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Walsall
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Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation, and is sometimes described as part of the Black Country. Walsall folk (informally known as 'Walsallians') generally object to being referred to as Brummie, preferring instead to promote their own proud heritage to people outside the West Midlands conurbation.
Walsall is the administrative headquarters of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall.
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Encyclopedia
Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation, and is sometimes described as part of the Black Country. Walsall folk (informally known as 'Walsallians') generally object to being referred to as Brummie, preferring instead to promote their own proud heritage to people outside the West Midlands conurbation.
Walsall is the administrative headquarters of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall. In the 2001 census, the town had a population of 170,994 with the wider borough having a population of 253,500. Neighbouring towns in the borough include Willenhall, Bloxwich and Aldridge.
The Walsall dialect is often referred to as "Yam-Yam." The accent is also equally, and (incorrectly) referred to, as a Brummie accent by those who live outside the West Midlands.
History
The name Walsall is thought to have derived from the words "Walh halh", meaning "valley of the Celtic speakers" (referring to the Celts). Walsall is first referenced as 'Walesho' in a document dated 1002, however it is not referenced in the Domesday Book. Although, it is believed that a manor was held here by William FitzAnsculf, who held numerous manors in the Midlands. By the first part of the 13th century, Walsall was a small market town, 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. Walsall is known as "the town of a hundred trades". (This appellation is a nod to the fact that nearby Birmingham is known as "the city of a thousand trades". Though at the time considerably smaller, Birmingham's growth to size larger than Walsall due to the adoption of a main railway line.)
The town 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. Queen Mary's Grammar School was founded by Mary I of England in 1554, and the school carries the Queen's personal badge as its emblem: the Tudor Rose and the sheaf of arrows of Catherine of Aragon tied with a Staffordshire knot.
The Industrial Revolution changed Walsall from a village of 2,000 people in the 16th century to 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 1821, St. Matthews Church was demolished with exception of the tower and chancel and replaced at a cost of £20,000 to a design by Francis Godwin. In 1824, the Walsall Corporation received an Act of Parliament to improve the town by providing lighting and a gas works. The gas works were built in 1826 at a cost of £4,000. In 1825, 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 the west window of St Matthews Church.
It is a local story, although perhaps not accurate, that Walsall declined a railway line, which was later given to Birmingham, now the United Kingdom's second largest city. Walsall finally received a railway line in 1847, 48 years after canals reached the town. In 1855, Walsall's first newspaper, the Walsall Courier and South Staffordshire Gazette, was published.
Walsall underwent modernisation in the 1970s with a new town centre being built at the expense of some very old and good quality medieval properties. In 1974, Walsall was transferred from the county of Staffordshire to form the metropolitan county of the West Midlands. Walsall is currently undergoing a new era of urban regeneration with many brownfield being replaced with modern houses, apartments and offices.
Construction is underway of St Matthew's Quarters. A new Asda store has already opened and when completed St Matthew's Quarters will also include brand shops and modern apartments. Walsall College will be moving to a new site within the town centre whilst on the old site Tesco will be building a new shopping complex.
The other plans are to redevelop Old Square Shopping Centre to make it much bigger and connect it to St Matthew's Quarters. The 800 year-old Historic Market also has a new vision for the 21st century. It will be moved lower down towards the town centre, making it more accessible along with up to date modern stalls. The Historic Market will work alongside the new developments ensuring Walsall's future.
Geography
A local landmark is Barr Beacon, which is reportedly the highest point following its latitude eastwards until the Ural Mountains of Russia. There was a plaque on the summit attesting to this, although it has been repeatedly stolen. The soil of Walsall consists mainly of clay with areas of limestone, which were quarried during the Industrial Revolution.
Suburbs and areas
Demography
The 2001 Census gives the Walsall Urban Subdivision as the fourth most populous in the West Midlands conurbation, with a total resident population of 170,994.
Economy
Walsall has had many industries, from coal mining to metal working. Nearby Willenhall ( located partly in Walsall's borough) was famed for it's locks. In the late 19th century, the coal mines ran dry, and Walsall became internationally famous for the leather trade. Walsall still manufactures the Queen's handbags, and Walsall leather products have been found as far afield as Italy. Walsall is the traditional home of the English saddle manufacture 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 has always been overshadowed by its much larger neighbouring city of Birmingham and the nearby city of Wolverhampton. However its location in Central England and 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 hub. Between Bloxwich and Walsall there is a business corridor where TK Maxx has recently opened a regional depot. Currently established businesses include Homeserve plc and South Staffordshire Water.
Education
Walsall is home to the University of Wolverhampton's Sports and Art Campus. Walsall College provides further education, and is based around three sites across Walsall. There are ten secular junior schools and two religious junior schools in Walsall. 45% of pupils in the Borough of Walsall achieved five GCSEs with grades of A*-C, below the national average of 56%.
