94-610: Walsall Corporation Tramways operated a tramway service in Walsall between 1904 and 1930. Faced with a likely takeover of the South Staffordshire Tramways Company by British Electric Traction , Walsall Corporation made their own agreement with the South Staffordshire Tramways company, and on 1 January 1901, for the sum of £18,500 (equivalent to £2,536,897 in 2023), Walsall Corpopation became owners of
188-470: A Pentecostal church. Brownhills has had strong links with the Methodist faith since the 19th century. The current Silver Street Methodist church was built in the 1960s when two other churches were compulsorily purchased and demolished due to their sites being identified as prime locations for additional town-centre car parking under a council redevelopment scheme. One of Brownhills' most prominent landmarks
282-484: A heritage rail service on the line of the former mineral railway around Chasewater between Brownhills and Chasetown , north of the former Brownhills Watling Street station. The railway's main station is designated Brownhills West . On the opposite side of the A5, Brownhills Common, where a wide variety of birds can be observed, is a designated nature reserve, as is Shire Oak Park, approximately 0.9 miles (1.4 km) from
376-742: A ward within the Borough of Walsall and has three seats on the Borough Council. As at the 2019 local elections two of these seats were held by the Conservative Party and one by Labour . Wendy Morton , representing the Conservative Party, has been the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Aldridge-Brownhills since 2015. Before the creation of the Aldridge-Brownhills seat in 1974,
470-452: A branch line was constructed through the heart of what was then the hamlet of Brownhills, which led to a migration of the population eastwards, leading to the formation of mining slums in the Ogley Hay area. Eventually, a new town centre developed, complete with library and theatre. This led to the gradual amalgamation of Brownhills, Ogley Hay, and Catshill into one town. Mining was to remain
564-459: A century after its opening on 3 October 1938. It was refurbished in 1973 and became the Cannon Cinema after a takeover in 1986, but closed on 18 November 1993 after operating as a cinema for 55 years. It was demolished some 18 months later and the town's new Woolworth's store was built on its site. The store closed down at the end of 2008 when the retailer went into liquidation, and the building
658-619: A cost of £20,000 to a design by Francis Goodwin . St Martin's Church was consecrated in 1960 to serve the suburban housing estates of Orchard Hills, Brookhouse and Park Hall. Mellish Road Methodist Chapel , built 1910, had to be demolished in 2011, due to subsidence. Other churches in Walsall include: The Crossing at St Paul's , in the town centre, and the Rock Church, near the Walsall Arboretum, Walsall Community Church, which meets at
752-496: A few years later. Construction is ongoing in St Matthew's Quarters. A new Asda store opened in 2007 and when completed St Matthew's Quarters will also include brand shops and modern flats. In 2010 Tesco opened a new 10,000 sq ft (930 m ) shopping complex upon the former site of Walsall College , which moved to its new Wisemore Campus the year prior. The Savoy Cinema was a landmark on Park Street for more than half
846-525: A furniture shop. A plaque commemorates the incident. The town also has a memorial to local VC recipient, John Henry Carless and decorated air ace Frederick Gibbs . Walsall's first cinema opened in the town centre in 1908; however, the post World War II decline in cinema attendances brought on by the rise in television ownership resulted in that and all of Walsall's other cinemas eventually being closed. The first Wurlitzer theatre organ in Great Britain
940-529: A major problem in the area for many years. Since the 19th century, trade in Brownhills has been centred on the High Street. As the canal and Clayhanger Common lie immediately to the south of the High Street, the town's housing areas are mainly to the north and at the eastern and western ends of the town. In 2011, Brownhills had 5,173 residential dwellings, of which 49.4% were semi-detached houses. In late 2020
1034-515: A mixed-gender school with approximately 1,000 pupils, which is part of the Ormiston Academies Trust . In 2019, the school's progress 8 benchmark score was ranked "below average". Watling Street Primary School, situated on the A5 at the western end of town, has approximately 200 students between the ages of 3 and 11 as of 2021. In 2019, 77% of its Key Stage 2 pupils were deemed to have met
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#17328843891271128-472: A more natural state, and lizards and dragonflies may be observed. The area now supports various habitat types, with the heathland mixing with marshy grassland, with scattered scrub and pools. In 1926, when ownership of the Common was transferred to the local Council, a large area of barren land at the eastern end, closest to the town, was landscaped, with new trees planted. Lying south of the Common, Birch Coppice
