The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-15
CATCHElrS CORNER, SODOM, AND
HE'LL LANE.


From Notes and Queries.
The writer first mentions the origin of the
names of many places in that locality, such as
Wednesfield and Wednesday,, from Wooden;
Swinford from Sweyn; Cannock from Canute;
Gospel Oak and Gospel End; Hungary Hill,
near Stourbridge, from the Hungarian refu-
gees who pitched their tents there, and intro
duced the pottery-ware trade; Bull Stake and
High Bullen, from the bull-baiting; Gibbet
lane, and other places, such as Throttle-goose
lane and Bug Hole, the origin of whose names
is lost in obscurity. He then comes to speak
of Catchem's Corner, Sodom, and He'll Lane.
The last named spot is near to the Bilston
turnpike road, towards Sedgeley Beacon, and
near to Ettingshall New Village:-
''Had we pursued our way little further,
we should have reached Sodom and Catchem's
Corner, at the extremity of He'll Lane, and
then have entered Gospel End. 1t is an old
saying in that neighbOrhood, Hell begins
where gospel ends. F"
The writer calls on an old cottager, and asks
for an explanation of the names of these places.
The old man replies as follows:-
"Well, as for He'll Lane an Sodom, it was
the villainy o. the people thereabouts as
caused such like names to be given 'em; but
Catchem's Corner, there is bit of a story
about which, whether true or fause l Gamma
tell ye, for was ava at the time. 1t nun
be aboon fifty years sim now, an there were
few housen thereabout, though, bein' four
cross roads, there were pretty well o. people
passing by the corner. One dark winters
night, as gentleman was walking by, a man
with mask on sprung out o. the next leasow,
jumped over the hedge, and robbed the gen
tleman o. everything worth carrying off. On
the next night another was served in the same
way, and on the next night another; so there
began to be no little stir. After while, lot
o. men determined to drop on the thief and
=.
selves up the trees, an under the hedges; an
at the right time one got up an walked along
the road; an presently the man with the mask
sprang at him and collared him. but no sooner
had he done it than all the men who lay hid
rushed at him, an caught him; and when
they tore off his mask they found it was old
Catchem, daring thief who lived down at
Sodom, whom they sent down to Jail; an
ever after, the place was called Catchem's
Corner"
"And what sort of place was He'll Lane at
that time l'' l asked.
swell, sir,'' he resumed, ''it was queerish
place, do assure you. Nobody durst venture
down it after nightfall, and even in broad day
light it was hardly safe. There were certain
public-houses where the gangs of highwaymen
used to meet. There was the old Duke o.
York, an the Barley Now, as stood near by
each other; two fearsome places were these
for all sorts o. plots am mischief. Then there
was old Trilly Rileys place, the Bulls
Head, where they used to get up bull-batin'
an such like sports; an Billy Moore's, by
the brook. But the worst place o. the lot was
called Hell House, kept by old Evans, a butty
collier. This was the great fghtin' place foI
the colliers, an there used to be pitched
battle every night. Evans daughter, big
strapping wench, used to be seconds tC
one o. the men, an when the fgh
was on she would jump on the scTeer
an shout, Wind him, Jack, lad, TAI
his wine bottle (make his nose bleed), or 'Gi'
hin red shirt, my bOnny boy There wa
also Sammon Harry, who followed the deVi
down coalpit. This Sammon Harry was
colliery. engineer, an one day he had been u
Woverhampton on the spree-you know, sir
Well. as he came hack at night, when 1t wa
ante dark, a man met him in the lane, ant
took him TO the pit, and began to swarm dow
the chain. tellin' Sammon Harry to follow
He followed, and as the chain did not reach y
the bottom of the shaft the man dropped Tn
remaining distance, telling Sammon to 40 tn
game. Il can't" said SammOn Harry, ITS to-
far Drop, tell you, shouted the man a
the bottom, 1'll take care OF you" bu
Harry wouldna drop, knowing he would o
killed If he did so, an he began to shout an'
bawl for help till somebody came and W0un'
him up again"