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Royal Celebrations in Pelsall 1897
Back in 2013, my husband spotted an interesting photograph album on the internet and purchased it for me.
To my pleasant surprise, the photograph album had belonged to Annie Snowdin Charles of Pelsall Hall. Annie Snowdin Charles was the mother of Beatrice Ethel Charles. The Charles Family and Pelsall Hall book, which I published in 2013 is based on a photograph album which had belonged to Beatrice Ethel Charles.
Annie Snowdin Charles and her husband, John Smith Charles occupied Pelsall Hall between the years of 1866 and 1917 with their children, Annie 'Katie' Charles, Beatrice Ethel Charles, John Roger Charles, Laura Theresa Charles and Michael Thomas Charles.
When I first looked through the album, I was fascinated to see photographs of family travels and adventures, then even more fascinated to see photographs which had been taken of events which had been taking place in Pelsall at that time.
The photographs below really caught my attention.
Photograph copyright A Bates Pelsall Times
The people of Pelsall start to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee 1897
Photographs of the event courtesy of Annie Snowdin Charles of Pelsall Hall
Photograph copyright A Bates Pelsall Times
The huge photograph above was taken in the centre of the village as people gathered together to start their procession to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.
Photograph copyright A Bates Pelsall Times
The photograph above was taken of people at the end of their procession when gathered on the common adjacent to Victoria Road. As readers can see, some of the buildings seen here in 1897 are still standing.
In the middle of the photograph, Pelsall Hall Brass Band can be seen.
Photograph copyright A Bates Pelsall Times
Pelsall Hall Brass Band can be seen more clearly in the middle of this photograph
Photograph copyright A Bates Pelsall Times
As I looked through the album, I was delighted to find that Annie Snowdin Charles had a photograph of members of Pelsall Hall Brass Band
Photograph copyright A Bates Pelsall Times
To celebrate the close of the day, a gigantic bonfire was lit on Pelsall Common
More photographs of this event and further information about the Charles family of Pelsall Hall can be found in
The Charles Family and People of Pelsall 1892 - 1897
which can be purchased at Kind Thoughts on Pelsall High Street or R W Print on Norton Road, Pelsall
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