1222-520: A new site in Cannock . Brownhills is served by the A5 and lies close to a junction of the M6 Toll motorway. National Express West Midlands bus services 936, 937, 937A connect the town with Kingstanding , Perry Barr and Birmingham . They also operate service 8 linking Brownhills with Walsall , Burntwood and Lichfield . Chaserider operates service 3 to Norton Canes and Cannock . Previously this
1316-474: A number of housing regeneration projects in the most deprived areas. Many of the town's 1960s tower blocks have been demolished, as well as interwar council housing in parts of Blakenall Heath and Harden, along with all of the Goscote estate. New private and social housing has been built on the site of most of the demolished properties. Walsall underwent modernisation in the 1970s with a new town centre being built at
1410-674: A plan to build a new one never came to fruition. Although the town's theatre had closed down many years prior, the Brownhills Academy's theatre has staged productions by local groups such as the Aldridge Musical Comedy Society and the Walsall Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Brownhills holds an annual canal festival in June with stalls, entertainment and boat trips, and there is an active Community Association which organises
1504-550: A range of events and activities. The town had a weekly market for many years, but it closed down in 2010 due to lack of traders and the site was subsequently redeveloped for housing. Brownhills has several public houses . Although some older ones, such as the Victorian-era Jolly Collier in Coppice Side, were demolished in the 1980s, several dating from the 19th century still stand comparatively unchanged, including
1598-410: A regeneration programme in 2007, which was hoped would revive the town's fortunes, but there has been little subsequent development. Brownhills is on the ancient Watling Street and there is evidence of early settlement in the area, including an ancient burial mound and a guard post believed to date from Roman times and later dubbed Knaves Castle. The name Brownhills, however, is not recorded before
1692-481: A regional depot. Currently established businesses include Homeserve plc and South Staffordshire Water . The three largest businesses by turnover in the borough are all involved with the storage and distribution of retail goods to an associated network of high street or cornershop stores. Poundland Ltd (owned by South African giant Steinhoff), A F Blakemore and Sons Ltd and One Stop Stores Ltd (part of Tesco plc) turn over more than £4.5bn annually between them. Walsall
1786-467: A town of over 86,000 in approximately 200 years. The town manufactured a wide range of products including saddles, chains, buckles and plated ware. Nearby, limestone quarrying provided the town with much prosperity. In 1824, the Walsall Corporation received an Act of Parliament to improve the town by providing lighting and a gasworks . The gasworks was built in 1826 at a cost of £4,000. In 1825,
1880-536: Is a 46 feet (14 m) stainless steel sculpture of a coal miner , erected in May 2006 on a roundabout at one end of the High Street, where the A4124 Pelsall Road and High Street A452 cross. The colossal sculpture, by John McKenna ARBS, commemorates the town's mining tradition. A competition was organised to choose an official nickname for the statue. The winning name was Jigger after Jack "Jigger" Taylor who died when
1974-633: Is a historic market and industrial town in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall of the West Midlands , England. The town is located south of Cannock Chase and close to the large Chasewater reservoir, it is 6 miles (9.7 km) northeast of Walsall , a similar distance southwest of Lichfield and 13 miles (20.9 km) miles north-northwest of Birmingham . It is part of the Aldridge-Brownhills parliamentary constituency and neighbours
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#17328843891272068-420: Is a large area of predominantly oak and birch woodland, which, although crossed by a now-dismantled railway line, mostly escaped the destruction caused to other wooded areas by mining and other industry. To the south, Brownhills is separated from the nearby village of Clayhanger by Clayhanger Common, which is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and considered "one of the best wetland sites in
2162-511: Is home to four mosques: Masjid-e-Usman, Shah Jalal Masjid, Jalalia Masjid, and Ghausia Qasmia Mosque. In Chuckery , in the southeast of Walsall, lies Anjuman-e-Gosia Mosque, and Jamia Masjid Ghausia is located in the Birchills neighbourhood. There is also a private Islamic school and Madrassah with four campuses across Walsall known as Abu Bakr Trust. Most mosques in Walsall also run their own evening Madrassahs. Brownhills Brownhills
2256-770: Is home to the University of Wolverhampton 's Sports and Art Campus and School of Education, all part of the Walsall Campus in Gorway Road, which includes a student village. Walsall College provides further education , and is based around three sites across Walsall. There are ten secular junior schools and three religious junior schools near the town centre. Walsall also houses many secondary schools, including comprehensives, academies, private and state grammar schools (Namely Queen Mary's Grammar School and Queen Mary's High School ). The age of transfer to secondary school throughout
