Walsall Red Books

The annual Walsall Red Book, which was published for many years, is a wonderful source of information about all aspects of the town.

The edition featured here has sections covering details of the local council, including the various departments and details of council meetings. Details of the town's schools, churches, associations and societies and local events are also included, along with a comprehensive street directory, a commercial and alphabetical directory, a Bloxwich directory and many adverts featuring local businesses and manufacturers.

The Red Books were published at different times by T. Kirby & Sons Limited, W. Henry Robinson, and also E. F. Cope & Company.

The edition featured here was printed by William Henry Robinson, who is listed in Kelly's 1896 Staffordshire Directory, as follows:

Robinson W. Henry, account book manufacturer, printer, stationer & publisher of the "Walsall Advertiser" & "Walsall Red Book," The Bridge.


An advert from 1896.

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.

A selection of adverts from the 1899 Walsall Red Book:


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