Page 19 - Redditch People

Redditch People

town and neighbourhood'. William Avery was born in Headless Cross on 1st May, 1832.
He was the successful head of W. Avery & Son, as a manufacturer of needles and inventor
of needle cases that are now collectors' items. The needle cases included models of for
example, butterflies and Shakespeare's birth place. At the Paris Universal Exhibition of
1878 the W. Avery & Son's display included a brass needle case in the shape of the Eiffel
Tower, a miniature scale replica of the exhibition's main attraction.

He was a member of Wesleyan Methodist Church at Headless Cross, and the Sunday
School Superintendent for many years. He played the organ there for about 50 years,
became the oldest local preacher in the circuit, and acted as circuit steward for 30 years.

He married Maria Proctor Dingley in 1855 at the Wesleyan Chapel in Sherborne, Dorset.
(She died in 1895.) Soon after their marriage they established a fund for the poor of
Headless Cross. One of the ways of raising money was the annual musical concert for the
poor. William and Maria Avery also established a clothing fund in connection with the
Headless Cross schools.

Avery joined the 17th Worcestershire (Redditch) Rifle Volunteer Corps soon after it was
formed in 1860, and advanced to the position of captain.

He started the Redditch Saturday Evening Entertainments in 1863. Local newspapers
noted the success of these entertainments and that the Lock-up doors were open on a
Sunday morning, for want of drunken occupants.

William Avery was always strongly in favour of 'unsectarian' public elementary education.

About 1871 he became a member of the first School Board for the Feckenham district.

In 1872 Avery took an active part in the establishment of the School of Art at Bates Hill,
and was an active member of its committee for many years. He was one of those who
established the Redditch Literary and Scientific Institute in 1850.

He was the Institute's librarian in its early years, and one of its vice-presidents for thirty
years. In the winter of 1886 Avery delivered a series of lectures in connection with the
Institute, entitled 'Old Redditch'. These lectures covered the period from 1800 to 1848,
and were later published in pamphlet form.

In 1876 Avery was a member of the Local Board, and was in favour of the scheme of
sewage disposal adopted by the majority of the Board, subsequently approved by the
Local Government Board, and ultimately carried out. This brought him into conflict with
several of his public contemporaries and friends. Avery became a Justice of the Peace in
1887.

He was a Liberal in politics and this appointment was largely due to popular indignation
against some recent and unexpected appointments of more Conservative magistrates.
Avery was elected President of the local Liberal Association for 1890.

Avery was interested in the provision of cottage hospitals, and sent a letter to the
Redditch Indicator in 1865 stating that such a hospital in Redditch would be practicable
and 'of immense benefit to the town'.

When Smallwood Hospital was opened in 1895 William Avery was one of the trustees, and
a member of the Board of Management.

He died in 1899 leaving two sons, Charles Harold and Benjamin Ricardo.

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