2350-409: Is located 9 miles (14 km) northwest of Birmingham , 7 miles (11 km) east of Wolverhampton and 9 miles (14 km) southwest of Lichfield . Walsall is the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Walsall . It was transferred from Staffordshire to the newly created West Midlands County in 1974. At the 2011 census, the town's built-up area had a population of 67,594, with
2444-523: Is located at 52°38′49.20″N 1°55′58.80″W / 52.6470000°N 1.9330000°W / 52.6470000; -1.9330000 on the edge of Cannock Chase and lies mostly at a height of approximately 150 metres (492 ft) above sea level, although there is a sharp incline to nearly 180 metres (590 ft) at the eastern end of the town. The highest point of Cannock Chase, standing at 244 metres (801 ft) above sea level, lies approximately 4 miles (6 km) from
2538-494: Is on several fault lines , the main one being the Vigo Fault, a branch of the larger Eastern Boundary Fault, which runs from Birmingham to Rugeley . On the western side of the fault, in the area of Brownhills Common, the marl is over 1,000 feet (305 m) thinner than on the eastern side, bringing the coal seams significantly closer to the surface. The presence of the faults and the effects of mining mean that subsidence has been
2632-693: The Aldridge-Brownhills Urban District , in accordance with a recommendation of the Local Government Commission for England . The district was amalgamated in 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972 , into the newly formed Metropolitan Borough of Walsall , under whose jurisdiction the area remains to this day. As a result of this amalgamation Brownhills also became part of the West Midlands county , having previously been part of Staffordshire . Today Brownhills constitutes
2726-637: The Daw End Branch Canal at Catshill Junction . The Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust has been involved in restoring the Lichfield Canal since its formation in 1988 and, in 2003, created an aqueduct over the M6 Toll road near Brownhills. The town's main secondary school is Brownhills Ormiston Academy (formerly Brownhills Sports College, Brownhills Community Technology College, Brownhills Community School and Brownhills Comprehensive),
2820-591: The Midland Railway , was open for passengers between 1884 and 1930 and for freight until 1960, when the track was lifted. Andy Street , the Mayor of the West Midlands , put forward a 20-year plan for the improvement of the region's transport infrastructure in 2020 which included the re-opening of a station in Brownhills. The Birmingham Canal Navigations ' Wyrley and Essington Canal passes through Brownhills and meets
2914-586: The Midlands . By the first part of the 13th century, Walsall was a small market town with a manor house , with the weekly market being introduced in 1220 and held on Tuesdays. The mayor of Walsall was created as a political position in the 14th century. The Manor of Walsall was held by the Crown and given as a reward to royal proteges. In 1525, it was given to the King's illegitimate son, Henry Duke of Richmond , and in 1541 to
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3008-721: The Queen's handbags, saddles for the royal family and leathergoods for the Prince of Wales . Walsall is the traditional home of the English saddle manufacturing industry, hence the nickname of Walsall Football Club , " the Saddlers " . Apart from leather goods, other industries in Walsall include iron and brass founding, limestone quarrying, small hardware, plastics, electronics, chemicals and aircraft parts. Walsall's location in Central England and
3102-430: The nationalisation of the mining industry the final pit on the Common was closed in the 1950s. Following the demise of the coalfield the town experienced a severe economic slump, with many high street shops closing down. A wave of new development in the 1960s and 1970s saw a new shopping precinct planned, which it was claimed would incorporate a cinema, bowling alley, hotel, and bus station and would completely revitalise
3196-556: The 11th century and is mentioned in the Domesday Book , although the 1801 census lists it as having a population of only 8 people. Beyond Ogley Hay lay Catshill, another hamlet which pre-dated Brownhills and which lay within the parish of Shenstone . During the 17th century, shallow mine workings began to develop in the area, and in 1759 a turnpike was erected in the Catshill area. A local legend claims that Dick Turpin once vaulted
3290-412: The 17th century. The most popular suggestion for the origin of the name is that it refers to the early mining spoil heaps which dotted the area. The settlement is first recorded (as "Brownhill") on Robert Plot 's 1680 map of Staffordshire , at which time it was a hamlet within the manor of Ogley Hay, which in turn was part of the parish of Norton Canes . Ogley Hay itself had existed since at least
