NOTABLE LOCAL PEOPLE
Richard Baxter (1615-91) is probably the most distinguished person to be associated with the town. In 1641 he was appointed as lecturer attached to St Mary's church by the Puritan burgesses of Kidderminster. For two decades he built a large congregation of committed followers. Upon the restoration of Charles II he was forced to leave and never again returned. He remained a prominent national figure. Towards the end of his life he was persecuted and imprisoned by Judge Jeffries in the Catholic reaction under James II. Baxter wrote extensively, and no modern book about the English Civil War and its aftermath is complete without references to his writings. His statue is by St Mary's church overlooking the ring road.
The one figure of comparable national importance linked to the town is Sir Rowland Hill (1795-1879), though he lived in the town only for the first five years of his life. The modern postal system was based on his idea. The penny post, introduced in 1840, benefited the poor and business alike with its low pre-paid charge. Prior to that the recipient had to pay a heavy charge and many refused to do so. Hill's statue stands outside the town hall.
Carpet Manufacturers
The most important carpet manufacturers must begin with John Pearsall, who is credited with starting the industry in Kidderminster in 1735. Pearsall built a house on the Stour flood plain in Puxton, before spending the final years of his life in
Nottingham.
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Around 1749 Pearsall went into partnership with John Broom in a carpet hall on Mount Skipet, the hill between Park Street and Park Lane. The site overlooks the present Matalan store. Broom is the second vital pioneer of the town’s staple industry. Legends abound regarding Broom. He is reputed to have travelled on the continent and brought back the secrets of Brussels weaving. Broom built a house (Blakebrook Cottage later known as The Cedars) at Blakebrook, which now forms part of Kemp Hospice on Mason Road.
The importance of Henry Brinton (1796-1857) is not sufficiently recognised, because Brintons have traced their origins back to the industrial interests of family members in the 18th century. There is no doubt, however, that the present firm was founded by Henry c1820. He died at Farfield House on Comberton Hill.
Another very significant carpet manufacturer was Michael Tomkinson (1841-1921), who in 1878 crossed the Atlantic to purchase the British rights to the Axminster power loom. He and his partner, William Adam, revitalised the town’s industry. Tomkinson lived at Franche Hall for the last forty years of his life.
The Workers Representatives
On the other side of the 19th century class and industry divide, a number of figures stand out​.
. William Charlton (1804-89) was a weavers leader in the great strike of 1828, which lasted for five months and which left a long and deep legacy of bitterness. He became a leader of the Kidderminster Chartists, but emigrated to America in 1845.
During the strike a Staffordshire parson came to the fore on the weavers’ side. The Rev Humphrey Price, who was born in Kidderminster in 1775, bitterly attacked the intransigence of the employers. For his pains he was tried for sedition at Hereford Assizes. A body of weavers marched 45 miles to support him, but to no avail. He was sentenced to a year in Stafford jail.
George Holloway (1818-1904) was at first a carpet weaver, then a publican, briefly a carpet manufacturer, and finally after 1858 and the advent of ower looms he became an auctioneer. After Charlton’s emigration he became the leader of the town’s Chartist movement. For many decades he continued to be involved in town politics as a Liberal councillor.
Two Notable 19th Century Men
There were several medical practitioners who pioneered better health for the town. Prominent among them was Dr William Roden (1814-84), who was four times Mayor. He was involved in the development of an Infirmary, first in St Mary’s Street and later in Mill Street. He fought a long battle over three decades for improvements in the water supply. He lived for many years at Morningside, a large house and grounds on Chester Road North, which sadly has been pulled down.
Josiah Mason (1795-1881) was the son of a carpet weaver, and born in Mill Street. He began life as a street hawker of cakes, fruits and vegetables. He moved in 1816 to Birmingham where he found employment in the toy trade. At this time ‘toys’ was the name given to small metal goods such as hooks, belt buckles, hinges etc. and Birmingham was an international centre for such products. In 1824 he set up on his own account as a manufacturer of split rings by machinery, and later added the making of steel pens. Owing to the circumstance of his pens being marketed through James Perry (founder of the London stationer whose name they bore) he was less well known than other makers, although he was really the largest producer in England.
Self-educated himself, he place great weight on the development and provision of educational opportunities for the poorer classes, first via an orphanage and later he established Mason College (1880) which was one of the institutions out of which the University of Birmingham grew.
Some Notable Women
Sarah Talbot (1819- ) Known as ‘Citizen Sarah’ because of her commitment to women’s rights. She was the first member of the Local Schools Board when these were established after the 1870 Education Act. The school boards were the first arms of local government where women were allowed to vote and to stand for election. Perhaps her radical attitudes were a result of her birth in the United States.
Caroline Bennett (1842-1926) In 1868 she founded a school for girls at Broomfield Hall. which in due course became the Girls’ High School first in 1888 at Needwood House, Franche and then in 1912 in Chester Road.
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E C Addenbrooke (1911-1976) Miss Addenbrooke was the first woman elected to Kidderminster Borough Council (in November 1929) and was the town’s first woman Mayor (in 1935-6). She also served as Divisional Commander of the Girl Guides.
