WALSALL

'Walsall' is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation, and is sometimes described as part of the Black Country.
Walsall is the administrative headquarters of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall. The borough council is presently Conservative controlled. The Mayor is Conservative Councillor Melvin Pitt. There are three Members of Parliament in the constituencies Aldridge-Brownhills, Walsall North and Walsall South. Richard Shepherd M.P. (Conservative) is the member for Aldridge-Brownhills. In the 2001 census, the town had a population of 170,994 with the surrounding borough having a population of 253,500. Neighbouring towns in the borough include Willenhall, Bloxwich and Aldridge.

History

The name Walsall is thought to have derived from the words "Walh halh", meaning "valley of the celtic speakers" (referring to the Celts). Walsall is first referenced as 'Walesho' in a document dated 1002, however it is not referenced in the Domesday Book. By the first part of the 13th century, Walsall was a small market town, with the weekly market being introduced in 1220. The Mayor of Walsall was created as a political position in the 14th century. Walsall is known as "the town of a hundred trades". (This appellation is a nod to the fact that nearby Birmingham is known as "the city of a thousand trades". Though at the time considerably smaller, Birmingham's growth to size larger than Walsall due to the adoption of a main railway line.)
Queen Mary's Grammar School was founded by Mary I of England in 1554, and the school carries the Queen's personal badge as its emblem: the Tudor Rose and the sheaf of arrows of Catherine of Aragon tied with a Staffordshire knot.
The industrial revolution changed Walsall from a village of 2,000 people in the 16th century to a town of over 86,000 in approximately 200 years. It is a local story, although perhaps not accurate, that Walsall declined a railway line, which was later given to Birmingham, now England's second city. Walsall finally received a railway line in 1847, 48 years after canals reached the town. In 1855, Walsall's first newspaper, the ''Walsall Courier and South Staffordshire Gazette'', was published.
Walsall underwent modernisation in the 1970s with a new town centre being built at the expense of some very old but good quality medieval properties. Walsall is currently undergoing a new era of urban regeneration with many brownfield being replaced with modern houses, apartments and offices.
Construction is underway of St Matthew's Quarters. A new Asda store has already opened and when completed St Matthew's Quarters will also include brand shops and modern apartments. Walsall College will be moving to a new site within the town centre whilst on the old site Tesco will be building a new 100,00 sq ft shopping complex.

The traditional market of Walsall

The other plans are to redevelop Old Square Shopping Centre to make it much bigger and connect it to St Matthew's Quarters. The 800 year-old Historic Market also has a new vision for the 21st century. It will be moved lower down towards the town centre, making it more accessible along with up to date new-style stalls. The Historic Market will work alongside the new developments ensuring Walsall's future.

Neighbourhoods

★ Alumwell

★ Beechdale

★ Birchills

★ Caldmore

★ Chuckery

★ Coalpool

★ The Delves

★ Goscote

★ Highgate

★ Leamore

★ Palfrey

★ Park Hall

★ Pleck

★ Rushall

★ Ryecroft

★ Tamebridge

Economy

Walsall has had many industries, from coal mining to metal working including Willenhalls locks, but in the late 19th century the coal mines ran dry, and Walsall became internationally famous for the leather trade. Walsall still manufactures the Queen's handbags, and Walsall leather products have been found as far afield as Italy. Walsall is the traditional home of the English saddle manufacture industry, hence the nickname of Walsall Football Club, The Saddlers. Apart from leather goods, other industries in Walsall include iron and brass founding, limestone quarrying, small hardware, plastics, electronics, chemicals, and aircraft parts.
Walsall has always been overshadowed by its larger neighbours Birmingham and Wolverhampton. However its proximity in Central England and the fact that the M6 runs through the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall has increased its investment appeal. A RAC centre is located by J9 and there are now plans to redevelop derelict land in Darlaston and turn them into a state-of-the-art regional hub. Between Bloxwich and Walsall there is a business corridor where TK Maxx has recently opened a regional depot. Currently established businesses include Homeserve plc and South Staffordshire Water.

