Lost Wolverhampton

LOST WOLVERHAMPTON HAS MOVED!

2010-02-01T22:14:00.004Z

Hello to all of you.

I wanted to announce that Lost Wolverhampton is moving. One year ago today I started this blog, and have enjoyed writing about the forgotten histories of Wolverhampton very much.

Over the last few weeks I have been working with a small group of my friends on a new website which Lost Wolverhampton can call it's own.

From now on, I will be posting any future blog posts on the blog on the new site. I hope that you will continue reading the articles on my new blog, and hope you will take a look around the place.

There is even a new forum, where you can make a free account, where you can begin posting topics about your own nostalgia and memories of Wolverhampton.

The new web site can be found here http://www.lostwolverhampton.co.uk

Please be sure to bookmark / favourite the new site, thank you.

I look forward to seeing you there - Billy Howe

CHAPEL ASH TODAY, LOOKS SAD AND TIRED

2010-01-13T16:49:00.010Z

BUT ONCE UPON A TIME IT WAS TWICE IN-SPIRED!

ADVERT - "NOW 1879-80 - Charles Clark coach and carriage builder Chapel Ash."

Chapel Ash was well established on this main arterial route, through Wolverhampton, as a fine residential and commercial centre, when the above Advert appeared in 'Stevens Directory', which listed all commercial businesses in the Town at the time.

Charles Clark made carriages for horse transport, but even then there is a great indication that we will soon be entering the age of the motor car, and Clark's will take over a large slice of the west end of Chapel Ash where they traded for the next 100 years.

(New Charles Clark building on the corner of Bath Road Circa 1950)

Charles Clark is well established here in 1950, at the opening of a new showroom in Chapel Ash, by the Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor H.Bowdler.

At that time they also had old buildings across the road, as used car sales showrooms. Then in the mid 1960's, a choice piece of ground close by became available, and the building they took on then, regretably still stands today as a forlorn legacy to their once illustrious name.

(Derelict Charles Clark building on Merridale Rd 2009)

Those who travel via Chapel Ash into Wolverhampton these days may, as I do, look at the derelict former showrooms once belonging to the prestgious firm of Charles Clark, on the corner of old Lord Street with dismay at their continuing neglect.

What makes it even more sad if you can remember this imposing building it replaced.

(The United Presbyterian Church 1963)

At the time of the Markets move to Salop Street in the early 1960's, and the general clearance and tidying up of the area across to Brickkiln Street and down to Chapel Ash, we lost another of our fine old Victorian Churches as its congregation declined.

The United Presbyterian Church, on the corner of Lord Street and Merridale Road, (Mr Bidlake, archtect, Mr Cockerill, builder,) was a plain yet elegant structure with a substantial, rather than lofty spire, rising 96 feet. It opened October 14th, 1870, the entire cost being £3,200.

It stood alongside its vicarage for just short of a century. It is pictured here on the 24th of May 1963, redundant, and awaiting demolition, to be replaced by the now derelict showrooms that was once part of Charles Clark, Chapel Ash.

(The Old Bell Circa 1890's)

The Chapel Ash area, together with the town end of Tettenhall Road was laid out in the twenty years after the Napoleanic wars, as the first suburb of the town.

The whole area was graced with elegant designed houses the best of which stll survive today, and also at both of its approaches, two elegant Victorian Churches.

When the above photograph was taken in the 1890's, in the days before the motor car, the only traffic to be seen around the junction of Merridale Road and Compton Road, and Tettenhall road leading out of Chapel Ash, in to the Shropshire countryside, was horse drawn or pushed by hand.

On the corner of Compton Road before the (now abandoned) Eye Infirmary came on this spot, was the Postal / Telegraph office.

Opposite on the left, the elderly couple are crossing from outside the Old Bell Inn, which for many years, with the green grocers adjoining, were on the corner of Lord Street. Towering over the roof of the Bell is the tall spire of the Presbyterian Church, on the opposite corner of Lord Street.

(A flourishing Chapel Ash Circa 1955)

Apart from a new road lay-out and increased traffic problems nothing much has changed regarding the look of Chapel Ash, although now in 2010, its buildings are suffering from years of neglect, and the old established trades of butchers, fish merchants and greengrocer's, have now been swept aside.

The vacant shop spaces have been taken up by fast food outlets, and estate agents. On the positive side the one remaining church, Saint Marks, has been saved and has become offices.

I firmly believe as long as Marstons (nee Banks's) keep it as their home, Chapel Ash itself will remain a vibrant part of Old Wolverhampton.

THE GHOST OF SAINT MARY'S LINGERS ON

2009-12-15T15:55:00.015Z

A fresco; which now has unfortunately been lost to the public eye. Was once on the south side of the Chancel of St Peter's Collegiate Church, representing 'The Lost Piece of Money' and it commemorated the building and the endowment of St Mary's Church thus - "Give God the glory for the will and the means granted to Theodosia Hinkes to found St Mary's Church, Wolverhampton, with Vicarage and Schools - A.D. 1842."

(STAFFORD STREET 9TH DEC 2009)

THE GHOSTS OF ST MARY'S LINGER ON AS YOU ENTER THE FAST LANE TODAY

For those intrepid car traveler's of today who use the Wolverhampton Ring Road, if on occasion you approach its busy junction with Stafford Street, and the lights are against you, as you sit and fidget, eyes on the lights, engine revving; well after today, relax, sit back and think on this.

Whether you know it or not you are about to cross this mediaeval area once known as the 'Four Ashes' and the Ghosts of St Mary's guard this entrance to the fast lane.

(MAP OF STAFFORD ST CIRCA 1950)

ALAS POOR STAFFORD STREET, I KNEW IT WELL

The 'Four Ashes' was a small quiet area of Stafford Street, and is to be seen on Isaac Taylors map of 1750. (It is noted on my later 1950's drawing as the area around the top of Charles Street).

Now as we enter the nineteenth century with the arrival of the Canals and Railways, coupled with the influx of immigrants from Ireland, the environment in this area of town changed for the worst.

We find St Mary's Church (consecrated October 15th 1842), has been built to provide a little haven of peace amidst the turmoil around Stafford Street, which by now, fronted the mainly Irish quarter of town with its maze of courts and alleys around 'Littles Lane' and the canal, known as the 'Notorious Carribee Islands'.

( THE FOUR ASHES PUB CIRCA 1950)

Now if we fast forward now to the 1950's we see a memorial to this historic spot in the form of a licensed house with the same title. The 'Four Ashes' was a William Butlers House, then in the capable hands of a widow; Francis Pearce. Here the pub is pictured at the top of Charles Street.

Across Stafford Street, directly opposite on the corner of Faulkland Crescent, was 'Attwoods Garage' (where Kwickfit is today). On the opposite corner of Charles Street to the pub stood 'Brodies' chemists, and Corkindales; a mens tailors.

(STAFFORD ST / CHARLES ST JUNCTION CIRCA EARLY 1950'S )

When this picture was taken, the Church of St Mary's (on the left) was already redundant.

The remodeling of this area between Faulkand Street and Littles Lane began in the latter part of the 1940's, with the closing of the Vicarage and Schools, and with the deconsecrating of the Church. The buildings themselves had a further 10 years of life, used as facilities for the Young Mens Christian Association.

Littles Lane (on the far left) was not a quiet backwater, as it's name suggests, it was a very busy carriageway which lead down to the Great Western Railway goods yard and Broad street canal basin, with many houses, pubs and works in the intersecting streets.

(A QUEUE FOR THE DANCE, OUTSIDE OF THE Y.M.C.A CIRCA 1956)

THIS IS 1956, THE Y.M.C.A. ON STAFFORD STREET 'MECCA' FOR THE NEW 'ROCK AND ROLL' TEENAGERS OF THE DAY

On the left, the towering block containing 'Copes Motorcycle Dealers', on the right across the road was 'E.L Bouts Garage', which would soon re-move to Merridale Lane. On the corner opposite 'Copes', was the former 'St Mary's School', now being used as the Y.M.C.A. canteen, which was very busy with local trade and staff from the buses terminating at the top of 'Stafford Street'.

The Church building itself was partially demolished around 1950, a portion of the fabric was kept and adopted to form the new headquarters for Wolverhampton Y.M.C.A.

Now re-structured it has taken on a new mantle, and re-named 'The Percy Thomas Hall' by its benefactor. For a few short years it would be a local dance hall, with its resident bandleader, Jack Andrews.

