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XII.
ALTHOUGH Wednesbury boasts some claim to antiquity, the town has never been the scene of any event of sufficient importance for the historian to chronicle ; nor has the place ever been romantic enough to form the theme of the poet ; nor yet has its importance ever attained that greatness which attracts the notice of the essayist. Consequently our position in the domain of literature is a very low one. An examination into the literal composition of the name "Wednesbury" will serve as an introduction, and at the same time will discover what an essayist has said of us. The name of our town is composed of two words, namely, "Odin" or "Woden," and "Burgh," both Anglo-Saxon names, the former being the title of their chief god, which they worshipped on Wednesday - note the likeness between this word and Wednesbury - and the latter, now corrupted into "bury," denoting "a city" or "a protected place." So our very name points out the fact that the town existed in the sixth century, for Christianity was introduced amongst these pagan progenitors of ours in A.D. 597. Before leaving the etymology of the name, it may be remarked that the "es" in the middle of the name of the town, (and of the day) is the Anglo-Saxon form of the possessive case. As to the pronunciation of the name, the corruption "Wedgebury" was very common, and is still used by educated strangers to the place. In many old books and maps it is also spelt in this way. Another old form was "Weadesbyrig," which we are told lies to the east of "Tamaweorthige" (Tamworth), and to the south-east of "Cofentreee") Coventry : these forms are real old English. Then we have a Roger "Weddesbury," lord of the manor here at the end of the fourteenth century, and another variety of spelling is given us by John Leland in his ITINERARY, an account of a six years' tour through the country, which he made as a commissioner of Henry VIII.
But a more interesting and a more modern writer who has dealt with our subject was Elihu Burritt, the blacksmith philosopher, who in his official capacity, complied a book called "WALKS IN THE BLACK COUNTRY ;" this was, in reality, a report of the Birmingham Consulate, describing the resources and industries of this neighbourhood, and as such it is preserved in the Department of State at Washington (1868). In this book the writer speaks of a town called "'Wednesbury,' which looks in print like the middle of the week, but it is commonly pronounced 'Wedgebury.' As its name indicates, it has a Saxon basis and history, being called after the old Saxon Jove, Woden. Here the illustrious princess Ethelfleda, daughter of King Alfred, built a strong castle in 916, on the site of the present parish church, though the proof of its erection is perhaps more legendary than lapidary, as no traces of its existence remain. THE DOOMSDAY BOOK describes the village in 1085 as containing three hides of land, one servant, sixteen villains, and eleven borderers, the latter perhaps being what are called in America, 'squatters.' Another item shows the average condition of the country at that time : 'There is a mill of two shillings rent, and one acre of meadow ; also a wood two miles in length and one in breadth.' It may show the value of such estates in later times to quote another figure. The annual value of the whole manor in 1502 was under £14. There was a church in King John's day, which was re-built and highly decorated about twenty years before America was discovered. A century or two later the vicar was paid in kind,' the levy in eggs being recorded thus :
Pro Hosto and Fumo 2d., which the minister fives to the clarke for his attendance of him.
"Wednesbury has contributed its contingent to the noble families of the kingdom in the Pagets, who have figured largely in English history. William, the founder, was born here, and rose from an obscure lad to executor of Henry VIII. and subsequently Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. But he brought upon himself a sad reverse and disgrace by siding with the Duke of Somerset, and was deprived of his garter and fined £60000 for his adhesion to that nobleman's cause. Wednesbury was one of the very first localities in which coal was discovered and developed into practical use. So far back as 1315 reference to its existence is made in the records of the town. Old LELAND in 1538 speaks of 'the secoles of Weddesbyrie,' and CAMDEN, writing forty years later, refers to the coal and iron mines existing in the neighbourhood, but rather doubtingly, as if he was uncertain whether they would be found to be the 'commodity or hindrance of the inhabitants.' But the inhabitants soon solved this doubt in their favour, and Wednesbury grew up to be a prosperous and progressive community through the wealth of these minerals. About the middle of the last century, when the old British sports raged in their fury throughout the country, cock fighting, bull, bear, and badger baiting, distinguished the town. It was in the midst of a population educated under such influences that John Wesley made his appearance as a Christian missionary in 1743. The narrative of his experience, taken from his private JOURNAL, is exceedingly rich. The people rose en masse and haled him before magistrates as a man who was trying to turn the world upside down. To give a religious aspect to their fanaticism, as the Ephesian crafts-men did on a similar occasion, they raised this mob-cry against him :
If he did not effect this, he accomplished something they more really feared - he pulled down many of their evil habits, and Wednesbury is now one of the most active centres of the denomination he founded. The town has increased in population from about 5,000 in 1811, to 20,000 at the present time. The industries of the place are large and varied. The manufacture of axles, girders, wheels, iron and brass tubes for locomotive and marine boilers, constitutes a great business. The works of Messrs. Lloyd, Foster, and Co., alone employ about 3,000 workpeople, and pay fortnightly about £5,000 in wages. Moral and mental education has kept pace with this material progress very evenly, a large force of schools being kept in constant and increasing activity, and other means employed for the general enlightenment of the community."
