Stourbridge
52.456388888889 - 2.1475Koordinaten: 52 ° 27 ' N, 2 ° 9' W
Stourbridge is a town in middle England. It is located in the west of the West Midlands conurbation to Birmingham, more precisely, in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley between Dudley and Kidderminster. Stourbridge has 54 661 inhabitants ( 1991 census ).
Location
Stourbridge is a typical suburban and commuter community. Although it belongs to the Black Country, it has by its urban boundary layer also has many natural areas. From here it is, for example, closer to Shropshire as a remote, 10 km Birmingham. Residents of Stourbridge offer recreational opportunities in the Clent Hills and the Forest of Kinver Edge in the west of the city.
Previously, Stourbridge part of the community Oldswinford in the county of Worcestershire. Is named the place after the bridge over the River Stour, which flows through the village and traditionally marked the border between Worcestershire and Staffordshire and the westward flowing to Smestow Brook. The upturn in the old country church Stourbridge took place, with the industrialization of England, who had one of their centers in the West Midlands. In 1966, the settlement located immediately north of Stourbridge Amblecote, which belonged to Staffordshire, incorporated to Stourbridge, Worcestershire thereby also increased slightly. As part of the administrative reform of 1974 Stourbridge then was spun off from Worcestershire and assigned to the newly created metropolitan county of West Midlands. Since then, however, there were always attempts to return the city to Worcestershire ( the temporary name of the Hereford and Worcester wore).
Glass industry
Stourbridge is nationally known for its traditional glass production that here since the beginning of the 17th century. is operated. Strictly speaking, the production centers are, however, especially in the neighboring communities of Wordsley, Amblecote and Oldswinford. Especially the natural resources of coal and fireclay predestined the area a site for glassmaking. The required for the production of sand was imported mainly from Ireland and shipped via so-called Narrowboat channels to Stourbridge. The products of Stourbridger glassmakers were always estimated very high quality and as gifts for nobles and high-ranking guests. Today only, one of the old glassworks, the Red House Glass Cone, which is located in Wordsley Stourbridge Canal at. There are also traditional glassblowing techniques are demonstrated for visitors.
Traffic
Stourbridge lies on the River Stour and the Stourbridge Canal, which connects the city with the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal. The town has a railway station, Stourbridge Junction, on the line Oxford - Worcester - Wolverhampton, which crosses the River Stour near the town and the A491 on the Stambermill Viaduct. The railway line to Dudley was closed in 1962 for passenger and now serves only to freight. From Stourbridge Junction leads since 1879 the only 1.2km Stourbridge Town Branch Line to downtown with the Stourbridge Town Rail Station. In Stourbridge Stourbridge Lion locomotive was manufactured in 1828, which was transported to the U.S. and took there as first U.S. locomotive a ride on a freight railway. The locomotive was too heavy for the tracks and was therefore stopped after a few test drives.
Education
Stourbridge is home to two colleges, King Edward VI College, founded in 1552, and the Stourbridge College of Further Education. There are also a number of primary and secondary schools, for example, Redhill, Old Swinford Hospital, Ridgewood and Elmfield Rudolf Steiner School.
Press
In Stourbridge Stourbridge the News, the Express & Star and Stourbridge Chronicle issued.
Sports
Stourbridge is home to Stourbridge Football Club and Stourbridge Cricket Club, both of which deliver their home games at the War Memorial Athletic Ground. There is also an Stourbridge Rugby Club, which plays in Stourton Park in nearby Stourton.
Personalities
- Clement Lindley Wragge (1852-1922), Meteorologist
- Tony Marsh (1931-2009), racing driver
- Johnny Briggs ( born 1935 ), actor, lives in Stourbridge
- Frank Foley, the relatively unknown " British " Schindler lived until his death in 1958 in Stourbridge
- Steve " S. J. " Watson (born 1971 ), author
- Dean Smith (* 1988), British racing driver
The music groups Witchfinder General, Ned 's Atomic Dustbin, Diamond Head, Pop Will Eat Itself and The Wonder Stuff are from Stourbridge.