It wasn't always strictly ballroom at the Y.M., Jack wasn't adverse to a bit of the new craze of Rock and Roll.

(ST MARY'S VICARAGE CIRCA CIRCA 1950)

Next door, the vicarage was for awhile, a popular boys club, formerly the home of the 'Toc H'. All types of youthful activities were enjoyed there.

Apart from the film shows, there was snooker and table tennis facilities, on hand, and many crack players of both sports represented the Y.M. in the local leagues during the fifteen years following, before the buildings demise.

(THE VIEW INSIDE ST MARY'S 1950)

A pile of rubble is all that remains today on tuesday 17th October 1950, of this once famous Stafford Street landmark consecrated in 1842 made redundant in 1949.

What was it like in all its glory?

According to 'Hindes Red Book' of 1894 - 5, "the style of architecture was intended to be a revival of that prevailing during the 13th and 14th centuries. The church is cruciform, surmounted at the intersection by a tower and spire, the latter, which is of a shape common in Normandy and other parts of the continent, terminating with an encircled cross."

(STAFFORD ST JUNCTION JAN 1982)

This Christmas scene was taken, from the top floor of Wolverhampton's Faculty of Art Building, at the Stafford Street junction of the ring road in January 1982.

The bells of St Mary's had not been heard for over thirty years, and the drink had long run dry at the pub opposite when this treacherous carpet of snow brought to an end my minds journey of life around St Marys, but still the ghostly memories of the 'Four Ashes' linger on!

THE LOST CHURCHES OF WOLVERHAMPTON

2009-12-02T15:23:00.016Z

A learned man once said "It is all too easy in the name of progress to destroy the best along with the worst, and lament afterwards."

(Did you play underneath the arches?)

This Church arch featured recently as a "Picture from the Past" in our local newspaper, the Express & Star. Apparently this Gothic arch and the remains of a church wall were; when pictured in 1963, lying derelict on a site designated for a new building project in Finchfield Road known as 'The Orchard'.

According to Canon John Brierley rector of Wolverhampton at that time arches such as these have been sold throughout the years as St Peter's Church has been renovated.

So this article got me thinking; I just wonder what small fragments of these historic treasures lie tucked away as garden walls and ornaments around our City today, brought about by those with a lack of foresight who decided to improve the old town in the last quarter of the 20th century.

(Saint Peter's Church Circa 1950's)

Thank God we still have our oldest church and in my opinion; the nicest in the county. St Peter's Collegiate Church which has been part of of Wolverhampton since 1425 and lies in the heart of our city. Built on the site of the original minster church and was later rebuilt by Lady Wulfruna.

Today this picturesque church, its gardens and fountain are a much loved part of our city and create a calming contrast to the hustle and bustle of the shops and businesses which surround it.

THE LOST CHURCHES OF WOLVERHAMPTON

Over the course of the next few weeks, I would like to give you a study of local Church buildings, and their environment that once brought character and life to our city centre.

Perhaps knowing the fate of these many Victorian Churches made redundant and lost in the 1950's and 60's, may serve to stimulate a more enlightened interest in the preservation of those that survive.

(The remains of Christ Church, Dunstall 1975)

Lights from around the Five Ways and Waterloo Road in particular, coupled with an October mist lend an air of mystery to this late-night picture taken from inside Christ Church, which was being demolished in 1975.

(Christ Church Circa 1950)

Christ Church, at the bottom of Waterloo Road was erected mainly through the exertions of the then rector of St Peter's, the Venerable Archdeacon Iles, and was formed in 1887 into a vicarage.

The extensive building of the Great Western Locomotive works had caused the necessity of a church to be needed here, at the five ways.

(Map showing the Five Ways & surrounding area Circa 1902)

Five ways at lower Stafford Road showing the site of 'Christ Church' made redundant in the 1960's. This road junction was the hub of the local community living close to their places of employment in this once heavy industrial zone.

The principle employer being the Great Western locomotive works that straddled the road at Dunstall Hill, others of course adjoining the Birmingham Canal were Wolverhampton Gas Company, and The Electic Construction Company built on a triangular site nestling beneath Oxley Bank, Stafford Road and Bushbury Lane.

The EEC produced heavy electrical machinery electric motors and generating equipment it closed in 1985. The Wolverhampton Science Park covers this site and and an area once used by the gasworks.

(The Five Ways, Circa 1919)

The view just after the first World War from five ways looking towards Dunstall. Dominating the skyline are the chimneys of the Great Western railway works on Dunstall Hill.

Brunel's old bridge is seen in the centre, this will be demolished in the 30's; as were many others in town to allow for the double decked trolleybus operation. This being a railway-workers enclave it's not surprising that the public house names in the area reflected this.

There was a 'Great Western Inn' on the corner of Moseley Street, a cul-de-sac, on the right in the picture. Then next door to the Pawnbrokers shop on the extreme left, was the 'Locomotive Inn'.

The 'Gold Flake' cigarette advert was on Gough's tobacconists on the corner of Dunstall Street, and even well established then and right up into the 1960's, just a couple of doors away from the Great Western, was 'Albino's', a local cycle dealer (Remember his quaint footpath petrol pumps?).

(Wolverhampton Mosque 2009)

The five ways today is practically unrecogniseable, the culture has changed the shops have gone, now there is only small industrial units. There are now just four ways; the North Road, one of the principal routes into the town centre is now a cul-de-sac, and tower blocks now supply accommodation for the occupants of the former lost victorian terraces that once dominated this area.

Today a Mosque stands on the site of the former Christ Church. Regarding this new house of worship; I believe all has not been lost, we still have a fine building, albeit with a different form of enlightenment.

The East came along in time to save all going West, so to speak.

THE ELEPHANT NEVER FORGETS

2009-11-11T17:00:00.010Z

'Hello Billy, I found your e.mail address on your blog - which I stumbled across by accident. I moved from Wolverhampton more than thirty years ago but often look at the City websites to keep up-to-date.

For many years, I have been trying to find someone with knowledge of the Stafford Street area of Wolverhampton.

For some years I have been trying to find the history of a piece of ground in (Lower ?) Stafford Street, which was used as a football pitch/recreation ground.

It lay between Stafford Street and North Street and in the 1940s, I'm sure I can remember seeing air-raid shelters on it.

I should be so grateful if you can tell me anything about it. My father was born in that area in 1905 and when his father died in 1918 they were living I believe at N0.4 Boscobel Place.

Regards,

Eileen.'

Now there's a name to conjure up a little bit of Wolverhampton History. Many an old Wuffler with an historic appetite will gather this once small ancient court off Lower Stafford Street inherited its name from that famous house just 3 miles distant from Codsall.

The house built on the domain land of Whiteladies during the latter part of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, by John Giffard of Chillington. Its named derived from Italian, 'Bosco Bello' - Fair Wood. Now as you can see this picture its descriptive name would still have been appropriate when this map of 1875 was drawn up as most of this area still mainly consisted of gardens.

Regarding the "Rec". The ground in Question.

Yes Eileen I remember the piece of waste ground you mention quite well, it was situated between North Street and Stafford Street, bordered by Red Hill Street and Boscobel Place.

It did indeed have air-raid shelters built at the top at one time, and I remember Red Cross Street School close by also used it for sporting activities, eventually they built a clinic on the site it in the 1950's.

1932-33 Hindes Red Book describes it as such:

Known as Red Hill Street open space. This space is now open to children after school hours from 5.00pm till dusk each day except Sunday. Two sets of See-saws and Swings were erected during 1931.

For all the 'Old Wufflers' who have memories to share of this bustling triangle from the Gladstone North Street and the Elephant and Castle Stafford Street, down to the 'Five Ways', above is a map I have drawn-up to stimulate those dormant minds.

Summerhill Lane / Windmill Bank, now Lower Stafford Street, a further little stimulation.

Early maps show Wolverhampton had two windmills quite near to the town centre, this was the site of one of them on the east side of Lower Stafford Street, and right up to the mid 20th century the name Windmill was frequently used for parts of this area.

This is a pre-war photo of Lower Stafford Street, between Beaumont Street on the right and Bonemill Lane, on the left.

It shows the entrance to Stafford Street Congregational Church, with the Clinic and Assembly rooms next door partly concealed by the rundown properties that adjoined it .

