Grid Reference: M 14b

Josiah Hyde

Personal Life

Josiah Hyde was born 16^th October 1842 in Ettingshall, one of five siblings born to Joseph and Harriet Hyde.

At age 21, on 23^rd June 1863, Josiah was living in Oxford Street Bilston, from where he married Jane Howes of Market Street Bilston at St Leonard’s Church. 

Josiah and Jane’s first son, Herbert, was born in 1864 at Oxford Street, but by 1866 when Herbert’s brother Frank was born, the family were at Wood End, Wednesfield, and Josiah’s occupation was described as Industrial Chemist.  Their only daughter, Mary Jane, was born in 1869 and the youngest son Vincent was born in 1878.

By 1881 the family had moved to Wednesfield House in the High Street, renting from the Mark Devy Estate. 

Josiah set up his chemical works adjacent to the house, supplying the brewing Industry with chemicals. He purchased the house and land that he occupied in 1893, the whole covering a significant area along the back of High Street and over to Neachells Lane.

Josiah was very much a community man, as can be seen from the various newspaper articles below.  

He used his land stretching to Neachells Lane for social events, sports days and Cricket matches.

During his time in Wednesfield Josiah was a Church Warden at St Thomas’s Church.

In 1922, forty years of service to the Board of Guardians was being recognised, on Josiah’s 80^th birthday, in the newspaper article on the below.