1 Union Square

Wednesbury

by Keith Gwilliams

Pick and hammer, cart and plough
That was then, here is now
Coal and furnace, forge and flame,
The gods of the ancestors remain in the name
Wednesbury - guardian of treasures hidden clearly in view
Sought by the scholar, appreciated by the craftsman and admired by the knowing
Does the smoke of history hide the evidence of past glory
or form transient images of a partially perceived resurrection?
Pick and hammer, cart and plough
That was then, here is now
Coal and furnace, forge and flame,
The gods of the ancestors remain in the name
Are the echoes of an industrial orchestra fading into an indefinable rabble
or are they the developing chords of the second movement of a re-emerging symphony?
Are the rambling words of a human herd becoming the result of a post-reformation Babel or the resonation of a formative discussion on an improving economic scenario?
Pick and hammer, cart and plough
That was then, here is now
Coal and furnace, forge and flame, 
The gods of the ancestors remain in the name 

Wednesbury

by Daniel Kay

Having its earliest roots as an agricultural community, Wednesbury has survived cultural changes throughout its history. With the introduction of coal which fired up the Industrial revolution, this small borough developed the production of nails and gun parts which were so critical to the period. Canals and railways soon followed, bringing wealth and workers that produced a surge in employment. But as demands for this technology dwindled in the 20th century, so did the jobs and the dreams. But Wednesbury would not go down easily. Recently it has taken up the challenge to once again be a vibrant, thriving locale. Repurposing some of the old factories and restoring the lustre to the streets by embracing its history, rather abandoning its proud heritage.