| Blakenhall | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Blakenhall Location within the West Midlands | |
| Population | 12,614 (2021) [1] |
| OS grid reference | SO910966 |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Wolverhampton |
| Postcode district | WV2 |
| Dialling code | 01902 |
| Police | West Midlands |
| Fire | West Midlands |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
Blakenhall is a suburb and ward in Wolverhampton, England. The population was 12,614 at the 2021 census. [2]
Blakenhall's name, according to toponymists, comes from the Old English "blæc" (meaning "black") and "halh" (meaning "nook" or "corner"). [3] It was developed during the late 19th century just south of the town centre with hundreds of terraced houses, some with shop fronts, being built on the Dudley Road (A459) towards Sedgley. Many were also built down the side streets. Wanderers Avenue, the original home of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, can be found in Blakenhall. The team regularly played on the adjacent Phoenix Park until 1889. Names of the players can be found on the front of the terraced houses along the street. [4]
Wolverhampton's first council houses were built in Blakenhall in 1902, though it would be nearly 20 years before mass council house building took place anywhere else in the area. [5] By the 1980s, these properties were outdated and were finally demolished in the spring of 1988. [6] Vehicle maker AJS moved to a new factory built around Graiseley House in 1914. [7] It closed upon their insolvency in 1931 and the site, now occupied by a supermarket (Tesco since July 2021, previously Waitrose and Safeway), is marked by a sculpture called The Lone Rider, designed by Steve Field. [8] [9] [10]
In 1919, when work began on Wolverhampton's first major council housing development to rehouse families from town centre slums, a site around Green Lane (later renamed Birmingham Road and Thompson Avenue) and Parkfield Road was included in this development. [11] In 1960, 1st Blakenhall Scout Group was formed. The group now meets at St. Johns Methodist Church and is open to boys and girls aged 6–14. [12] The next major development in Blakenhall took place in the 1960s when six tower blocks were constructed. One of the two taller tower blocks, Cobden House, was demolished by a controlled explosion in August 2002. The four smaller tower blocks (Neale House, Villiers House, Cross House, and Ranelagh House) were cleared with mechanical demolitions in 2007. The final taller tower block, Phoenix Rise (previously known as Franchise House), was demolished in 2011.
The Blakenhall ward serves Wolverhampton City Council and forms part of the Wolverhampton West constituency. The ward also covers the suburb of Goldthorn Park, immediately to the south, and part of Graiseley. It borders Graiseley, Penn, St Peter's, Ettingshall, and Spring Vale wards, as well as (briefly) South Staffordshire and the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley.
Blakenhall's residents are predominantly descendants of Indians who settled in the area following World War II, with 45.6% of the population claiming Indian ethnicity. [14] The local Gurdwara occupies the site of a former Corona drinks factory, and has at times laid claim to be the largest Gurdwara in Europe. Blakenhall's religious makeup as of the 2021 census [15] was 40.7% Sikh, 24.3% Christian, 16.6% non-religious, 10.4% Hindu, 4.3% Muslim, 3.3% other, and 0.4% Buddhist.
Blakenhall is one of the most deprived districts of Wolverhampton, although it has improved slightly since the 1990s due to its designation as an ABC Regeneration Area. A similar initiative covers the neighbouring All Saints district. Colton Hills Community School and senior part of The Royal School, Wolverhampton are situated in Blakenhall ward. The junior side of The Royal School, Wolverhampton is in Graiseley ward. South Wolverhampton and Bilston Academy was also located in the area in the former Parkfield High School but the academy relocated all facilities to Bilston in 2012.
It was incorrectly reported in 2013 that one of Blakenhall's oldest and most notable buildings, the 1861 St Luke's Church, was to close due to mounting repair bills and structural problems with the tower and spire. [16] [17] The building, which is grade II listed, finally closed as a church in 2017 and became an antiques centre. [18] The congregation now meets in St. Luke's School a short distance away. [19]
The new Blakenhall Community and Healthy Living Centre, operated by Wolverhampton City Council, opened in 2010. [20]
Bilston is a market town in the City of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, England. It is close to the borders of Sandwell and Walsall. The nearest towns are Darlaston, Wednesbury, and Willenhall. Historically in Staffordshire, four wards of Wolverhampton City Council now cover the town. These are Bilston South and Bilston North, which almost entirely comprise parts of the historic Borough of Bilston and Ettingshall North and Ettingshall South and Spring Vale, which comprise a part of Bilston and other parts of Wolverhampton. The town had a population 34,639 at the 2021 Census.
