The Watts of Oldfields

Oldfields was the name of a narrow road, more like a lane, that ran off the main Corngreaves

Road in Cradley Heath

It ran for about 150 yards and at the far end was separated from a council estate by a railway

line and stepping bridge, for about 12 years I lived on the other side of the stepping bridge in

Sutherland Road

On the right hand side of the lane there was a small block of 19^th century terraced houses,

the area around and opposite the houses was open ground but, while they were somewhat

isolated, I was always glad to see them as a sort of “signpost” as I walked past them on my

way home from school

Father and Daughters run the business

The Watts family lived in one of the houses and for as many years as I can remember they ran a

Street Bookmaking business from there

The patriarch was Garnet Watts and he had five children;

Sons-----------Bert and Harry

Daughters-----Maud, Lilly and Joan

Garnet Watts was the acknowledged Bookmaker, his two sons both had proper day jobs but all

of his three daughters were based at home and were involved in running the business

His eldest son, Bert, married Sandy Sidaway’s eldest daughter—Doris—and so helped to

consolidate the family groups grip on the local bookmaking scene