Wednesbury market was once
well-known throughout the surrounding area for
reasonably-priced, high quality produce. Every Friday
many people travelled here from the surrounding towns to
do their weekly shopping. |
An earlier view
of the market before the clock tower was built. |
A slightly later view from the
same location showing a tram about to turn right into
Walsall Street, on its way to Walsall. |
A view from the 1930s, when the
trams had been replaced by trolley buses. On the left is
T. A. Collins, boot and shoe maker, and next door is a
book and stationery shop run by R. Price. Next right is
the Home & Colonial grocery store, and on the corner of
The Shambles is the shop of P & K Price Limited,
costumier. |
The northern side of Market
Place in the 1950s. On the right of the Maypole Dairies
shop is Burton Tailoring, then Woolworths. Next door is
Martins Bank, which opened in 1951. It became part of
Barclays Bank, and is now occupied by the West Bromwich
building Society. |
|
|
|
A view of Market
Place in the early years of the twentieth
century. A postcard produced by Ryder & Son
of Spring Head. |
|
|
The well-known
Market Place clock tower, built in 1911 to commemorate the Coronation of King
George V. Designed by C. W. D. Joynson. |
|
|
A view of Market
Place from just before the First World War showing the
now Grade II listed clock tower. |
A postcard by
Ryder & Son showing Upper High Street in the late 1890s,
which was part of the old coach road to Darlaston. In
1726 a turnpike was erected near the junction with High
Bullen under the terms of a turnpike Act, passed in
1726. The Act allowed the trustees to collect tolls for
21 years, during which time the road would be repaired
and improved. Because the repairs had not been completed
within that time, and money borrowed had not been
repaid, the Act was extended to 1748, and subsequently
to 1771. |
The Post Office, the Town Hall, and the Art Gallery.
The Post Office, originally single storey, opened in
1883. The Town Hall was built in 1871, at the rear of
the Public Offices, built in 1867. It officially opened
on 26th June, 1874, and was remodelled and extended in
1913. The Art Gallery opened on 4th November, 1891. The
ornate terracotta frontage has a relief portrait on each
bay of the first floor. They are of Christopher Wren,
Sir Joshua Reynolds, John Flaxman and Sir Isaac Newton.
Above the doorway are two niches containing busts of
Wilson Lloyd, Chairman of the Art Gallery Committee and
of Mayor Richard Williams. It was built as a result of a
bequest left by Mary Richards, widow of industrialist
and art collector Edwin Richards. |
A view of Wednesbury Golf Club
which was in Holden Road. The club, founded in 1908 had
a nine hole course built on land leased from the Patent
Shaft and Axletree Company. By 1914 it had 170 members,
but the ladies were not allowed to play after 12am on
weekends or Bank holidays. In 1938, the club's last year,
there were 180 members. After the Second World War, due
to the shortage of housing, the council purchased the
land on which to build the
Golf Links Estate. |
|
|
|
A view of 'Honest
Munchin's cottage on Holloway Bank. It is
marked with a cross. His real name was
George Clifton, a collier and prize fighter
who became a preacher. He was born in 1704
and died in 1789. The cottage was demolished
in 1934. |
|
|
The top image
shows the Congregational Church in Russell
Street, built in 1848. After a great
increase in attendances, Trinity
Congregational Church (lower image) was
built in Walsall Street at a cost of £4,300.
|
|
|
St. Paul's Church in Wood
Green Road was built by the Elwell family of Wednesbury
Forge in 1874. It is built of stone, and consists of a
chancel, a nave, aisles, vestries, a north porch and a
western tower with a spire containing a clock and eight
bells. |
|
|
|
St. Mary's Roman
Catholic Church was built in 1872 to the
designs of Mr. Gilbert S. Blount of London.
It is in early English style and consists of
a 6 bay nave with a clerestory, north and
south aisles, a chancel, chapels, and a
tower. |
|
|
St. John's Church
in Lower High Street was built of local
yellow-brown peldon sandstone, and
consecrated on 13th May, 1846. In the late
20th century attendances fell, and the
derelict building was demolished in July
1985. |
|
|
|
|
|
Return to the
Wednesbury Menu |
|
Proceed to the
next page |
|