One of my earliest memories is of a visit here aged three during the war with my mother to be immunised. It must have worked because almost seven decades later I am still here. Thank God!.

LOST WOLVERHAMPTON GETS A NOD FROM EXPRESS & STAR

2009-11-09T15:15:00.005Z

I am very happy to tell all of my Blog followers that Lost Wolverhampton has received a mention from Mark Andrews in Wolverhamptons local paper, the Express & Star.

I hope that this will encourage more local people of all ages to have a look at the blog.

Anyone who has an interest in discovering more about Wolverhamptons history, please get in touch via my blog and hopefully we can all discover some new stories about the town.

STAFFORD STREET - THIS WAS MY PLAYGROUND

2009-09-16T15:33:00.018+01:00

QUERY CORNER

Working on my blog Lost Wolverhampton is without a doubt a labour of love, and when I receive an enquiry such as the one from Christine it certainly puts the icing on the cake.

She e-mails : "Billy do you remember the lodging house on Stafford Street and Herbert Street? It was run by my gran Mrs Hayward. She had two children Rosie and Jimmy, my mom Rosie recalls a Doreen Howe is this your aunt?"

Well firstly Christine, yes Doreen Howe is my aunt. She is still alive and well and living in Burland Avenue, Claregate. As for the lodging house I remember it well and I have marked it here on a map I have drawn of Stafford Street.

(My Map of Stafford Street Circa 1950)

Herbert Street and it surrounding area has a history too large to be included here. Its goods yard included Victoria Basin, the largest railway canal interchange in the area opening in 1851, anyway that's another story.

So for today lets just have a walk along the Herbert Street I once knew and stir the memories of the ones who remember the area around Faulkland Patch in the days after the war, and provoke the imagination of those such as Christine, who may not.

(155 Stafford Street - Herbert Street Lodging House around 1950)

This is view of Herbert Street in the mid 1950's, a mishmash of 19th century Housing about to come down now along the east side of Stafford Street.

STAFFORD STREET down to GREAT WESTERN STREET

As I recall not many of the houses had electricity most still relied on Gas mantles, but the majority had the benefit of radio, with the service at that time from Rediffusion.

This large imposing Victorian residence is the Lodging House, recalled by Christine on the top left corner of Herbert Street and Stafford Street. One of the few surviving houses that were scattered around the parish of St Marys catering for itinerant Irish Catholic workers.

I remember with great affection, Mrs Hayward the lady who managed the lodging house who resided there with daughter Rosie and son Jimmy, a nicer family you couldn't wish to meet.

Herbert Street at one time had houses on both sides of the Street, but here in the 1950's only the left side has survived. Now these few houses down to where it joined Great Western Street have yards at the rear, which still back on to the old Russells Brewery.

Russells Brewery whose former main entrance was in great Western Street closed in the 1930's and the business taken over by William Butler's and production absorbed into their Springfield Brewery, in Grimstone Street.

(Great Western Street Goods Yard Wall as seen today in 2009)

At the bottom of Herbert Street on the on the east side of the adjoining Great Western Street, was an eight foot high Wall, with a sixteen foot drop on the other side. This wall ran the whole length of Great Western Street and backed on to the Great Western Railway Goods Station and Yard. This yard now belongs to Carvers Builders Merchants.

(Looking from the Goods yard wall, towards Stafford Street Circa 1950)

On the south side of Herbert Street there were many Victorian dwellings, including the Great Western Inn, that housed at least four dozen families for many years.

They were demolished around 1929, along with old Faulkland Street and its many courts The few Council Houses in the now modern Faulkland Crescent, replaced them leaving an area of waste ground in front which is now 'Faulkland Street Coach Station'.

(Harriets Shop Circa 1950)

Looking across the waste ground from Herbert Street at the demise of the remainder of Faulkland Street in the mid 1950's, we can see Harriet Edwards grocers and the adjoining property on the corner of St Mary's Crescent, the two lone survivors from the Victorian era.

Over the next fifteen years, Stafford Street will be made ready for the arrival of the Ring Road and for the Wolverhampton University redevelopment. This created several plots of waste ground scattered around the area, which Pat Collins took the opportunity to use as sites to host his annual Fairground attractions.

(Saint Joseph's Senior School Wolverhampton Football Champions 1953)

Now this one is just for you Christine, your late Uncle and my good friend Jimmy. He was twelve months younger than me and we both went to St Josephs Catholic Senior School. We continued to be the best of friends until I went to do my National Service, after which we unfortunately lost contact, a consequence I have regretted to this day.

(Jimmy Playing for Wolverhampton Boys)

Everyone I knew had nothing but admiration for Jim, he excelled at everything he did. Football was just one of the many sports he received the highest honors for. He was Captain of the School team and also Wolverhampton boys in the 1950's and was no mean swimmer at that time too.

(Herbert Street 2009)

At the top of Herbert Street what was once Attwoods Garage is now Kwikfit, and what was once the lodging house site is now the Maltings.

I hope looking at these pictures triggers a few happy memories for you Christine.

A MAN OF WOLVERHAMPTON

2009-08-19T15:09:00.013+01:00

(Albert Adey)

Who, in Wolverhampton over the age of 60, has not heard the name of Bert Adey, a sportsman and popular licensee of a once equally known William Butler's house; the 'Pear Tree'.

(The Pear tree around 1920)

Showing some early foresight

At the end of the Great War , when making his name as a boxer Bert Adey had ambitions to become a licensee, and during training runs, he often passed the old Pear Tree, then a semi rural house of a very different character to the present large modern premises. Being a shrewd man he visualized it in years to come, and made a mental note this was the house he would like.

(Four Boxers standing together, Bert is second from left)

All his life he has been interested in the noble art of self defense. As a boxer, trainer, second, manager, or promoter. When he was eleven he fought for his brothers team Ted Adeys midgets, five years later Bert who stood just 5ft 5ins had his first professional bout his purse was 2/6.

(A signed Photograph of Bert in 1920)

Among his many contests was one of the last of the old twenty rounds bouts, which was held at the Central Baths, Wolverhampton in 1919. His opponent on this occasion was Arthur Terry, whom he knocked out in the sixteenth round.

As a schoolboy, Bert was the athletic type. In football he represented his school, Brickkiln Street.
He also represented his school in the towns schoolboy's team, once playing at Molineux Grounds.

(The Locomotive Inn)

His life as a licensee began with 'Butlers' Brewery in 1921, at the 'Locomotive' five-ways, Stafford Road. Where he also started running a school for boxers, After four years at the Locomotive he moved to the 'Yew Tree', Pool Street, where he stayed for six years.

THE ADEYS ARRIVE AT THE PEAR TREE

By this time, 1931 Wolverhampton was expanding rapidly, council houses were creeping towards the Pear Tree, and Mr Adey making a successful application for this house on the Cannock Road, realised his early ambition.

Things were not too good, this was a quiet period in the licensed trade and he quickly decided custom had to be attracted.

One of the early efforts in this direction was to purchase a donkey, which he kept in the garden.

Children being what they are, soon persuaded their parents that the Pear Tree was an enjoyable bus ride from town and a fine house for a drink and bag of crisps on a summers day. Bert made such good use of the donkey rides that two more were quickly added to the stable to satisfy the demand.

(The field at the rear of Pear Tree)

Taking advantage of his boxing experience, Mr Adey became a promoter, and staged contests in a field adjoining the Pub.

One of his most successful ventures in this direction was on August Bank Holiday Monday in 1933, when he promoted the Southern Area Feather Weight Championship between Tommy Rogers of Willenhall and Tommy Hyams of London in front of 3000 spectators, the result of which went in favour of the local man.

(The New Pear Tree in 1950)

In 1937 the new Pear Tree was built

Bert along with his wife Ada, were licensee's for 48 years, 38 of them at the Pear Tree and as well as sharing equal sporting interests they also shared the same birthday - June 6th.

On one occasion in 1956, for a dual birthday celebration they planned for something of interest for both of them. Mr Adey decided on seeing the Moore and Pompey boxing match at Harringay on June 5th and Mrs Adey wanted to go to the Derby race meeting on June 6th. So they combined the two events as birthday treats to each other.

(Bert & Ada take centre stage on this particular trip)

Bert Adey was also one time one of the Wolves oldest regulars having been a season ticket holder for over 50 years, even going behind the Iron Curtain with Wolves on one occasion.

