Pit Leasow, Dudley

[malcolm99]

That's definitely promising Coromandel. Hopefully Dudley Archives will have a c1860s map.

PS Google Chrome doesn't seem to work any better than Firefox on that site!

[Brock]

Hi Brock,

I have just plonked Pit Leasow, Dudley into Google and a map pops up entitled "Part of Township of Lapal 1750 - Go to dudley.gov.uk". Lapal, apparently, is now in Halesowen and there is some blurb about it under the map.

Stone Pit Leasow is a couple of fields up from the bottom of the map.

I hope that this helps a bit.

That's great, thank you. I had never heard that Halesowen used to be known as Lapal in past times.

[Brock]

It'd probably be worth contacting Dudley Archives and Local History Service. Their details are here:
http://www.
dudley.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/local-history--heritage/archive-and-local-history/

Good idea, I shall give it a try.

[Brock]

According to the 1871 Census Enumeration Description, Pitts fold and Pit Leasow are just off Greystone Street

That's brilliant ~ thank you.

[Brock]

Thank you all for your very kind & wonderful help, it's most appreciated.

[Ken_R]

That's great, thank you. I had never heard that Halesowen used to be known as Lapal in past times.

Not quite. As with many places, Lapal is just an 'area' of Haleswoen. Checking on a map I've realised that I used to know the area quite well. Longer back than, well, what I can remember, hence having to check a map.

In reality, it's not far from the Birmingham boundary, just off Jn 3 of the M5, so you may find that your research may extend into Brum.

Pit Leasow/Pitfield Street. Mmmm. Could it have been the location of a mine?

I'm well aware that as far as Brum is concerned, the only 'mining' that it is renowned for is that of water for the now long lost Breweries of Ansell's and Mitchells & Butler. Hence why there is now a problem with the water table and hence the offer to sell water to regions experiencing drought conditions. But certainly Halesowen, or parts of it, would have been 'mining' communities.


I can't get that Dudley map to work either.

[Brock]

Thanks for your reply Ken ~ very interesting.

[LittleSpark]

Hi Brock,
Have been to Dudley Archives today and asked about Pit Leasow, Dudley.
None of the staff had heard of it and suggested it may have been in the Halesowen area.
However, I checked the 1861 Street Index - Pit Leasow(e) isn't there under Dudley or Halesowen.

I then checked the 1871 Street Index and like Coromandel says in #3 and malcolm99 #8 it says:
St. Thomas's Ecclesiastical District, Castle Ward.
Part of the Parish of Dudley called Graystone Street (both sides), including Pit Fold and Pit Leasow Nos 1-33.

A member of staff checked on their 1880 map of the area, and by then Pit Leasow had disappeared, unless it was the name of one of the Courts leading off Greystone St but names are not given.

The area was known as The Dock - a slum area of Dudley which was knocked down and became The New Dock. Many of the old streetnames have been kept to this day - I know it very well.

The member of staff kindly took a copy of the Enumeration District details, so if you would like a copy to keep on your files, pm me with your e-mail address and I'll send it to you.

Sheila