SIR - The enclosed restored photograph is a copy of a picture that looked down from the wall of my parents cottage living room in Coaley. I took little notice of it apart from knowing that it was a haymaking scene taken when my grandfather, Mr F Brown (the man on the horse rake) was employed on the farm at Ashmead House. This dates it to just after the turn of the century.

With my family I have lived in Birmingham since 1966 and as families do we have spread out over the years, our eldest daughter lives in Nassau, Bahamas. We were very surprised to see this picture on her wall when we visited her.

I know the owner of Ashmead House and the farm at that time was Mr Winterbottom the co-owner of Cam Mills. If you print the picture in the Gazette, I wonder if there is someone among your older readers who could confirm or otherwise that the well dressed gent in the foreground is Mr Winterbottom.

D B Smith

Sandwell Road, Handsworth, Birmingham