An advert from 1909.

A New School

In 1926, building work began on the Tipton Central Schools in Alexandra Road, next to Tipton Cemetery. The foundation stone was laid by Councillor Thomas E. Salter, J.P. on the 19th April, 1926. The building was designed by Scott and Clark and built by Mark Round & Sons. The official opening by Councillor Simeon Webb, J.P., Chairman of the Tipton Education Committee, took place on the 13th October, 1927.

Pupils had to pass an entrance examination to go to the school, where they would start a four year course, during which they could choose to study in several areas: academic, commercial, domestic, or technical. They could also take the Senior Oxford Examination if they wished to go on to university or training college.

There were separate boys and girls schools under one roof, which only came together on remembrance day services in the school hall. The original staff members were Mr. F. J. Williams, headmaster, Miss B. B. Walters, headmistress and Mr. J. Bailey, Miss C. H. Bowyer, Miss W. G. Cansdale, Mr. G. Dalton, Mrs. Gibbs, Mr. F. W. Gilbert, Miss Greenwood, Mr. T. Lewis, Miss M. Lloyd, Miss B. Robinson, Miss B. B. Walters, Mr. J. Whitcroft and Mr. V. C. Woodall.

One of the first school plays, performed by the senior boys in April 1929 was a version of Sheridan's 'The Rivals', which was viewed by an audience of 800 people. During World War 2 the girls raised £1,113. 15s. 0d. as part of War Weapons Week in March 1941. In 1946 the school became a Grammar School, then the County Grammar School in 1948. The boys and girls sections amalgamated in 1954 under the headship of Mr. G. S. Smith.

In 1963 the school building was extended with the addition of new science laboratories, a library, swimming baths, and a dining hall. A new projects block was also added. In 1966 the school came under the control of West Bromwich Education Committee as part of the local government re-organisation and in 1968 became Alexandra High School. In September 1969 the school merged with Park Lane Secondary School and became a comprehensive school. Initially 'O' Level and 'A' Level pupils were educated at the Alexandra Road site and younger pupils attended the Park Lane site.

The Alexandra Road site was extended in about 1980 and the Park Lane site was demolished in 1991. A new sixth form centre was built in 1995 and improvements were made to the buildings in 2011 and 2012. On the 1st March, 2013 the school became the ACE Academy, with over 1,400 pupils.

The Housing Programme

In the 1920s, Tipton Urban District Council started a housing programme in which derelict land would be reclaimed in readiness for the building of council houses. Much of the land was full of old coalmines, clay pits and sand pits, all of which had to be filled and made safe. There were also old pit mounds, some of which were over 50 feet high, that had to be levelled.

The Upper Church Lane site in February 1938.

The Upper Church Lane site in September 1938.

The landscape of Tipton rapidly began to change as the work progressed. There were also around 2,300 houses that would be demolished as part of the slum clearance programme. The council's new housing estates included the Shrubbery Estate at Tipton Green, the Tibbington Estate at Princes End, the Moat Farm Estate at Ocker Hill and the Cotterill's Farm Estate between Powis Avenue and Bridge Road.

Gospel Oak Estate.

Moat Farm Estate.

Tipton Council's last major housing development, built in the early 1960s, was the Glebefields Estate, off Glebefields Road. The last major private housing development was the Foxyards Estate, on the southern side of Sedgley Road West. It was built in the mid 1960s.

The Public Baths in Queens Road, designed by H. N. Woodard, were officially opened on 25th January, 1933 by Councillor J. R. Baker. The main pool was equipped with a filtration plant and a chlorination plant so that the water was continuously purified. There were also 29 slipper baths and 3 foam baths. In the winter, the main pool was covered with a maple floor, so that dances and other functions could be held. It could seat over 1,000 people.

The baths closed in the summer of 2002 because of a lack of council funding, but reopened within two years after a successful campaign by local people. It finally closed in 2011 and was relocated to the new leisure centre in Alexandra Road. The old public baths building went on sale in 2012 and has since been demolished.

The public baths in Queens Road.

Improvements and changes in the late 1930s

In 1935 Tipton acquired another public park, Jubilee Park, originally called Ocker Hill Park. It was officially opened on the 13th April, 1935 by Councillor A. P. Welch, J.P., Chairman of Tipton Urban District Council and was built as part of an unemployment relief scheme.

In 1936 the council moved into the new Municipal Buildings in Sedgley Road West. Two years later the town became the Municipal Borough of Tipton after the granting of a Royal Charter.

Council Officials in 1936:

K. W. Madin. Solicitor and Clerk.

V. B. Tranter. Assistant Clerk.

H. N. Woodard. Engineer and Surveyor.

R. Pilling. Treasurer.

W. Williams. Gas Engineer and Manager.

A Hastilow. Director of Education.