Although the name of our town has been variously commented upon by many writers, and though it no doubt presents an attractive subject to the philologist, it is erroneous to suppose that it is Wednesbury which is referred to by Lord Beaconsfield in his novel of SIBYL. No doubt that great statesman, as Benjamin Disraeli, was well-acquainted with this district in 1837, and studied the infamous working of the "truck system" here ; yet when he mentions a place under the coined name of "Wodgate or Wogate" "a district that in old days had been consecrated to Woden, and which appeared destined through successive ages to retain its heathen character," it is proved by the context to be Wednesfield that is referred to, and not Wednesbury, as has been asserted. Harrison Ainsworth, in his novel of BOSCOBEL, tells us how Charles II., in his flight after the battle of Worcester (1650), and after his memorable escapade in the Royal Oak at Boscobel, near Wolverhampton, sought shelter with Colonel Lane, at Bentley House. From hence, in the guise of a groom and under the assumed name of Will Jones, the King made his escape, with Mistress Jane Lane riding on a pillion behind him, and accompanied by a hawking party of which "on gaining the high-road to Darlaston and Wednesbury, the horsemen proceeded side by side," and "having passed through Wednesbury they were now on the road to Birmingham ; but not desiring to enter the latter town, they soon struck off into a by-road." The novel goes on to tell how the royal refugee made his way to the coast and took sail to the continent, where he remained till his restoration in 1660. To his last day King Charles preserved a lively recollection of how Jane Lane boxed his ears and pretended to scold him for reckless driving, and all to disarm suspicion when their cavalcade was overtaken, while fording Wednesbury Brook, by a troop of Roundhead soldiers searching for the royal fugitive. This, the only historical episode of our town, is the subject of a fresco in the Houses of Parliament. The painting will be found on the walls of a corridor between the Upper and Lower Chambers, and bears the inscription - "Charles II. assisted in his escape by Jane Lane." These two brief allusions of Ainsworth and Disraeli comprise our sole conjunction with the Novelists. As to the Poets, they have ignored us altogether - except for home-bred ones.
There is a remarkable and oft-quoted aspiration of one who said if he could only be allowed to write the songs of a nation, he would gladly leave to others the privilege of making its laws ! Doubtless the author of that far-famed and soul-stirring local ballad of ours, THE WEDGEBURY COCKING, felt his power when he composed those familiar lines, which inform us how, once upon a time,
- and which after enumerating all the cock-fighting fraternity of those days who attended this historical main, finishes up with a playful allusion to some of the scenes which characterised such assemblies in those enlightened times, when it was a mark of filial regard for "Jack Baker to whack his own father."
