Tipton

52.525834136667 - 2.0751358991667Koordinaten: 52 ° 32 ' N, 2 ° 5' W

Tipton is a town in the district of Sandwell in West Midlands (England) with a population of about 47,000.

Geography

Tipton is located halfway between the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton. It is a part of Greater West Midlands and the so-called Black Countrys.

History

Tipton was until 1938 a district municipality of the county of Staffordshire until it was granted city rights. The majority of the district in 1966 moved to the Municipality of West Bromwich. Along with West Bromwich and other places Tipton in 1974 part of a newly created administrative district called Sandwell.

Policy

Approximately 40 percent of residents have an annual income of less than 20,000 pounds (about € 30,000 ) per year. Approximately half of all households Tipton does not have a car. The British National Party has been expanded in the last election and sends currently three deputies.

Recently, Tipton is also the so-called " Tipton Three " become known. Ruhal Ahmed, Asif Iqbal and Shafiq Rasul, three young British from Tipton, were arrested in 2001 by militias of the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan and were almost three years imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay without charge or legal representation. 2004, the " Tipton Three " were released without charge. The four young people Mounir, who disappeared before the American bombing during the flight from Kunduz, was never found again. Her story drew international special attention, as it has been made ​​into a film in 2006 by Michael Winterbottom as The Road to Guantanamo.

Economy

Tipton was once one of the most industrialized towns in the Black Country. Most factories closed during the eighties and many residential areas were built on their campuses. This was a godsend for Tipton, as property prices rose sharply in this period.

Until the 18th century, Tipton was merely an amalgamation of small towns. Industrial growth began in 1770, were found as iron ore and coal. A lot of channels, and later railroad tracks were built or relocated, which increased the rate of industrialization. The engineer James Watt built around 1770 his first steam engine in or near Tipton, which was used for dewatering of the mines. Established in 1780 James Keir and Alexander Blair chemical industry, which produced large quantities of alkali and soap.

The great expansion of the iron and coal industries had the population of 4,000 ( 1800 ) to 30,000 ( 1900) to rise rapidly within just a century ago. Tipton was once considered the center of the Black Countrys, since chimneys polluted the air as houses and factories were built side by side. Most of these traditional industries which once dominated the cityscape, are gone today.

Culture and sights

The Black Country Living Museum near Dudley has this life faithfully restored in 1900. Furthermore, is there a Channel Basin. Tipton was once also known as the "Venice of the West Midlands ', as it had so many channels. Today, many of these channels have been filled in again ( by about 1970).

In the region a very distinct dialect is spoken, despite the proximity, different to the one in Birmingham. The dialect is very similar to the William Shakespeare said, which is, among other things, that he lived not far from here.

The city has a traditional horse entertainment culture. Private horses are kept freely on public land and are also sometimes seen on the streets.

Neighboring communities of Tipton are: Tipton Green, Princes End, Tibbington, Toll End, Ocker Hill, Dudley Port, Gread Bridge, Tividale.

Personalities

• Philip Bradbourn, 1951, British politician