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.

A MAN OF WOLVERHAMPTON

(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?

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

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

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

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?