Historical Information
There are remains of disused coal mines in a number of areas on Cannock Chase, including Brindley Heath.
The area has been used for many things including an RAF training camp which was set up in 1938 as home to the 6th Technical Training School. In 1957 the camp was used to house around 900 Hungarian refugees. The camp was then demolished in 1960. The area was also used as a tank training ground, leading to much soil disturbance.
A military hospital was built on the heath during World War I. After the hospital was closed in the 1920s, local miners moved onto the site and dubbed it Brindley Village. It was finally demolished around 1951, and the occupants moved to Hednesford. The parish electoral ward for the southern part of Brindley Heath parish is also named Brindley Village.
There was also a POW camp at Flaxley Green near Rugeley where the foundations can still be seen to this day.
The following images have been very kindly supplied by Trevor Warburton, Secretary to Friends of Cannock Chase. They show a selection of aspects of Rugeley Camp and Military Hospital, and are from the estate of Mr Arthur R. Lloyd who was a local postcard & postage stamp enthusiast.
If after viewing the photographs you have any comments or would like to know more about the Camps or locations, please do email the Parish Council as Trevor will be very pleased to provide additional information where he can.