Any way, such is, or was, the reputation of this production of the Wednesbury bard, that a few years ago a well-known worthy of this town was specially invited to London to sing at a dinner of old-fashioned sporting "cards," Another amusing incident connected with this local lyric was the manifestation of high displeasure with which, at one time, the populace were wont to receive the performance of it by the guard of the old stage-coach, "The Wonder." This functionary made a practice of playing on his horn the tune of "Wedgebury Cockin" whenever he was passing through the town ; and at last the people regarded it as an intentional affront to their dignity, and resented it as such by stoning both the offensive performer, and his coach, from the "Three Swans" to the Bridge. Now our Wednesbury poetasters have at least attended to the matter of rhyme in their versification ; if it is thought that this is not a great merit, an amusing incident will show that even rhyme is not always to be found where it might be expected. Some two or three years ago the Wednesbury Strollers' Football Club went down into the heart of Wales to play a match, and there they were greeted by a representative of the traditional Welsh Bard with an effusion of some twelve or twenty verses, printed ready for sale among the spectators. A single couplet will satisfy any one that the composer was not a descendant of that "Bard" so majestically described by the poet Gray, and that the ballad was dear at a penny ; it ran
By far the ablest poetaster this town has ever produced is Mr. T.F. Bissell, who in 1871 published his ORIGINAL POEMS (A. W. Whitehouse, Wednesbury). The book is neatly printed on toned paper, and its contents, if small in quantity, are good in quality. The subjects are somewhat varied, and embrace both grave and gay ; but the gem of the collection is a "Serenade," which irresistibly appeals for quotation. It runs -
Mr. Bissell's poems are about to be republished in a revised form and with considerable additions. The newer works will include "A Reverie in Wednesbury Old Churchyard," a specimen of the writer's blank verse ; which, though at times it is somewhat stilted and rather difficult to scan, yet ever bears upon it the deep impress of the true poet's fervid imaginings. By the courtesy of the author, we are enabled to give two excerpts, which will at once disclose the haltingness in the rhythmical flow of the lines, and the writer's inheritance of the divine afflatus :-
From the same pen have emanated "Time and Eternity, a poem in blank verse" and "RAVENSCOURT, a novelette ;" the latter was running through the numbers of the Midland Advertiser some time back.
Allusion must next be made to Mr. A. W. Whitehouse whose nom de plume of DELTA in the poet's corner of our local newspapers is familiar to most Wednesbury readers. He published innumerable poems on almost every conceivable subject (although most of them are imbued with a deep religious feeling), but they have only been printed on leaflets ; if bound within the backs of a book they would make an interesting collection. Mr. Whitehouse is also a good Freemason, and when the Warden of St. Bartholomew's Lodge, Dr. Skirving, lately died so suddenly in the street while on his daily rounds, his muse was ready to break forth -
This extract is not selected as one of the writer's best examples - the phrase "senses seizes" is rather an awkward combination - but is simply given, in preference to any general subject, for the sake of its local bearing. Among the most ambitious of our local bards must be placed in the Rev. James White, curate of Wednesbury, who in 1873 published THE SEASONS AND MISCELLANEOUS POEMS (White and Pike, Birmingham), the title page of which informed us that the same author had previously written THE SABBATH SCHOOL RECITANA. When the reverend poet apostophises our venerable fane thus : -
- we may be tolerantly inclined ; but when he drops into poetry (?) of the following character, and raves about the marriage of a prince in this strain : -
we arrive at the same opinion as that expressed by the critic of the London Figaro who, in reviewing the book, (January 14th 1874), says that "no doubt Mr. White is an excellent clergyman, but he is an indifferent poet."
Another clerical writer, but of a very different calibre, is the Rev. F. Wagstaff, last pastor of the Independent Chapel, Russell Street, whose sketches find a ready acceptance for the pages of standard periodicals. Of purely theological works emanating from Wednesbury, we have THE SERMONS OF THE LATE REV. RD. TWIGG. This volume of sermons by the late rector od St. James,' appeared in May, 1883, and was very favourably reviewed in the Spectator at the time. In the same year Mr. S. Lloyd, (a Wednesbury man), of The Farm, Sparkbrook, compiled an interesting little volume, published by White and Pike, Birmingham, on the WORK OF LUTHER in the Reformation, largely illustrated by extracts from the great Reformer himself. The book is intended as a remembrance of Luther on the fourth centenary of his birth. A copy of the volume was forwarded by Mr. Lloyd to Mr. John Bright, who in reply to the communication wrote a highly commendatory letter of thanks.