This was not the first time bert had travelled abroad to follow his love of sport. When Randolph Turpin boxed in America he took a return ticket by air to see the fight.

(Bert & Ted pictured front row far left, visit Park Royal with other popular Wolverhampton licensees)

After notching up almost half a century in the licensed trade Bert and Ada retired from the Pear Tree.

Besides all his sporting activies he was also for many years chairman of the Wolverhampton Branch of the Licensed Victuallers Association, and will be remembered with his admirable brother Ted; two great Wulfrunians and probably two of the longest serving licensee's in the district.

I would like to dedicate this Post to my dear friend Patricia Malone, Berts daughter, who was kind enough to share these treasured memories of her father with me.

SPIRALLING WAGES! A THREAT ONCE AGAIN TO THE BEAUTIFUL GAME?

2009-07-31T17:13:00.004+01:00

Have I heard this before?

Manchester City have taken over from Chelsea and Man Utd, and are now certainly being a 'pain in the backside' to the poorer clubs in the Premiership.

I feel this inequality will cause some clubs to overspend and possibly we could well see a number of clubs going into administration.

I saw this comment in a local paper last week and because as of yet; I hadn't mentioned The Wanderers in my posts I thought the following insight into my favourite team and the state of the game of yesteryear might interest some of you.

A quote from a leader column in the Express and Star dated August 28th 1901.

'The huge wages which first class association football players have been in receipt of, have impoverished many of our leading clubs and if not the subject been dealt with in a bold manner by the fixing of a wage limit the continued drain would have brought about the collapse of many of our best clubs.

As it was this bogey was threatening the very existence of the first division of the league and the subject was tackled just in time'

HOW TO MAKE THINGS PAY

(Cartoon from the Birmingham Argos Series in 1946)

IN 1908 MR SYDNEY HAS TO STEP IN AGAIN

On may 30th 1908 the Annual General Meeting of the Football Association was held at the Holborn Restaurant.

Lord Kinnaid being absent, Charles Crump as senior Vice-President took the chair. It was an important meeting, for Mr Clegg was to propose the abolition of any restriction on wages and bonuses. The existing regulations, he said, were being flouted.

But Mr Sidney of the Wolverhampton Wanderers, and former member of the league Management committee, opposed the suggestion. The present rule he argued worked excellently, and Wolves had no trouble in re-signing their players.

Every thing in football must not be sacrificed to money, and clubs with little money, but any amount of enthusiasm must have a chance to carry off the highest honours of the football field.

Supported by the representative of Preston North End, Mr. Sidney carried the meeting with him, and the motion was defeated.

(Just weeks after Wolves' 1908 English Cup Victory)

Sydney went on to say -

'Today we find many old established clubs in anything but a sound financial position and the directors of these combinations are now taking advantage of the rules in place related to the payment of players in the hope of being able to steer their barques away from the sands of financial disaster'

It strikes me that these words although over a hundred years old, ring true once again today.

THE MARKETS

2009-07-24T23:07:00.009+01:00

The original market place as you probably know was in High Green, which is now Queen Square; and was long a nuisance to the inhabitants and a great trial to the health of the Butchers, green-grocers etc, who possessed the stalls.

So in 1848, the newly elected Town Council agreed that a new General Market Hall was necessary for the town. This was opened in march 1853 alongside its aspiring neighbour; the Exchange on the west front of St Peters Church, where it remained for 100 years.

If I tried to describe the feeling I had every time I entered the old retail market in Cheapside with my mother during the war, you'd think I was talking about entering the Coliseum in Rome, because it was certainly built on a similar grand scale.

On its two main fronts, the east and west ones, the entrances were enriched with many Corinthian and Doric columns. The pictures here can only give you a glimpse of this magnificent interior so full of variety and atmosphere, with a bustling spirit of life.

But every one over fifty will have their own memories of the markets I just hope my pictures will help to take you back a bit.

In 1953 the handsome structure pictured on the right celebrated its Centenary, and who would have dreamt it would be gone in just ten more short years, but Sainsburys had just recently opened the first supermarket in London and for the days of the old traditional markets, the writing was on the wall.

A learned gent said, at one time 'There are no good old days, nor bad old days, just changing times where the new benefits are always at the expense of losses in other ways'.

Take the varieties of fruit and veg available nowadays in the supermarkets, you might say, we are spoilt for choice, if you want strawberries at christmas you can have them, but this has come at a cost. And just to give you a little idea of what we are missing today this was Jim Goughs pre-war fruit stall .

I can honestly say, I think myself most fortunate to have seen the markets in their prime. full of atmosphere, and pageantry. Stalls passed down through generations of the same families, selling every variety of household needs., the likes of which I doubt we will ever see again.

Its hard to believe now, that our parents and theirs before them, trod this same ground, purchased at these same stalls from different generations of the same family. So perhaps this was the factor that made a visit to this market something more than a shopping expedition, a tour of the market in those days was indeed a happy and social occasion.

WHOLESALE DESTRUCTION

2009-06-24T20:49:00.010+01:00

After leaving school in 1952 I found employment with H.Goodhall Ltd, in the Wholesale Market in Wolverhampton as a groundsman and porter. I would say the first three years working here in the market (before a break for National Service) were the best three years of my working life.

Rest In Peace

The hand bell that rang out daily at 3.00p.m. around St Peter's Square, to herald the closure of a days trading has now been muffled for good.

And the many tradesmen and customers that had for many years gathered around at 6.00 a.m. outside these once majestic wrought iron gates of Wolverhamptons old fruit and vegetable wholesale market have long since departed after paying their last respects.

All that's remaining is this brief unique view of the Catholic Church of St Peter and St Paul and Giffard House, framed by the last remaining arch, which adds an extra poignancy to a deeply moving scene at the end of the life of this Edwardian built masterpiece R.I.P.

North Street - its final indignity was Wholesale Destruction.

The eye catching Wholesale Market, of which I recall with great affection, was erected in 1902, on a site now occupied by the Civic Centre, Wulfruna Street, in an area formerly known as Horse Fair.

The last Picture Show

Seventy years later in the early 1970's the market building itself was still in quite good condition, but unfortunately its design and layout, didn't meet with the demand for modern day distributing. Its existing facilities couldn't cope with the quick handling, of the huge transports, and this caused terrible congestion, around Wulfruna Street during busy periods.

This, plus the lack of storage and garage space, for use by the merchants etc, added further handicaps to smooth organisation, and it was with much regret a new site had to be found away from St Peters Square.

1963 in like a Lion and out like a lamb.

For those of us who worked in the Wholesale Market during the first two months of 1963 there was no need for threats of being sent to Siberia, it was colder in here. It snowed heavily just after Christmas and then for weeks a glazed frost piled on the agony.

It was the worst freeze up since 1947, two things that always spring to mind was the tea freezing in cups when left a while unattended, and the price of the few vegetables produced leaping in price each day. The ground became so hard one local farmer Wallace Cartright from Wombourne resorted to using a pneumatic drill to dig parsnips!

This is a shot of the market interior in summer of 1963. The market appears very quiet now at the end of the day's trading.

It mainly features the large trading area allotted to H. Goodall Ltd fruit & veg merchants. One of Goodhalls fleet of vehicles is seen fully laden, about to leave with goods for delivery to Newport Shropshire. The gentleman with arms folded was Tom Price, the General manager of H.Goodall; seen here chatting to Jack Thomas, a local greengrocer from Park Village.

Vegetables in their Blood.

A group of market veterans force a smile even though they are being uprooted from the ornate aisles of the Wulfruna street headquarters, where they have spent most of their working life.

They are from left to right: Sam Leason, George Henson, George Talbot, Horace Horton, Bert Weaver, Tom Adey, Steve Thomas, Edgar Finney, and Arthur Green. Looking back with hindsight perhaps, a tear or two would not have gone amiss.

Gone but not forgotten

In the local press on 22nd November 1973 it said... By Monday next the Edwardian shell of Wolverhampton wholesale market will be strangely quiet, because the trade will have moved two miles away to Hickman Avenue. The bustle and the banter of the fruit and veg trade, will now be echoing around new £500,000 premises at Monmore Green.

QUERY CORNER

2009-06-03T21:13:00.006+01:00

Hello to everyone who enjoys reading my Blog, again I would like to say a big thank you, as it's always fun to get an email or a comment on something I have posted.

