Old Hill

Old Hill is in the metropolitan borough of Sandwell in the West Midlands, England. It is a district of Cradley Heath, about 2 miles north of Halesowen.HistoryOld Hill was historically in the urban district and later county borough of Rowley Regis, and in the county of Staffordshire. However, local government reorganisation in 1966 saw it become part of the new County Borough of Warley, and transferred into the county of Worcestershire. This arrangement lasted until 1974, since when it has been part of the borough of Sandwell and the county of the West Midlands. The town centre was by-passed with the construction of a new single-carriageway road (Heathfield Way) in 1991, relieving the town centre of some of its heavy congestion.General FacilitiesOld Hill High Street is home to several takeaways, ladies clothes shop, pet food shop, former butchers, KFC (opened in 2005 on the site of a former public house) and six different churches. Old Hill has undergone redevelopment. Old Hill Police station stands on the Halesowen Road.The Eliza Tinsley factory was sold off in 2005 due to the firm's financial difficulties and has now become a housing estate.In the 1940s and 1950s the High Street was very different and contained some desirable shops typical of many main streets in the Black Country at that time. Thomas' Butchers and slaughterhouse was next door to the Grand. It was a family business as most shops were and old Mrs Thomas worked tirelessly well into retirement age. Needhams was a small family grocers and was spotlessly clean. Old Guys sweetshop and tobacconist was a joy to visit. Old Mr Guy was a tiny man who stocked all the best sweets and sold ice cream cornets with chocolate sprinkles. The greengrocers on The Cross was called 'Timmies' and was completely open at the front like a market rather than a shop.