Madeley Matters

Special 4 page insert

November 2004

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Page 4 Our History

Down Memory Lane

At a time when Madeley lacks a choice of supermarkets “Hobsons Choice” only Somerfields, residents are left wondering if and when the proposed changes will take place, if ever!

This started me musing about the vast and diverse number of shops Madeley once had. Both pre war and pre1968 when the supposed re-development of Madeley Centre took place. Some residents know it as the “ravages” of Madeley. Anyone in doubt – look opposite the lovely imposing building known as the Anstice Memorial Hall, look and weep!

There are far too many shops to list fully in this letter, although I do have a list of over 50 of all shapes and sizes.

This is a long and fascinating article - click here to read the full version.

A Madeley Institution

There was a workhouse in Madeley at least as early as 1777 and, in 1796, a purpose-built ‘House of Industry’ was constructed in what is now Belmont Road, Ironbridge. By 1868 this was severely overcrowded and a new workhouse was built on Lincoln Hill. It cost £12,000 and was designed to house 220 people. In 1930 the ‘workhouse era’ officially came to an end and many former workhouses were renamed and adapted for other uses – usually as hospitals or homes for the elderly. Madeley Workhouse became ‘The Beeches Hospital’ and is remembered with great affection by the many local people who worked there after the introduction of the National Health Service in 1948.

The site eventually went into private ownership but has continued to provide residential care for the elderly and is now part of the ExtraCare group. Lincoln Grange has recently been sold to developers and after over 200 years of offering service to the community will be redeveloped as housing. Unfortunately the building is not listed by English Heritage and there have been rumours that, instead of incorporating the existing block into the proposed scheme (perhaps as flats), it will be demolished and the site redeveloped from scratch.

Madeley Living History Project has a group of people (mostly former staff of the hospital) working on the story of Lincoln Grange and we plan to produce an illustrated booklet. We are also campaigning for the building to be listed. If you have any memories of Lincoln Grange – either from its workhouse days or when it was a hospital – please get in touch with us at Madeley Library either in person, by telephone (01952 680278) or by email lhp@mparish.fsnet.co.uk and we will be delighted to share your reminiscences.

Shelagh Lewis - Madeley Living History Project Officer