Education

Transport

Walsall has two Bus stations, St Paul's and Bradford Place. Services from St Paul's leave Walsall in many directions; there are services south-east to Birmingham; west to Wolverhampton, Willenhall and Bloxwich; north to Cannock and Brownhills; and east to Sutton Coldfield and Aldridge, with many to the latter. In addition, more infrequent services to Lichfield are run. St Paul's is also home to the Walsall Information Centre. Bradford Place operates buses mainly to the south and south-west, to West Bromwich, Oldbury, Dudley and Stourbridge. There are also numerous shorter bus routes which give the town centre a link to housing estates including 'Alumwell', 'Beechdale', 'Chuckery', 'Park Hall' and the 'Mossley Estate'.
Walsall also has a busy railway station; services operate to Birmingham, Shrewsbury via Wolverhampton, and Stafford. See Walsall railway station for more details.
Between 1850 and 1964, Walsall had direct passenger train links with Wednesbury, Tipton, Dudley, Brierley Hill and Stourbridge, but these services were withdrawn due to the Beeching Axe which saw passenger services completely removed from the South Staffordshire line between Walsall and Stourbridge. The Walsall end of the line is situated at 'Bescot Junction', and remained open until 19 March 1993, when the line between Walsall and Brierley Hill closed to through traffic. It is set to re-open in the early 2010s as a single track freight line, allowing for the second phase of the Midland Metro which will run between Wednesbury and Brierley Hill.
Walsall is served by the A545 and the M6 for road travel. There are three junction where you can enter Walsall from. M6 J7,M6 J9 and M6 J10. The stretch between these junctions is one of the busiest in Europe.

Facilities and culture

Arboretum and Illuminations

The Arboretum officially opened on May 4, 1874 by the wealthy Hatherton family. It was hoped that the park would provide "a healthy change from dogfights, bull-baiting and cockfights," however the 2d (old pence) admission was not popular with the public and within seven years the council took over ownership to provide free admission.^[1]
Over the years the Arboretum has seen many events and changes, including the beginnings of the Walsall Arboretum Illuminations as an annual event in 1951.^[2]
Originally white bulbs in trees for courting couples in the autumn, in the 1960s and 1970s, the lights were purchased second hand from Blackpool, but over they years they have been increasingly made 'in house' - indeed they all are now, and it has been said that Blackpool is no longer willing to sell lights to Walsall as it is too much of a competitor.
Currently, the Walsall Illuminations are the among the biggest in the country with up to sixty thousand bulbs and the need for year-round planning.^[3]
Although the event had attracted an estimated 250,000 people in 1995, lack of growth beyond this figure has raised the prospect of major redevelopment.^[4]

Art and exhibitions

New Art Gallery Walsall

''Galleries''
The New Art Gallery Walsall opened in the year 2000. It contains a large number of works by Jacob Epstein as well as works by Van Gogh, Monet, Turner, Renoir and Constable. The large gallery space is host to many contemporary exhibitions from locally, nationally and internationally recognised artists all throughout the year.
''Public Art''
The refurbished Sister Dora statue stands outside the Lloyds TSB building at the crossing between Park Street and Bridge Street.
One of the more amusing pieces of public art which has been on display in the town centre was the infamous concrete hippo, which once stood proudly opposite the statue of Sister Dora, but has now been replaced by a water fountain, the hippo lurking in the corner of the square.
'' Exhibitions in the New Art Gallery''
The Art Gallery runs a range of different exhibitions. Major British contemporary artists such as Gavin Turk have exhibited there and international artist Joana Vasconcalis from Portugal is about to have her first British exhibition. Historic art displays such as Goyas Dispartes are shown along side of the Garman Ryan Collection with contemporary interventions from the galleries Permanent Collections making an appearance among the older works.
'' Discovery Gallery ''
The Discovery gallery is designed for families and children of all ages. It is an interactive space containing major art works and a large variety of interactive pieces designed to engage people of all ages with the art on display. The interactive theme is continued in the Garman Ryan Galleries and often in the exhibition spaces too.

Sports

Walsall's football club, Walsall F.C., ''The Saddlers'', was founded in 1888 when Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. merged. They won their first game against Aston Villa F.C.. The club currently play in Football League One and are managed by Richard Money.
Walsall also has a very successful cricket club, Walsall Cricket Club who won Birmingham League Premier Division in 2006.
Walsall also have a rugby union side, Walsall RUFC who are currently competing in Midlands Division One. Despite the club finishing in the bottom half (last season just manage to survive relegation) the team has ambitions to return to the professional Division 3N.
Walsall Hockey Club currently play in Midlands League 1.

Shopping

Park Street remains Walsall's main shopping high street with Bridge street cutting through the middle to host two average sized indoor shopping centres at opposite ends; 'The Old Square' and 'Bradford Mall' formerly known as 'The Saddlers Centre'. The recent development known as 'Crown Retail Park' is host to larger scale shops including the first non-food Asda store. Other redevelopments include that of the former 'Quasar Centre' now known as 'Park Place'.
The area around the New Art Gallery Walsall is soon to be redeveloped into a huge shopping area coined 'The Waterfront' designed by Architect Will Alsop (designer of the internationally recognised Peckham Library) with space available for restaurants, cafes and the new hotel for the town.

