The Black Country
Why does information on the Black Country feature so prominently just after the Introduction Page? Simply because I believe that the Brettles and Brettells originated from the Black Country and so some knowledge of the geography of the area is helpful in understanding the origin of the name and its distribution. I also think that the environmental, social and political conditions the people of this area lived in are relevant to how their family history developed. The late 18th and 19th Centuries was a time of great national change due to the industrial revolution, no more so than in the Black Country which was in effect created by these changes. When you look at the birth, marriage, death and census information of your 19th century ancestors you find it very different from what you might expect today: infant deaths, very large families, widowhood, remarriages, illegitimacy, lack of education and short lifespans were all common and an appreciation of the conditions in the Black Country at this time helps with an understanding why this was so.
Some more recent news: in July 2020 the Black Country was granted UNESCO Global Geopark status putting it in a similar category in geological importance in the UK to parts of the North Pennines, Brecon Beacons and Anglesey. You can read more about it here. The significance of its geological importance is shown by the fact that the fossil trilobite Calymene blumenbachii which was referred to as the "Dudley bug" by 18th century quarry men can be seen on the Dudley County Borough Coat of Arms. The Black Country's particular geology drove its development in the early industrial revolution: but more of this later.
You can see something of the Black Country both past and present with the adjacent carousel of photographs. (Click on the arrows at the sides to move through the images).
You can see more information on the location of the Black Country, origins of its name and history and also something on its culture by following the links below.