I have had a few more comments left on the posts recently and I hope this trend continues to grow as I really enjoy people asking me if I remember certain places or people from Wolverhamptons yesteryear.

To make it easier to for other blog followers to read peoples questions and my answers, I have decided to try something new.

From now on if someone leaves a comment with a question, if i have anything to say on the subject I will feature the original comment and my answer in it's own little post.

I will be calling these posts 'Query Corner', and will show the original comment and my reply to them within the post.

OK, with that little explaination out of the way I'd like to move on to the first ever Query Corner.

QUERY CORNER

'Hi Bill do you, or anybody out there remember a second hand car pitch in Molineux St just past Vincent St, opposite the football ground, in the mid 1950s, or have any photos of Molineux St in this time?' - John

Yes John, I remember it well It seemed to me from stories I heard that there had always been an area of open ground on that corner of Vincent Street used over the years for garage related businesses.

One such story came from Kath Thomas, whose father Albert Thomas was the licencee at the 'Cottage Spring' in North Street.

Its beer garden overlooked that area of open ground and Molineux Street. When the original Molineux Street stand blew down in the gales in January 1925, he allowed the customers to stand on the garden tables on match days, and did a roaring trade.

But back to your comment and this photo from the time in question. At that time S & H.Amis limited, sold second hand cars from here next door to Pay Pool Motor engineers on the corner of Vincent Street, seen opposite the returning trolleybus.

There were times before and after the war, when the No.3 bus from Fordhouse's would have been stranded here in Molineux Street for above ten minutes, as the hordes of fans left the ground after the final whistle.

A little further up the street next to the hoarding which separates it from O'Connors shoe repairs, the pet shop is finding the trade very slow these days.

But on the opposite corner to Jimmy O'Connor. The Fox Hotel is still doing a good trade, especially when the 'Wolves' are at home.

The bus will continue on its return journey from Fordhouses and make its right turn into North Street, in front of Jones' fish and chip shop and Corkes Radio shop next door, and will proceed to its stop at the 'Chequer Ball'.

Whadya Know? Whadya Say?

THE BOYS OF SAINT PETERS SCHOOL

2009-05-30T15:34:00.008+01:00

These are school rooms belonging to the Collegiate Church, erected in Craddocks Walk, (later St Peters Walk) which led from the Churchyard, and ran down in between - at this time in the picture - the Retail Market Hall and the open patch and ended in North Street.
The Schools attached to St Peters Church, were erected in 1847, at a cost of upwards of £1,500.

There were many National Schools of similar design which went up during the 1840s, in Wolverhampton. ( St Pauls, St Marks, St Matthews etc) where instruction was offered to children for small weekly payments, and some these schools were rigidly divided into separate buildings - for boys, girls and infants.

St Peters school remained on this spot until being taken down in 1903, when the site was acquired by the town and became an extension to the open market Place.

The School was then re-built in St Peters Square at the rear of the Deanery, just 100 yards or so from the newly erected Wholesale Market, were it would remain for a further 70 years, until this site became part of the University.

St Peters School now stands, off the Compton Road.

Sorry John I didn't have any post war photos of St Peters boys, but I have a section of the school photo dated 1936.

They say every picture tells a story.

Every time I happen to look at this nostalgic print I think about the school leavers during that summer of 1936.
What future had they got to look forward to I shouldn't think there were a great many in those days worried about getting a place at University, and jobs of any description were in short supply. But as these lads approached their 18th birthdays in just four short years there would be plenty to occupy their minds and bodies we would be at war with Germany; the country that in the summer of 36 (as they left school) had hosted the Olympic games.

I think about the lads that survived this war spending their time in the many factories on war production and on the land. Then I wonder about the many others who may have gone overseas an endured the likes of Arnhem and Normandy, and mostly I feel for the ones who never returned.

A WARTIME MEMORY OF SAINT PETERS CHURCH

2009-05-30T15:23:00.004+01:00

Now here in the 21st Century, I still feel close to St Peters.

My forebears had already lived close by St Peters Church for over a century. When my parents married and settled in Nursery Street, in 1936; I was born there the following year.
From our house No. 11, on the south side of Nursery Street the tower of St Peters can easily be seen from my back bedroom window, and during the euphoria at the end of the second World War a large cross was placed on top of the tower made up of electric light bulbs. I have never forgotten this wonderful sight illuminated against a dark sky.

Sometime later I spoke to my Grandfather about this spectacle and he told me a similar interesting tale.

Around the mid 1800s when his own grandfather; was a small boy, living at that time; close to the top of Horseley Fields, he was awakened one night by a commotion in the house, it seemed that the whole of the tower of St Peters Church was on fire.

As it turned out, what had happened was the wooden cross on the tower that supported the weather vane had been struck by lightening and caught fire.

This fiery cross standing out against a dark sky, presented a spectacle he never forgot. Thank God; before it could spread to the beams, passing volunteers hacked through the cross and prevented the fire reaching the belfry and it was put out.

THERE WAS NO RHYME NOR REASON

2009-05-13T17:20:00.008+01:00

A thank you in verse for lifting this curse.

There came a time my drink ran dry,
and those who once cared passed me by.

And all around me was swept away,
never to see another day.

I felt certain this would happen to me,
and the same sorry end was my guarantee.

Then a miracle arrived with my last curtain call,
to offer a new beginning for this old hall.

In my prime didn't I look proud,
my head held high up in the cloud.

Now on the hill I stand alone,
this Fallen Monarch has regained his throne.

No matter that my welcome fold,
has been replaced by this cruel road.

And my ancient way to Whitmore End,
is now just a part of this continuing bend.

For I've returned, to my former glory,
and my contents now tell a different story.

I offer Wulfrunians a greater pleasure,
to re-discover their forgotten treasures.

So it's Out of Darkness Cometh Light,
as I light up the sky again at night.

And God Bless to all who had this vision,
for it's thanks to you - 'from the Ashes I have Risen'.

IS THERE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL?

2009-05-13T17:03:00.006+01:00

The North Street I knew is still around, you find it now through a hole in the ground.

Remember old Wadhams Hill was here.

Now today no Wadhams Hill, no Milner Hall, and no shops that reached up to the Chequer Ball.

But what about these shops that made way for the ring road?

(The Shops in North Street 1954)

The two large lamp posts that frame this scene are also supporting wires that power the trolley buses as they travel from Wulfruna Street, turning right from Giffard House (from where this picture was taken). Then left at the Fox Hotel, down Molineux Street, en route to Ford Houses.

At the side of the pole on the left, we see the building advertising Ekco Radios. This was an electrical goods shop, one of two belonging to Corkes' Radio Stores. Their principal shop being in Princess Street. Moving up right, past the little white bollards on the corner of Tin Shop Yard, was a double fronted shop belonging to Lathes, they were know for house clearance and second hand goods.

The two shops would be filled to capacity with every item of old family belongings, such as pictures, clothes and furntiture. Mr Lathes son George, became well established in the motorcycle trade that was dominant in the area in the 1950s, and had a large store in Salop Street.

Next door to Lathes was Mrs Preeces' upmarket second-hand clothes shop. Similar to the charity shops of today.

Next door to Preeces was a small cafe. In the early days it always looked a bit run down, but in the late 1950s it was sold and renamed The Nook. The quality of food and the service vastly improved and it became the in place for the market crowd close by.

Next door was the smaller of the two grocery stores, both situated in North Street and owned by Kidsons Food. The larger store was at the top of North Street, next to Bakers nurseries. Kidsons large warehouse and formidable house stood opposite each other on Wadhams Hill.

Next door to Kidsons is the building with four impressive shop fronts; Smiths Fruit & Veg, Higgs Printers, North Street Post Office and finally Helene, which was a ladies hairdressers.

Standing last on the photograph is the red telephone box on the pavement in front of J. A. Vints' Builders Yard.

The large Victorian building on the right of Vints' has three fine shop fronts. The first was Lathams' confectioners. Then came a double fronted antiques shop, which in the early 1960s' became a betting office when Tommy Butler, a well known turf accountant moved there from premises above Samuels' Jewellers in Queen Street.

Finally, the large building next door with the railways delivery goods vehicle parked outside was Walters' lock manufacturers. The lady on the right of the photograph is about to cross Wadhams Hill and pass the Molineux Hotel on her left.

