Place:Wolstanton, Staffordshire, England

source: Family History Library Catalog

Wolstanton has been since 1974 a suburban area on the outskirts of Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England.

Wolstanton Colliery, originally an ore mine located just to the east of the village, was noted for having the deepest shafts in Europe. It was closed in 1985 and demolished in 1987.

In 1894 Wolstanton became part of Wolstanton Rural District. The district was abolished in 1904 at which point the parish of Wolstanton, together with the parishes of Chesterton and Silverdale became Wolstanton United Urban District. In 1932 Wolstanton United Urban District was merged into Newcastle-under-Lyme municipal borough. The borough became the hub of Newcastle-under-Lyme District in 1974.

A 19th century description

A Vision of Britain through Time provides the following description of Wolstanton from John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales of 1870-72:

"WOLSTANTON, a village, a township, a parish, a [registration] sub-district, and a [registration] district, in Stafford. The village stands adjacent to the North Staffordshire railway, between Etruria and Burslem [railway] stations, 2 miles NNW of Stoke-upon-Trent; and has a post-office under Stoke-upon-Trent, a church almost entirely rebuilt in 1860 at a cost of £4,500, a Wesleyan chapel built in 1866, and charities £16.

"The township includes the village, and extends beyond it. Real property: £6,577. Population in 1851: 1,317; in 1861: 1,842. Houses: 395. The increase of population arose from the extension of the earthen-ware trade. The manor belongs to the Duchy of Lancaster.

"The parish contains 12 townships, and comprises 10,739 acres. Population in 1851: 22,191; in 1861: 32,029. Houses: 6,237. The property is much subdivided. Most of the area lies within the tract called the Potteries; and there are numerous porcelain and earthenware factories, many brick and tile yards, and several iron and steel works, engine works, and silk and cotton mills. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Lichfield. Value: £350. Patron: R. Sneyd, Esq. The vicarages of New Chapel, Chesterton, Mowcop, Silverdale, Tunstall, Kidsgrove, and Golden-Hill, are separate benefices.

"The sub-district includes only four townships. Population: 9,653. Houses: 1,985.

"The [registration] district includes Tunstall sub-district, comprising all the rest of [Wolstanton] parish, and Burslem sub-district conterminate with Burslem parish. Acres of the district: 13,679. Poor rates in 1863: £13,938. Population in 1851: 42,916; in 1861: 54,356. Houses: 10,627. Marriages in 1866: 717; births: 2,853,--of which 203 were illegitimate; deaths: 1,960,--of which 1,079 were at ages under 5 years, and 14 at ages above 85. Marriages in the ten years 1851-60: 5,466; births: 20,906; deaths: 12,595. The places of worship, in 1851, were 10 of the Church of England, with 6,183 sittings; 1 of Independents, with 350 [sittings]; 1 of Baptists, with 120 [sittings]; 1 of Unitarians, the [sittings] not reported; 14 of Wesleyans, with 5,261 [sittings]; 6 of New Connexion Methodists, with 1,708 [sittings]; 11 of Primitive Methodists, with 2,582 [sittings]; 2 of the Wesleyan Association, with 1,556 [sittings]; and 1 of Roman Catholics, with 500 [sittings]. The schools were 18 public day-schools, with 2,266 scholars; 59 private day-schools, with 1,750 [scholars]; 40 Sunday schools, with 9,301 [scholars]; and 4 evening schools for adults, with 46 [scholars]. The workhouse is in Chell township."

Research Tips