Heritage Trail for village of Bridgtown, Cannock, Staffordshire

In the 1970's, a plan was devised to get rid of the core of the domestic side of the village. It was to become an Industry only area. The people who lived on village thought this unfair as they had grown into a viable community. They fought for, and won the argument,
The village is fast changing from and Industrial to a domestic landscape and people should know of its Industrial past, the importance of which covers worldwide sales.
Its edge tools are still in use and respected throughout the world. Names like William Gilpin and Cornelius Whitehouse Hedgehog tool works. Other tool works included Elliot Lucas hand tools and Whitehouse Brothers.
Bricks & Tiles were also made in Bridgtown by Hawkins, Rosemary and Haunchwood Lewis, all of which had a nationwide clientele.
More recently Manufactories such as Lucas Automotive Electrical, Schraders valves, GKN Sankey had premises in the village. Now we have Finning (Caterpiller) heavy construction plant and Gestamp - both international manufacturers.
Now, some of those sites are being turned into housing developments and smaller industrial units and the Bridgtown & District Local History Society wants to tell the story of this short lived but important village through research and archiving and tell everyone who wishes to know how this place developed through the Industrial revolution in the 1860s to the present day.
We already have 3 boards in situ (with the kind backing of the developers, Parish , District and County councils and benefactors from the local community) but now we require funds to complete the task. We are not a large village and the Society is small but we have already shown our dedication to our cause and would like to see it through for the community past and present. This will give the village a standing in the area it deserves.