Where I live ...............

Green Gables. Stafford Road. Great Wyrley. Walsall, WS6 6AX

I am quite proud of my home, and have unusual interests and tastes. My main interests are mining history and underground exploration, and the martial arts. However I also have other interests such as 19th cent military technology. I have quite a collection of old pistols.

I also like exotic plants and fishes such as koi carp. In the past i have kept piranha

 My outside pond was designed and built by myself with a nice bridge and waterfall at the back.

My largest, really a converted pool is indoors in the outbuilding, and shown below. The koi carp was a whopper but unfortunately died a few years ago.

At the back of the outbuilding is the indoor feature shown below, a sort of tropicana. Lit by LED lighting and heated by a gas boiler, I intend at some time to stock it with piranha as I had many years ago.

I like collecting things, especially old arms and armour, and have a collection of old pistols etc. I have also converted my lounge and dining room into a mock "Tudor Manor". Not to everyone's taste, but its along way from being boring.

Below. It was a project during the 2021 lockdown and I didn't have any aged timber long enough for the vertical pieces, so I had to use new timbers from a local builders worked over with power tools to give the 'hand cut' look. I used slightly darker stain on these to match with the old timers.

Below. Top long gun is a percussion shotgun or musket purchased from a local junk shop years ago for £30. The hammer was missing as were 2 of the bands, barrel being held on with tape. I made a new hammer and bands myself. I rather expect these were mass produce for trading overseas, not top quality.

Below. Close up of some of the pistols.

My home is actually a modern bungalow built in 1954!

The previously famous cannons. Originally placed in the early 1980s, over time the carriages became rotten. I have recently rebuilt and restored them. The naval cannon has a barrel just over 6 feet long and a bore of 4 inches. The other has a barrel of just over 4 feet and a bore of 3 inches.

These were a local landmark for years until taken down.