| Industry
In mid-Victorian times rail-borne Welsh slate became available
for roofing. It was cheaper than tiles, and the local industry
declined rapidly from its peak of 150,000 tiles annually. The
claypits on a score of Yardley farms were abandoned. Brick-making
became concentrated in larger works between the canal and Tanyard
Lane, which was now a continuous track to Kings Road. Muscott's
Tannery was rebuilt, and was by the century's end the lone survivor
of an ancient Yardley industry. Marlpit Green, taking its name
from an early excavation, was eaten away as the Waterloo Brickworks
flourished. The great pit ultimately extended over land intended
for terrace streets on Red Hill. There were other pits at Greet
and Tyseley: Sparkhill was built of bricks from the Burbury Pit
on Greet House land.
Yardley's industry had always been based on farm, cottage,
and mill. Until mid-century, apart from rural crafts employing
one man and a boy or a few men, the chief occupations were still
agricultural and mostly pastoral. Birmingham's nearness made market
gardening profitable. Small-holdings catered largely for town
consumers, and allotments grew food for home consumption. Smithing,
brewing, service trades, joinery, saddlery, brick- and wire-making,
were occupations other than farming. By the century's end the
following factories were at work: the Pioneer Cabinet Works on
Fox Hollies Road near Warwick Road, the Vanguard tinware works
on Kings Road and Tyseley iron foundry opposite, both alongside
and served by the canal, and two fog-signal and fireworks factories
- Wilder's in the Cole/Spark confluence meadows, and another off
Formans Road. Webster & Horsfall's wireworks had been much
enlarged.
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