1872 Post Office Directory

The 1872 Post office directory lists 135 Cradley individuals

CRADLEY is a township, and extensive and populous district of the parish of Halesowen, having a station on the Birmingham and Stourbridge section of the Great Western railway, situated 2 1/2 miles east from Stourbridge, 3 south from Dudley, and 9 1/2 from Birmingham, in the Eastern division of the county of Worcestershire, hundred of Lower Halfshire, Stourbridge union and country court district, rural deanery of Kidderminster, and archdeaconry and diocese of Worcester. The town itself lies a little off the main road ; it forms part of a populous mercantile and manufacturing neighbourhood, in which the iron trade is carried on in all its branches. A court baron and a court leet are held here on the last Tuesday in October, at which the steward presides as judge, assisted by a jury. The church, orginally intended for a Lady Huntingdon chapel, is a plain brick building, with cupola and 1 bell, having a chancel, nave and aiseles, and a clock. The register dates from the year 1798. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £300, in the gift of the rector of Halesowen, and held by the Rev. Joseph Hesselgrave Thompson, B.A., of Magdalen Hall, Oxford. Attached to the church is a National school, under Government inspection. The Unitarian school is supported partly by endowment and partly by an annual collection. The number of free boys is 30, fo girls 12. There are also Baptist, Wesleyan, and Ragged schools. Here are places of worship for Unitarians, Baptists, Wesleyans, and New Connexion Methodists. In 1852 a grant of land was made by the sons of the late Rev. George Biggs (a former vicar of the parish of Halesowen) for the enlargement of the burial ground of this parish. The extensive iron works of Messrs. Evers and Sons are in this district : the firm are engaged principally in the manufacture of superior qualities of iron, by the charcoal or wood coal process. There are likewise manufactures of files, rasps, vices, anvils, hammers, nails, anchors, chain cables, and fire bricks. Here are the extensive works of Messrs. Harper and Moores, manufacturers of fire-bricks, clay retorts, crucibles, &c.; this firm are also proprietors of Stourbridge clay. Messrs. King Brothers are also proprietors of the celebrated Stourbridge clay, and have likewise extensive works for the manufacture of bricks and other fire-clay goods. The works of the Cradley Colliery Company are situated in the centre of the parish. One mile from the northern extremity of Cradley, in a romantic vale, agreeably diversified with plantations of firs, is a spring of salt water, called the Lady Well, highly esteemed on account of its medicinal qualities : in the summer it is very much frequented. There are a few handsome residences here : the Elms is the seat of J. W. Aston, esq., the view from the grounds and windows of which is extensive and picturesque. Lord Lyttleon is lord of the manor. The principal landowners are the New British Iron Company, Jeston Homfray, esq., and the Old Swinford Hospital. The soil in general is a rich clay, fertile in all kinds of grain, and forming excellent pasturage ; and the lands on the north and west of Netherend (a part of the township of Cradley) abound with coal and ironstone. The area is 732 acres ; gross estimated rental, £13,072; rateable value, £11,287; the population in 1861 was 4,075, and in 1871, 4,700.

NETHEREND, Colley Gate, Overend, Two Gates, and Coleman Hill are near the town.

Parish Clerk, Isaac Bloomer.

POST OFFICE.- Mrs Elizabeth Christopher, receiver. Letters arrive from Brierley Jill at 7.45 a.m.& 2.40 p.m.; dispatched at 6.45 p.m. The nearest money order office is at Cradley Heath

INSURANCE AGENTS.- Imperial Fire, J. Bloomer

PUBLIC OFFICERS :-

Excise Officer, Osborne Oliver, Clay Bank

Rate Collector, Richard Hawkeswood, Colley gate

Registrar of Births & Deaths, Joseph Smith, Halesowen

SCHOOLS :-

National, Thomas Davies, master; Miss Mary Ann Wooldridge, mistress

Unitarian, Thomas Henry Billingham, master ; Miss Annie Roberts, mistress

Wesleyan, Nicholas Yeamon, master

Baptist, master, vacant

Ragged, Mrs. Emma Field, mistress

Railway Station (Great Western), Richard Roach, station master

CARRIERS :- Simeon Wooldridge, to Crown inn, Broad street, Birmingham, on tuesday, thursday & saturday. Lloyd, to Crown inn, Broad street, Birmingham, tuesday, thursday & saturday, returning at 5 p.m. ; to Spread Eagle, Spiceal street, tuesday, thursday & saturday, returning at 3.30 p.m

Aston James Wood, The Elms

Baker George Henry

Barnett Miss, Fair View lodge

Buncher Rev. James [curate]

Cochrane Rev. Walter [Unitarian], Netherend

Hingley Joseph, Linton house

Hingley Noah, J.P. Hatherton Lodge

Hingley Samuel, Fairview

Homer Joseph Benjamin, Chapel house

Homer Mrs, Colley gate

Homer Thomas, Colley gate

Homfray Jeston, Coleman hill

Morgan Rev. Maurice [Baptist]

Mountford John, Poplar cottage

Mountford Richard, Highfield house

Palmer Rev. Andrew [Wesleyan]

Smith William, Clyde house

Thompson Rev. Joseph H. B.A. [vicar]

Thompson Wesley Hayes

Wood (Mrs.), Colley Gate house

COMMERCIAL.

