In the late 1890s electricity came to the town, and was supplied by two companies; The Midland Electric Corporation for Power Distribution Limited in Church Street, and The Blast Furnace Power Syndicate, which quickly disappeared.

The old electricity sub station in Church Street.

Crescent Road Fire Station was built in 1896 at a cost of £90. The first fire brigade consisted of volunteers and the engine was drawn by two horses named Nobby and Hellfire Jack. They were often borrowed by Mr. Turner, who as well as being one of the volunteers was also a coal merchant. In the late 1920s, Councillor Simmonds presented the town with its first motor fire engine, nicknamed Rose after his daughter.

For many years the Fire Brigade was run by Darlaston's Town Surveyor, John Cash Joynson. The members in 1916 were:

The fire engine, the escape and all the appliances were kept at the fire station in Crescent Road. Drills were held monthly. Each fireman's house was connected to the fire station by a telephone bell. Alarms were given at the fire station, or police station next door. Telephone number 23.

In the early 1920s the members of the brigade were as follows:

The Engineer, Arthur Gilbert, was a member of the Darlaston Volunteers and a member of a local troupe of hand bell ringers. He gave lessons in hand bell ringing and became involved with the Havelock Band, which later became Darlaston Town Band. His other hobby was carving figures from blocks of salt. He left the Fire Brigade in 1932 and was elected as a life governor of the National Fire Brigades Association.

Other members of his family also joined Darlaston Fire Brigade. They were his second son and his grandson. His eldest son George was the brigade’s first mascot when he was seven years old.

The Fire Brigade was managed by the council's Fire Brigade Committee. In  1921 the members were Councillors:

T. Lowe, Chairman; J. Garrington; A. H. Partridge; G. Smith; and W. T. Willmore.

The old fire station.

A fine view of old Blockall.

In 1899 Darlaston Police Station was built in Crescent Road on land purchased from the council for the princely sum of £7, due to the three mine shafts on the site that had to be filled. The new Police Station was administered from Stafford.

In 1909 the staff consisted of Inspector Williams, Sergeant Findlay, and six constables, together with another two constables who were stationed at Moxley. They formed a Sub-Division of the Wednesbury Division. A Petty Sessions was held at Darlaston Town Hall on alternate Wednesdays. Special Sessions and Licensing Sessions were also held.

In 1916 the staff at Crescent Road consisted of Inspector Cooper, Sergeants Felthouse and Hull, and seven constables. By the early 1920s the number of constables had increased to twelve.

Darlaston Police Station.

The isolation hospital in Dangerfield Lane also opened in 1899 following outbreaks of smallpox in the area.

A post office opened near the top of King Street with Miss Elizabeth Wright as Sub-Postmistress. By 1909 the Sub-Postmistress was B. L. Canningsy. Letters arrived daily from Wednesbury at 8.00a.m., 2.00p.m. and 5.30p.m. They were dispatched at 9.15a.m., 11.50a.m., 1.50p.m., 4.20p.m., 8.20p.m., and 9.15p.m. Wall letter boxes were situated in Bell Street, The Green, King Street, Pinfold Street, Catherine's Cross, and the Bull Stake. They were emptied several times each day and once on a Sunday. The postal service seems to have been much better in those days than it is today.

Some kind of religious meeting on the Bull Stake in the early 20th century.

In 1912 the existing Sub-Post Office in Victoria Road opened. Post was dispatched at: 9.0 a.m., 10.15 a.m., 1.15 p.m., 3.15 p.m., 4.45 p.m., 6.0 p.m., 7.15 p.m., 8.15 p.m., and 9.15 p.m. On Sundays it was dispatched at 8.15 p.m.

Deliveries were made at: 7.10 a.m., 11.10 a.m., and 6.10 p.m. and on Sundays at 7.20 a.m. Money Order and Savings Bank business, Telegraph Office, Postal Orders, Telephone Express Delivery and the Public Telephone Call Office were all available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays. The Sub-Postmaster in 1916 was Mr. W. R. Woodhead, and in the early 1920s the Sub-Postmaster was Mr. E. John.

The Salvation Army's church in High Street, just before it was demolished to make way for the original Asda Supermarket in the early 1970s.

Darlaston Town Football Club was founded in 1874. By the early 1890s the team regularly played on  the old Wakes Field off Waverley Road, which became Darlaston Football Ground. The club purchased the ground in July 1899, after which it became known as City Ground. The team played in the Walsall and District League before moving to the Birmingham Junior League. 1911 was a landmark year for the club which won the Birmingham Combination League Shield in the 1910/11 season.

The opening of Victoria Park

Martha and Jane Mills were the last two members of the family who founded Bills & Mills, which became the Darlaston Iron & Steel Company. They lived at Darlaston House in Victoria Road, and had a country home at Whitton near Ludlow. At the beginning of the century they decided to leave Darlaston, and move to Whitton. They gave the land on which the house was built to the town for use as a public park. Darlaston House was demolished, and Victoria park opened in 1902 as a belated commemoration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

Victoria Park in the early 1900's. From an old postcard.

