LOST WOLVERHAMPTON HAS MOVED!

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

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

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

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

'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

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

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.