Cawney Hill

[mezentia]

Can anyone help to pinpoint the road/street called Cawney Hill in St John's Parish, Dudley. I've a 1904 map, but it doesn't appear on it, and I've 1911 (and several previous) census records that gives Cawney Hill as the address, but I can't find it anywhere.

Thanks

[wozzle]

if you google "cawney hill,dudley" you will find that it is a place rather than a street

[mezentia]

Agreed, but when you look at the 1911 census, it lists addresses from 1 to 78 Cawney Hill, Dudley, Worcs! So, if in 1911 someone said go to No. 50 Cawney Hill, there surely must have been a street or throughfare of some description of that name for you to be able to find the house you're looking for?

[Yegvard]

Hi,

You could try using the enumerator's description of his route.  In small villages they were often told to just complete the whole village, but in large and complex urban areas they were often told to go, e.g. "the left side of the High Street, starting at the Kings Arms, then court no 4. returning down to Smith the butcher and both sides of Chapel Lane."

Also try the Old-Maps website for Dudley.  There's a 1:500 Town Plan for 1883, but you will need to know where approximately to look, but is should be in 'old' Dudley.

Mike

[mezentia]

I've checked a couple of enumerator's routes, but they don't really help. The route descriptions seem not to be contiguous streets, and descriptions often give only the boundaries. The 1911 census is the clearest. I've also checked some earlier maps, but no joy! I have several family members who seemed to move up and down the street over a period, so I'd like to try and map the movements in and around the district, but if you don't know where to put the pin it's a bit of an unsurmountable challenge

[absolom]

Cawney Hill is situated near what we now know as Kate's Hill. Its altitude is about 818 feet, certainly one of the highest inhabited spots in the land, and it lies about a mile to the south east of Dudley Castle. To put Cawney Hill into context, he altitudes of various places seen from the top of the hill include:

http://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/News/High-times-and-holidays-in-Cromwells-Grove-on-Dudleys-Cawney-Hill-2.htm?id=73113

this might be useful if you can pinpoint kates hill on the map

[mezentia]

Hi Absolom

I'd already found that reference, and I actually live near Kate's Hill. I've visited the area but have been unable to find the location of the adresses given as Cawney Hill mainly because so much of the area has been re-developed.

I have a 1904 edition of the map of the area. Cawney Hill is clearly marked as a location, but I can't see where the road would be that must have had at least 90 - 100 houses on it!I believe it may have been in the area bounded on the west and north by Owen and Grove streets, and to the south by Dixon's Green and Oakham roads, and to the east by Tansey Hill Road. Within that area is a cluster of houses linked with what may be a number of alleys.

I've attached a scan of the area where I think the road may be.

I've also dropped a letter to the Bugle to see if that can shed any light on matters.

[Herci]

Hi, I think I can help with location of Cawney Hill, If you look at your 1904 map, top right hand
corner, you will see Watson's Street. follow down past Grove St and East St, after passing East St
the road stops and a foot path starts, from there on it's just a warren of passage ways but there are
are enough houses to explain the numbers your after, I think that's the reason you can't find a road,
there never was one.
I was born on Kates Hill in 1944 and as an child played on Cawney Hill and this part had been pulled
down between 1904 and 1944.  Hope this will help, Looking forward to any reply, I can take it further
if needed.

                                     Herci

[mezentia]

Hello Herci

Thanks for yor messgae; I had come to the same conclusion  I had a letter in the Black Country Bugle and got a load of responses that confirm what you say.