Horseley Fields - a bagful of nostalgia

My mind conjures up lost images of St James's Square, Walsall Street schools and the Cattle markets, at a time when Horsely Fields was, as many people would agree, a separate town.

Only the street names remain today, in 2014, to offer us links with a past, that has almost disappeared , but I have a bagful of nostalgia, collected from the older generation, who lived in this canal side community all those years ago, so lets take a look inside and hopefully cherish a little bit of The History and Mystery that was once Horseley Fields.

The ring road and bus station cover Horseley Fields and St James Square today.

I have remarked many times the best way to get a clear picture of how life used to be, is to listen to the stories told by those who remember it for themselves.

An example of such a story comes from Mrs Betty Farrell, born in Wolverhampton, Betty's great grandfather, John Brier and his wife Sara, were the licensees of "The Vine Inn", 85 Walsall Street in 1868, the Vine Inn was on the corner of Minerva Lane.

She gave me this copy of a letter written by their thirteen year old son Charles to his parents dated December 6th 1875.

In Harrods 1870 Directory, Alexander Hunter is listed as running, "The Commercial and Classical" day school, St James Square, and it is to this academy that Charles Brier attends.

A Post Office, Transit Van en-route up Union Street, from the main delivery office on the corner of Corn Hill is seen crossing the junction of Little Park Street and St James Square.

Pictured on the left is the rear of Walsall Street Schools now being used as an annexe of the Technical High School and Teachers College. In the background is what remains of St James's Square.

Now the name Union Street may not mean anything to townsfolk now.

But to me in my youth, Union Street, was part of my daily walk to St Josephs School, through St James's Square and Walsall Street, across Bilston Street into Steelhouse Lane.

But during Victorian times, we see by the following amusing article from the local press. It appeared then, " Union Street "had somewhat of a chequered past.

The Characters in the story were:

The Licensee of "The Talbot", at that time, Mr Yates.

The Chief Constable at that time, Major Hay

The two Thornes were Solicitors, in Darlington Street

The Town Clerk , was Horatio Brevitt. (later to be knighted)

In the earlier part of this decade the sight of returning Willenhall and Walsall Trolley buses turning left out of Horseley Fields into Union Street, then right heading to their terminus in St James's square would have been a common occurrence.

In my youth, the building on the right in Horseley Fields was, the Household Stores, at this time it's

J.B. Jones Wallpaper merchants and is directly opposite Corn Hill and the Postman's Delivery Office .

Finally in the back ground are the old Walsall Street Schools previously mentioned.

Some fifty Years before St James Square was built, Wolverhampton's Workhouse was erected at the top of Horseley Fields, and until the Old Steam Mill at the junction with the Canal was rebuilt after the fire in 1842, and a connection was made to Corn Hill, Old Mill Lane was known as Workhouse Lane.

It was originally built with the intention of offering some outdoor relief and medical services for the poor of the town. But in 1834 the government of the day, decided, that cossetting of paupers must cease; and in future they would live in the workhouse. This would be run by a union of parishes, and controlled, by a board of guardians who would ensure that conditions there, were rather worse, than the lowest conditions outside. and in 1837 a new workhouse was erected on the Bilston Road.

The Tale Of The Workhouse

The above picture is of the "Old" Workhouse, seen from the Railway Yard. This is a rare view and a favourite of mine.

Parts of this building date from quite early in the 18th century, and after the departure of the poor to purpose built premises on Bilston Road, it was taken over as temporary barracks by the Wolverhampton Troop of Yeomanry Cavalry , later it became the works of Chubb's Lock Manufacturers. The property as you can see was advertised in no uncertain manner.

Finally, there was certainly a time in the past when thirsty callers at "New Inn" Horseley Fields, would have had the company of residents from the workhouse close by, in what became (Mill Lane). Because there was an older "New Inn" on this site in 1818, when the Licensee was a John Bate.

(The New Inn Hotel – listed in Trades in Wolverhampton 1818).