BAPTIST CHAPEL.

1839. This substantial brick building was erected in 1777, and considerably enlarged in 1839, at a cost of £700; in 1880, further improvements and alterations were made, adding much to the comfort and convenience of the congregation. The Rev. William Rogers, a true specimen of a Welshman, was the zealous minister of this Chapel for many years. There is also a good Sunday School in vigorous operation held in the vestry room. The Baptist connexion have also another Chapel situate at Cinder Bank, Netherton, which is said to be of considerable antiquity. The Rev Geo. M. Michael, B.A., is the present minister.

On the following page will be seen the way in which Holy Mother Church was supported in Dudley in these days of civil and religious liberty!!!

CHURCH RATES!

SEIZURES IN DUDLEY DURING THE YEAR 1837.

Names of the Persons seized upon.Religious Profession.Trade.Goods seized.Value of Goods seized.Amount of Rate.
£ s. d.£ s. d.
Brown, JamesQuakerConfectioner2 barrels grapes2 10 00 12 1
Beasley, ThomasBaptistSchoolmaster2 desks4 10 00 2 1
Bridgwater, JosephQuakerMaltsterMalt4 6 02 11 0
Cooke, SamuelIndependentDraper3 pair blankets2 5 00 17 11
Hill, ThomasDittoShoe-seller10 pair shoes3 10 00 9 7
Houston, WilliamDittoPawnbroker1 watch2 10 00 10 10
Lay, Benjamin, and SonsQuakerGrocersCheese3 15 01 12 6
Pitchfork, JosephUnitarianSchoolmaster2 tables2 2 00 3 6
Rogers, RichardIndependentClockmaker1 clock5 0 00 9 7
Wood, EdwardDittoPawnbroker1 watch3 0 00 14 7
Wood, W CUnitarianGrocerLoaves of Sugar8 6 63 5 0
Williams, John, and BrothersQuakerMillers2 pockets hops11 11 04 14 2
Williams, JohnDittoMillerBarometer3 10 01 10 2
56 15 617 13 0

ONE THOUSAND POUNDS REWARD.

Whereas, some ill-looking Persons did, on the 21st of September, 1837, enter the Premises of W. C. WOOD, Grocer, Dudley, and in his absence did wilfully abstract

FIVE LUMPS OF SUGAR,

value £8, the honestly-acquired property of the said W. C. Wood; and, whereas, the said ill-looking Persons left behind them a piece of paper, on which was written that they were under the command of one Person called “Captain,” and of another called “Baker;” and by which it further appears that the property thus taken was to defray the expenses of some kind of a Religion, to which these persons are said to be attached.

THIS IS TO GIVE NOTICE,

that if any Person brings the said parties to Justice, and prosecutes them, so as to satisfy the demands of COMMON HONESTY, he shall receive the above Reward.

The “Captain” stands about 5 feet 6 inches high; of a light complexion.—He has a mark on his left ear, occasioned by a wound received in one of his professional encounters.

The “Baker” is about 5 feet nothing, and a square built, Sancho-Panza kind of a Person; and rivals Punch in his admiration of the Law of the land, and Dogberry in his extensive acquaintance with it.

The Property, it is believed, is now deposited at the Albion Inn, Stone Street, Dudley, where, it is expected to be sold, on Tuesday or Wednesday next, to maintain the aforesaid queer Religion; and W. C. WOOD requests the attendance of his Friends on the occasion, to prevent the Property being sold below its value.

N.B.—It is ascertained that the “Captain’s” party visited, on the same day, the Premises of Mr. S. COOKE, and Mr. E. WOOD, from whence they succeeded in carrying off other Articles, for the same pious purpose; to wit, several pairs of

BLANKETS, AND A WATCH.

1840. At this time the town and neighbourhood was upon the balance of either increased depression and adversity, or improved development of the iron and coal trade. In 1836 Mr. Edward Smith built and started at Hartshill a new branch of the iron trade—viz., manufacturing iron hurdles and fencing of a very improved and superior style, strength, and appropriateness; more especially for our colonial possessions, where thousands of miles of iron and wire fencing have been exported by this eminent firm (Messrs. Hill, Smith, & Co., the Hartshill Works, near Dudley). The Woodside Iron Works were built in 1841 by Messrs. Bramah and Cochrane; but have been considerably enlarged at various times, and employ upwards of 1,000 hands when in full work. The extraordinary engineering and mining ability thrown into this very important iron work by the late esteemed A. B. Cochrane, Esq., J.P., soon placed this firm at the head of that species of iron manufactory for which it is now so world-known. We shall not soon forget that well-earned proud position which the late Mr. Cochrane secured when he exhibited to Lord Overstone and others of the Crystal Palace Exhibition Commissioners, in 1850, a large section of that future exhibition in Hyde Park, London, which brought all nations, kindreds, and tongues to witness the Great World’s Fair. The construction of the iron work of the Crystal Palace of 1851 at the Woodside Works was a marvel of engineering skill and accomplishment, and clearly demonstrated to the world the power and ingenuity which the Woodside Works possessed to make and erect anything in the substance and form of iron.

