AS MANY a Bugle reader will be aware, by the early part of the 19th century Wednesfield had become the trap making capital of the world, with dozens of workshops manufacturing a whole host of different types and sizes, from rat traps to devices for catching the big cats, first by hand, then by machine. This trade most likely grew from the local blacksmiths who were already making hinges, hasps and brackets, but an increased demand for vermin traps in the burgeoning new industrial towns, as well as the more traditional gamekeeper’s traps in the local rural communities, created a cottage industry on a large scale.
Wednesfield wasn’t the only trap making place in the Black Country area, but it was this small South Staffordshire town that boasted the majority, and in Stuart Haddon-Riddoch’s book ‘Rural Reflections’, he lists 115 trap manufacturers situated in Wednesfield or Wednesfield Heath. One of the trap makers was John Williams who started as an apprentice to John Tottey Senior of March End in 1841.
Ten years later he was making traps himself at an address at Wood End, and in 1865 he had set up shop to manufacture traps in Taylor Street. Conditions in those early days were harsh, working in a noisy, dirty environment for long hours with low pay.
Each trap would have been made entirely by hand and by the same person from start to finish. Wrought iron was heated in the forge, then hammered repeatedly on an anvil until it formed the desired shape, and springs would be tempered and re-tempered until the required elasticity and quality was achieved. Bait plates were formed out of flattened iron, hammered thin and then cut out by chisel, and the tongues and tills would be filed out and shaped, teeth being riveted onto the jaws or painstakingly cut into them by hand. After assembly the traps were tested, and then stamped by the trap maker once he was satisfied with the finished article.
Conditions and methods of manufacture would have been no different at the workshop of John Williams in Taylor Street, and his skills were subsequently handed down to his son, resulting in the firm becoming John Williams & Son by 1888.
The Bugle first became aware of the Williams’ old trap makers premises in Wednesfield in early 2010 when Erica Williams contacted us expressing her concern about its future. Since then we have also followed that story with another moving account from the First World War relating to the Williams family. In the meantime Erica has been doing a lot of work behind the scenes to try and secure the future of the site and she recently supplied us with some good news.
“I submitted an application for a local listing of the trap makers premises at No. 43 Taylor Street with Wolverhampton Council, but unfortunately this wasn’t followed up.” she told us.
“But then I had a conversation on the phone with Sue Whitehouse, the Historic Environment Officer, and she was very upbeat about the story and asked me to resubmit all my information. She responded very quickly and I am very pleased to report that she has put the site on the Historic Environment Record. She is also suggesting an application should be made for a listing with English Heritage.
“It would be terrific if any Bugle readers had any information of their own regarding the trap making industry in Wednesfield.
Lee Newman, who contacted me through the Bugle website and is currently researching the trap industry, told me that 43 Taylor Street is the last trap works premises at its original location in Wednesfield, and it would be very interesting to find out when other trap works disappeared and if there are still any left operating in the Wednesfield area.” An extract of the letter Erica received from Sue Whitehouse is reads follows: “I have asked our archaeologist to put the site on the Historic Environment Record, which will give it status as a heritage asset that will need to be given consideration should any planning applications come in that would affect the site. At the very least we could get the building properly recorded before it is lost.
There is a chance it could be listed (statutory), especially if it can be proved it is the last one remaining in situ.
“However, English Heritage will probably make a judgement based on the degree of survival of original features both external and internal.”