G. H. Acton. Senior Sanitary Inspector.

H. Scriven. Housing Manager.

C. R. Gallie. Housing Director.

A. W. Taylor. Librarian.

The Second World War

During the Second World War, there were several air raids in the locality, carried out by the German Luftwaffe, which resulted in a number of injuries and fatalities. On the 19th November, 1940, a bomb was dropped in Bloomfield Road. Three people were killed and several buildings were destroyed, including the Star Hotel public house. One of the fatalities was the son of the licensee. The pub was rebuilt after the war, but closed, and was demolished in 1996.

The aftermath of the bombing in Bloomfield Road.

On the 21st December, 1940, anti-aircraft guns were in operation on the hills at Rowley Regis. A shell from one of the guns fell into the chimney of the Boat Inn, in Dudley Road East, Tividale, fatally injuring 12 people. At the time, a wedding reception was being held in the pub. The shell exploded next to a cast-iron stove and filled the room with the contents of the fire and flying shards of sharp, hot, metal.

The married couple were Sid Jones and Lily Pottinger. The bride was instantly killed and the groom lost both legs. Six people died at the scene, and six died in hospital. One of them was a 20 year-old man who was in a neighbouring house that was struck by debris. He died in hospital on the following day. Twelve people were seriously injured. The pub was rebuilt after the war, but has now disappeared. It was demolished in 2004.

On the 17th May, 1941, during an air raid at Great Bridge, six people were killed and the Tipton Tavern public house in New Road and New Road Methodist Church were destroyed. Several nearby houses were also damaged. The landlord of the Tipton Tavern, Roger Preece, was trapped in the rubble, but luckily survived with minor injuries. After the war, a temporary wooden building was erected on the site, until the pub could be rebuilt. In 1996 it became the Hallbridge Arms and then the Pearl Girl. It closed in 2016 and is now a children’s day nursery.

During the war, Tipton was defended by the Forty First Staffordshire (Tipton) Battalion of the South Staffordshire Home Guard, which was formed in May 1940 and operated until December 1944. The commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel G. G. Heathcock who had previously been in the Royal Engineers. They were based at the Municipal Buildings in Sedgley Road West.

The Post War Years

An article about some of Tipton's last remaining slum properties

A boat moored alongside Coronation Gardens.

View the Tipton listing from a 1961-62 Trades Directory

The Borough of Sandwell

In 1966 an important event happened, as a result of the Local Government Reform Act. Tipton lost its Borough status and became part of West Bromwich County Borough, along with Wednesbury. To further complicate matters, part of the old Tipton Borough that was next to Coseley became part of Dudley, including the former Municipal Buildings and most of the Foxyards housing estate. Most of Tividale became part of Warley, and Tipton acquired a small section of Coseley.

In 1974, West Bromwich County Borough and Warley County Borough merged to form the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, within the newly created West Midlands County Council.

There were many other changes in the 1970s. Tipton had become one of the most industrialised towns in the Black Country, but by the late 1970s the factories were closing and so large areas of industrial dereliction were commonplace. Most of the ex-industrial sites have now been redeveloped and are occupied by housing estates. The area has now become a commuter town where many of the inhabitants work in other local towns and cities.

Owen Street before redevelopment.

Old Cross Street before redevelopment.

In 1971, Tipton’s new fire station in Alexandra Road opened and before the decade was out, Owen Street, which was once full of shops and businesses, had been redeveloped. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, many of the old shops were replaced with council houses and flats. A small number of new shops were built, along with a bank, a supermarket, and a car park. In 2000, the pedestrian shopping area between Union Street and Owen Street called Unity Walk opened. It includes 28 retail units, Tipton Library and accommodation for businesses.

In 1982, the last surviving canal stable block, next to the old main line canal at Factory Junction was saved from dereliction by the council and converted into a community outdoor activity centre.

The old stable block.

In the 1990s, Tipton was visited by two members of the royal family and a deputy prime minister. On the 24th June, 1994, the first visit of a reigning monarch to the town took place when the Queen visited the headquarters of the Tipton Challenge Partnership in High Street, as part of a visit to the Black Country.

The Tipton Challenge Partnership was established by the government in March 1993 as part of a regeneration programme. Within the first five years of its existence, the Partnership claimed to have brought £173 million of investment into the town and helped to develop new housing, workspaces, infrastructure and social support programmes. The Queen was received by Colin Cooke, Chairman of the Tipton Challenge Partnership Board. Whilst there she unveiled a plaque to mark her visit.

Pleasure boats on the canal.