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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Worcestershire => Topic started by: Treefan on Monday 03 November 14 11:28 GMT (UK)
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I have an ancestor who appears to have lived in a small place called Blue Ball which must have been very close to Wolverley in Worcestershire. I have tried to find out exactly where Blue Ball used to be situated & what the area consisted of but have had no luck.
If anyone can enlighten me I would be most grateful.
Thank you.
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Zoopla has properties at Blue Ball Farm, Cleobury Road, Far Forest, Rock, Kidderminster?
DY14 9TA
And also Blue Ball Barn, same address.
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Doing a search for Blue Ball Kidderminster comes up with a couple of Blue Ball properties with addresses - worth a look to see if you think in the right area :)
BB Cottage
BB Barn
both at Cleobury Road
Far Forest
Rock
Kidderminster
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Thank you. I too Googled Blue Ball & found the same findings which I assume were built on or near the old Blue Ball area. I am curious to know about the Blue Ball area of old & what it consisted of if possible.
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Hi There
I may be able to help you as I have a few books on Cookley as well as some very comprehensive histories of Kidderminster & there may be a reference to Blue Ball in one of them but to be honest Ive never heard of the place & its not a village in WOR according to the book of WOR Contiguous Parishes
All the very best
Phil
Weston-super-Mare (born & brought up in Worcester city)
ps I also used to live at Kidderminster so know it fairly well
pps dont expest to hear from me till next Sat as I only use library computers & then only once a week
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Thank you, if you do come across any mention of Blue Ball I would love to know please.
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Hi Treefan,
Put the given post code in to the Old Maps website www.old-maps.co.uk From the gazetteer you'll see 3 Blueball addresses. Select any one as they all have the same postcode. This gives a modern map. (Zoom out if you need to get your bearings on the modern map.)
Then choose the 1884 1:2,500 map from the map selection window on the right. Bingo! Hardly even a hamlet.
You could then try a street view map or Google Earth for an overview.
Mike
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:) Mike, that's brilliant!
Thank you so much.
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Hi Treefan
I was typing a fairly long reply regarding the location of the Red Ball & this site decided to cut me off so I will send it when I an next find the time as I dont like wasting 20 mins on a site that wont store my message
Cheers
a very disgruntled rootschat member
Phil
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Hi Treefan
I have just been taken pity on by a librarian who has put me on for another hour just so I can try to send this reply which I will send in parts so as not to be cut of again
Part of an extract from Cookley at Home & Far Away by Betty Caswell
memory as recalled by Trevor Mills
From the last part of the 19th century in the Blue Ball Area there were only a few houses, the area was dominated by The old Blue Ball plus 5 smaller houses Fern Villa, Elm Villa, Rose Cottages(2 houses) & the Bache family home opposite the Blue Ball.
continued
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continuation
Just on the Cookley side of the Blue Ball were 6 terraced cottages known as Blue Ball Cottages & further down the road at the bottom of Kinver Lane were another 4 cottages known as Kinver Lane Cottages.
continued
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continued with my own comments
Reading this quote & looking at old maps in my books I would say that the houses in the Blue Ball area were both sides of part of Caunsell Road, Cookley (between Kinver Lane & Orchard Grove).
The Bache family were a very old Cookley family & I remember buying sweets in Mrs Bache's shop when I was young & used to visit my late Dad's parents who lived at Cookley.
I would advise you to either purchase 2 books "Cookley at Home & Far Away" also "Cookley the First Thousand Years" both published by one of the Cookley historians Betty Caswell (I can supply her name & address if you wish) as there are good maps inside the front cobers of both showing exactly where the Blue Ball is located. Or you could get in touch with Betty via the Cookley web site which Ive not used for a long time but just try typing Cookley into Google & the web site used to be the top option.
I hope that this is of some help to you
All the very best
Phil
Weston-super-Mare
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>:( Oh dear Phil, so sorry to hear about that!
Other forum sites do have a "saving" mechanism in built into their system which is a good thing & so I do understand your annoyance.
I look forward to reading the info when you do get time though.
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Hi Treefan
If you lok at the 3 entries above you will see I had already managed to put the info on in 3 parts
Also this slight addition today - I don't know if this would fit in with your records but I have since found an entry in my Cookley books for John Wooley 59 y/o living at Bradley Buildings, Cookley- this is part of an extract from the 1891 census for Cookley
All the very best
Phil
ps I hope my previous postings about the Blue Ball area were of help to you
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Thank you so much for your wonderful help Phil, it's really very kind of you.
I will certainly look into purchasing the two books that you mentioned which will be of great interest to me.
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Hi Treefan
I'm no expert on Cookley but have been there quite a lot as my late Dad's parents lived there & when I lived & worked at Kidderminster we lived in Wolverhampton Rd which is not very far from Cookley & is a nice walk on a sunny day but I always went by bus :)
All the very best
Phil
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Some of my ancestors lived at Blue Ball, which is in Caunsall which is part of Cookley and previous to 1849 it came under the parish of Wolverley.
The building still stands today and I have photos if required.
If I can be of assistance in any way then please let me know.
Dave
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My G3 grandfather, Joseph Harrison (1815-1907) lived at Blue Ball and then ElmVilla from 1871-1891.
Does anyone now if the houses still exist
Google streetview suggested a lot of new houses have been constructed
Thanks