CRADLEY

Status:
Chapel in Worcestershire (Halfshire Hundred) and in Halesowen Ancient Parish. Cradley parish was formed in 1799 from Halesowen [5] and ecclesiastically refounded in 1841. It became a separate Civil Parish in 1866 in Worcestershire [Halfshire Hundred] and Shropshire [Brimstree Hundred] until 1844 and entirely Worcestershire thereafter. Transferred in 1974 to West Midlands.[25]

Location:
O.S. Ref: SO942851
2 miles west of Halesowen on the A458
Netherend, Colley Gate, Overend, Two Gates and Colman Hill are near the town. [57]

Parish Church:
St. Peter, Church Rd., Cradley, Halesowen

Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction:
Archdeaconry & Diocese of Worcester until 1921, Archdeaconry of Dudley & Diocese of Worcester (1921 - *)[25]

Hundred:
Lower Halfshire [11] [25] [28]

Poor Law Union:
Stourbridge [3] [25]

Adjoining Parishes:
Rowley Regis (Staffordshire); Lye; Halesowen; Hagley; Pedmore; Old Swinford; Kingswinford (Staffordshire) [1]

Parish Registers:

		Coverage	Source
Microform at WLHC	Christenings	1785-1971	[5]
	Marriages	1802-1971	[5]
	Burials	1785-1969	[5]
	Banns	1801-1964	[5]
Transcripts at WLHC	Christenings	1785-1812, 1813-39	[27]
	Marriages	1802-39	[27]
	Burials	1785-1812, 1813-39, 1843-44	[27]
	Banns	1801-38	[27]

The original registers at Dudley Record Office.[5]

Bishops' Transcripts:
Begin 1799 Worcestershire Library and History Centre [22]

International Genealogical Index (IGI):
[19]

		Coverage
Parish Registers	Births / Christenings Baptist (Births) Presbyterian	1785-1877 1795-1837 1789-1837
	Marriages	1802-1877

Register Copies:
At BMSGH Shop
Cradley Chapel (now St. Peter's Church)
Christenings 1785-1839, Marriages 1802-39, Burials 1785-1844 Banns 1801-38 

At BMSGH Reference Library [7]
Cradley Chapel (now St Peters Par. Ch.) 1785-1839 Parish Registers
Cradley Chapel (now St Peters) B 1785-1839, M 1802-1839, B 1785-1844, Banns 1801-1838

At Dudley Archives & Local History Service:
Microform: Christenings 1785-1971 Marriages 1802-1971 Burials 1785-1969
Originals: Christenings 1785-1987 Marriages 1802-1996 Burials 1785-1969
Transcripts: Christenings 1785-1839 Marriages 1802-39 Burials 1785-1844
Copy baptisms & burials 1785-98 in first register
Originals: Banns:1801-1986

At Society of Genealogists [68]:
CRADLEY (Chapel now parish church of St. Peter) : Christenings 1785-1839, Marriages 1802-39, banns 1801-38, Burials 1785-1844   Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, 1978   Author Beach, John (transcriptions)

Nonconformist:
Baptist
At BMSGH Shop
Cradley Baptists
Records & registers 1783-1837

At BMSGH Reference Library [7]
Cradley Baptist Church, Registers and Historical Records 1783-1837 

At Worcestershire Library and History Centre
Baptist Church (Halesowen):
Births 1794-1837 Burials 1807-1837 Dedications 1806-1837 [30]
Transcripts: Baptisms 1801-37 B1805-37 [27]
Transcript: Register & historical records 1783-1837 [27]
Transcript: List of members with some baptisms & deaths 1798-1834 [27]

At Dudley Archives & Local History Service:
Cradley Baptist Church:
Births & dedications, 1804-37
Burials 1805-37 (Microform and Transcripts)
Marriages 1926-66 (High Street)
Marriages 1972 (Colley Lane)

At Society of Genealogists
CRADLEY (Baptist) : Births 1794-1837, Christenings 1804-33, Burials 1805-37; list of members, seat rent book 1798, 1820-21, minute book   Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, 1978   Author Beach, J (transcriptions)   Author Whittleton, E C (transcriptions) Source D: BMSGH

Lady Huntingdon's Connexion
At Society of Genealogists
CRADLEY (Lady Huntingdon's Connexion) : Christenings 1821-32: in The surrendered nonconformist registers of Herefordshire to 1837 [Typescript.]   IN: The surrendered nonconformist registers of Herefordshire to 1837   Published , 1970   Author Faraday, Michael Anthony (transcriptions) Source D: M A Faraday

Presbyterian
At BMSGH Reference Library [7]
Cradley Park Lane Presbyterian Baptisms. 1736-1837 and a few burials

At Worcestershire Library and History Centre :
Park Lane Presbyterian Chapel (Halesowen):
Births 1785-1837 Christenings 1789-1837 Deaths1761  Burials 1797-1826 [30]
Transcripts: Christenings 1736-1837  Burials 1797-1826 [27]

