orks on the history of
local Methodism. As a public man, he is a Justice of the Peace for the
County, a chairman of Willenhall Petty Sessional Division, has been
president of the Wolverhampton Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the
Willenhall Local Board, and chairman of the Willenhall Liberal
Association. Since his retirement to Penkridge he has written a history
of that parish, which was published by Steen and Co., of Wolverhampton,
in 1886.

Mr. J. C. Tildesley was sub-editor of the "Birmingham Morning News" under
the famous George Dawson, and has been a most diligent contributor to the
Press for the last forty years. It was mainly by his efforts that the
Willenhall Literary Institute was founded, that what is now the Public
Hall was built, and that the Free Library was established.

In recognition of his work in connection with the Literary Institute, a
public presentation was made to him, the inscription upon which bore this
eloquent testimony--"Not to requite but to record services of great value
to Willenhall . . . January 4th, 1869." That Mr. J. C. Tildesley is now
permanently invalided is a matter of regret not only to Willenhall, but
to a wide circle of readers and admirers outside the township.

XXX.--Topography.

There is often a wealth of history to be unearthed from place-names.
Localities often preserve the names of dead and gone personages,
half-forgotten incidents, and matters of past history well worth
recalling for their interest. Besides the pleasure to be derived from
the right interpretation of place-names and old street names, great
interest often centres around the social associations of old inns and
taverns. Let us consider a few of the old-time inns and localities of
Willenhall.

The site of the mediaeval Holy Well, which in the later fashion of the
18th century blossomed forth as a Spa, was situated between the church
and the present Manor House. In the remoter age we may imagine it as the
haunt of the lame, the halt, and the blind (possibly the church was
dedicated to St. Giles, the patron of cripples, on this account), and in
the more recent period as the resort of fashionable invalids and wealthy
valetudinarians.

In the Private Act of Parliament, dated 6th August, 1844, for disposing
of the Willenhall Endowment properties, a number of field-names occur in
the schedule which are pregnant with local history. Welch End is a name
which seems to mark the locality where res