Page 147 - Redditch People

Redditch People

Edwin took a keen interest in the welfare of the people of Redditch. Following the Public
Health Act of 1848 and the Local Government Act of 1858 a Local Board of Health was
set up in Redditch. This was an elected body and Edwin became one of its nine members.
In 1865 William Avery, through a letter to the Redditch Indicator, advocated the setting
up of a cottage hospital to serve the people of Redditch and surrounding areas. Edwin
was a natural supporter of this idea.

However, it was to be another 30 years before the first hospital for Redditch opened.
There was a lack of money for such a big project. On 16th July 1892 Edwin died at the
age of 83.

Through the profits of his needle-making company and the legacies of his siblings - all
had pre-deceased him apart from one younger brother - he had become a wealthy man.
He left £75,000 in his will of which £9,500 was legacies. He donated £1000 each to the
Birmingham General Hospital and Birmingham Queen's Hospital. In addition, he donated
£5000 "for building and endowing a Cottage Hospital in Redditch". The rest was to go to
the sole remaining brother, William.

William Smallwood was the second of seven children born to William and Elizabeth
Smallwood. He was born in 1810. As a young man William chose to leave Redditch and
move to Alcester where he lived for the rest of his life. He knew that his elder brother,
Edwin, would inherit the family business of needle and fish hook making and that he
needed to make his own way in life.

He started his working life as a maltster but by the 1861 Census he was also an
auctioneer. By 1871 he was classified solely as an auctioneer. This was a lucrative
business and he became very wealthy. He was able to move into a large house in Alcester
- Stratford House.

When his brother, Edwin, died in 1892, he left a legacy of £5000 (about £360,000 in
today's money) for the building and endowment of a hospital in Redditch.

The Smallwood's family tree.

© RLHS 2015 Page: 147