Waterloo Road:
Waterloo
Road was built in two stages.
1)
Hanley to Cobridge: A “Plan of an Intended Road from Cobridge to
Hanley” dated 30 December 1811 shows that first part of the scheme was the
improvement of the connection between Cobridge and Hanley.
This section was in use by 1814.
2)
Burslem to Cobridge: The northern section from Burslem to Cobridge was
built between 1815 and 1817. As a result the old narrow winding turnpike road
was replaced a straight wide road. The new road immediately became a focus of
new development. William Adams, of Cobridge
Hall was one of the first to exploit the potential of the new road.
In
1807, the Rev William Robinson, the Rector and Patron of St
Peter’s Church, Stoke, obtained an Act of Parliament for the subdivision
of the ancient parish of Stoke-upon-Trent.
In the following year William Adams of Cobridge Hall purchased the patronage
of the new Rectory of Burslem which included the glebe Lands. He knew that a
new road was planned between Burslem and Hanley which would cross the glebe
land which amounted to 7½ acres. He obtained power to sell the land for
building purposes under the Burslem Glebe Act (55 Geo III, c.57). Between 1815
and 1835 most of this land was sold for building plots which were advertised
for sale in the Staffordshire Advertiser.
For
example the following advertisement appeared on 19 September 1818:
|
BURSLEM,
TO BE SOLD BY PRIVATE TREATY
SUNDRY
Lots of Freehold Land, parcel of the Burslem Glebe, most advantageously
situated for building upon, on the line of the new Turnpike Road from Burslem
to Cobridge, called “Waterloo Road,” and of the various streets laid
out from the same, denominated “Regent Street, Pitt Street, and
Wellington Row,” which open a direct communication with the Old Road.
Apply
to Mr WILLIAM ADAMS, Jun. Cobridge; or Mr TOMLINSON, Solicitor, in the
Pottery. |
Origin
of the street names:-
Regent
Street was named after the Prince of Wales, who was regent 1810-20, after
George III became insane;
Pitt Street after William Pitt (1759-1806), the prime minister;
Wellington Street after the Duke of Wellington, victor at the battle of
Waterloo in 1815;
Adelaide Street after the wife of the Duke of Clasrence who succeeded to the
throne as William IV in 1830;
Victoria Street after Queen Victoria who came to the throne in 1837;
Wood Street after Enoch Wood, pottery manufacturer, often described as the
“father” of the town.
The
proceeds from the sale of building land were applied towards the construction
of a rectory house and increasing the endowments of the church. The net annual
income of the Rector of Burslem amounted to £530 by the years 1828-31.
In
the third quarter of the 19th century the land south of the Glebe estate was laid out for building
purposes. This included the construction of the Waterloo or American Hotel in
the early 1830s.
The photograph above from the Warrillow Collection in
Keele University Library is a view of Cobridge Road from the north
c.1870. On the right is the tollgate house.
On the left is the Soho works which became the property of John and
George Alcock in 1835. John Alcock rebuilt the front range in 1848, hence the
initials “JA” and the date on
the original gate posts. Behind is the Roman Catholic school built in
1822.
1851 OS map -
showing the Roman Catholic church, school & presbyters house and the Soho
potworks.
More
photos on Waterloo Road
