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Aldridge

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"Aldridge is a large and well-built village, seated on a pleasant declivity, three miles NE of Walsall, and gives name to a large parish which extends to the confines of Warwickshire, and is divided into the two townships of Aldridge and Great Barr; the former containing 2970 acres and 1007 souls and the latter 4960 acres and 1087 souls. Aldridge township is mostly in a high state of cultivation, having generally a sound gravelly loam, and in some places a strong blue clay, of which excellent tiles, quoins, and bricks are made, and sent to all parts, and give employment to 200 hands, and two steam engines.
Mill Green hamlet, within a mile north of the village, is in the manor and township of Aldridge, of which Lord Leigh is lord, and holds a court leet; but Mrs Croxall, Capt Dilke, the Hon ES Jervis, the Rev John Davids, Edw Tonge Esq and many smaller owners, have freehold estates here. On Druid's Heath, which adjoins Cannock Chase, are Copy Hall and Druid's Place, two ancient seats, and in the village of Aldridge is the modern mansion of E Tongue Esq. "
[From History, Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire, William White, Sheffield, 1851]

 

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Bibliography

'Notes and Collections relating to the Parish of Aldridge' 
by Jeremiah Finch.
Published Leicester, 1884.

'Men of Aldridge, a Local History of the area now included in the Urban District of Aldridge' 
by James Tynan Gould.
Published Geof. J Clark, Bloxwich, 1957.
Reprinted with additions Alan Sutton, Stroud, 1983.

'Aldridge, Rushall and Pelsall Yesterdays' 
by RD Woodall.
Published Norman Tector, Streetly, 1954.

'Aldridge in Old Photographs' 
by Jan Farrow.
Published Alan Sutton, Stroud, 1991.

'Aldridge History Trail' 
by Betty Fox.
Published Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council, 1990.

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Cemeteries

A transcript of the Monumental Inscriptions for St Mary has been published by the Birmingham & Midland SGH.

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Census

The population of Aldridge parish was as follows:
1831 -- 1700
1841 -- 2094

A full transcript and surname index of the 1851 census for Aldridge parish has been published by the Birmingham & Midland SGH.

 

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Church History

"The Church, St Mary, is a fine old fabric in the pointed style, containing several monuments to the Scotts, and other families, one of which supports a recumbent effigy of Robert Stapleton, one of the crusaders.
The rectory is in the patronage of CJ Ingleby Esq, and incumbency of the Rev. JF Smith, MA, who has a good Rectory House, built in 1826 by a late brother of Sir ED Scott, Bart, formerly patron."

[From History, Gazetteer and Directory of Staffordshire, William White, Sheffield, 1851)

The church is believed to have been founded c1250 by Nicholas de Alrewych. The south aisle was rebuilt in the 1840's and the north aisle rebuilt in the 1850's

The church of St Margaret, Great Barr, was a chapelry in Aldridge parish but the register pre-dates that of St Mary and details can be found on the Great Barr parish page.

 

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Church Records

Church of England Registers
The parish register of the parish church of St Mary commences in 1660. The original registers for the period 1660-1912 (Bapts), 1660-1901 (Mar), & 1660-1934 (Bur) are deposited at Staffordshire Record Office.
Bishops Transcripts, 1660-1856 (with many gaps) are deposited at Lichfield Record Office. Banns 1754-1956 are deposited at Staffordshire Record Office.
A microfilm copy of the original registers is available at Walsall Local History Centre.
A transcript of the registers for the period 1660-1771 has been published by the Birmingham & Midland SGH.

Nonconformist Church Registers
Although a nonconformist chapel of unknown denomination was registered here in 1822 no registers are known to exist.

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Description & Travel

A transcription of the section on Aldridge from A Topographical History of Staffordshire by William Pitt (1817)

You can see pictures of Aldridge which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

The transcription of the section for Aldridge from the Topographical Dictionary of England (1859)

The transcription of the section for Aldridge from the National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.

The transcription of the section for Aldridge from the Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72)

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SK055007 (Lat/Lon: 52.604059, -1.920222), Aldridge which are provided by:

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Military Records

A transcription of the Muster Roll of 1539 for Aldridge & Great Barr (Folio 1)

A transcription of the Muster Roll of 1539 for Aldridge & Great Barr (Folio 2)

A transcription of the Muster Roll of 1539 for Aldridge & Great Barr (Folio 3)

A transcription of the Muster Roll of 1539 for Aldridge & Great Barr (Folio 4)

(Aldridge & Great Barr were recorded across 4 folios in the original)

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Poor Houses, Poor Law

Aldridge parish became part of Walsall Union following the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834.

 

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Voting Registers

Electoral registers for the parliamentary constituency of which Aldridge formed part are shown below together with dates and locations of the registers which are held at Staffordshire Record Office (SRO), or Walsall Local History Centre (WLHC)

South Staffs 1844, 1845-1867 (SRO)
East Staffs    1868-1884 (SRO)
Lichfield Division 1885 (SRO)
Handsworth Division 1887-1908 (SRO)
Walsall South 1955-1966, 1968-1969 (WLHC)
Aldridge-Brownhills 1970, 1975-date (WLHC)