BILSTON from 1800 to DATE
Some notes

FROM 1800 to 1900

When this section comes to be written it is likely to cover:

1.  A continuing expansion of industry (and continuing decline in agriculture) and the introduction of new industries. Turnpike roads.  More canals.  The coming of the railways.  A major  recession in industry followed by a revival. 

2.   A continuing rise in population mostly by immigration.  Increasing problems of urbanisation such as health and crime.  Education.  Housing. 

3.   St. Leonard’s breaks from St. Peter’s.  The rise of nonconformist sects.

4.    The Vestry declines as a governing body and is replaced by piece meal intervention in governance and civic affairs by Acts of Parliament, such as those for Turnpike Commissioners, Town Commissioners, Poor Law Unions, etc.  Towards the end of the century the Urban District Council is created and they, and the Staffordshire County Council, become the leading governmental organisations in town.

5.      Social Life:  church societies and events’ clubs and societies, sporting and otherwise, rude sports, theatre.

FROM 1900 to DATE

When this section comes to be written it is likely to cover:

1.  New and developing industries, especially the steel works and Sankeys;  and the council'r promotion of industrial development.

2.  Two world wars.

3.   The UDC, the Borough Council (from 1933) and all their works, notably housing and estate planning.  The expansion of the Borough of Wolverhampton (1966).  The West Midlands County Council and the Black Country Development Corporation.

4.         Industrial collapse, the closure of the steel works, the departure of Sankeys, and the disappearance of firm like Quasi Arc, John Wilkes, Beldray – followed, at a long interval – by urban renewal, including the Bilston Urban Village. 

5.         Social Life:  religion, sports, cinema, works’ social clubs, etc..