The Tipton Civic Society was formed in 1988 to promote interest in the history, heritage and identity of Tipton and to campaign for higher standards of environmental quality and awareness. The Society is a voice for the old independence and pride in Tipton and for its future wellbeing.

The achievments of the Society since its formation include the following:

  • Playing a major role in the establishment of the Tipton Community Museum.
  • Leading the campaign to save the old Tipton Library, now the Tipton Carnegie Centre.
  • Celebrating the town’s history and achievements by erecting a series of blue plaques.
  • Commemorating the millennium by erecting the Neptune Anchor in recognition of the town’s old heavy engineering industries.
  • Suggesting new street names with a local significance, around 150 of which have been accepted by the Local Authority.
  • Working with the Local Authority on the production of Heritage Trails.
  • Organising, from 1991 to 2013, the annual Tiptonian of the Year Award in recognition of voluntary and charitable work by Tipton people.
  • Organising, since 2010, the annual Tipton Christmas Tree of Light Appeal to raise money for local charities.

The Society produces a quarterly newsletter and holds monthly talks and slide shows with a local flavour, together with other varied social events. Membership is open to all, Tiptonians or not, who have a genuine interest in the town, irrespective of nationality, religion or ethnicity. The Society is non-political, non-sectarian and independent of any other organisation, but is a member of Civic Voice, the national charity for the civic movement in England.

2 comments:

  1. My name is Smith (Keith) and I'm from Pendlebury, near Manchester. I was born locally (Clifton) in 1946 and my father was John Smith, born in Pendlebury (1908-1978). His father Richard (my paternal grandfather) was also Pendlebury born (1875-1931). However, his father (my great-grandfather), John Smith (son of Edward Smith) was born c. 1837 (died January 1919 'aged 81') in (according to census records) 'Tipton, Staffordshire'. In fact at some point during the 19th century many people from Staffordshire left their homes to move to this part of Lancashire to seek work, more likely as not, because local workers had down-tooled for better pay and/or working conditions in the pits/mills. These Staffs arrivals occupied a few certain streets which for many years became known locally as 'the Bilston' due to the homes of people originating from that area.
    In fact as a boy at secondary school in the late 1950s, one of my classmates used to jokingly tease his mother as a 'Staffordshire pig', a reference to the then still lingering bitterness towards the incoming ‘strike breakers’ from Staffordshire.
    Some years ago I visited the area to see if I could connect in some way to my Midlands roots, but as you can image having a name (my great-grandfather’s) such as ‘John Smith’ son of ‘Edward Smith’ born Tipton circa 1837 it was always going to be a total non-starter for obvious reasons.

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  2. Hi there. I am a direct decedent of Tybba who came to England from Germany. The name was later changed to Tipton. I'm glad I found your website.
    Thank you for keeping the history alive.

    Paula Tipton Murphy

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