Solihull Council Heritage & Local Studies Service

www.myspace.com/mysolihull

Looking at new books on the Knowle Estate and on architects working in the Birmingham area in Victorian timesMood: inquisitive Posted at 4:49 PM Nov 24 view more

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Solihull Council Heritage & Local Studies Service
31 / Female
UK
Last Login: 11/24/2009

279269040|31|11110|http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/55/m_ae1df33caff640177baa7521cd68888c.jpg

Interests

General
We're really interested in all places within the Solihull borough and are keen to collect everything we can about the local area. From Chelmsley Wood to Castle Bromwich, from Kingshurst to Knowle, Smith's Wood to Shirley and all points in between. We have maps, books, photos, newspapers - anything we can find relating to the local area...
Music
You may be surprised at how many bands and musicians have a Solihull connection: - grindcore/death metal band Napalm Death was formed in Meriden in 1982; band members from Ocean Colour Scene attended local schools; the 1960s 'Brumbeat' group The Applejacks was formed in Solihull; guitarist Gordon Giltrap lived in Hockley Heath; violinist Nigel Kennedy grew up in Solihull; Wally Lowe, former member of the heavy rock band Magnum, was born in Meriden; Jeff Lynne, co-founder of ELO, was also resident in Meriden; Reggae singer Bitty McLean is a former resident of Chelmsley Wood; soprano Margaret Preece is a resident of Dickens Heath; John Ruddick, Musical director of the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra and winner of the BBC's Outstanding Musician of the Year award in 1996 and 2004 is a resident of Hampton-in-Arden; DJ Tushar Makwana was resident in Castle Bromwich until his tragic death in 2004. Other DJs with a Solihull connection are Phil Upton and Johnnie Walker. Have we missed anyone out? Let us know.
Movies
Film stars with a link to Solihull include Lucy Davis (daughter of Jasper Carrott, who is also known for appearing in long-running radio series The Archers and in the TV series The Office
Television
TV personalities and actors with a Solihull connection are: Newsround presenter Lizo Mzimba; 'Sherlock Holmes' actor, Jeremy Brett, who was born in Berkswell; journalist and newsreader Michael Buerk; actor and comedian Jasper Carrott OBE; actor Stephanie Cole OBE; TV presenter Richard Hammond; actress Felicity Kendall; comedian, writer and director Stewart Lee (of comedy duo Lee and Herring); and comedian and presenter Don MacLean MBE.
Books
Solihull Heritage & Local Studies tries to collect everything written about places within the Solihull borough. You can search the library catalogue at www.solihull.gov.uk/libraries
Heroes
Solihull Council held the "S-Factor" exhibition and online poll in 2006 to find the borough's favourite Silhillian. The eventual winner was the actor Stephanie Cole, who was born in Solihull. Other local heroes featured include all those mentioned in the sections above, plus: Balsall Common artist Trevor Boult, whose work has been presented to the Queen; squash player Jonah Barrington; tennis player Jeremy Bates; athlete Daniel Caines; athlete Patricia Cropper MBE; ice skater John Curry OBE; Kingshurst artist Steve Farley; Berskwell suffragette Lettice Floyd; motorcyclist and former Shirley resident Harry 'Rem' Fowler, winner of the first Isle of Man TT Race in 1907; boxer Jack Hood; rugby player Martin Johnson CBE; Olton resident and engineer F W Lanchester, credited with building the first British petrol-driven four-wheeled motor car in 1896; judo champion and former Kingshurst resident Sharon Lee; racing driver Nigel Mansell OBE; golfer Peter McEvoy MBE; motorcyle racer and Shirley resident Ted Mellors; singer Maggie Moone; show jumper Ann Moore MBE who grew up in Chadwick End; Holocaust survivor Paul Oppenheimer MBE; cartoonist and illustrator 'Larry'; athlete Mike Rawson; ceramic artist Vinitha McWhinnie; sculptor Ian Walters; tennis player and winner of the fist Wimbledon ladies' singles title in 1884, Maud Watson MBE; and metallurgist James Fern Webster, who carried out the world's first commercial production of aluminium at his factory in Solihull Lodge.

Details

Status: Single
Zodiac Sign: Taurus

Latest Blog Entries

Nov 24, 2009 4:36 PM More info on air raids
Nov 17, 2009 4:43 PM Civilian casualties
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Oct 15, 2009 5:26 PM Back to School!
May 19, 2009 9:55 AM Brueton Park Heritage Project needs you!

Blurbs

About me:

Solihull Council's Heritage & Local Studies Service is based in Solihull Central Library and covers the history and heritage of all places now within the Solihull Borough. If you're interested in local history or family history, check out our web pages at www.solihull.gov.uk/heritage

Solihull High School for Girls, Malvern Hall

The Misses Blizzards' shop

The 'Cuckoo in the Nest' carnival game.

Hull's the butcher

Who I'd like to meet:

Anybody with an interest in Solihull past or present. Contact us via MySpace or directly by phone on 0121 704 6934 or via our e-mail heritage@solihull.gov.uk.

Whether it's local history or family history, we'll do our best to help if you have any query. If you have a school or college project you're researching, come and visit us - you'll be able to access stuff that you just can't find on Google. We have hundreds of maps of the borough and over 10,000 photos, not to mention all the books, newspapers and other material we hold. Contact us - we're happy to help!

Friend Space (Top 37)

Comments

MOJAH

Mar 2 2008 7:18 PM

Hi. Thanks for adding me. I love my hometown of Solihull. Im in Marston Green at the moment and I work in Chelmsley but I ain't saying where because I'm too ashamed. My other job as a designer and what not is a lot better though. I like to know whats going on around Solihull so keep us updated lol.
Lukas - Mojah
Louisa

Jan 31 2008 3:14 PM

Hi, well coming from chelmsley wood (which is considered the poor side of solihull) i thought i would talk about my favorite place in my local area. i used to love walking around meriden park by the town centre when in the summer it was full of bluebells, it has took battering in recent years but now that the council have renovated and cleaned it up, it has gone back to its former glory. Also i wish the council would bring back the carnival as i have fond memories of the procession which really did pull the community together. As a resident of chelmsley wood i feel that the area does get alot of bad press form other areas in solihull which personally i feel is completely wrong. yes there is a minority of people in chelmsley that give it a bad name but there are also a majority of people who live in my local area who have done alot for my community and i feel proud of where i live! love the idea by the way, and i shall pop in to the library some time as i only work across the road at druckers! thanx, louisa.
Carmen

Jan 29 2008 9:15 PM

This is a great idea! I'm fairly new to Solihull but am really interested in the local area and will definitely come into the library. Loved the pics you've added here!

My favourite place in Solihull so far is probably Malvern Park. In the summer I take my sandwiches there and eat my lunch on a bench in the rose garden. It always relaxes me and gives me the energy to go back to work.

Roll on the summer!

Carmen
Blue Nation

Jan 28 2008 5:08 PM

Hi

Thanks for the request, no prob adding U.
Hope you enjoy our latest EP.It was recorded at the same studio as OCS's latest album, also your myspace friend. Thanks for adding it to your collection.

Neil Paula Oli & Ade

BN

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