SIGN OF THE TIMES, THE WRITINGS ON THE WALL

2009-04-25T14:30:00.013+01:00

They have re-designed the set, the Old players have left, the World I once lived in, is once more bereft.(On the Corner by the Wanderer (FOX INN) in 2008)

(The Same Stage in 1974)

When this picture was taken in 1974, as well as the shadow cast by the sun, from above the new subway, a shadow of doom had already been cast over the fate of North Street, it was already a cul -de -sac, the ring road saw to that! And in the next decade the Molineux ground will extend and all these buildings on this west side will disappear.

Amongst the other properties shown on the photo is the solitary building on the right the Feathers Inn. Not the original, for there had been a licensed house of that name on this site since medieval times, this one seen here and still standing today, was built around 1913.

Opposite the Feathers amongst the row of terraces was a former Pub, The Cottage Spring, de-licensed in the 1930's it then became the residence of Charles Harrington and his family.
I would just like to bring your attention to two major players who took centre stage here in North Street for many years Jimmy O'Connor and the families of Charles and Tom Harrington.

With Molineux Street running off to the left, the flat iron shaped, shop on the corner of North Street was the Cobbler's business of father and son, J. O'Connors.

(Cartoon of Jimmy O'Connors May 1945)

Jimmy O'Connor Senior for many years was the cobbler for Wolverhampton Wanderer's F.C.

(Picture of the shed in 1974)

Now in the 1940's both Charles and Tom Harrington, sign writers, had their family business and work place in a large shed in Nursery Street. Tom Harrington's family home was across the street opposite, and Charles Harrington for a time lived at No.14, next door to the shed.

During the summer months just after the War, they would have the front doors to the shed wide open, and you could easily see inside. What a sight met your eyes it was a grand picture show to rival any art gallery. The Harrington brothers, along with their sons were all prolific artists. They would be seated on large stools, brushes in hand adding vibrant colours to Inn signs of all descriptions. Castles, Dragons, Coats of Arms, Kings and Queens , past nobility and animals of all kinds could be seen including many Red Lions, and when finished freshly painted they would be hung to dry adorning the walls.

Later the completed signs would be carefully placed on their two wheeled cart, normally used for carrying their brushes and ladders, and these works of art would then be transported around town to enrich the frontages of public houses owned over the years by the different breweries.

(Picture of Cottage Spring in 1974)

In 1936 the Old Cottage Spring in North Street was put up for sale and Charles Harrington Senior bought it, and converted it to a private residence and he told me for years afterwards we had men walking in, thinking it was still a pub.

Charles junior took this photo of the old converted pub in 1974 shortly before it came down with the rest of the block , it shows his wife Bette on the step with his mother, his father had passed away a few years earlier.

(The Sir Tatton Sykes early 1960's)

I recall an incident regarding their cart and a certain William Butler's public house. The pub in question was the Sir Tatton Sykes seen here on the corner of Lichfield Street and Fryer Street.

Charles Senior and Junior had arrived on the Monday to work on the lettering around the frontage. As they were to continue the work again here next day, Charles senior suggested to his son that they could leave the cart, ladders, paints and brushes overnight in Walsh Graham's Timber yard, which was across the road on the corner of Railway Street; this was common practice for Charles when they were in that part of town.

As luck would have it, young Charles decided against this and pushed the cart and contents back to the shed in Nursery Street. Which turned out to be something he would never regret or forget, for that evening on April 4th 1949, Walsh Graham's Timber yard could be seen on fire and lightning up the night sky as far away as Bilston.

(Local sign writer does his bit for the film industry)

In the summer of 1956, Charles Senior came out of retirement when his expertise was required by a film company, working on location at Wolverhampton Airport.

The film in production was "Man in the Sky" starring Jack Hawkins and Elizabeth Sellars. During shooting a scene from the film, the freight plane Hawkins (the pilot), was flying was damaged.

The Harrington's, Charles in particular, had the contract to re-paint it with the new identification code on the wings and "Silver City" on the fuselage. Charles is pictured brush in hand, sitting on the wing of the repaired plane.

(Fun at the Swancote Swimming Pool in 1950)

A regular treat for me at that time was a summer Sunday trip to Swancote with the lads from Harringtons Weightlifting Club.

For the most part, youths in the early 1950's got rid of all that animal tension in a more athletic (and for onlookers sometimes silly) way, but always in good fun.

Tom Harrington's eldest son Sid can be seen bending forward in the picture. Sid was an Olympic standard weightlifter at the time. Here he is attempting to support three of us on his shoulders. His cousin Charles was directly on Sids shoulders, next up was a fellow whose name escapes me, and up on top was yours truly (whose muscles have yet to come out of their shells). As you can see this attempt failed.

The families of Charles and Tom Harrington certainly enriched the lives of us kids growing up around the Londes. They always had time for you, and as for myself, the times I spent watching them at work and the time spent with the local Weightlifing Club started by Tom, in Nursery Street, are tucked away in my head as some of the best memories of my childhood.

SHOW ME A PICTURE AND I'LL TELL YOU A STORY

2009-04-12T19:32:00.005+01:00

Now it may be the closeness I had with my parents and grandparents as a child that gave me this fondness for looking back at my life in Wolverhampton (Woffledom) . For it was through their environment I.E. (the centre of town) and their active life there, I came to touch the lives of so many people from all walks of life.

Now the other day I had an interesting comment on another post from Mrs June Head (Nee Dwight). June said "I lived at 27 Nursery St (1958-1976) - Doreen (Howe) was our neighbour (I remember her as Cooke) This site stirred up some great memories for me- wonderful!".

Well, the fact that June remembered my aunt Doreen brought to my recollection a photograph I had recieved from another lady who used to live in Nursery Street. Carol Baugh gave me this lovely photo of little girl standing in a back garden adjacient to my Grandfathers house overlooking a North Street of the 1960’s.

(Is this little girl you June? )

Now up until today I had never made contact with this little girl and she may not even recollect having the her photo taken; but anyway June this is for you, and I am so glad you got in touch because as you can see this is not just my story its yours, as well as many other Wufflers (Wulfrunians) scattered far afield now, but whose family tree once grew in and around St Peter’s Church, and our roots as well as theirs are still entangled beneath that old town we once knew.

When I look at any picture; such as this one of this charming little girl, my eyes seek out every little detail for information. I focus on the group of local shops, that take up the background built around seventy years prior to this shot. What stories and what memories do they conjure up for people of different ages that once frequented them? Maybe you have similar photographs dipicting another personal stories, perhaps from other localities like Blakenhall, Horseley Fields, Brickkiln Croft etc...

For my part my this story would start during the War. Mr Thomas’s grocers was on the corner of Dawson Street, it's the first one with the blind in the picture. We only used the shop occasionally as we were registered, for groceries with Kidsons, higher up North Street.

Next door the other blind covered the window of Mrs Williams’s greengrocers. Her son was Jack Williams, who married Mr and Mrs Adey’s daughter May from across the road at the Colonel Vernon. Unfortunatley when Jack retired and was living on his own, he lost his life in a house fire at his home in Bright Street in 1974.

As you can probably see from his sign, J.T.Leach had the butchers shop. Mr leach bought the shop just before the War, and as you can see was still there in the 1960’s. The previous owner was a Mr Spicer I believe, who met with a fatal road accident after his retirement when he was knocked down and killed near the Fox at Shipley.

The ladies hairdresser’s was in my day a cycle agents and repair business the owner a Mr Trespass. The shop next door that is covered with adverts, was Piggotts Newsagents; probably the busiest shop in the block. Betty Piggott, their daughter later married a chap called Barratt and they were the proprietors on its demise.

Finally the last shop in the block was always known as Pagets, a small confectionary business. Mrs Pagets daughter was called Anne, and married former Wolves player Mickey Lill after he left the Wolves in the 1960s. She went with him to live in South Africa were he died in 2004.

THE COLONEL VERNON I REMEMBER IT WELL

2009-04-11T14:36:00.010+01:00

(Our tree marks the spot "The Colonel" died in 1960)

The Civic Centre today looms in the back ground above an under pass beneath the ring road while the University dominates the east side and the Molineux Stadium the west and the T sign in the foreground say’s it all. This is the new sanotized North Street all character now sucked from it.

But strange ghosts still walk this street for those with eyes to see. Wellington, Gladstone, Henry Vernon, no not the famous men themselves, but apparitions of the old time managers and tenants of the noted houses whose pub signs in North Street and its continuing road celebrated these noble men. These long serving victuallers who ran their houses with an iron fist when stormy and lawless vitality was a by-word, some becoming legends in the town. One such man was Edward (Ted Adey) at the “Colonel Vernon”.

