The 20th century Shifnal

church street, shifnal



shifnal (in red) shown telford.

the star hotel demolished after fire in 1911. 8 bells or ring of bells occupied in 1911 pitchford family, descendants of nobility took name area of pitchford in shropshire. herbert james pitchford ran 8 bells among other public houses. served in king s shropshire light infantry, , died in flanders in first world war. name appears on menin gate in belgium , on war memorial in st andrew s church, shifnal, near 8 bells public house. today building occupied oddfellows wine bar.

hinckesman’s brewery co established @ hinnington spring – south of town – in 1897, , changed name shifnal brewery co in 1899. after closing in 1910 name revived in 1927 before being acquired broadway brewery (shifnal) in 1934. in turn acquired banks’s in wolverhampton in 1960.

the railway bridge on market place rebuilt in 1953: open spandrels of original arch replaced plain lined flat panel construction.

the town expanded further during 1960s.

the town s branch of barclays bank targeted robbers on 6 may 1991. drilled strongroom , escaped £50,000. same bank subject armed robberies in march 2013 , march 2017. closure announced few weeks after latter, leaving shifnal without bank first time since 1824.

in 2009 1 of town’s biggest employers, wrekin construction, went administration loss of 420 jobs in shropshire, yorkshire, northamptonshire , cheshire , more £45m creditors. among business’s assets gem of tanzania, valued on business’s balance sheets @ £11m. emerged 2kg uncut stone’s value had been forged , sold £8,000.