Trivia

A local landmark is Barr Beacon, which is reportedly the highest point following its latitude Eastwards until the Ural Mountains of Russia. There was a plaque on the summit attesting to this, unfortunately it has been repeatedly stolen.
Walsall is also famous for its relationship to John Wesley and Francis Asbury who began the Methodist movement in the United States. The latter was born in Handsworth, Birmingham and lived for a large part of his life close to the Sandwell/Walsall border.
Walsall is home to the Red Lion public house that still stands in Park Street. In 1881 the publican John Holden bred a Staffordshire Bull Terrier called ''Pilot''. The animal was exported to America by Charlie Lloyd.^[5]
Pilot gained fame in America And Sired 99% of all the American pitbull terrier's that you see today. Charlie Lloyd&CH Pilot

Famous people

★ Jerome K. Jerome – Author of ''Three Men in a Boat''.

★ Sue Nicholls – Actress in ''Coronation Street''.

★ Mark Lewis-Francis – 100 meter sprinter and a member of the gold medal winning 4x100 meter relay team at the 2004 Olympics, was born in Darlaston and attended Darlaston Comprehensive School. He is nick-named the darlaston dart.

★ Mark Rhodes – Runner-Up of pop idol, also born in darlaston.

★ Nick Gillingham – Olympic swimmer.

★ Mark Oakley – Screenwriter.

★ Alex Lester – Presenter for BBC Radio 2.

★ Meera Syal – Comedienne, attended Queen Mary's High School.

★ Garry Newman – Creator of the popular Half-Life 2 modification 'Garry's Mod'.

★ Noddy Holder – Lead singer of 70's rock band, Slade, lived on the Beechdale estate.

★ Boy George – Another famous musical resident of 'The Beechdale', who spent much of his youth in the town as well as renting a flat for a time on High Street in the town centre.

★ Goldie – Drum 'n' Bass musician. Lived in the Stroud Lane orphanage in Willenhall, and attended St. Francis of Assisi RC Secondary School in Aldridge.

★ Fred Bakewell – The exciting 1930s Northamptonshire batsman.

★ John Byrne – Comic book creator, born in Walsall but grew up in Canada.^[6]

★ Martin Degville – From the Beechdale, lived with Boy George and later went on to form Sigue Sigue Sputnik

★ Sir Henry Newbolt – Poet

★ Sister Dora – Born in Yorkshire but for a time lived locally. She is honoured, for her compassion, by a statue in the centre of town, next to the legendary concrete hippopotamus (known locally as George).

★ Colin Charvis – British and Irish Lion and Welsh International studied at Queen Mary's Grammar School and played for Walsall RUFC.

★ Rachel Unitt – England Women's football star. Born in Bentley.

★ Erin O'Connor – English fashion model. Born and brought up in Walsall.

★ Don Gilet – Actor born in Walsall.

★ Tony Mills – Lead singer of Norwegian rock band TNT (and previously Brummie rockers SHY) lives in the town.

★ Peter Corey – Author of the ''Coping with...'' and television actor.

★ Rob Halford – Singer of heavy metal band Judas Priest, was born in Walsall on August 25, 1951.

★ Professor Sir James Underwood - Leading international pathologist

Twin towns

★ Mulhouse since 1953

References

1.
Walsall Virtual Arboretum
2.
Walsall Illuminations 2006
3.
Walsall Illuminations 2005
4.
Final chance for Illuminations
5.
Charlie Lloyd’s Pilot
6. "Comic creator: John Byrne". URL retrieved 25 July 2006.

External links

★ BBC Black Country

★ Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

★ St Matthew's Church

★ New Art Gallery Walsall (Flash)

★ Walsall Leather Museum

★ Queen Mary's Grammar School

★ Queen Mary's High School

★ Walsall Wonderland - Alternative guide to Walsall

★ Born in Walsall - photos of large mural

★ Pictures of Fellows Park football ground - old home of Walsall FC

★ Walsallfans.co.uk - Walsall FC supporters site

★ Samaritans of Walsall & District - confidential emotional support 24/7 by phone or email

★ Walsall on the web - The online guide to Walsall

This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.

psst.. try this: add to faves

Featured Companies

	Travelbugs, LLC
	Golf Holidays International

Walsall Companies

Below is the list of travel companies in Walsall we have in our travel directory

Travel Agents (4)
Casinos (1)

Photo Galleries »

Visiting Polar Bears in Churchill Manitoba

Walsall Videos

	Walsall Trolleybuses a film by Barry Coward
	Walsall Wood to Walsall Town Centre and on to Pleck
	Walsall - The Place to be (Part 1)
	Walsall 4 West Bromwich Albion 1
	Walsall FC - One Step Beyond

	Destination Greece
	JRD Travel Company
	Golf Holidays International
	MarysTravelSpot
	Grenada Board of Tourism
	Hotel Villa St Pierre
	Travelonly - Dave Corless
	Heavenly Paradise Getaways
	Dancing Moon Travel
	Travel Counsellors (Canada) Ltd