarkes for a matter of fact. There was.. I don't think there was. Oh wait a minute.. There was the small-holdings, ... there was the old doctors surgery, you remember that, it was the Greyhound pub? The Woodman. Two pubs and there wasn't, what, a dozen houses. There wasn't a dozen houses. When we was youths there was about a dozen youths, all farmers sons and so forth, this that and the other. We used to go and have a glass of cider in the Greyhound there and we was the only customers ever they had (laughs).

Mrs Page: "Didn't they have coal fires there?"

Mr Chandler: "Coal fires, oh my God ah. Coal.. that was the best of it I tell you. They used to have a great big, well plenty of... a bucket of coal. Dad used to throw a bucket of coal on. Not just in lumps, throw a bucket of coal on. And us village lads used to go and have a sit down with a glass of Cider. That was about as much as we could afford. It was only about tuppence, tuppence a glass. Erm.. and of course there was the Woodman. That was only a little place, nothing like it is now. I think me Dad was about as good a customer as there was there. I know Mother used to get on to him about spending too much time in the Woodman. Well, she had a row with Mrs Cater, as used to keep the Woodman then and she said to her, she says "You don't think your husbands half a pint a night keeps us" she says "because it doesn't". He would sit all night over half a pint, because as I say there was hardly any money about. Well I'll tell ya I worked a milk round up... as Bilbrook started to grow, Withers bought a lot of ground round here and he started to build these houses up, you know, Joeys Lane, Downey Road and all up there and as he sold the houses he used to give me the address and I used to write to these people who'd bought the houses asking if I could supply them with milk. Very often they said yes and I had a good milk round. I was selling fifty gallon of milk a day, the biggest part of it, before the bottling was ever thought of, was out of the three gallon bucket, with yer pint and yer half pint measures. Some would have two pints, one would have a pint, half pint and all, you know, whatever. And I used to sell as much as fifty gallon a day. That was.. As Bilbrook grew, down the Codsall road and into Codsall, I used to travel with a pney and float, and down into Claregate, Tettenhall. I've gone miles to sell a drop of milk at tuppence a pint.

Mrs Page: "And when did you come to here? (The farm on Pendeford Mill Lane)

Mr Chandler: "Now I came to here ......... I tell you I worked a good milk round up and then the War broke out in 1938. I came here in 1938. No. Wait a minute... no, War broke out in 1939. I came here in 1938. I got married twelve months before I came here and took a house in Dam Mill. And when this holding came to let, I put infor it and I got it. So, I've been here since 1938.

Mrs Page: "So you've been here 63 years"

Mr Chandler: "62 years. You've got it duck. You're a better bloody scholar than me!"

Mrs Page: "I know because that's how old I am"

Mr Chandler: "62 years I've been here. They was built in 1921"

Author: "When did they start building in the middle of the Village, where the Post Ofice was?

Mr Chandler: "......I can tell you almost to the day, almost. Withers bought all this land round here, not down Joeys Lane..

Mrs Page: "Is that why it's called Withers Road?"

Mr Chandler: "Withers Road, you've got it, yes. Alexander Road and.. he named all them. He named... the old man Withers, he named Alexander Road, that was after his son. There was another son, what was his name?...oh gods truth, I forget his name... Jim, Jimmy Withers.

Mrs Page: "There's a Florence Road and a Downey Road"

Mr Chandler: Theres a Florence Road.. well he named Florence Road, I believe, after his daughter, you know and so on.

Mrs Page "I've never thought of it like that"

Mr Chandler: "Yes, yes. But as I say, he was the foundation of (modern) Bilbrook, Withers was, you know. He put all... ninety percent of the houses as are here today was built by Withers, Jimmy Withers.

Author: "Did he start building after the people came from Norwich? When Boulton and Paul came?

Mr Chandler: "He had already built houses then. Well, when the War broke out a lot of Norwich people, moved from Norwich to work at Boulton & Pauls. Well then he... a fellow by the name of Downey, Councillor Downey bought... I've got to tell you this before I over look it.... Withers.... all up Downey Road, either side, I was forgetting there was a lot of houses up there. I was a big friend of Withers, talking about the black market, I used to supply him with a few eggs, bacon and all like that. Well as I say he was a good friend of mine and I was a good fried to him but he begged and prayed of me to buy all these houses in Downey Road and I'll tell you there is some houses in Downey Road. You know the price of them do you? Well, I'll tell you. They was three hundred and ten (pounds). Twenty five pound down and twelve and six pence in the old money secures. All those houses up in Downey Road and some down here. They was three hundred and ten pound new, empty, new, as built. Thats what they was twenty five pound down and tewlve and sixpence in the old money secures. He couldn't sell 'em. He could not sell em. He begged and prayed of me to... He says "Fred, If you buy 'em I'll get you the tenants because the War broke out and they was all coming from Norwich to work down here. They was only coming here temporary while the War was on, we didn't know how long the War was going to last. But he said, you know, I'll get you the tenants if you'll buy them. I couln't see no farther than the end of that (indicates own nose). I chose to... well I came here. I bought cattle and so forth, run a milk round seven days a week, worked blasted hard, where I could have..... I could have bought them. Well, this is it. We didn't foresee these things did we. But Councillor Downey bought all... that's why it's called Downey Road, he bought all those houses and then he let them out. I think he let them out at about twenty five shillings a week. I was a lot of money in them days, don't you forget. By God it was a lot of money. 'Cause, I mean, my sisters husband, he was a good brick layer, Jack Leedham, three pound a week that was the wages. Courtaulds, you know, the silk factory there, they paid the most - three pounds fifty - well, three pounds ten it used to be then. That was their wages and they was going..."

