This is Crutchley's General Store, a shop which once sold a wide range of useful and essential items to Bloxwich folk. As can be seen from this evocative period image, Crutchley's was a traditional corner shop, located at the corner of Alfred Street and Elmore Green Road. In the early twentieth century there were countless shops just like it all over the Black Country, and beyond.

To date I have not conclusively identified a direct link between the owner's of Crutchley's General Store and my own branch of the Crutchley family. However, Alfred Street is very close to New Street where several of my ancestors were living at the time that this photograph was taken.

The lady seen in the photograph was called Nellie Crutchley (nee Starkey). She was married to Harry Crutchley, who was the proprietor of this shop in Alfred Street.

The child standing next to her is Freda Crutchley, who was born in the rooms immediately above the shop on February 9th, 1910. Sadly, Freda died from Broncho Pnuemonia on February 26th, 1914, probably no more than a year after this photograph was taken.