More evidence of the loss of Black Country history
THE Black Country is an area steeped in history, especially from the indus- trial age. But unfortunately little by little any remaining evidence from those days is being lost.
Bugle reader Joan Willetts was kind enough to bring to our attention the demise of the Ernest Stevens office block in Cradley Heath that stood a few hundred yards from the town’s railway station. It is a building that may be unfamiliar to many as it stood in Woods Lane at the heart of the Cradley Heath Factory Centre where it was built circa 1930.
Ernest Stevens was a “holloware” manufacturer of pots, pans and kitchenware that became a household name for decades under the “Judge” brand name. Made at the factory in Cradley Heath Judge holloware was renowned for its quality world wide.
Ernest Stevens who was born in Lye in 1867 and his wife Mary were great benefactors to the town of Stourbridge and his success as an industrialist and the huge wealth that came with it enabled him to give something back to the people from his neck of the woods including Mary Stevens Park; Greenfield Gardens; Mary Stevens Maternity Home; Stevens Park, Quarry Bank; Stevens Park, Wollescote; Haden Hill House, Old Hill; Carlisle Hall, Stourbridge; and the War Memorial Sports Ground at Amblecote.
He has a huge influence on the way the public perceived the local industrialist and his legacy of social amenities will hopefully last for hundreds of years. His factory however in Cradley Heath is now consigned to the history books.
Here at the Bugle we could only record the gap left by the office building. But can any Bugle readers tell us whether the “Judge” facia at the front of the building and the smartly dressed drainpipes were saved from destruction? Contact details are on page 2.