3384-604: The 1950s Ogley Hay F.C. were a strong local team, reaching the final of the Walsall Senior Cup on three occasions. Brownhills Community Colts Football Club fields teams in various age groups up to under-17. The Brownhills Canoe and Outdoor Centre opened in 2006, funded by British Waterways with the assistance of partners such as Sport England , the European Regional Development Fund and Walsall Council , and offers canoeing and kayaking lessons on
3478-406: The 1970s. Immediately to the west of the town is Brownhills Common, a 100-acre (0.40 km ) heathland which once formed part of Cannock Forest (also known as "Canke Wood"). Although the forest was felled in the 15th and 16th centuries, the spread of heather and the grazing of sheep led to the creation of a huge area of heathland. The area was affected by mine workings but has now returned to
3572-439: The 2021 census, the Brownhills ward profile population was 13,441. Of the findings, the ethnicity and religious composition of the ward was: The religious composition of Brownhills ward at the 2021 Census was recorded as: At the 2011 census, 5,769 people in Brownhills were employed, with the largest percentages in retail (19.8%) and manufacturing (15.8%). This represented a shift from a decade earlier, when manufacturing had been
3666-475: The Bridge for Bloxwich at 11:15 pm. On 1 October 1933 the Walsall trolleybus service opened to the public. Walsall Walsall ( / ˈ w ɔː l s ɔː l / , or / ˈ w ɒ l s ɔː l / ; locally / ˈ w ɔː s ʊ l / ) is a market town and administrative centre of the borough of the same name in the West Midlands , England. Historically part of Staffordshire , it
3760-584: The Brownhills pits. Seven miners, including a boy aged 11, died in an accident in 1861, and in October 1930 an explosion at the Grove Colliery killed fourteen miners, ten of them from Brownhills. In 1877 the town of Brownhills was officially recognised for the first time after a new Act authorised the amalgamation of rural districts into larger local government areas. An order was issued on 29 September stating: The Local Government Board have proposed to declare
3854-573: The Digbeth Arcade, was completed in 1897. Over 2000 men from Walsall were killed in fighting during the First World War . They are commemorated by the town's cenotaph , which is located on the site of a bomb which was dropped by Zeppelin 'L 21' , killing the town's mayoress and two others. Damage from the Zeppelin can still be seen on what is now a club on the corner of the main road, just opposite
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3948-522: The Goldmine Centre. The Catholic St Mary's Church was built in 1827, designed by Joseph Ireland and is a Grade II* listed building. There are also numerous mosques or Masjids in Walsall. Most of these are in close proximity to each other, located in the adjoining areas of Caldmore and Palfrey , just south of the town centre. In the ward of Palfrey , there is Walsall's most-attended mosque, Masjid-Al-Farouq, alongside Aisha Mosque. Caldmore
4042-535: The Market Place at Willenhall. A junction was constructed at the Willenhall Board Schools, and Walsall tramcars first ran through to Willenhall Market Place on 19 July 1905. 1 May, 1907 through running to Wednesbury and Darlaston was begun. Reduced services were operated in the evenings in 1916 after the Zeppelin raids. In one of these raids by LZ 61 (Zeppelin 'L 21') on 31 January 1916 tramcar 16
4136-659: The Mayor, the Council, officials and Justices of the Peace were conveyed in four special cars, covering most of the routes of the new network. Fifty drivers and fifty conductors were employed to start the corporation services which began on 1 January 1904. In June 1905, an agreement was made with the Wolverhampton District Electric Company whereby Walsall Corporation tramcars would be allowed to work over their tracks into
4230-861: The Parish of Norton under Cannock, the Chapelry of Hammerwich, the Parish of Ogley Hay, and parts of the Parish of Shenstone and of the Township of Walsall Foreign to be a Local Government District under the name of the Brownhills District. After the First World War , the Urban District Council, which was based at the Council House and had replaced the District Board in 1894, began a programme of urban improvement. Large areas of open farmland were purchased for
4324-535: The Shoulder of Mutton, which still bears windows etched with the emblem of the brewery which owned it in the 1850s. The Station Hotel in the High Street hosted concerts, including an appearance by Black Sabbath in 1968. Brownhills does not have a Saturday men's football team; in the 1990s Brownhills Town F.C. competed in the Midland Football Combination but folded during the 2003–04 season. During
4418-515: The Walsall Borough, shown in the 2011 census as 59.0%. The second largest is Islam recorded at 8.2%. Of the churches in Walsall, St Matthew's Church lies to the north of the town centre near the ASDA supermarket, and can be seen when entering Walsall in any direction where it is the highest structure. In 1821, St Matthew's Church was demolished with exception of the tower and chancel and replaced at
