West Bromwich

"Bromwich" redirects here. For other uses, see Bromwich (disambiguation).

West Bromwich
West Bromwich is located in West Midlands county
West Bromwich
West Bromwich
Location within the West Midlands
Population77,997 
(Town)[1]
136,940
(Urban Sub-Area)[2]
OS grid referenceSP0091
• London126 mi (203 km)
Metropolitan borough
Shire county
Metropolitan county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Areas of the town
List
Post townWEST BROMWICH
Postcode districtB70, B71
Dialling code0121
PoliceWest Midlands
FireWest Midlands
AmbulanceWest Midlands
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
West Midlands
52°31′08″N 1°59′42″W / 52.519°N 1.995°W / 52.519; -1.995

West Bromwich (/ˈbrɒmɪtʃ/ ⓘ BROM-itch), commonly known as West Brom, is a market town in the borough of Sandwell, in the county of the West Midlands, England. Historically part of Staffordshire, it is 7 miles (11 kilometres) northwest of Birmingham. West Bromwich is part of the area known as the Black Country, in terms of geography, cultures and dialect.[3] West Bromwich had a population of 103,112 in the 2021 Census.[4]

Initially a rural village, West Bromwich's growth corresponded with that of the Industrial Revolution, owing to the area's natural richness in ironstone and coal, as well as its proximity to canals and railway branches.[5] It led to the town becoming a centre for coal mining, brick making, the iron industry and metal trades such as nails, springs and guns. The town's primary economy developed into the engineering, manufacturing and the automotive industry through the early 20th century.[6] During the Second World War, West Bromwich experienced bombing from the German Luftwaffe.[7][8] It also suffered heavily during recessions in the mid 1970s, early 1980s and late 2000s.[9]

The town is known for its football club West Bromwich Albion, who have played in the town since the club's formation in 1878.[10] It is also home to parts of Sandwell Valley Country Park and Sandwell Valley RSPB nature reserve.[11]

  1. ^ "Census 2018 Key Stats". Sandwell Trends. Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  2. ^ "Census 2001 Key Statistics, Urban areas in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 2 July 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  3. ^ "What and where is the Black Country?". BBC. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  4. ^ "West Bromwich (West Midlands, West Midlands, United Kingdom) – Population Statistics, Charts, Map, Location, Weather and Web Information". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  5. ^ "West Bromwich Staffordshire". Vision of Biritain. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  6. ^ "West Bromwich: Economic history". British History Online. A P Baggs, G C Baugh and Johnston D A, 'West Bromwich: Economic history', in A History of the County of Stafford: Volume 17, Offlow Hundred (Part), ed. M W Greenslade (London, 1976), pp. 27-43. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  7. ^ "West Bromwich Blitz 1". West Bromwich Local History Society. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  8. ^ "Bomb Damage: West Bromwich at War 1939-45". West Bromwich Local History Society. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  9. ^ "Recession hits West Midlands hard". BBC. 23 January 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  10. ^ "West Bromwich". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  11. ^ "All about Sandwell Valley Country Park". Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 19 September 2019.