Kelly's 1868 Directory

The entry for Cradley in Kelly's 1868 directory has 93 individuals.

CRADLEY is a township and very extensive and populous district of the parish of Halesowen, 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, 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, centre and side aisles, and a clock. The living is a perpetual curacy, yearly vaue £151, in the gift of the vicar of Halesowen, and held by the Rev. J. H. Thompson, B.A., of Magdalen College, Oxford. In 1852 a grant of land was made by the sons of the Rev. George Biggs (a former vicar of the parish of Halesowen) for the enlargement of the burial ground of this parish Here also are places of worship for Unitarians, Baptists, Welseyans, and New Connexion Methodists; attached to the church is a National school, under the government inspection. The Unitarian school is supported partly by endowment and partly by an annual collection. The number of free boys is 30, of girls 12. The extensive iron works of Messrs. Evers and Sons are in this district, and are engaged principally in the manufacture of superior qualities of iron, by the charcoal or wood-coal process. There are likewise manufacturers 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. 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. 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 parish), abound with coal and ironstone. The population in 1861 was 4,075.

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

Parish Clerk, Henry Charlton.

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

INSURANCE AGENTS :-

General Fire & Life, Thomas Clewes, Park side

Royal Fire & Life, George Henry Rice & Thomas Clewes, Park side

SCHOOLS :-

National, William Harris, master; Miss Mary Ann Wooldridge, mistress

Unitarian, Thomas Henry Billingham, master ; Miss Elizabeth Kennedy, mistress

PRIVATE RESIDENTS.

Aston James, esq. Colley Lane

Baker Mr. George Henry

Barnett Miss

Cochrane Rev. Walter [Unitarian], Nethernd

Hingley Mr. Noah, Chapel house

Hingley Mr. Samuel, Fairview

Homer Mr. Joseph

Homer Mrs. Joseph, Colley gate

Homer Mr. Thomas, Colley gate

Homfray Jeston, esq. Coleman hill

Smith Mr. William, Clyde house

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

Wood Mr. Thomas, Colley gate

COMMERCIAL.

Adams Jabez, British Arms, Overend

Attwood Benjamin, beer retailer

Attwood Richard, beer retailer

Attwood William, beer retailer

Attwood William, butcher

Beasley Allen, chain maker, Two gates

Bennett William, Blue Bell

Bloomer Thomas & son, nail manufacturers, Colley Gate

Bloomer John, carpenter, Colley gate

Bloomer Josiah, Robin Hood

Bowkley Edwd. whlwright, Netherend

Brettle Edward, grocer

Bunn William, beer retailer

Clewes Thomas, mop maker, Park Side

Cook Samuel, Crown

Darby Joseph, tailor, Windmill hill

Evers Samuel & Sons, manufacturers of charcoal horsenail rods, best & common iron wire rods for fencing, cables, bars, &c, & coal proprietors, Cradley iron works

Fellows John, miller

Fellows Thomas, Old Mogul, Nethernd

Finch Simeon, Old Two Gates

Foley Edward, farmer

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 Edwd. shopkeeper, Windmill hill

Fox Thomas, maltster

Gadd Joseph, cider retailer

Gill Daniel, butcher

Gower Francis William, grocer

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 advert

Harper Reuben, beer retailer, Colley gate

Hathaway William, Fish

Hawkeswood Richard, tax collector, Colley gate

Hawkesworth Wm. Herbrt. Sun, Overnd

Hill John, shoe maker

Hingley James, butcher

Hingley James, farmer, Neterend

Hopkiss Henry, iron manufacturer. Lodge forge

Hodgetts Charles, polishing felt manufacturer, Park side

Homer Paul, shopkeeper, Park side

Hughes Isaiah, Holly Bush

Jones & Lloyd (late William Rock & Co.), manufacturers of chain cables, anchors, ship & crane chains, wrought nails, spikes, bolts, anvils, vices &c. & hardware merchants, Cradley

Jones Mary (Mrs.) maltstr, Netherend

King Brothers, manufacturers of fire bricks, glasshouse pots &c & plumbagom & and at 37, 38 & 39 Lichfield street, Birmingham. See advertisement.

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

Laister Thomas, maltster, Colley gate

Leonard Samuel, May Pole

Mason James, farmer, Overend

Mills Edward, wheelwright, Colley gate

Mole Lucy (Miss), beer retailr. Colley gate

Mole Wm. Hy. blacksmith, Colley gate

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

Oliver Edwin, contractor

Oliver William, beer retailer, Colley gate

Paddock Hannah (Mrs.), shopkeeper

Pateshall Thomas, tanner, Park side

Pearson Amos, linen draper

Perry James, wood turner, Colley gate

Priest David, grocer

Priest John, smith

Rice George Henry, linen draper

Roper William, farmer, Windmill hill

Shaw William, brick maker, Netherend

Sidaway William, shopkeeper

Simons Mary Frances (Mrs.), Bridge inn

Smethem Henry, beer retlr. Colley gate

Steadman Joseph, Black Swan

Stevens Wm. beer retailer, Netherend

Talbot George, beer retailer

Tandy David, butcher, Colley gate

Tate Abel, Bull's Head

Tate James, shopkeeper

Tate William, beer retailer

Tibbetts Joseph, Shovel inn, Park side

Warr James, brick maker

Webb Thomas, plumber &c.

Westwood Emma (Mrs.), beer retailer

Wooldridge Simeon, van proprietor

Yeomans Williams, tailor