The Sadlers of Sutton Coldfield were related to Sir Ralph Sadler ( 1507-1587) who served the Courts of Henry V111 and Elizabeth 1. His nephew George was head of the Over Whitacre, Coleshill branch of the family and bought Holt Hall in 1556.

Edward Sadler was prominent in the town and acted in two significant legal cases. He represented parishioners who in 1787 began misfeasance proceedings against the Warden and Corporation for misuse of Corporation funds ( The case lasted over 20 years before settlement provided funds which were used for educational and charitable purposes in the town) and he acted in the controversial defence of Abraham Thornton accused of the murder of Mary Ashford in 1817. He lived in High Street ( at what is now Culls House number 36 High Street) and had his office next door.

He died in 1837 and his son Richard born 1798 succeeded to the business of Sadler & Co. In addition to his legal interest Richard was a property owner and in about 1860 laid out Duke Street on his Maney fields for residential development. He married Emma and their two sons Richard Hurst Sadler and Ralph Stanley Sadler both qualified as solicitors.

Richard Snr took Thomas Storer Eddowes as a partner in 1855 when the firm became Sadler and Eddowes, but died in 1856 his sons then being aged nine and seven.

The younger son Ralph took little part in public life and did not practice as a lawyer. He was much interested in horses and hunting. He and his brother jointly bought Moat House in 1872 where they organised the Sutton Horse Show in the extensive grounds ( The show continued to be held until 1958). In 1889 Ralph sold his half interest in Moat House to his brother for £2000 and in 1893 built a new house 'The Leasows' on the lichfield Road. (This Grade 11 listed house still stands at 107 Lichfield Road)

Rihard Hurst Sadler who continued to live at Moat House was prominent in legal and civic life for fifty years and also as a property developer. He was involved in the development of Great Western Arcade in Birmingham and in 1869 having purchased 'The Anchorage' estate laid out Anchorage Road for residential property and in 1885 built Wellington Terrace, Lichfield Road.

He was involved in the 1870 launch of the towns first newspaper.He acted for the Midland Railway when they built the Walsall - Water Orton line through the town in 1872 and in 1879 sold them the old family home at 36 High Street.. He was jointly founder in 1879 of the ill fated Sutton Coldfield Racecourse Company. He was a Councillor and in 1903 to 1906 Mayor of the town. As Mayor he opened the new Town Hall.

He died in 1917 without a male successor.

The Smithy at 78 Birmingham Road, is one of the oldest ( and maybe the oldest) buildings in the town. A survey in 1977 found that the main stone structure is based on a 15th cruck frame ( visible on the rear elevation). The history of the building is obscure and there is no convincing evidence that the building was ever used as a smithy; the name may date from the 19th century when it was the home of a blacksmith.

The property was aquired by the Corporation in 1944 and in 1963 the Sutton Coldfield Musuem was opened on the premises. In 1966 the building was extended to provide accomodation for a caretaker but in 1976 after the Town's merger with Birmingham, and the number of visitors to the Museum having fallen to less than four a week. Birmingham Corporation withdrew financial support and the museum closed.

Since that time the property has been let out to various commercial organisations. Presently the building is in use as a retail art gallery.

The first chapel of St Nicholas, to seat fifty, was erected in 1840 on land donated by a local farmer John Buggins, on what in the early 1860s became known as Boldmere Road, close to its junction with Jockey Lane. It was designed by architect AW Pugin.

It was serviced for thirty years by clergy from Oscott College

The chapel was also used as a school room

In 1929 a new temporary church was built at the rear of the Chapel site. Designed to seat 250 the new building cost £1600.

In 1931 the Church aquired adjacent land in Jockey Road for £2000 and eventually in 1953 a new church was built.

The old chapel in Boldmere Road was demolished in 1961 and the land was leased out for combined retail and residential development. A blue plaque marks the site.

A new school was built adjoining the church in 1968

In the mid 1880s thought was given to the creation of a new church at Maney. Plans were commissioned from and drawn up by Edward Welby Pugin but were rejected and the project did not proceed.

In 1877 a temporary church ‘ the Iron Church’ was erected adjacent to the Old Smithy on Driffold Lane. It remained in temporary use for almost 30 years until a new brick built church designed by Cossins Peacock and Bewlay was built in 1905 on Maney Lane.

A new Parish, St Peters, Maney was established in 1907.

During the 20th century Maney Parish Hall was an important local community centre. It is alleged that , before they were famous , the Beatles once played there.

The new Parish of Hill was created in 1856 following the building of St James Chapel at Mere Green to accomodate 300 in 1834 and its consecration in 1835.

The Architect was JB Hill.

In about 1840 Solomon Cadman Saxton was appointed Vicar. The 1841 census shows him resident at ‘Hill Paronage House’ with his wife and three children.

It is clear that his duties also included teaching ( despite the recently opened National School at Mere Green) as also resident are Warwick Miniken a school assistant and eight male pupils aged between eight and fifteen.

Saxton died aged 63 in 1859.

A later appointee was Rev Montague Webster ( of the Penns Mill family). After service in the Army Webster returned to Sutton. He was Warden of the town in 1874 and 5 and was resident at ‘Hill Vicarage’ in 1881.

In 1906-1909 plans for the addition to the church of chancel, vestries and transepts were submitted by architects Bateman and Bateman.

Benjamin Stone, born in Stourbridge in 1803, was a Birmingham Glass manufacturer who employed about 100 workers at his Aston works. His son John Benjamin ( but also referred to as Benjamin) was born in Aston in 1838 and took over the family business on the death of his father in 1882.