Willenhall History

WILLENHALL
Description and History from 1868 Gazetteer

"WILLENHALL, a township in the parish of Wolverhampton, hundred of South Offlow, county Stafford, 12 miles N.W. of Birmingham, and 3 from Wolverhampton and Walsall. It is included in the parliamentary borough of Wolverhampton, which returns two members. It has a station on the London and North-Western railway, and also at Portobello. The growth of the town has been rapid; in 1811 the population was 3,523; in 1851, 11,931; and in 1861, 17,256. The rapid increase is owing to the extension of mining operations in the neighbourhood, and of the manufacture of locks and keys.

The lock-trade was introduced into Willenhall in the reign of Elizabeth. In 1660 the town paid more in "hearth money" than Wolverhampton. The principal description of locks manufactured here are rim, drawback, dead, pad, and mortice. It has been estimated that in prosperous times 10,000 locks are manufactured here weekly. The trade is mostly in the hands of small masters, and the number of establishments exceeds 200. Of the large works, the Albion and the Summerford may be mentioned. The miscellaneous branches of industry include bolts, latches, currycombs, gridirons, hinges, files, rivets, screws, steel traps, and castings in iron and brass.

Willenhall, which is in the archdeaconry of Stafford, and diocese of Lichfield, has four churches. St. Giles, Walsall street, is a perpetual curacy, value £700, in the gift of the inhabitants. St. Stephens, Wolverhampton street, is a vicarage, value £300, crown and bishop alternate patrons. Trinity, Short Heath, crown and bishop alternate patrons, value £150, is also a vicarage. St. Ann's, Spring Bank, value £30, is a perpetual curacy. There are several Baptist, Wesleyan, and Primitive Methodist chapels, a Methodist Free church, a New Connexion chapel, and a Roman Catholic chapel in the township, and four National, one British, and two Wesleyan schools, and Sunday-schools to most of the places of worship.

In 1864 a literary institute was erected in Upper Lichfield street, containing lecture-hall, library, news-room, and several class rooms. The cemetery has a chapel in red brick and stone. A branch of the Staffordshire Joint Stock Bank is established here. There is a local board of health established in the town, and the town is lighted with gas, and has a good supply of water from the Wolverhampton Waterworks Company. The market-place is a small triangular area in the centre of the town. The gas-works are in Lower Lichfield street, and the police station in Walsall street.

The township includes the hamlets of Lane Head, Little Island, Little London, New Invention, Portobello, Short Heath and Spring Bank. The union sub-district contains the townships of Willenhall and Wednesfield. The local magistrates sit every Monday. Saturday is the market day, and the wakes are held in September."

 

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) - Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]