Another view of Victoria Park, also from an old postcard.

A view looking towards the park entrance on the northern side of Victoria Road, where the war memorial now stands. Across the road is the new post office that opened in 1912. From an old postcard. Looking towards Victoria Road from the park before 1912 when the post office was built.

An advert from 1916.

View a 1904 commercial street directory			View a 1912 directory

Bob Smith

Favourite House in 2009.

Another view of Favourite House.

At the age of 21 he married Sarah Jane, and moved to a terraced house at James Bridge. He opened a barbers shop at the house in the 1890s, and also did picture framing.

He decided to expand his business, and had Favourite House built for the purpose. He had a roof garden where he grew fruit including strawberries and apples, and sold many things in the shop, including toys, fancy goods, jewellery, hardware, and furniture.

Bob also carried out clock and watch repairs, and ran a dolls hospital where he repaired children's dolls.

There was an all-year round club with over 2,000 members, who each paid a subscription of one or two pence a week. This would soon mount-up and could be spent on anything in the shop. It was an early form of interest free credit.

An advert from 1921.

Bob standing in front of Favourite House. From an old postcard.

Club members had cards on which they could pay one or two pence a week towards the cost of their outings.

At Christmas he stood outside the shop dressed as Father Christmas selling penny dips.

In the general strike of 1926 with the help of a group of ladies, and his scouts, he provided hundreds of meals for the needy at his own expense.

Three of his sons and two of his daughters helped in the business. Sadly his wife Sarah died on 15th February, 1936 at the age of 65.

During both World Wars he gave generous help to people and organised the Darlaston branch of the Express & Star War Comforts Fund, placing collecting boxes in pubs and shops in the area.

He was a councillor for many years representing the Green Ward. Relaxation consisted of a game of cards or billiards at the nearby Conservative Club.

In later years he was helped in the shop by his daughter May, and housekeeper Eliza Fellows. When Eliza died in 1955 he decided to retire. He was 85 at the time.

He moved to his son George's house in Foley Street, Wednesbury, where he died on 29th December, 1956 at the age of 87. He is buried at James Bridge Cemetery.

William Stanbury

Anyone in their mid 50s or above will remember Stanbury's gents outfitters shop near the top of King Street.

The shop was well known and is still fondly remembered today.

In the early 1900s William Walker Stanbury purchased Poplar House, one of the last remaining town houses in King Street, and added a single story extension on the front.

Around 1840 the late-Georgian Poplar House was occupied for a time by Samuel and Phoebe Mills, and their family. Samuel owned the Darlaston Steel & Iron Company Limited at Darlaston Green.

William Walker Stanbury.

Poplar House.

Mr. Stanbury's business was very successful and he became a local councillor. The shop remained in use until the late 1960s, after which it became derelict.

After being empty for several years, the shop and house were demolished in 1973. The modern ASDA supermarket occupies the site today.

William Stanbury became a prominent member of Darlaston Urban District Council and served on a number of council committees including the Finance Committee, the Highways Committee, the Housing Committee, the Child Welfare Committee, and the General Purpose Committee.

It shows John and Ann Maria Stevens, and their dog Monty at the back of their home in Cock Street where they had a shop.

They previously lived and worked on canal boats around the Black Country. All of their children were born at this time, and all survived.

Sidney Jowett, Florist, Fruiterer, Fish and Poultry Dealer, Market Place, Wednesbury.

This popular business was founded about eleven years back, and it will be generally admitted that its proprietor is today regarded as one of the most reliable and enterprising representatives of the trade to be found anywhere, possessing the most important and necessary qualifications for successful trading in this branch of business. The premises occupied by Mr. Jowett are known as Market Stores, and have a capital corner position, being also fitted up and arranged to meet all requirements of each branch. Every description of fruit, etc., in season; fish, poultry, and rabbits are to be obtained here, also flowers, in which branch a speciality is made of wreaths, crosses, bouquets, gent's button holes and ladies sprays. In each line Mr. Jowett is known to be most scrupulous in offering only the most reliable and best quality goods at the lowest possible prices, ensured by his exceptional purchasing facilities in the best markets and large turnover. There is no question in fact, that he offers every inducement to the residents of Wednesbury to favour him with patronage, and spares no effort to retain it when secured.

After a thorough examination by an expert the building proved to be unsafe and so a complete rebuild in stone was undertaken.

The work, including a new clock amounted to £3,000, much of which was raised by public subscription. The new building opened in 1907.

St. Lawrence's Church. From an old postcard.

The old entrance gates into the churchyard are clearly visible. They were replaced by the lich gate in 1943.