Transport
Walsall Bus Station, is made up of two smaller bus stations, Bradford Place and St Pauls. Over 90 bus routes operated by eleven bus operators serve Walsall. Services from St Paul's Bus Station leave Walsall in many directions; there are services south-east to Birmingham; west to Wolverhampton, Willenhall and Bloxwich; north to Cannock and Brownhills; and east to Sutton Coldfield and Aldridge, with many to the latter. In addition, more infrequent services to Lichfield run. St Paul's is also home to the Walsall Information Centre. Bradford Place operates buses mainly to the south and south-west, to West Bromwich, Oldbury, Dudley and Stourbridge. There are also numerous shorter bus routes, leaving from both stations which give the town centre a link to housing estates including Alumwell, Beechdale, Chuckery, Park Hall and the Mossley Estate.
Walsall has a busy railway station; four trains per hour run south from the station to Birmingham and two trains per hour run north to Cannock and Rugeley with fewer trains in the evenings and on Sundays. There are also two suburban stations to the north of the town at Bloxwich and Bloxwich North.
Walsall is served by the A454 and the M6 for road travel. There are three motorway junctions from which Walsall can be accessed: M6 J7, M6 J9 and M6 J10. The stretch between these junctions is one of the busiest in Europe.
Facilities and culture
Arboretum and illuminations
Walsall Arboretum was officially opened on 4 May 1874 by the wealthy Hatherton family. It was hoped that the park would provide "a healthy change from dogfights, bull-baiting and cockfights", however the 2d (old pence) admission was not popular with the public and within seven years the council took over ownership to provide free admission.
Over the years the arboretum has seen many events and changes, including the beginnings of the Walsall Arboretum Illuminations as an annual event in 1951.
Originally white bulbs in trees for courting couples in the autumn, in the 1960s and 1970s, the lights were purchased secondhand from Blackpool Illuminations, but over the years they were increasingly made "in house" and are now all made "in house".
The Illuminations have up to sixty thousand bulbs and they need year-round planning. Although the event had attracted an estimated 250,000 people in 1995, lack of growth beyond this figure has raised the prospect of major redevelopment as the light shows have been exactly the same for a number of years. In February 2009, Walsall council announced that the Illuminations will not take place in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Art galleries
The New Art Gallery Walsall opened in 2000. It contains a large number of works by Jacob Epstein as well as works by Van Gogh, Monet, Turner, Renoir and Constable. The large gallery space is host to many contemporary exhibitions from locally, nationally and internationally recognised artists all throughout the year. The art gallery runs a range of different exhibitions. Major British contemporary artists such as Gavin Turk have exhibited there and international artist Joana Vasconcalis from Portugal is about to have her first British exhibition. Historic art displays such as Goya's Dispartes are shown alongside of the Garman Ryan Collection with contemporary interventions from the galleries permanent collections making an appearance among the older works.
The Discovery Gallery is designed for families and children of all ages. It is an interactive space containing major art works and a large variety of interactive pieces designed to engage people of all ages with the art on display. The interactive theme is continued in the Garman Ryan Galleries and often in the exhibition spaces too.
Public art
The refurbished Sister Dora statue stands outside the Lloyds TSB building at the crossing between Park Street and Bridge Street. Opposite this, stood an infamous concrete hippo. It has since been moved to a corner in the square and has been replaced by a water fountain.
Sports
Walsall's football club, Walsall F.C., The Saddlers, was founded in 1888 when Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. merged. They won their first game against Aston Villa F.C.. The club currently play in Football League One.
Walsall also has a cricket club, Walsall Cricket Club who won Birmingham League Premier Division in 2006.
Walsall RUFC is Walsall's rugby union team who are currently competing in Midlands 2 West.
Walsall Hockey Club currently play in the West Midlands Premier League and are managed by Sir Mark Grundy.
Walsall was home to a horse racing course. The Grand Stand was constructed in 1809 at a cost of £1,300 on a piece of land donated by the Earl of Bradford on a lease of 99 years. Soon after completion, one of the lower compartments was converted into a billiards room which contained a table donated by Lord Chichester Spencer of Fisherwick Park. Throughout the 19th century, races were held annually at the course on Michaelmas.
Shopping
In 1809, a market house was constructed at the end of the high street, on the site of the market cross, for the sale of poultry, eggs, butter, and dairy products. The building was demolished in 1852 along with other buildings that had fallen into disrepair. A pig market was constructed in the town in 1815 on the high street. At its peak, the market would handle the sale of 2,000 pigs per day.
In 1847, the Corporation tried to construct a new market hall on the 'Bowling Green', to the rear of the Dragon Inn. The scheme proposed to use a large amount of public money to construct the hall. Shopkeepers feared that their businesses would be affected and demonstrations were held across the town against the proposals. The demonstrations forced the plans to be shelved.