Mrs Page: "You felt rich then.."

Mr Chandler: "Oh, my God. If you'd got a pound in you pocket, you was somebody, I tell you. They was hard times I'll tell you that. Very hard times. But, as I say when I came here, you know, I was only four when we came here then, there was... I'm just trying to think how many houses there was. I don't think there would be a dozen houses when we came here and there was this little shed, I tell ya, as Linyards used to keep which was later they emmigrated and went to Canada. But I can see now....Good Lord... Mr Linyard there. The oranges used to come in boxes, can you remember, they used to come in boxes. Bananas and everything like that used to come in boxes. Well, he had a little lean-to place attached to this shed and he used to sit there hours chopping this bloomin' wood there and selling them... a penny a bundle, wood, a penny a bundle.

Mrs Page: "For lighting your fires with.

Mr Chandler: "You now what a penny is, do you in the old money? Cause if not, I'll show it you. I've got some. But, you know, what you had to do to turn a copper or two. But as I say I don't think when we came here, there was above a dozen houses or cottages. But then, of course as I say, like Withers bought this ground and of course naturally Bilbrook grew. But it was only, like, through Withers, you know, as Bilbrook's grown, sort of thing.

Mrs Page: "And Twentymans bought..."

Mr Chandler: "Well Twentymans was lower down, you know. He was the big noise I'll tell ya. You'd got to take your (mimes doffing his cap) 'Morning Sir!'. If you didn't, you got the stick at school. About four strikes. Two on each hand.

Mrs Page laughs

Mr Chandler: "I ain't exaggerating, this is it! He'd report ya. Lady Twentyman, Colonel Twentyman and Loveridges they was, you know, the Squires and all like that. But if ever they passed you round and you didn't touch your hat to them, I'll tell you, he knew you and he'd report you to your... I used to go to Tettenhall School and he'd report you, you know. And you'd come out and he'd give you a couple on each Bloody hand, I'll tell you. 'I'll tech you to know your manners, you know, and all like that. But that's the sort of life we had. Now... this is the old 'Greyhound' (indicates picture). Do you remember the old Greyhound?"

Mrs Page:"No"

Mr Chandler: "Well this is... Meakins used to live there. People of the name of Meakins. They was...

Mrs Page "These Meakins? (gestures to houses further up Pendeford Mill Lane)

Mr Chandler: "Nothing to do with these Meakins (making same gesture). No.. No.. No.. They was...brother and sister. Proper old fashioned sorts, there like that. By the side of there was some out-buildings (indicates buildings on left side of picture)... They used to keep a pony and float. Like I've got up there (indicates picture of self)... a pony and float, and they used to, you know... When they'd got time they used to go out in this pony and float,you know, but you never thought anything of it because there was so many about. There was no cars. Very few cars. That's what I'm trying to tell you. I mean I went to Tettenhall School, which is two and half mile from here, and I used to have to walk. And used to take a bit of jam sandwiches for our... wossname and sit on old, cold pipes. There was no fires, nothing like that. There was the radiators that we used to just sit on them, like, to keep us warm in the cloakroom. But.. the thing is I mean, this Tettenhall School as I'm talking about, they was... The schoolmaster then he was very strict. If you was late, and don't forget I'd got to walk two and half mile... I'd got a brother as well. But... if you was late you'd come out and you'd have the cane for it, for being late. Now this is the old 'Greyhound'. When they died eventually and so forth, well then the Doctor took it over, right? Dr McGeogh and Curtis took it over. That was the surgery waiting room. Then, the back of that was two or three more rooms where, you know. Well, Campbells (pronounces it CAM BELLs). Not the pub... they went to live there. Somebody the name of Campbells. But, they took the rooms at the back.

Author: "Do you know roughly when that was?

Mr Chandler: "Oh God...It's sure to be forty years ago. Near as I could tell you. Forty years ago.

Author: "When was it demolished? Do you know?

Mr Chandler: "Not so very long...well, ah, Gods Truth, Can you remember it Annie?

Mrs Page: "Well, I've been in Bilbrook fifty years

Mr Chandler: "And was it there then?

Mrs Page: "Can't remember"

Mr Chandler: "I think it was, oh yes, yes, yes,yes. I should say it's been demolished... If I say thirty years. It's as much as I can say.

Author: "They built a new doctors there, didn't they?

