OUR TREE STILL GROWS IN NORTH STREET

(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

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

(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.