From "grave to gay" is sometimes but a very short step ; from our writers upon theology and religion we now come to a local Dramatist - or perhaps Playwright would better describe him. In October, 1876, Mr. John Goddard, produced at the Theatre Royal, Earp's Lane, a new and original melo-drama entitled MARY ASHFORD, founded upon the tragic story of that unfortunate girl, whose tomb in Sutton Coldfield churchyard tells us that she was violated and murdered in 1817 ; and it may be interesting to note that the trial of the accused in this case was remarkable for the fact that an acquittal was obtained because the defending counsel demanded "Trial by Battle ;" whereupon legal authorities amazedly awoke to the fact that this mode of trial had never been erased from our ancient statute-books. However, whether the local interest of Mr. Goddard's play was sufficient to attract an audience or not, it is certain that it has never been revived. But as a writer of Pantomimes for the Wednesbury stage, Mr. Goddard has been very popular. His JACK AND THE BEANSTALK in 1869-70 had a famous run ; but for the purposes of this article his OLD KING COAL, or "Harlequin Prince Ironstone, Old Wedgebury and his Neighbours" will afford the richest yield of interesting matter. It was produced by Mr. John Douglas' Company, December 26th, 1863, under the management of Mr. George Wild, and for many nights drew crowded houses. The first scene is designated "Elysium," and after some introductory lines the god Woden proceeds to christen the town and its neighbouring districts in the following manner, after having given many injunctions for the capture of King Coal : -
In another scene, "Wednesbury Old Park," a topical song of the day, is set to the air of "Rob Roy MacGregor, O," and two stanzas will give an idea of its pithiness : -
In another scene, located in the caverns below, King Coal declares
These lines are a fair sample of the whole, and as Pantomime-writings go, it must be admitted that Mr. Goddard's libretto is quite up to the average of such productions.
ELECTION LITERATURE may not be very elevating in its tendency ; but sometimes, when not too personal, it may help succeeding generations to form an estimate of the public men of the past, of their actions, and of the times in which they lived. The first election for the Borough of Wednesbury, which took place in 1868, was productive of an extraordinary number of lampoons, some of which were of more than ordinary merit. A splendid opportunity for the wits of the day, and one too tempting to be resisted, was afforded by the equivocal position of the celebrated Dr. Kenealy, Q.C., who posed as a Radical candidate for our new borough, but who was repudiated by both Conservatives and Liberals alike, the latter party denouncing him as the secret nominee of the Carlton club, expressly sent down from London to divide the Liberal interest here. The Doctor's candidature might have been materially aided by the local influence of his family connections with Tipton ; but the remarkably eccentric channel in which he allowed his high attainments and brilliant talents to lead him, landed him inevitably and inexorably at the foot of the poll. This position had been prophetically assigned to him.
If unsuccessful in Wednesbury, his great abilities stamped him as a man with a career before him, and his advocacy in the Tichborne trial afterwards enabled him to "shake the dew-drops from his mane" as member for Stoke-upon-Trent, and to establish "The Englishman" of which he was both editor and proprietor. Among the numerous clever productions of these times was a wonderfully clever skit of considerable length, entitled THE WOOING OF WEDNESBURY, "A political Ballad by a Rejected Suitor, illustrated with tinted lithographic portraits of the candidates," and containing Pen and Ink sketches of nearly 200 local celebrities. It was signed by "Q.C.," dated October 30, 1868, from "The Temple," and was published by W. Britten, of Tipton, at sixpence ; its length was about 13 or 14 pages, and it ran quickly through several editions. It's "pen and ink sketches" very happily hit off the calings and peculiarities of the 200 prominent men of that day ; for instance
And again,
The mention of Mr. Hillier's name recalls a dim recollection of a satirical weekly paper, which that tradesman printed and published at the time. If memory fails not, it was called QUIZ, and was circulated gratuitously ; to speak candidly it was written smartly and conducted admirably ; but although it created a sensation at the time, its financial prospects did not permit it to outlive the excitement of the election. And writing of QUIZ brings to mind an attempt made so late as May, 1880, to establish an illustrated comic paper in the town. THE SPIDER, proposed to be issued at modest monthly intervals, was published by Mr. B. Spittle, at 35, Upper High Street, but never survived its second month, gently succumbing to a lack of natural nourishment. The earliest attempt at a satirical (?) periodical was a wretched catch-penny sheet which circulated at irregular and uncertain intervals some forty years ago. It was called THE BUDGET, and contained a hash of all the scandal and tittle-tattle of the town. Sometimes its scurrilities were thrown into rhyme, and sung by the vendors in ballad-fashion.
