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
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Kelly's Directory 1868