lth was that north of the
Birmingham Canal, but the village of Short Heath itself remained part of
the Township of Willenhall.

The census returns for Willenhall, minus Short Heath, have

1871 it had a population of 15,903
1881 16,067
1891 16,851
1901 18,515

After the passing of Sir H. H. Fowler's Local Government Act in 1895,
both authorities became Urban District Councils. Short Heath then as a
separate township had its area extended to take in Short Heath village,
with New Invention, Lanehead, Sandbeds, Lucknow, Fibbersley, in addition
to the former Local Board district, together with a slice from the old
Wednesfield Local Board district added on its Essington side.

No part of what used to be called Stow Heath was in Willenhall Township,
the extreme western boundary of the latter being Stow Heath Lane.

Modern Willenhall, although without public parks or pleasure grounds, and
not yet possessing public baths, is fairly well equipped for its size and
rateable value. It has its Public Offices, but no Town Hall; it has a
Free Library, established in 1875, and a full complement of efficient
primary schools. In 1877 it established its own School Board under the
Act of 1870, but under the later Act of 1902 its educational affairs
became vested in the Staffordshire County Council.

Willenhall had its own Waterworks at Monmore Lane as early as 1852; it
now takes its supply from the Wolverhampton Corporation, who purchased
the old works in 1868. Its old Gas Works in Lower Lichfield Street have
been taken over by Short Heath; and Willenhall is now supplied by the
Willenhall Gas Company, the present system of public street lighting
being that of the very efficient incandescent burner.

The Sewerage of the town was completed in 1890. There are two public
cemeteries; the Old Cemetery provided about 1851 under the Burial Acts,
and the newer one at Bentley, established under the Act of 1879.

The Police are, as in most townships, under the control of the
Staffordshire County Council; and Petty Sessions are held once a week (on
Mondays). Seventy years ago Willenhall had a Court of Requests for the
recovery of debts up to 5 pounds.

For Parliamentary representation Willenhall formed a portion of
Staffordshire till the great Reform Bill of 1832 made Wolverhampton a
borough, when it became part of that more important urban cons