Introduction to Metalware

In this Hall we have assembled a number of smaller items, mainly made out of either metal or papier mache, more or less decorated and mainly of domestic utility or ornament. Large metal items, such as heavy machinery, can be found in the Engineering Hall (not yet open) and vehicles of all kinds can be found in the Transport Hall (this way).

Wolverhampton had easy access to coal and somewhat more remote access to iron. But Wolverhampton was not particularly accessible: it had no sea port and no major rivers by which to get in raw materials or to distribute finished products. So the first metal working industries in Wolverhampton had to produce small items which were easily transportable. It was only the coming of the canals and then of the railways that made larger items practicable.

The Wolverhampton Trade Directory of 1780 says: "The trade of this and the adjacent places is chiefly in the iron, steel, and brass manufactories, as locks, hinges, steel buckles, steel toys ...". (Toys, of course, are not children's playthings, but any small item, usually decorative). The list of inhabitants in this Directory bears out this picture of the town's trade, with makers of small metal items predominating, almost to the exclusion of other manufacturing trades.

The story of this sector of industry therefore starts with small items made of metal, such as steel jewellery and "toys". (The specialist gun lock trade (found, for example, in Bradmore) will have to appear elsewhere). It goes on with splendid decorative techniques such as enamelling and japanning. In all of these areas Wolverhampton, and what was then the separate town of Bilston, found world renown. By the end of the 19th century metalworkers were turning out large numbers of domestic holloware and similar goods and this continued long after the other trades had either vanished or been greatly reduced. Tools of all kinds, including edge tools, were also largely made here, flourishing well into the 20th century.

All the goods in this shop window at the Black Country Living Museum, and even the brushes, galvanised tubs and baths in front of it, could have been made in Wolverhampton. The only exceptions would be the glassware and the ceramic ware.

These trades could be greatly subdivided, so that individuals might engage in only one part of the production of larger objects. For example, there were individuals and companies which produced blank trays - which they sold to the japanning works; and other individuals and companies which made metal boxes - which they sold to the Bilston enamellers. These trades also produced spin off trades and industries: Manders started out as japanners but soon came to specialise in the making of the varnishes which other japanners bought from them - and from there expanded into many other finishes, from general varnishes, to enamels, to house paints and printing inks.

The crafts of these trades also proved to be highly transferable, so that many people engaged in them ended up in the vehicle manufacturing industries, applying high grade finishes to bikes, motor bikes and cars.

Many of these trades were originally practiced by individual craftsmen; only in later times did larger firms with many employees appear. The largest of these firms would engage in many associated trades and have large premises in which a great range of good were made.