In 1853 Mr. Cochrane became possessed of these important works by the retirement of Mr. Bramah, and from that date to the period of his untimely death in June, 1863, this establishment secured and maintained almost unparalleled advancement and commercial success. Mr. Cochrane was only 50 years of age at his death, but his natural benevolence and philanthropic leanings stopped not at the usual benevolence which belongs to the large employers of labour in our locality, for his open handed charity induced him, in 1860, to build and maintain at his own cost, the handsome Holly Hall Schools, for the education of the children of his own workmen, and all who felt inclined to be benefitted by its establishment. In 1863 the Vicar of Dudley, the late Dr. Browne, commenced a series of Religious Services, which were conducted by the Rev. Robert Harper, M.A., of the Dudley Grammar School, but were discontinued at the end of eight months. However, on Good Friday, 1865, the Executors of the late Mr. A. B. Cochrane recommenced the Services with much success, under the spiritual guidance and care of the Rev. John Birch, M.A., and eventually the Schools and all their belongings were purchased by the Earl of Dudley, whose open-hearted liberality has so often been extended over almost every object of worth and public utility in Dudley and its neighbourhood. The noble Earl very handsomely provides the funds for the clergyman’s stipend, the Rev. Mr. Swindell, M.A., and, at the same time, pays the expenses of the school management, and discharges all its pecuniary liabilities. An effort is now being made to build a Church at Hartshill to accommodate that vastly increasing population.

In 1847, the late Mr. William Jeffries erected some extensive Iron Works at Hartshill (near Messrs. Cochranes’ Works), which are now known as Messrs Hingley and Smith’s Iron Works, and have been very much enlarged in late years. On June 2nd, 1848, an appalling accident took place at these Iron Works, by the sudden explosion of a large iron boiler, which dealt death and destruction all around; for it is melancholy to relate that 40 men and boys were blown to atoms, in almost an instant, and the destruction to the machinery and works was most serious to the owners.

Another famous Iron Master in the Black Country, about this period (the late Samuel H. Blackwell, Esq., J.P.), contributed by his indomitable activity and knowledge to a large amount of improvement and development in the Iron and Coal trade. The Old Russell’s Hall Furnaces sprung into being and activity under his management, and Bilston also benefitted by his energy and manufacturing operations in that quarter. Mr. Blackwell was a learned Geologist, and took great interest in trying to prove many of the then undissolved problems in Geology and Iron making. This gentleman had the distinguished honour conferred upon him of being strenuously solicited to become one of the Members in Parliament for South Staffordshire, but this distinction he declined, alleging that his immense manufacturing engagements precluded such a possibility. Many of Mr. Blackwell’s speculations turned out unfortunate, and when an adverse turn took place in the Iron trade, he was compelled to suspend his numerous operations, and died (March 25, 1868) at the comparatively early age of 52 years.

The appointment of the late Richard Smith, Esq., J.P., as Mining Agent and Manager for Lord Ward’s extensive estates about this time, augured well for an increase of prosperity in this large mining district. Mr. Smith’s undoubted energy and ability, and his thorough knowledge of all things belonging to mining operations, ensured every confidence in those who understand these matters, that the “right man was in the right place.” The feebleness and almost inaction of his predecessor was soon dissipated, and although Mr. Smith had his detractors and opponents in opinion in many important operations that he was concerned in, nevertheless it cannot now be fairly gainsayed that he was most assuredly the leading spirit and pioneer of that vast amount of mining development which characterized the Iron and Coal trades in these parts during the time he was at the head of Lord Dudley’s affairs. Mr. Smith’s judgment and far-seeing policy laid the foundation of much that has since then been accomplished, and the town of Dudley and the whole district have been substantially and commercially benefitted thereby. Let any unprejudiced mind make a survey of the increased villages and hamlets which have arisen around us during the last 30 years, and he will not fail to note that Pits, Iron Works, Chain and Nail Manufactories have sprung up where farm houses and green fields once existed in peaceful seclusion. The laying down of upwards of 20 miles of mineral railroads on his Lordship’s estate to facilitate his vast working operations, the erection of the Round Oak Furnaces and Iron Works in 1855, and the additional New Works built in 1863, all combined to assist in that grand scheme of scientific development, which had its birth in the fertile brain of the late Richard Smith, and which gave ready employment to thousands of our hardy sons of toil, increasing our local trades and population, and adding materially to our progress and wealth.

We have another “honoured worthy” Iron Master to record in our history, that modern Dud Dudley of our district, the lately lamented Noah Hingley, Esq., J.P. The man who introduces a new industry into a district is a real benefactor to his fellow man; and the splendid Anchor, Chain and Cable Works, now in full operation at Primrose Hill, Netherton, proclaim the wisdom and ability which the late Mr. Hingley put in practical force, under many almost overwhelming difficulties, when he introduced that particular kind of iron manufacture into our midst. Assisted by his equally energetic sons, this renowned firm (Messrs. Noah Hingley and Sons), possess also the newly constructed blast furnaces at Old Hill, besides other works of importance, constructing much of the minor materials for their large works. The death of this good old gentleman, in 1877, drew the tears of sincere regret from thousands of the working classes of this neighbourhood; and the public funeral, which was accorded to his remains, witnessed one of the largest gatherings of respectably dressed, sorrowful men, women, and children, that ever assembled on any occasion to pay their last mark of regard to real departed worth. The Mayor and Corporation of Dudley attended these obsequies in public procession; Mr. Hingley being an Alderman of the Borough, and in 1870-1 its esteemed mayor.