Park Street remains Walsall's main shopping high street with Bridge Street cutting through the middle to host two average-sized indoor shopping centres at opposite ends; 'The Old Square' and 'Bradford Mall' formerly known as the 'Saddlers Centre'. The recent development known as 'Crown Wharf Retail Park' is host to larger scale shops including the first non-food Asda store. Other redevelopments include that of the former 'Quasar Centre' now known as 'Park Place Shopping Centre'. The Broadwalk Retail Park is also located within Walsall.
The area around the New Art Gallery Walsall is soon to be redeveloped into a huge shopping area coined 'The Waterfront' designed by architect Will Alsop (architect of the internationally recognised Peckham Library) with space available for restaurants, cafés and a new hotel.
Opinion
Walsall was rated the 'Unhappiest Town' in the country, in a poll by Yorkshire based First Direct. According to the survey, only 49% of the population claimed to be happy.
The town has also been accused of being 'The ugliest place in the world', and like 'Ceaucescu's Romania with fast food outlets' in an attack by Theodore Dalrymple of The New Criterion in January 2001.
Recent Changes
Walsall have been in the frontline of redevelopment in West Midlands. Recently, Walsall's regeneration company have won the prestigious Gold award for overseeing 'the regeneration project of the year' at the Midland's top Property awards. This is for a range of future development projects worth £1 billion. These are projects for developing offices, apartments, leisure facilities and shopping outlets. The projects due in completion in 2009 and 2010 are Walsall Manor Hospital revelopment worth £162 million,the new Walsall College worth £65 million,the Waterfront South development worth £60 million and the St. Mathews quarter worth more than £25 million. There are also future plans which have recently given the 'go ahead' by the Government include the £500 million Walsall Gigaport which is a high-speed fibre optic internet environment for national and international businesess, Waterfront North development worth £65 million and the Waterfront Lex dvelopment.
Walsall Transportation Package worth £17 million is also due completion in 2009. This is an overall development of roads in and out of Walsall town centre as well as for roads going towards Walsall Arboretum.
Notable residents
- Francis Asbury - one of two founders of the Methodist movement in the United States was born in Handsworth, Birmingham and lived for a large part of his life close to the Sandwell/Walsall border.
- Fred Bakewell – The 1930s Northamptonshire batsman.
- Boy George – Another famous musical resident of 'The Beechdale', who spent much of his youth in the town as well as renting a flat for a time on High Street in the town centre.
- John Byrne – Comic book creator, born in Walsall but grew up in Canada.
- Colin Charvis – British and Irish Lion and Welsh International studied at Queen Mary's Grammar School and played for Walsall RUFC.
- Peter Corey – Author of the Coping with... and television actor.
- Martin Degville – From the Beechdale, lived with Boy George and later went on to form Sigue Sigue Sputnik
- Don Gilet – Actor born in Walsall.
- Nick Gillingham – Olympic swimmer.
- Goldie – Drum 'n' Bass musician. Lived in the Stroud Avenue orphanage in Willenhall, and attended St. Francis of Assisi RC Secondary School in Aldridge.
- Rob Halford – Singer of heavy metal band Judas Priest, was born in Walsall on 25 August 1951.
- John Holden - breeder of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Pilot. The animal was exported to America by Charlie Lloyd, gained fame and sired 99 percent of all the American pitbull terriers that you see today.
- Noddy Holder – Lead singer of 70's rock band, Slade, born and raised in the Beechdale Area of Walsall.
- Jerome K. Jerome – Author of Three Men in a Boat.
- Alex Lester – Presenter for BBC Radio 2.
- Mark Lewis-Francis – 100 meter sprinter and a member of the gold medal winning 4x100 meter relay team at the 2004 Olympics, was born in Darlaston and attended Darlaston Comprehensive School. He is nick-named the darlaston dart.
- Peter McEnery - English actor of stage and screen, born 21 February 1940 in Walsall. He was reported to have given actress Hayley Mills her first ever kiss, while filming The Moon-Spinners (1964.) He has also acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
- Tony Mills – Lead singer of Norwegian rock band TNT (and previously Brummie rockers SHY) lives in the town.
- Sir Henry Newbolt – Poet
- Sue Nicholls – Actress in Coronation Street.
- Mark Oakley – Screenwriter.
- Mark Rhodes – Runner-Up of pop idol, also born in darlaston.
- Sister Dora – Born in Yorkshire but lived locally 1865-77. She is honoured, for her compassion and her medical work by a statue in the centre of town, thought to be the first to a non-Royal woman in England. It stands next to the legendary concrete hippopotamus (known locally as George).
- Meera Syal – Comedienne, attended Queen Mary's High School.
- Professor Sir James Underwood - Leading international pathologist
- Rachel Unitt – England Women's football star. Born in Bentley.
- Nick Redfern, cryptozoologist.
- Andy Bole avant, experimental musician
- Martin Fowler Author on Software development, born in Walsall, educated at Queen Mary's School
Twin towns
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