Mrs Page: "Yes

Mr Chandler:"Yes, the doctors was there, and later on they built the doctors where they are now (Brookfield Road). Now this (indicates photo), is Brindleys, Birches Bridge Garage, you know that? I can remember I served them with milk and I can remember the time they couldn't pay for their bloody milk, put it like that! Her husband (Mrs Brindley) was a wine tester. He was a bit of a naughty lad, like. They had three sons, Bill Brindley, Edgar and... oh I forget the other one. But Billy Brindley was the one that started the garage up here (Authors note: Brindley Honda - Birches Bridge). Now, when they first started, they started off as a little a little galvanised lea... space as you can see there (in the photo)

Author: "A tiny little place.

Mr Chandler: "You can see the pumps there. And there used to be a little, another little wooden hut there as they had for a shop. You remember that?

Mrs Page: "Sweets... yes I remember that, yes

Mr Chandler: "Well, I can remember him buying the first car, selling the first car rather. If I can remember right, it was a Ford V8, 108 pounds. By God he thought he was a gentleman, he was telling everybody as he had sold this car there. Well, that was the start of him, Brindley, that's his story. You see what it is today! Now, here is the old (owd) Woodman (indicates photo) can you remember that? That's as it was and on the side, just let me show you here, was a little cottage where Mrs... now what was her name?.. a lovely..., she was the person who used to come and lay you out when you had snuffed it. Oh, crikey what was her na... Winward!!... Mrs Winward! Yes, they always used to send for her. Births, marriages and deaths! Yes, her'd bring you into the world and take you out. Laughs. On the side of there (the Woodman) was a stable for about three or four horses. Well... that was your transport then, there were no cars, that was it, horse and trap and so forth, this that and the other. By the side of her was one biggish house as... what was her name... Gods Trueth... She was the Bell Ringer at the little Church... Tennant! Mrs Tennant used to live in there, in this house, on the side here. And she was the caretaker of Bilbrook Church. Now here is the Church at Bilbrook.

Author: "I was going to ask you about that.

Mr Chandler: "But would you remember Shaws? You know as your going down the top of Joeys Lane? Go a bit farther down and there used to be Twentymans, as used to live there... You remember Twentymans? And there used to be Twentymans, remember, well a bit farther down was...a biggish house, a bit of ground attached to it.

Mrs Page: "Was that the one that lay back? The one knocked down now?

Mr Chandler: "It's all knocked down, the lot of it. It's all gone now, long enough ago. But Mrs Shaw, she was, you know, a pretty er.. one of the gentry sort of and she used to have hunting horses and she used to hire them out, you know, only a few quid but by God it was a lot of money, it was a lot of money.

Author: "Do you remember the changes to the Church? It used to be a small building?

Mr Chandler: "Well the Church was only little. It used to hold about thirty people. But that was far too big coz there wasn't ... there was Twentymans, the Loveridges, the Mansells, me mother she was a big Church goer she never missed, like. Mrs Tennant, she was the one as looked after... If they got about a dozen people in there that was it. The curate from Tettenhall Church used to come and take the services. Perhaps about twice or might be three times a year the Vicar used to come, The Reverend Goode. And of course it must be a full church for the Vicar to come or else, by goodness he would be disappointed. And that was it, it was quite a big occasion when the vicar came to preach. And all as he came to preach for was... beggin' "Now we're hoping to get a bit of an extension to the Church and hope you'll all patronise it, the place there." TAP, TAP. He rattled three or four times. Ah, dear, dear but erm... now the village hall. I'll tell you a little bit a history about that. You know the Hall do ya?

Author: "Yes

Mr Chandler: "Well Colonel Twentyman.. err gave Bilbrook the money... They wanted, they wanted a, this hall as Bilbrook grew a bit... and er there was no money. So, by kind permission of Colonel Twentyman he forfeited the money. Then later on he changed his mind and he gave this five hundred pound as what the Hall cost to build, five hundred pound, he donated it. But it warn't long after before he wanted it back. He had it all back in bits and dabs.. It was paid back in instalments. But that was what that hall, Village Hall, you know the one I'm on about, by the Church, five hundred pound that cost. And they've had concerts in there, Whist Drives in there, Dances in there, well you know.

Author: "Roughly when was that built, about when?

Mr Chandler: "Oh Lord now, wait a minute it's been a long while. But I can soon tell you roughly, two within a year or two. I was still at school. I should have been, as near as I can tell, between the age of between 12 and 14. That's as near as I can get you to two years.

Author: "About the 1930s?"

Mr Chandler: "Was it? I don't know, you're a better scholar than me. But that was it. I was about 12 to 14. I was still at school. I do know that, when that was built. I left school at 14.

Author: "What did the children do in the summer? They are just breaking up now for the six week Summer holiday. Did everyone have to help out on the farm and things like that?"

Mr Chandler: "Oh Lord ah. There was no recreation at all. If you had a foot ball, after you had helped your.. in my case helped my Father,

Part Two