Blue Ball, Worcestershire

[philheeks]

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
 

[philheeks]

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

[philheeks]

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

[Treefan]

   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.

[philheeks]

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 

[Treefan]

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.

[philheeks]

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 

[daveywills]

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

[foolingreens]

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