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Mary Anton (1873-1948) Came to Kidderminster with the Victoria Carpet Company in about 1900. She was the first woman magistrate in Kidderminster and the first woman member of the Board of Guardians. She was a governor of Kidderminster High School and president of the local Girl Guides. She was also active in the campaign for women’s right to vote in the years prior to the First World War.
A Fascinating Resident
James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw was born in what is now Borno in North East Nigeria. He was traded as a slave to Barbados, and eventually became owned by a Christian minister in New York and raised as a Christian. He was freed from slavery by the terms of the minister’s will. In due course, after much hardship, he made his way to England seeking similar spiritual guidance and eventually settled for some years in Kidderminster – the writings of Richard Baxter were a particular inspiration.
While in Kidderminster he had his life story written down by a 'young lady' of Leominster and it was published in 1772 - see this link: "A Narrative of the Most Remarkable Particulars in the Life of James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw, An African Prince, as Related by Himself". This Narrative is the first book known to have been published by an African in English and the first account of life spent as a slave recorded by a former slave. It received wide attention at the time and was reprinted multiple times. He was living in Kidderminster in his sixties but left and died in Chester in 1775. The burial record for 'Chester St Oswald' includes an entry for 'James Albert a Blackman'.
Politicians in the Twentieth Century
Louis Tolley (1889-1959) was one of the town's first Labour councillors – elected first in 1919. his struggle was for better public services, particularly housing, in the years after each of the two world wars. He was Mayor of Kidderminster three times and served as the towns MP between 1945-50.
Sir George Eddy (1878-1967) was another significant political and town leader in the 20th Century. He brought a different mind set to the rather dynastic tradition of the Victorian Town Council and was also very active in other aspects of the town's activities such as the theatre and Kidderminster Harriers football club. He was Chairman of the Grammar School Governors for many years and a regional member of the national Savings Committee from 1943. He served on Kidderminster Borough Council for over 40 years and was Mayor on four occasions.
Charles Talbot MBE (1931-2019) was a member of a family that has been active in the town's business, political and cultural affairs since the late eighteenth century. A Mayor of the town, he was later Clerk to the Charter Trustees of Kidderminster and was a leading member of the successful campaign to establish a proper local representative body in the form of a Town Council. He devoted much effort to establishing facilities for the young people of Kidderminster and to twinning relations with Husum in Germany. He was a long serving Secretary of Kidderminster Civic Society and played a very significant part in the formation of the Museum of Carpet.
An expatriate who did well
Sir Walter Nash (1882–1968) was born in Kidderminster but emigrated to New Zealand in 1909. He was Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1957 to 1960. He is noted for his long period of political service, having been associated with the New Zealand Labour Party since its creation.
He joined the original Labour Party there shortly after its foundation, and became a member of the party's executive in 1919. Nash was elected to Parliament in 1929. He was appointed as Minister of Finance in 1935 and returned to visit Kidderminster when he held this post. Nash guided the economic recovery programme during the Great Depression and then directed the government's wartime controls.
In 1957, the Labour Party won a narrow election victory and Nash became Prime Minister.
His connection to Kidderminster is marked by the naming of Walter Nash Road on Birchen Coppice
A Recent Politician
Tom Watson (1967- ) was born in Sheffield and raised in Kidderminster where he was educated at King Charles I School.
He was member of Parliament for West Bromwich from 2001 to 2019 and was Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2019
On 12 September 2015, Watson was elected Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, alongside new leader Jeremy Corbyn, gaining 198,962 votes or 50.7%, including second preference votes from those who voted for other candidates. In March 2020, he was appointed chair of UK Music and later that year was made a senior adviser on problem gambling to Flutter Entertainment.
A Broadcaster
James O ‘Brien (1972- ) is a British radio presenter, podcaster, author, and former tabloid journalist and television presenter.
He was adopted a baby by Jim O'Brien, a journalist for The Daily Telegraph, and his wife and raised in Kidderminster. He was educated at Ampleforth College and the London School of Economics
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Since 2004 he has been one of the presenters on talk station LBC, presenting on weekdays between 10 am and 1 pm, hosting a phone-in discussion of current affairs, views and real-life experiences. He hosted a weekly interview series with JOE titled 'Unfiltered with James O'Brien'. He has occasionally presented Newsnight for the BBC in the past.
Entertainment
Robert Plant (1948- ) raised in Kidderminster, Plant was lead singer with Led Zeppelin on of the most successful rock bands of all time in terms of record sales and as live performers. Led Zeppelin ceased performing in 1980 but Plant has continued to record and tour extensively. He has a home close to Kidderminster and a continuing association with Kidderminster College and its MAS Records music development programme.
Sport
Claire Cashmore MBE (1988- ) is an Paralympic swimming champion who grew up in Kidderminster. She has won bronze, silver and gold medals having taken part in four Paralympic Games. She now competes in Paratriathlon events and was world champion in her classification in 2019. Claire won a Bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