At Society of Genealogists
CRADLEY (Park Lane Presbyterian church) : Christenings 1736-69, 1777, 1789-1837, Burials 1761, 1797, 1805, 1812, 1818, 1823-26: Worcestershire registers, vol. 2 [Typescript.]   IN: Worcestershire registers, vol. 2   Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, 1979   Author Beach, John (transcriptions)

Methodist
At Dudley Archives & Local History Service
Bethesda Primitive Methodist Church
Baptisms 1867-1963
Cradley Methodist Church
Marriage Registers (see list - registers of closed churches)
Cradley Wesleyan Methodist Church
Baptisms 1840-1951 (including baptisms at Cradley & other places, 1840-45 & Cradley Circuit, 1895-?1901
Marriages 1899-1957 Unitarian

At Dudley Archives & Local History Service:
Park Lane Chapel
Baptisms 1789-1837
Burials 1761, 1797-1826 Microform and Transcripts

Monumental Inscriptions and Associated Documents:
At BMSGH Shop
St.Peter

At BMSGH Reference Library [7]
St.Peter

At Worcestershire Library and History Centre [51]
St.Peter

At Society of Genealogists [59]
CRADLEY (St. Peter) : Monumental Inscriptions: Worcestershire monumental inscriptions, vol. 12 [Typescript.]   IN: Worcestershire monumental inscriptions, vol. 12   Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, 1992   Author Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry (transcriptions) Source D: Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry

Census Records:
All the censuses between 1841 and 1901 are now available on a number of fee-paying (Subscription or PayAsYouGo) sites including Ancestry.co.uk, FindMyPast.co.uk, thegenealogist.co.uk and genesreunited.co.uk. The 1911 census is available in full or in part on some of these sites. We are unable to advise on the choice of site since researchers' personal preferences will be influenced by the content and search facilities offered by each site. Some sites offer a free trial.

Access to the library edition of Ancestry.co.uk is widely available at most record offices, including Worcestershire Library and History Centre, and some libraries. You are advised to book time on their computers before making a visit. 

A free-to-view site is being developed at freecen.org.uk for the 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871 and 1891 censuses.  Coverage of Worcestershire parishes is rather sparse at this time.

Census returns can usually be viewed at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' Family History Centres.

Some repositories offer census details on microform, disc or printed copy. These include:
1841-1901 at Worcestershire Library and History Centre [14]

Search Services (Fee paying) - BMSGH and Independent:
Burial: Cradley Chapelry in Parish of Halesowen: 1785-1839; St. Peter: 1843-78 Worcestershire Burial Index

Marriage: see Worcestershire Marriage Index

Parish Records on microform at Worcestershire Library and History Centre [13]
Churchwardens accounts 1858-1904
Register of services 1908-21

Schools Records:
The following school records are original documents. Note reference number and contact staff at Worcestershire Record Office:
Cradley C E
Boys' Dept Log Book - 1862 - 90 - Ref: BA 1244 - Halesowen: Cradley - Cradley C E - Infants' Dept Log Book - 1878 - 1911 - Ref: BA 1243
Mixed Dept Log Book - 1890 - 1930 - Ref: BA 1245 - Halesowen: Cradley - Netherend C P - Admission registers (5 Vols) - 1880 - 1956 - Ref: BA 3768 Netherend C P
Boys' Dept Log book - 1872 - 1911 - Ref: BA 1242/1
Infants' Dept Log book - 1880 - 1933 - Ref: BA 1242/ 2
Log book - 1934 - 57 - Ref: BA 2150

A handlist of other records of schools and of other educational establishments held by Worcestershire Record Office for this parish can be found here.

Directories:
CRADLEY, a chapelry in that part of the parish of HALES-OWEN which is in the lower division of the hundred of HALFSHIRE, county of WORCESTER, 2 miles (N.W. by N.) from Hales-Owen, containing 1696 inhabitants. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Worcester, endowed with £400 private benefaction, and £1400 parliamentary grant, and in the patronage of Lord Calthorpe, the Rev. Mr. Gisborne, and W. Wilberforce, Esq. The chapel, a modern structure, pleasantly situated on the brow of a hill, commanding an agreeable prospect, has lately received an addition of two hundred free sittings, the Incorporated Society for the enlargement of churches and chapels having granted £75 towards defraying the expense. There are places of worship for Baptists, Wesleyan Methodists, and Unitarians. A National school for boys and girls is supported by charitable contributions. The river Stour runs on the north and north-western sides of the chapelry, and separates it from Staffordshire. A mine of coal has been worked upon its banks, but is now discontinued. Beautifully situated –in a woody spot, amid pleasing walks, and on the banks of a large pool, or artificial lake, is Cradley Spa, where warm and cold baths have been erected: the water is impregnated with sulphate of soda, magnesia, &c., and is greatly used by invalids during the summer: an attempt was formerly made to manufacture salt here. In a large wood, called Cradley Park, are vestiges of the moat of an ancient building. The chapelry is hilly, and the vicinity abounds with pleasing and picturesque scenery. [Topographical Dictionary of England 1831 by Samuel Lewis]

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© Arthur Lewis and contributors 2008
Comments, additions, corrections etc to Arthur Lewis
Last updated on 11th December 2011

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