Adams Jabez, Bull's Head, Overend

Adams William, Blue Ball

Allport Henry, boot & show maker, Windmill hill

Arnett Sarah (Mrs), beer retailer

Aston J. Wood & Co. (late Wood Bros.), manufacturers of chain cables, anchors & rigging chains ; also crane, incline, pit & all other kinds of chains, iron & steel shovels, spades & forks, anvils, vices, scythes, hay & chaff knives, picks, hammers, nails, railway & mining tools, frying pans, bowls, ladles, use iron of all descriptions, Stourbridge fire bricks and clay, &c. &c. Cradley (postal address, Stourbridge). See advertisement

Attwood Eliza (Mrs.), manufacturer of hames of all descriptions

Attwood James, Fish Inn

Attwood William, butcher

Beasley Allen, chain maker, Two gates

Bellingham Geo. beer retlr, Two gates

Bennett Saml. beer retailer, Two gates

Bennett William, Victoria

Bloomer Thomas & Son, nail manufacturers, Colley gate

Bloomer Geo. Albert, draper, Colley gate

Bloomer Isaac Parkes, buildr, Colley gate

Bloomer John, builder, Windmill hill

Bloomer Joseph, grocer

Bloomer Philip, chain maker

Bloxley Peter, chain maker

Blunt Felix, shopkeeper

Blunt Thomas, chain maker

Brettell James, grocer

Bridgwater John, grocer

Bunn William, beer retailer

Clewes Thomas. & Son, mop maker, Park side

Cook Elizabeth (Mrs.), Crown

Cox Thos. beer retailer, Windmill hill

Cradley Colliery Co. (Edward Jewkes, manager), coal masters

Crompton Henry, nail maker

Darby Christopher, linen draper

Darby Joseph, tailor, Windmill hill

Deeley William, Rose &Crown

Evers Samuel & Sons, manufacturers of charcoal rods, best & common nail rods, fencing rods & bars, small, square & round, also importers of swedish rods, Cradley iron works

Fellows Thomas, Old Mogul, Netherend

Fellows William, miller

Finch Simeon, Old Two Gates

Foley Edward, farmer, Homer hill

Folkes Wm. beer retailer, Windmill hill

Forrest Brothers & Co. manufacturers of wrought nails, chain cables, anchor, crane & ship's rigging chains, spades & shovels, anvils & vices &c. & iron merchants, Windmill hill

Forrest Alice Helen (Mrs.), ironmonger, Windmill hill

Forrest Edwd. shopkeeper, Windmill hill

Fox Thomas, maltster, Overend

Gadd Joseph, cider retailer

Gill Daniel, butcher

Griffin William, anchor maker

Grove John Haden, grocer, Colley gate

Harper & Moores, coal masters, manufacturers of Stourbridge fire bricks of all descriptions, fire clay retorts, crucibles & glasshouse pots of all kinds, & proprietors of best glasshouse pot clay, Lower Delph works. See advertisement

Harper Reuben, beer retailer, Colley gate

Hawkeswood Richard. Sun, Colley gate

Hawkeswood William Herbert, farmer, Overend

Hill Albion, nail maker

Hill John, boot & shoe maker

Hill Thomas, farmer, Park Lane farm

Hingley James, butcher & farmer

Hingley James, chain maker

Hipkiss Hen. iron manfr. Lodge forge

Hodgetts Rubey Charles, polishing felt manufacturer, Park side

Homer Paul, general dealer, Park side

Hughes Harry, grocer

Hughes Isaiah, Holly Bush

Hughes Samuel, maltster

Jones & Lloyd, manfrs. of chain cables

Jones Isaac, painter, Windmill hill

Jones Samuel, beer retailer

Jones Susannah. (Mrs) maltstr. Nethernd

King Joseph & Co. coal proprietors & manufacturers of blue bricks, tiles &c. Netherend

King Brothers, manufacturers of fire bricks, glasshouse pots &c. & crucibles in clay & plumbago, & proprietors of Stourbridge clay; & at 36, 37 & 38 Lichfield street, Birmingham. See advt

Laister Thomas, maltster, Colley gate

Lane James, iron founder

Leonard James, farmer, Cradley forge

Leonard Samuel, May Pole

Markham Frederick John, grocer

Mason Charles, farmer, Overend

Mills Edward, wheelwright, Colley gate

Mole Fanny (Miss), beer retailer, Colley gate

Mole Wm. Hy. blacksmith, Colley gate

Moore John, shopkeeper

Mountford, Homer & Mountford, iron merchants & manufacturers of wrought nails, chain cables, anchors, crane & ships' rigging chains, spades & shovels, anvils, vices &c. Cradley works ; & 6 1/2 & 7 Fore street, Limehouse, London e

Oliver Edwin, contractor, Colley gate

Oliver William, maltster

Paddock Hannah (Mrs.), shopkeeper

Parks William, shopkeeper, Colley lane

Parrock George, draper

Partridge Geo. chain manfr. High park

Pateshill John, tanner, Park side

Pearson Amos, linen draper

Perry James, grocer, Two gates

Priest Ellen (Mrs.), shopkeeper, Colley la

Priest John, smith

Roper Emanuel, shopkeeper, Colley gate

Roper William, farmer, Windmill hill

Shaw William, brick maker, Netherend

Sidaway William, shopkeeper

Southall John, nail maker

South Staffordshire Waterworks Co. offices, 56 Union passage, Birmingham

Stevens John, grocer, Netherend

Stevens Richd. beer retlr. Windmill hill

Stevens Wm. beer retailer, Netherend

Tandy David, butcher, Colley gate

Tate James, shopkeeper

Tate Samuel, British Arms

Tate William, Bridge inn

Taylor Geo. boot & shoe maker, Colley la

Taylor William, nail maker

Thompson Wesley Hayes, surgeon

Tibbetts Elizabeth (Mrs.), Shovel inn, Park side

Walker David, nail maker

Walker Felix, nail maker

Walker William, nail maker

Warr Samuel, brick maker

Webb Thomas, plumber &c

Williams Thomas, linen draper, Windmill hill

Yates Ann (Mrs.), beer retailer

Yeomans Williams, tailor