( Another gap in our life in North Street)

There was a gaping hole left in North Street and in the community itself when the end of the 1950’s brought about the demolition of The Colonel Vernon. It had served the local residents with Butlers Beer for as long as anyone could remember The licensee on its demise being Ted Adey. Ted arrived at the "Colonel" in 1912 from the Duke of York, in Little Brickkiln Street.and stayed there for the remainder of its forty four year life.

("Ah Yes, I remember it Well')

The Colonel Vernon was typical of the small town local’s of the day, with two public rooms either side a central passage.

For awhile in the years just after the War each Sunday lunchtime I would call and fetch my fathers regular pint of beer, in the old whisky bottle; he kept for such an occasion. You entered the passage from North Street, and on your left was the small Snug or parlour , which at 1 o’clock you would see seated a few chaps reading the Sunday papers and the same couple of old biddy’s with their milk stout or half of mild enjoying a little respite. Opposite across the passage was the bar which would be filled to capacity with men enjoying a pint before their Sunday dinner.
The hatch to the outdoor servery was a little further along the passage from the bar entrance and was serviced by who ever was behind the bar at that time.

At the end of the passage during the 1930’s my aunt recalls the Adey’s having a parrot hanging on a perch he used to say,” Yow 'ere agin?” or “Gon' a' one Ted”; he was a great attraction for those waiting at the outdoor. When it came my turn Mr or Mrs Adey would take my bottle fill it with the aid of a tundish from the tap, and seal the top with a sticky label (A lawful measure required to serve some one underage). But like any curious kid of the day, I always had a little taste on my way home.

(Ted Adey pictured here with his wife Ethel and their two children at the Colonel)

Ted Adey had this little game he used to play with us youngsters visiting the pub. On a hook hanging beneath the bar counter he had a bunch of picture cards, he would look at the card, and then at you, and mutter something which always seemed to get a laugh from those alongside you at the time. Later I found out why this was a source of regular amusement.

(Do you recognise this man?)

You see a general practice at the time that Ted took over the Colonel was that a check was kept on habitual drunkards, each public house was circulated with a separate card relating to each offender, this card largely resembled a passport. At the top were two photos of the offender - One taken full face and the other the profile - Below was the name, address, and occupation, plus, a full description and any distinguishing marks. Of course this included both sexes. Even though were armed with these documents - the bartenders still had to keep a sharp eye open, as there was a heavy penalty for serving anyone, (men or women) so blacklisted, with intoxicating liquor.

THE FOUR HOVELS

2009-04-01T17:17:00.010+01:00

No. 26 Nursery Street was the house my Grandparents moved to; the end house in the street overlooking an area of the Londes which had been turned into waste ground at the start of the demolition of North Street in the late 1950's. But for at least 100 years prior to the end of the first World war it was the site of four small one roomed houses and the Colonel Vernon Pub fronting North Street.

(Anti-clockwise from back right we have my Aunts Francis, Betty, Josie, my cousin Mary-Lou and my aunt Doreen)

Here is a picture of my four Aunts and my cousin, photographed in 1931 above the four Hovels in the Londes.

(1875 Map Showing The Four Hovels in the “Londes" )

To gain access to these back-to-back houses below my Grandads abode, you had to descend a flight of steps which led directly from the Londes into a courtyard. My father recalling an Irish family that lived in the court told me of a visit to the Mulraney’s; he told me that you had to enter through the single door into the one and only downstairs room, there was no other entrance. Inside there was a large open fireplace, no cooker only the open fire, and in the corner a sink and tap. There was a sparsely filled cupboard in the recess of the fireplace, a scrub topped table, one old armchair and a couple of wooden ones tucked in under the table. From this one room, stairs led to a single room above to the familys only sleeping are with the only form of lighting in the home, candles or paraffin lamps. A little way from the houses were the communal toilet facilities and the shared cold water tap. These were the entire facilities for a families who lived in the Londes.

These few hovels were left as waste ground in the mid 1920's and remained so.

OUR TREE STILL GROWS IN NORTH STREET

2009-03-24T17:17:00.011Z

(Plan of the “Londes” circa 1870)

Although housing was well established on the east side, it was mostly nurseries and gardens at the lower half of North Street.Now notice the line of the wall marked as "Jack’s spot" on this map, which was seen in 1870 as a ten foot wall that backed the lower yard of the terraced house in North Street.

(Jacks Spot Up Against the Remains of the Original Wall in 2009)

This is my youngest grandson Jack Howe standing in front of the wall. It still stands at around 5ft high today in 2009 the foreground now filled with a grassy slope down to street level. In the background, situated behind the Feathers pub today stands the College of Art, built in the late 1960’s on this ancient area which once backed on to the Deanery hence the name Deanery Row.

(Rear of Houses in Deanery Row Circa 1952)

During the 1840’s and 50’s when England offered a lifeline to those facing starvation at home as the result of the terrible Irish Potato famine; Wolverhampton saw a great influx of Irish Families. Many ended up in this area bounded by Stafford Street and North Street. One such Irishman was Patrick Egan, my Grandmothers Grandfather. He never spoke a word of English and died a short while after arriving in Wolverhampton. His son Michael Egan, raised a large family in Lawyers Field which adjoined Deanery Row. My grandmother Catherine (Kate Egan) was their eighth child, she was born there in 1884.

(My Grandparents house,on the left above the steps Circa 1960)

My grandfather John Howe’s family originated from the Walsall Street area. He met Kate Egan through her brother, whom he had served with in South Africa during the Boar War. Although Catherine was Catholic, they married at St Georges Church which was Anglican. They decided to live close to her mother in Lawyers field, and later as their family increased in size decided to move to a larger house close by, again just off the Londes at No 26 Nursery Street. No. 26 was the end house in the street and it overlooked four smaller one bedroom houses in the Londes, and the rear of the Colonel Vernon public house.

NEMESIS

2009-03-14T15:32:00.006Z

No. 2 on the map - Albert Marston, Wellington Works North Street.

During the last War they turned out thousands of hand grenades but prior to that they were Lock Manufacturers. To give you an idea how important a part they played in Wolverhampton commerce; it was claimed by them in 1961 that 10% of all new houses built in the country last year had their locks and door furniture made solely by the Marston Lock company.

Now less than twenty years later Marstons have since vacated the building, and it stands derelict on the corner of Birchfield Street; solemly awaiting demolition along with the rest of the properties in North Street, all of Dawson Street on the left, and Birchfield Street on the right. Within ten years all of the buildings in the area would be gobbled up by the extensions to the Molineux Grounds.

(The Marstons Lock Building mid 1970s - the final countdown)

For twenty years - starting in 1955, the area surrounding Stafford Street and North Street has been forever undergoing re-construction, and now, here in 1978 probably the last resident of Nursery Street - a quiet cul-de-sac in between the two, is awaiting the final outcome.

The bottom house, on the left hand side of Nursery Street during the last war, was occupied by a Mr Fisher. He was known as Bunkeye to us kids, because of his affliction; he had a cockeye.
Mr Fisher was night watchman at the aforementioned Marston's Lock factory which in 1941 turned over to Ammunition Production. The factory was making Mills Bombs and although it was situated just a few yards from the bottom of our street, what few stray bombs that fell on Wolverhampton never affected life in Nursery Street.

(Echoes of the Third Reich are finally heard- 1978)

But now thirty years later it came! What the war had failed to do to us, the peace was about to accomplish. On her doorstep at No 29 Nursery Street (not unlike an unfortunate Berliner in 1945, awaiting the Allied Armies advance, and the total destruction of her once great city), stands the forlorn figure of Mrs Eva Roe, and her faithful German shepherd dog.

All alone now, her husband long gone, and son Trevor living away. She is probably now the only resident left in this once well appointed Victorian terrace.
Eva, has stood and watched the destruction of Vincent Street, Dawson Street, and Birchfield Street and still looking West, instead of seeing the advancing American's, she gazes across what was once North Street with anxiety as construction workers move on to the derelict ground.

This area will soon become the site for the building of the new John Ireland stand. Heralding the redevelopment of the Molineux, and the building of the Asda Supermarket.

