Historic England - The Black Country

[WBA1955]

I have loads of books of the Black Country, it's railway's and canals, even a recipe book of Black Country food.
I also have a lot of old ordnance survey books of the are.
I never thought Smethwick a part of the Black Country, more Birmingham.
No coal mines in Smethwick.
Like Wolverhampton, Smethwick is a manufacturing town that sits on the fringe of the Black Country proper.

[Albionic68]

I have loads of books of the Black Country, it's railway's and canals, even a recipe book of Black Country food.
I also have a lot of old ordnance survey books of the are.
I never thought Smethwick a part of the Black Country, more Birmingham.
No coal mines in Smethwick.
Like Wolverhampton, Smethwick is a manufacturing town that sits on the fringe of the Black Country proper.

I'm from Smethwick Des', and I can confirm that although my dad's half of the family are from Gornal I've never considered myself to be from the Black Country. I'm not a fkn Brummie either though, as well you know.

I often refer to The Independent People's Republic of Smethwick as a b@st@rd state unwanted by both Birmingham and the Black Country. And that's just fine by me.

[kettering_baggie]

Halesowen was my home for most of my formative years and I believe that was on the edge of the Black Country, never actually in it? Nowadays, though, Halesowen has been incorporated into the borough of Dudley, has it not, and I have heard it referred to as being in the Black Country. If it wasn’t originally, then it can’t be now, can it?

[SCOOP115]

Interestingly two of West Bromwich's best known Collieries - Sandwell and Jubilee - both fall just outside the area shown above