4512-450: The average selling price of a domestic property in the town was £182,700, compared to £112,000 ten years earlier, a rise of 63%. Two housing associations, Walsall Housing Group (whg) and WATMOS Housing Co-operative (WATMOS), manage those properties formerly owned as council houses by Walsall Council. In the West Midlands, the warmest time of the year is July and August, when maximum temperatures average around 21 °C (70 °F);
4606-520: The barricade on his horse to avoid paying the toll, although this is demonstrably false as Turpin was executed in 1739, twenty years before the turnpike's construction. In 1794 Brownhills (now in the plural) was included in a list of local settlements mentioned in an Act of Parliament concerning canals in Staffordshire, and three years later the Wyrley & Essington Canal , nicknamed the "Curly Wyrley" by
4700-473: The borough is 11 years, although the Aldridge-Brownhills area of the borough had a system of 5–9 first, 9–13 middle and 13–18 secondary schools until 1986, as the former urban district council of this area had adopted the three-tier system in 1972. Schools within the borough are administered by Walsall MBC. SERCO Archived 26 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine . Christianity is the largest religion in
4794-486: The building of council houses , and a notorious slum area, Ogley Square, which had been declared unfit for human habitation, was demolished after a long legal dispute and the tenants rehoused. The final farmland within the boundaries of Brownhills was sold for redevelopment in 1952. By the time of the Second World War the mines of Brownhills, being amongst the oldest in the area, were largely exhausted, and following
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#17328843891274888-526: The canal, close to the centre of town. Nearby Chasewater is a prominent watersports site, with the Watersports Centre offering a variety of water skiing facilities, and the sailing club providing year-round windsurfing and dinghy sailing . Brownhills has no dedicated local newspaper, but is covered by newspapers published in Wolverhampton and Walsall . The most popular paid-for local newspaper
4982-549: The collapse of a plan to build a supermarket on the site, a planning application was submitted in 2017, but by late 2018 the precinct was still disused and a frequent target for anti-social behaviour. The headquarters of the One Stop convenience store chain, a subsidiary of Tesco plc , is located in the town. Brownhills was formerly home to the wirings manufacturer Electrium's last UK-based factory, but this has closed, with manufacturing shifted overseas and commercial staff moved to
5076-439: The coolest months are January and February, when minimum temperatures average around 1 °C (39 °F). The area's average maximum and minimum temperatures are almost exactly in line with the national average . The average annual rainfall is about 676 millimetres (27 in), the wettest months being September to January. This is lower than the national average annual rainfall of 838 mm (33 inches). At
5170-435: The corporation built eleven tiled, brick almshouses for poor women. They were known to the area as 'Molesley's Almshouses'. The 'Walsall Improvement and Market Act' was passed in 1848 and amended in 1850. The Act provided facilities for the poor, improving and extending the sewerage system and giving the commissioners the powers to construct a new gas works. On 10 October 1847, a gas explosion killed one person and destroyed
5264-403: The county". In 2007, a new £445,000 bridge was erected across the canal at Brownhills, providing pedestrian, disabled and cycling access to the Common and to the village of Clayhanger beyond. To the east lies the village of Stonnall and a large area of green belt land. The geology of Brownhills comprises mainly red clay marl overlying Triassic sandstone and deposits of coal. The town
5358-454: The courtier Sir John Dudley , later Duke of Northumberland. It was seized by Queen Mary in 1553, after Northumberland had been found guilty of treason. Queen Mary's Grammar School was founded in 1554, and the school carries the queen's personal badge as its emblem: the Tudor Rose and the sheaf of arrows of Mary's mother Catherine of Aragon tied with a Staffordshire Knot . The town
5452-567: The expected standard. There are four other primary schools in the town: St James' Primary School, St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, Brownhills West Primary School, Millfield Primary School and one in Clayhanger, Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School. Brownhills has a Church of England church (St James), a Roman Catholic church (St Bernadette), two Methodist churches (including one in Clayhanger), two Spiritualist Churches , and
5546-404: The expense of some medieval properties. In 1974, Walsall was transferred from the county of Staffordshire to form the metropolitan county of the West Midlands . The Saddlers' Centre , a modern shopping complex, was opened in the town centre in 1980. This included a new Marks & Spencer department store. Early 2000 saw the opening of The New Art Gallery Walsall in the north-west of