The end is near Eva, but don’t worry! The Russians aren’t coming from the East along Stafford Street. The new University - Polytechnic, is racing to occupy this ground, and you will be found a new home. All that will be left of your happy times spent in the shadow of St Peters, will be your memories.

RED CROSS STREET SCHOOL

2009-03-13T16:22:00.005Z

(Red Cross Street School)

No matter what age you are, you never forget the place of your birth or your first school. Number 1 on our Map of North Street - Red Cross Street School.

The headline above an article in the Express and Star from 1939 stated... CLASSROOM or FAIRYLAND?.. and it related to the fact that Wolverhamptons first Nursery School got underway in February of that year and was thought by some to be going into fairyland mode; when they actually taught a class of twenty, four old children, to behave with “sweet obedience” instead of naughtiness, being managed without threats or raised voices, and combing their hair and cleaning their teeth without protest.

Disbelieving mums only had to take a peek into the class at Red Cross Street School to see the children put into an environment which gave them surroundings and conditions to develop their minds and bodies .

Some said the new system was encouraging mothers to shelve their responsibilities - while others thought it was giving the child a good start in life.

Now you may have come from around north Street and had this good start in life .. Whatever I hope this little tale takes you back a bit?

(Aerial View of Red Cross Street School - centre foreground)

On the above photograph Birchfield Street is immediately behind the School and runs from Left from North Street to the right, where it joins with Molineux Street. As you can see from the picture North Street and Molineux Street at that time formed a triangle, at the apex of which stood The Fox Inn (The Wanderer). The base line of this triangle was Red Cross Street in which the front entrance to the School stood.

On the corner of North and Birchfield Street, was Marstons Lock Factory, which at the time of my story were busy making Mills Hand Grenades for the War effort. One hundred yards further along North Street was the entrance to the Londes at the bottom of Camp Street. the Londes led up to my home in Nursery Street.

This sets up the Scene for my Story -
On my 1st day at Red Cross Street School there was a Police Escort for me.

October 1941. Great Britain was two years into the War with Germany, evacuees were arriving in town, Air-raid shelters were being delivered to our streets but these issues did not concern me that day at No. 11 Nursery Street Wolverhampton.

(Evacuees from the east end of London, billeted in Marsh Lane, Fordhouses)

(Anderson Air Raid Shelters being delivered by the Great Western Railway)

Dad was off somewhere at work, mom was upstairs in bed, (poorly I thought), and with two of my aunts and Mrs Bott from next door flitting about , all this strange commotion coupled with the thought of leaving our cosy kitchen to go somewhere I’d never been, was making me really upset.

Today was to be my first taste of School and the task of escorting me on that first day fell to our kindly next door neighbor Mrs Bott. A good natured lady , with a lovely Irish brogue.

(Mrs Bott cleans up the Backyard at No. 10 Nursery Street)

Off to school. At a quarter to nine with a certain amount of unease, my coat, scarf and gas mask on my back we left for Red Cross Street School. Down our street along the Londes and into North Street.

(Map of North Street)

Although the route took less than three minutes to walk, it was a dangerous one for there was the busy North Street to cross; so at the top of Birchfield St. in the front of Marston’s Lock Factory , there stood a Police constable, manning the school crossing, which in those days was the duty of the local force.

(A Typical School Crossing Scene of the Day)

When we arrived at the School, I was left with a few others in the care of Miss Duncan the Headmistress. She did her best to dispel my feeling of nervousness, but as soon her back was turned I left the School and made my way back home.

Now I don't know whether it was because I’d crossed the busy road on my own, or because she had other things to do, but Mrs Bott wasn't very pleased having to take me back to School once more.

(Looking up North Street from the bottom of the Londes 1939)

Neither was the constable, who at this time had left the crossing and was making his way up North Street on the way back to his station in Red Lion Street.

"Back we go," He said to Mrs Bott “Ill see to him,” and took my hand. We crossed North Street again then down Birchfield Street and into the infants School.

(Looking down Birchfield St, the Marstons Building on the left, the School on the right 1970's)

After explaining to Miss Duncan, the cause of my anxiety and the circumstances at my home, which had been told to him by Mrs Bott, he left.

("The Copper & Miss Duncan" Cartoon courtesy of Paul Howe )

I cant remember much about the rest of that day at school except I feel as though I must have enjoyed it. And the reason for all the concern at home that day was on account of the birth of my first sister, Mary.

WHAT'S HAPPENED TO NORTH STREET?

2009-02-24T13:55:00.025Z

(Map of North Street)

As its name suggests this street was the principal route to the North from Wolverhampton. It ran from Queen Square for roughly three quarters of a mile, and at a time between the wars, it would contain every type of trade and business you could mention, plus two Churches two Schools, nine Pubs, until it reached number ten the ‘Gladstone’ on the Corner of Red Cross Street.

It was then renamed North Road and carried on roughly half the distance again passing many other shops, fine Victorian Terraced housing, including a home for unmarried mothers, a Working Mans Club two more pubs until it reached the five ways. Joining Waterloo Road and Stafford Street to become Stafford Road.

It’s surprising how soon we forget the details regarding these once familiar buildings and this locality but I hope, you find something enjoyable in trying to conjure up visions of the the North Street I once knew.

THE LONDES

2009-02-12T23:50:00.010Z

I want to talk about a place called "The Londes". Picture this place:

(Molineux 2002)

Due to the building of the new Asda Supermarket, the re-building of the Molineux grounds, and the considerable extensions to the University Campus, the area where I spent my youth has been completely replaced by new buildings where students can stay, and also by their places of learning.

Gone forever is the lively self-contained community that was situated in between the two parishes of St Patrick's and St Peter and Paul's, where until the late 1950s you could find every kind of shop and industry, all of them drawing trade from the large amount of working class people living there.

(Map of the lost North Street around the 1950s)

For you to see and imagine this area, full of houses and businesses all to be re-allocated between the 1950s to 1970s, you start at the Molineux F.C. Car Park and go to the rear of the Asda Supermarket. Then walk twenty yards or so up what was once North Street towards the city centre.

(Steve Bull Stand seen from the Londes, mid 1980s)

On the left opposite the Steve Bull stand you will see some steps. These steps lead into what was once Nursery Street. I was born in Nursery Street in 1937, and my grandparents lived at the lower end of the street at No. 26 which overlooked “The Londes”.

Now, instead of the neat rows of terraced houses, there is just the Arthur Storer Building, which is a student faculty building. On the spot of where my home once stood is now the entrance to The School of Legal Studies.

(Steps to Nursery Street 1974)

Although the cast iron bollards that used to stand above the large steps at the bottom of this cul-de-sac have long since gone, if you were familiar with the area prior to the 1970s, then there are still some small reminders from the past there for you to spot.

(Steps to Nursery Street 2008)

Around this walk small bits of “The Londes” are still standing with original parts of the walls visible. Also you can see small portions of the diamond blue bricks that covered most of the pavements around the town at that time.

(Looking down North Street, with The Plume of Feathers sign on the right 1946)

As you carry on up North Street, past the south entrance to “The Londes” (where in my youth was the short cut to Charles Street or Stafford Street, via Lawyers Field or Deanery Row), there is now sited the main entrance to the College of Art.

(The Plume of Feathers Pub 2008)

But then what will always keep this spot clear in my memory of the past, is to see, standing on its original spot in front of the College of Art (thanks to all of the football supporters and drinkers), the Plume of Feathers pub.

Also just a hundred yards further up North Street stands what was once the Fox Hotel, now renamed and with a different brewery, but still a pub occupying the ground it did when my Dad courted my Mom from there in the early 1930s.

(The Fox Inn and the Underpass on the left 1974)

One regret - the Fox no longer looks across North Street to Charles Street and Tin Shop Yard, and the little shops up to the Chequer Ball and the Market Patch. It just stares at the large blank wall of the Ring Road under-pass.

A MESSAGE TO "OLD WUFFLERS"

2009-02-01T21:14:00.007Z

Wolverhampton over the last half a century like many other towns and cities, has revelled in a orgy of of demolition and re-building, so its not surprising how soon we forget once familiar buildings and localities - My name is Billy Howe, and I do Wolverhampton Nostalgia, with my pictures and stories, over the next few months I’lI try to capture the atmosphere of the town as I knew it - which I hope will jog the memories of those who lived through those times and provoke the imagination of those who did not.

Please jump in at anytime and add your comments on anything that stirs your memory