Coming to Wednesbury newspapers, it may first be noted that we have never yet arrived at the dignity of a "daily." The earliest weekly paper was THE WEDNESBURY OBSERVER, published by T. Proverbs, High Street, the first number appeared September 19th, 1857. There was a later paper of the same name published by J. J. Hillier, in 1872. THE MIDLAND EXAMINER AND TIMES (1876), was printed in Wolverhampton, and had an ephemeral existence. There was a WEDNESBURY TIMES, however, whose commodious offices in the building now occupied by the Liberal Club seemed to promise a more prosperous career than that which fell to its lot. At present we have running THE WEDNESBURY HERALD and THE MIDLAND ADVERTISER ; nominally the former is in the Conservative interest, and the latter is supposed to be an organ of the Liberal Party. In connection with the HERALD it may be mentioned that a former editor has contributed articles to Cassell's "Great Industries of Great Britain." THE ADVERTISER some time ago rejected the name WEDNESBURY AND WEST BROMWICH, for that of SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE, and then as quickly changed, and adopted THE MIDLAND as part of its title : this paper was established in 1859. Among Wednesbury Newspapers mention must be made of the WEDNESBURY BORO NEWS which appeared early in 1868 and ran about twelve months : it was printed by C. and W. Britten, at Tipton. In like manner THE WEEKLY NEWS, printed at Oldbury, circulates to some small extent in this town at the present time. The town has never arrived at the dignity of possessing a daily paper. THE WEDNESBURY HERALD has at times rushed into the breach, on cases of great local emergency, and issued a Special Edition. A feeble attempt was made to supply this deficiency in our local journalism on 21st May, 1883, when a Wolverhampton "daily" pretended to issue a special edition as THE WALSALL AND WEDNESBURY EVENING STAR ; however it was only a Wolverhampton paper with a Wednesbury title ; and after a few months the name of Wednesbury was again omitted from the title. From Newspapers we pass, by an easy transition, to Magazines. In 1858 there was published in Wednesbury a monthly magazine under the title of EXCELSIOR. The June number (of that year) was advertised to contain a continuation of "The Murdered Maid," by the Rev. J. T. Barr, Wesleyan Minister ; its other chief attractions were full reports of the transactions of the Mutual Improvement Societies of Wednesbury, Darlaston, Dudley, Hill Top, Coseley, &c., &c. Of Parish Magazines we have several ; ST. JAMES' MAGAZINE has been running many years : there was one called THE OLD PARISH CHURCH MAGAZINE, and there is still one connected with ST.PAUL'S PARISH. But a complete series of not one can be obtained for the Free Library. Passing on to Wednesbury-printed books, we may first note the old HYMN BOOK (E. Ellis and Co., Wednesbury, 1850), so many years in use at the Parish Church. This book passed through several editions, and is chiefly interesting from its prefatory "Questions for self-examination," written by the Rev. Isaac Clarkson. An official-looking WEDNESBURY BLUE BOOK was issued by Messrs. Kirby and Bytheway, for 1879, but its get-up seemed too elaborate for the town, and succeeding years have failed to discover its renewal. A much more suitable year-book, RYDER'S ANNUAL, has been regularly appearing for several years, and for the vast amount of local information it contains, is a wonderful pennyworth. [Connecting this subject with the Free Library, the opportunity cannot be missed of calling attention to the necessity of forming a new section, such as is commonly found in most well-regulated institutions of the kind - a department for Wednesbury literature ; Wednesbury pamphlets, records, and documents ; reports of Wednesbury clubs and societies ; Wednesbury almanacks and year-books ; Wednesbury printed books ; a Wednesbury burgess list, and a file of Wednesbury newspapers, periodicals, and parish magazines should certainly be carefully preserved there.]
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