| William Henry Robinson was born in 1847 at
‘The Hollies’ in Cannock. His father, John
Russell Robinson, founded ‘The Walsall Steam
Printing Works’ on The Bridge and family moved
to Walsall. The firm did all kinds of printing
as well as publishing and selling stationery. In
1856 he founded the Walsall Advertiser, which
continued in production until 1915. In 1872,
he published the first Walsall Red Book. The
books were published until 1939 and were very
successful. In 1911 they were sold to T. Kirby &
Sons Limited and are now a valuable source of
information about the town.
William Henry Robinson attended Mr. Jackson’s
Grammar School at Aldridge, before joining his
father in the family business. At the age of 21,
he took over the business, after the death of
his father. On the 7th January, he married Lydie
Agnes Schnabel, at St. Matthew’s Church. For
many years they lived with their family in a
grand house called ‘Offendene’ that stood on the
corner of Sutton Road and Princes Avenue.
The Walsall Advertiser was extremely
successful and in 1907 the business moved to a
larger building at 133 Lichfield Street. The
firm printed and published many books and went
from strength to strength. William was a keen
amateur astronomer and became a member of the
Royal Astronomical Society and a member of the
British Astronomical Association. He was also
founder member and Honorary Secretary of the
Walsall Literary Institute, founded on the 25th
July, 1884.
133 Lichfield Street.
He was greatly interested in local history
and wrote several newspaper articles about the
town’s past. He died on Wednesday the 17th
February, 1926 at 85 Highgate Road, Walsall. His
wife had died 25 years earlier. He was survived
by three sons, six daughters, and ten
grandchildren. His funeral was held at St.
Matthew’s Church on Saturday the 20th February,
1926. He was cremated at Perry Barr, and his
ashes were interred in the family grave at
Rushall Church. |
