EPW028830 ENGLAND (1929). Mount Pleasant, Bilston, 1929

Central Ave

Bilston Town Hall

The site of Bilston Baths work started in 1962 opened in 1964

The site of Bilston Baths work started in 1962 opened in 1964

The site of Bilston Baths work started in 1962 opened in 1964

THE LABURNUMS

GWR main line, today the Midland Metro.

Tram depot office, still standing with the initials of the Wolverhampton District Electric Tramways in terra cotta.

Tram and later trolleybus depot for Wolverhampton Corporation.

Silvester Road

Bow St School used as Junior boys school and for Sunday School the adjacent Wesleyan Chapel(Swan Bank).

Council houses in Newbolt Road, these would have almost new at the time of the photograph.

Cold Lanes Primitive Methodist Chapel.

The old toll house on the corner of Bunkers Hill Road and Willenhall Road. It was a small shop during WW2 and in the 1950's

The Windmill Cement Works. The ivy covered remains of the windmill are somewhat clearer on some of the other images. The windmill and the works are now demolished.

Barclays Bank, the banking hall apparently by H. Yeoville Thomas of Birmingham, 1880-81

War Memorial Gardens, containing a "Cross of Sacrifice", and a wall bearing the names of the dead of two world wars. Originally unveiled in 1921.

Yet another of Bilston's large Georgian houses, and said to be from the mid 18th century. On its return wall is a blue plaque about Sir Henry Newbolt, who was born in the manse on the other side of the road.

A large Georgian House, which seems to have been built as a private residence, then used as a police house to accommodate men from the police station next door, then - and probably at the time of this photo - it was The Globe public house. Later demolished and the site thrown into the Police Station car park.

Bilston Police Station. 1840 - with a "moat" round it which gave access to the underground cells. Later there was an underground passage to the Magistrates Court to the east. In 2012 the building is being converted into flats.

The road here is Prouds Lane, named after Major Proud, who, in the eighteenth century, ran a very progressive asylum somewhere in this vicinity. The area was later occupied by a Baptist Church (on the southern part) and the municipal Leisure centre (swimming baths, squash courts, gym)which was demolished in 2012.

The road here is Mountford Lane. The Villiers Primary School was built on this area, between Mountford Lane and Prouds Lane.

Bilston Art School, or School of Art and Science, or Technical College. Built around 1893 with a wonderful frontage covered in terracotta. Extended 1953. Closed many years ago it has remained decaying ever since.

This is probably Legge's pottery, which was certainly on this site in and around 1900, but little is known about it or its products.

The Woodhouse, usually known as Tommy Wood's house, after its builder and original occupant, Tommy Wood who ran local cinemas, was a town councillor and sometime Mayor of Bilston. It is now the Conservative Club.

The Theatre Royal, now demolished.

The Drill Hall, originally of the South Staffs Regt.. Now Robin 2, a live music venue.

Mount Pleasant. The shops along the western side are remembered as being (in the years around 1950) as being, starting from Ivy House on the corner: Tildesley & Harris (solicitors), Hartills (bicycles), Barker (tailor), Cornforth (Barber). On the eastern side: Caddicks (sweet shop)on the corner but others unknown. Most of the eastern side was demolished and replaced by a modern range of shops in the 1960s. But the western side is all original and in recent years has been greatly improved under a town centre improvement scheme.

The manse of the Wesleyan Methodist church which stands just to the north of it. The poet, Sir Henry Newbolt, was born in this house, his father being the minister there.

Brueton House, originally a large private house, at the time of the photo was being converted into Bilston High School for Girls. When that moved out the building became Bilston's museum and art gallery and library. Now it holds a library and the Bilston Craft Gallery, the regional gallery for crafts.

Hale Crescent, which contained three largeish houses. Last remembered as being occupied by a Miss Bussey and a Mr. Lenton. Earlier,one of them, Arthog House, was occupied by David Lewis,who was a leading light in the establishment of the Bilston Girls High School, which started life in Brueton House on the other side of Mount Pleasant.

Bradley's Albion Works, best known under their trade name Beldray. Started in tinplate hardware but now best remembered for their domestic brass and copper wares, as well as their ladders and ironing boards. Closed in the early 2000s but the buildings now full occupied by other industries. To the south are the tennis courts and bowling green belonging to the company.

John Fellows Ltd, Etruria Works. The company is described in a late 19th century trade directory as "Bolt and Nut manufacturers and rollers of flats, squares, rounds, half rounds, etc.". Presumably the remarkably long thin building was a rolling mill. The firm closed sometime in the 20th century and the site is now covered in housing.

Arthog Cottages, an attractive row of small houses, that looks as if they started out as almshouses or the like. They may be connected with Arthog House which used to stand on the other side of Mount Pleasant and was occupied by David Lewis, a local philanthropist. The house and the cottages seem to be late Victorian. The house was demolished sometime in the first half of the 20th century. The cottages remain.

The Wesleyan Methodist Church, now demolished.

The Isolation Hospital, now long closed.

Peasecroft Wood. In 2011 the wood was subject to a management scheme, generally tidied up and paths laid. Now a pleasant amenity.

William Leigh House, originally the vicarage of St. Leonard's. A fine Georgian building.

This road in Mount Pleasant. Originally it was Willenhall Road and Mount Pleasant was an area off it. That district name is now not used and Mount Pleasant refers only to this road.

Ivy House, a fine Georgian Building, once the home and practice of Dr. Lamba, an Indian doctor who, in the 1930s, was a well respected doctor, president of the Bilston Lawn Tennis Club, Medical Officer of Health for Bilston, and a leading socialite in Bilston.

God's Acre - a small burial ground attached to St Leonard's, now a public open space.

St Leonard's Church