Owdo me owd butties, have you ever heard of the Broseley Jitties? no it inna an affliction but a higgeldy-piggeldy maze like network of narrow paths that criss-cross Broseley Wood.
In the late 16th century James Clifford, the Lord of the Manor of Broseley, needed to increase the work force for his mines so he encouraged men frum Wales and Staffordshire to move to Broseley by tellin’ ’em that they could build whums (homes) on the common land that lay on the eastern slopes of Benthall valley, to the west of Broseley. Other immigrants moved to work in the local clay pipe manufacturing industry. They say that if they could build a chimbly (chimney) and hearth by nightfall then their homes could stay.
with no planning these whums sprung up all over the place and the various jitties evolved to connect ’em. Some of these whums and eighteen jitties have survived despite the fact no running water or sewerage systems were introduced until the 1920s, long after the rest of Broseley.
Nobody is sure where the name comes frum, one theory is that it comes frum a German word for alley ‘twiete’.
In 2008 the owd wooden signs were all replaced by cast iron signs, painted in the town livery of Broseley Green and in 2009 a guided leaflet was published.
Jitties
Maidens Jitty – furst on the guide
Pugh’s Jitty – now reopened but had to close in September 2018 when a large crack appeared due to a new house being built.
Maypole Jitty – named after the Maypole on Woodlands Green. Despite Maypole dancing being a tradition going back centuries I believe that the current pole was placed here in 1985 by Eric Cox.
Bradley’s Bank
Gough’s Jitty – a Benjamin Gough ran the Hockley Inn
Crews Park
Simmonds Jitty – This jitty has a wall built mostly of saggers, these are ceramic blocks used for making clay pipes afore they went in to the furnace. A saying I gleaned – ‘he was a sagger maker’s bottom knocker’
Carters Jitty – Jack Carter had the fish and chip shop.
Gittings Jitty – named after a local family.
Jews Jitty – formerly Quinns Bank, renamed after the Wolfson family who owned a factory at Benthall in the 1930s, employing many locals making china dolls and pates. One of their main customers was Woolworths. The Wolfsons lived in a cottage halfway down the jitty and continued to do so after they became more affluent. They had a German son in law who was interned during the war and their business went bankrupt not long after. The Wolfson’s daughters were known to carry out their ritual bathing at the Spout in Spout Lane, this was a rather public spot which became very popular with the local lads hoping to catch a glimpse.
Ferney Bank – there was a windmill near here
Balls Jitty – possibly after the Blue Ball inn
Lloyds Jitty – Annie and Eric Lloyd owned the Capacity Engineering works
Ding-Dong Steps – named after the ding-dong noise that the workers hobnail boots made as they walked the steps although the jitties could be quite lawless and some say they are named after the many fights, ding-dongs, that took place here. Children still try to replicate the sound as they run down the steps.
Plants Jitty – The Plant family lived in the corner by the mission, said to be inveterate gamblers they had an owd ‘oss, when it died they tried to revive it by pouring a beer down it’s throat.
Botswell Bank – shud probably be Boss Well Bank as it lead to the Boss Well (biggest well). The well had a lion’s yed tap so it was known as the spitting lion. The reservoir is still in a property’s garden at the top. In winter it was very slippery and steps have bin added much to the inconvenience of pushchair users.
Coopers Jitty – named after a Mrs Cooper who moved in after Tommy Speke had cut his throat.
A recent addition to the jitties is Sam’s Jitty, not yet on the guide, it’s a small development near Carver’s Road in Broseley.
A couple of non jitties worth a mention are Quarry Lane (Sandy Bank) which is known as Red Jitty due to all of the red sand on it and Padman’s Alley, a Pad mon was a thief or highway mon on foot.
Thank’ee most kindly for taking the time to read my chunnerins and please get in touch with any memories, stories and photographs that you may have of them and especially any corrections to any errors I may have made.
JITTY DITTY – A very very owd ode that I have just written.
Hundreds of yars of history, awaiting tu greet yer feet
The late Derrick Pountney, kept 'em all so neat.
Starting at Maidens Jitty, aptly named fer thu fust
Damage frum thu new neighbours, recently made Pughs thu wust.
Round 'n' round the Maypole, once candle factory 'n' pub
Next a visit tu Bradleys Bank, but thee cosna get a sub'.
Goughs Jitty is soon tu be sin, with it's saggars 'n' all
Crews Park is our next'un, with a sign upon thu wall.
Simmonds after thu Simmonds, is thu next'un on our search
Then it's the Mission Jitty, after thu owd Mission Church.
Halfway now is Carters, where Jack 'ad thu chip shop
Gittings Jitty -another family, Quinns Bank is our next stop.
Now renamed Jews Jitty, after the Wolfson family
Who made dolls 'n' plates fer Woolies, in their Benthall factory.
A windmill stood on Ferny Bank, not far frum Southern's King's Yed
'Ferny Bank' wrote Billy Darling, upon his deliveries of bread.
I dunna know why it's Balls Jitty, after Ball's Orchard or Blue Ball inn
The Lloyds - Annie 'n' Eric, they owned Capacity Engineerin'.
Now thu sebunctious Ding-Dong Steps, a favourite of everyone
Thu ring of hob-nailed boots, is sadly now long gone.
Thu Plants were known for their gambling, their 'oss dropped jed 'n' I quote
To try 'n' revive it, 'poured a pint of beer down it's throat'.
Botswell or shud it be Bosswell?, with the spitting lion yed
Last but not least Mrs Coopers, 'n' time fer wum 'and 'n' me bed.