5640-497: The fact that the M6 runs through the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall has increased its investment appeal. The main RAC control centre is located in Walsall close by J9 of the M6 and there are now plans to redevelop derelict land in nearby Darlaston and turn it into a state-of-the-art regional centre. Between Bloxwich and Walsall there is a business corridor where TK Maxx has recently opened
5734-440: The former manor was progressively sold off through a series of indentures of questionable legality until 1846 when Cotterill sold the last 135 acres (0.55 km ) and moved to London. The South Staffordshire Railway reached Brownhills in 1850 and led to a huge expansion of the local mining operation and with it a population explosion in the area, with the population increasing from 305 in 1801 to over 13,000 in 1891. In 1858
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#17328843891275828-402: The largest sector, employing 28.5% of the workforce. In 2011, 2.7% of usual residents aged 16 to 74 were classified as long-term unemployed. The decline of the mining industry in the 1950s caused a severe economic slump in Brownhills. In 2007, the local authority created a "Townscape Masterplan" for the regeneration of Brownhills, which involved increased leisure provision, the improvement of
5922-558: The locally born author (1859–1927), was opened in 1984. The town's prolific leather industry was recognised in 1988 when the Princess Royal opened Walsall Leather Museum. By the 1990s, a canalside area in the town centre known as Town Wharf was being developed for leisure, shopping and arts facilities. The town's new art gallery opened at Town Wharf in early 2000. The following year, Crown Wharf retail park opened nearby, accommodating retailers including Next and TK Maxx which closed on 9 September 2020. The 21st century has also seen
6016-416: The locals due to its winding course, was opened. In 1799 Norton Pool, later to be renamed Chasewater , was created to serve as a reservoir for the canals. Early in the 19th century, a horse-drawn tram system connected the mines to the wharves on the canal. In response to the growing population of the area open land in Ogley Hay, up until then merely heathland was enclosed and converted to farmland in 1838,
6110-464: The north of the town centre such as Coal Pool , Blakenall Heath (where Walsall's first council houses were built in 1920), Goscote and Harden . after the end of World War II , Beechdale . Significant developments also took place nearer to the town centre, particularly during the 1960s when a host of tower blocks were built around the town centre; however, most of these had been demolished by 2010. The Memorial Gardens opened in 1952 in honour of
6204-407: The opening of a Poundland store in the building on 22 October that year. A local landmark is Barr Beacon , which is reportedly the highest point following its latitude eastwards until the Ural Mountains in Russia. The soil of Walsall consists mainly of clay with areas of limestone , which were quarried during the Industrial Revolution. At the 2021 census, Walsall's built-up area population
6298-428: The principal industry of Brownhills until the last pit closed in the 1950s. During the 18th and 19th centuries the area known as Coppice Side was the hub of the mining industry, and the census of 1841 showed that over 80% of the population of the area which makes up modern Brownhills lived and worked there, with up to ten pits active in the area at any one time. As in other mining areas, several men lost their lives in
6392-472: The roof of Walsall Wood pit collapsed in 1951. The town is also home to what is reputed to be the oldest fingerpost in the United Kingdom. Chasewater in Staffordshire lies on the edge of Brownhills, with the area surrounding it, which is designated as a country park, officially falling within the Brownhills postal area. The reservoir supports a variety of activities including water-skiing, sailing, angling and bird watching. The Chasewater Railway operates
6486-412: The route to Walsall Wood was converted to motor bus operation. In 1928 the Wolverhampton District Company routes were sold to the Wolverhampton Corporation Tramways . The Birmingham Road route was abandoned on 30 September 1928, and the Willenhall route on 4 February 1929. The routes to Darlaston and Wednesbury were abandoned on 5 March 1931. The last tram operated on 30 September 1933 when No 44 left
6580-428: The same year in which the area was first declared a parish, although no church was built for another 13 years. Charles Foster Cotterill, a former mayor of Walsall who had purchased the manor of Ogley Hay in 1836 upon the death of former lord Phineas Hussey, saw the potential of the area and sold off large tracts of his land for private farming and the construction of a flour mill and a foundry . The remaining land of
6674-437: The site of Walsall College. The college agreed a land swap with Tesco resulting in the construction of a new college building as part of the new Tesco development. A row of derelict shops were demolished in 2016, and rebuilt as a Poundland , which opened on Saturday 15 July 2017, and B & M , which opened on 17 August 2017. Much of the reconstruction of the post-war period was quickly reconsidered as ugly and having blighted