Willenhall is a market town in the Walsall district, in the county of the West Midlands, England, with a population taken at the 2021 Census of 49,587. It is situated between Wolverhampton and Walsall, historically in the county of Staffordshire. It lies upon the River Tame, and is contiguous with both Wolverhampton and parts of South Staffordshire. The M6 motorway at Junction 10 separates it from Walsall.
Wednesfield is a town and historic village in the City of Wolverhampton, in the county of the West Midlands, England, It is 2 miles (3.2 km) east-northeast of Wolverhampton city centre and about 10 miles (16 km) from Birmingham and is part of the West Midlands conurbation. It was historically within the county of Staffordshire.
Darlaston is an industrial and market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall in the West Midlands of England. It is located near Bilston, Walsall, Wednesbury, West Bromwich, Willenhall and Wolverhampton. It was historically part of Staffordshire.
Penn is an area divided between the City of Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire district. The population of the Wolverhampton Ward taken at the 2011 census was 12,718. Originally, it was a village in the historic county of Staffordshire.
Coseley is a village in the Dudley district, in the county of the West Midlands, England. It is situated three miles north of Dudley itself, on the border with Wolverhampton and Sandwell. It falls within the Tipton and Wednesbury parliamentary constituency.
Wolverhampton South East is a constituency in West Midlands that was created in 1974. The seat has been represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom by Pat McFadden of the Labour Party since 2005. McFadden currently serves as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster under the government of Keir Starmer.
Wolverhampton South West was a constituency in the West Midlands created in 1950 and was represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament.
Merry Hill is a suburb of Wolverhampton, West Midlands and a ward of Wolverhampton City Council. It is situated in the south-west of the city, bordering South Staffordshire and the Tettenhall Wightwick, Park, Graiseley and Penn wards. It forms part of the Wolverhampton West constituency.
Graiseley is both an inner-city area of Wolverhampton, situated immediately to the south-west of the city centre, and the name of a ward of Wolverhampton City Council.
St Peter's is a ward of Wolverhampton City Council, West Midlands. It has two parts: the city centre, and the inner-city areas immediately to the north and north-west, including Dunstall Hill and part of Whitmore Reans.
Ettingshall is an area of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It lies within two wards of Wolverhampton City Council: Ettingshall North and Ettingshall South and Spring Vale. The population of Ettingshall taken at the 2011 census was 13,482.
Spring Vale is a district and former ward of Wolverhampton City Council, West Midlands, England. It is situated SSE of the city centre, on the city's border with the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley. The population of the ward at the 2011 census was 12,243.
Fallings Park is a suburb of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, and a ward of Wolverhampton City Council. It is situated in the northeast of the city, bordering South Staffordshire and the Wednesfield North, Heath Town, Bushbury South and Low Hill and Bushbury North wards. It forms part of the Wolverhampton North East constituency. Fallings Park ward covers over 5,000 properties in Longknowle, Newbolds, Scotlands, Underhill and Willows.
Wolverhampton West is a borough constituency in the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands of England which was re-established for the 2024 general election following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies and which is formed largely from the former Wolverhampton South West constituency. It has been represented in the House of Commons since 2024 by Warinder Juss.
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England, 13 miles (21 km) northwest of Birmingham. The population in 2021 was 263,700.
The Bratch is an area of Wombourne in South Staffordshire, England, noted for its industrial heritage and more recently as a way station for walkers, riders and cyclists. Formerly, it was a small, separate hamlet, and became fully absorbed into Wombourne only in the 20th century. Population details for the 2011 census can be found under Wombourne.
St Luke's Church, Blakenhall is a Grade II* listed former parish church in the Church of England in Blakenhall, Wolverhampton.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) 2001 Census