Regarding Nellie Cain. She was my Aunt. I am the daughter, only child, of William Isaac Cain, the oldest of the Walter and Mary Cain’s children. My mother, father, and I lived at Court Bank, Rugeley Road, Burntwood (opposite to the Stanfield Baker). Walter Stanfield was my mother’s cousin. Just yesterday, I was talking to Gary Stanfield, the youngest son, who is now 80. Sadly, Nellie’s oldest son, Vernon, passed away several years ago. Her son, Stephen, lives in Devon, I think. My father passed away in 1975. I remember as a young teenager going to the Aston Studios in Birmingham to see my aunt, and met Petula Clark on many occasions. I wanted to be on the stage and Nellie said she would get me auditions once I finished studying at Tamworth College. Sadly, she was killed four months before I completed college, and so my dream of being on the stage came to an end. I worked at the National Coal Board offices as a secretary in Allport Street, Cannock, until my marriage in 1963. My then husband, Graeme Rowley, of Aldridge, and I moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil for a two-year contract through GKN. I have lived in California with my son since 1983, and married my current husband in 1985.

I have been in touch with Barbara Gilmour who with her husband purchased the house at 7 Gorsemoor Road, Heath Hayes. In fact, I met Barbara and Stuart on a visit to Cannock in 2011 where we had a family reunion at Taylor’s Restaurant. Chris Taylor was a very good friend of mine and came to the reunion. He remembered giving me a gold link bracelet for my 18th birthday, which was held at Taylor’s, and was pleased to see I still had it and wore it that day. My father had purchased the house in Gorsemoor Road for his family when his father died in 1934. He and my mother lived in Bewdley, Worcs, where my father was Manager of the Highley Colliery. That is where I was born in 1941. From there, we moved to Madeley, Shropshire, where Dad was Manager of Madeley Wood Colliery for several years. He was forced into a medical retirement after being injured in a rock fall at the colliery, which is when we moved to Burntwood. My wedding reception was the first at the newly-renovated Nag’s Head! Thank you for the beautiful picture of Nellie posted on the website. And thank you to Barbara who has made this site available. Brenda Brown (nee Rowley, nee Cain), Carlsbad, California.

Nellie Cane Article

heath hayes history
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