6768-469: The town and other religions/ethnic minorities form the remainder of the population of the town. The Walsall dialect is often referred to as " Yam-Yam ". The accent is often incorrectly referred to as a Brummie accent by people from outside the West Midlands. Walsall has had many industries, from coal mining to metal working. In the late 19th century, the coal mines ran dry, and Walsall became internationally famous for its leather trade. Walsall manufactured
6862-456: The town became linked to the canal and railway networks in the mid-19th century. By the end of the century, Brownhills had grown from a hamlet of only 300 inhabitants to a town of more than 13,000, of whom the vast majority were employed in the coal industry. Mining remained the town's principal industry until the 1950s; the subsequent closure of the pits led to a severe economic decline that has continued until now. The local authority instituted
6956-461: The town centre near Wolverhampton Street, along with the new Crown Wharf Retail Park shortly afterwards. Part of Park Street, the town's main shopping area, was redeveloped around the same time. The centrepiece of this redevelopment was the new British Home Stores department store, which relocated from St Paul's Street at the end of the 1990s. The BHS store closed in 2016 after the company went into administration. Marks and Spencer closed their store
7050-575: The town centre's shopping facilities, a new transport interchange incorporating Park and Ride facilities and cycle links to the town centre and the National Cycle Route , and the refurbishment of run-down properties. The plan involved the potential construction of a bypass to relieve the heavily congested High Street. Among the areas highlighted for redevelopment was the Ravens Court shopping precinct. After many years of legal wranglings, including
7144-405: The town centre. Holland Park, on the edge of the Common, has a skate park and multi-sports area, which were created as part of a £95,000 environmental regeneration project and opened in 2002. One of the major concerns of the local council in 2007 was that the town was "particularly lacking in leisure provision". At one time the town had two cinemas, but the last of these closed in the 1960s and
7238-696: The town had been part of the Walsall North constituency since 1955, when it had been transferred from the now-defunct Cannock constituency. Brownhills was part of the Walsall council counting area of the West Midlands European Parliament constituency , which elected seven MEPs to the European Parliament . In the 2019 election the Brexit Party gained 42.7% of the vote in this counting area, followed by Labour with 21.5%. Brownhills
7332-404: The town's fallen combatants of the two world wars . The Old Square Shopping Centre, a modern indoor shopping complex featuring many big retail names, opened in 1969. The Old Square shopping centre is currently laying derelict, with shops set to open in the centre soon. Primark and The Co-operative have opened in the former Tesco store, after the supermarket chained moved to Littleton Street on
7426-477: The town, but more than a decade later the most problematic areas had seen little redevelopment. Brownhills is represented by two tiers of government, Walsall Borough Council ("local") and UK Parliament ("national"). The Brownhills District established in 1877 remained in existence until 1894 when it was superseded by Brownhills Urban District. In 1966 the Urban District merged with that of Aldridge to form
7520-407: The town. Although a small river called Crane Brook flows slightly to the east of Brownhills, the only significant bodies of water in the area are human-made, namely the canal and the 3 km (1.2 sq mi) reservoir Chasewater , which lies to the north, between Brownhills and Cannock Chase. The reservoir was constructed in the 18th century and reshaped by reclamation schemes as recently as
7614-401: The town. Despite the developers' grandiose claims, the project was not a success and ultimately consisted solely of shopping units, many of which stood empty for up to five years. There was little further development in the 1980s and 1990s, and the feeling of the local council is that the town centre needs improvement. In 2007, the council created a "Townscape Masterplan" for the redevelopment of
7708-576: The town. In 1959, John Betjeman advised that with sensitive restoration the old buildings of the High Street could become "one of the most attractive streets in England." Instead, almost every building was demolished. The County Borough of Walsall, which was established at Walsall Council House and originally consisted of Walsall and Bloxwich, was expanded in 1966 to incorporate most of Darlaston and Willenhall , as well as small parts of Bilston and Wednesbury . The current Metropolitan Borough of Walsall
7802-425: The tramway system. They leased the tramway back to the former company who operated for the next 3 years. From 1901, contracts were awarded for the modernisation, electrification and extension of the system. On 3 December 1903, Lieutenant Colonel Sir Horatio Arthur Yorke carried out an inspection of the new extensions and passed them fit for service. The official opening ceremony took place on 31 December 1903, when
7896-433: The villages of Pelsall and Walsall Wood . It lies within the boundaries of the historic county of Staffordshire . The town lies close to the route of the ancient Watling Street , and although there is no record of its existence before the 17th century, Ogley Hay – a district of the town today – is recorded as a settlement in the Domesday Book . Brownhills quickly grew around the coal-mining industry, especially after
7990-550: The west window of St Matthew's Church. Walsall finally received a railway line in 1847, 48 years after canals reached the town, Bescot having been served since 1838 by the Grand Junction Railway . In 1855, Walsall's first newspaper, the Walsall Courier and South Staffordshire Gazette , was published. The Whittimere Street drill hall was completed in 1866. The Victorian Arcade in the town centre, originally named
8084-519: The wider borough having a population of 269,323 . Neighbouring settlements in the borough include Darlaston , Brownhills , Pelsall , Willenhall , Bloxwich and Aldridge . The name Walsall is derived from " Walh halh", meaning "valley of the Welsh", referring to the British who first lived in the area. Later, it is believed that a manor was held here by William FitzAnsculf , who held numerous manors in
8178-585: Was formed in 1974 when Aldridge-Brownhills Urban District was incorporated into Walsall. At the same time, Walsall was transferred from the historic county of Staffordshire to become part of the new West Midlands county. The Saddlers Centre , a modern shopping mall, opened in 1980, being refurbished within a decade. On 23 November 1981, an F1/T2 tornado touched down in Bloxwich and later moved over parts of Walsall town centre and surrounding suburbs, causing some damage. The Jerome K. Jerome museum, dedicated to
8272-593: Was installed in the New Picture House cinema in Lower Bridge Street in the town centre. It was later renamed the Gaumont then Odeon. Slum clearances began after the end of World War I , with thousands of 19th century buildings around the town centre being demolished as the 20th century wore on, with new estates being built away from the town centre during the 1920s and 1930s. These were concentrated in areas to
8366-554: Was on Bradford Street with the Mayoress, Mrs. Mary Julia Slater on board. In Bradford Place, a bomb fell and the glass in the car was shattered. The Mayoress was severely injured and died from her injuries on 20 February. In 1920–21, the route from Pinfold to Bloxwich was doubled at a cost of £14,313 (equivalent to £802,073 in 2023). In 1922, the corporation took over responsibility for the lines from Pleck to Wood Green and James Bridge. The first abandonment took place on 1 April 1928 when
8460-570: Was operated by Arriva and extended to Walsall vis the current service 8 route. Brownhills formerly had two railway stations. The first , on the South Staffordshire Line (later part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway ), opened in 1849 but was closed as part of the Beeching Axe in 1965. The line remained open for freight until 1983, but the track was lifted in 1987. The other , on
8554-466: Was re-occupied by a new T J Hughes department store which opened on 9 October 2009. However, the building became vacant again on 14 August 2011 when financial difficulties led to T.J. Hughes pulling out of the town after less than two years of trading. (TJ Hughes returned to the former Argos store in the Saddler Centre but have since closed for a second time.) It was re-occupied two months later with
8648-486: Was recorded as having a population of 70,778. Of the findings, the ethnicity and religious composition of the wards separately were: The religious composition of the built-up area at the 2021 Census was recorded as: The tables show that Walsall's surrounding suburbs have the largest Asian and Muslim populations of any town in West Midlands County. White British and Christians remain the second-largest population of
8742-452: Was transferred to his sister Diana, Countess of Mountrath and then reverted to the Earls of Bradford until the estates were sold after World War II. The family's connection with Walsall is reflected in local placenames, including Bridgeman Street, Bradford Lane, Bradford Street and Mountrath Street. The Industrial Revolution changed Walsall from a village of 2,000 people in the 16th century to
8836-456: Was visited by Queen Elizabeth I , when it was known as 'Walshale'. It was also visited by Henrietta Maria in 1643. She stayed in the town for one night at a building named the 'White Hart' in the area of Caldmore . The Manor of Walsall was later sold to the Wilbrahim and Newport families, and passed by inheritance to the Earls of Bradford. On the death of the fourth Earl in 1762, the estate
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