In Focus: The "Seven Towns"

Thanks to the staff at the Stoke Paranormal Sociey, here is the story of the "seven towns" that joined together to form Stoke-on-Trent in 1910.

Burslem

*Burslem is located in the north west of the city.

*The name comes from the German verb 'boslen', which means 'to sweat'.

*Burslem was originally called Boslem, and still is by some locals.

*Burslem is the largest town in Stoke, but not the best.

*Burslem is the home town of 15 time darts world champion "Fingers" Phil Taylor.

*Burslem is a paragon of multiculturalism, with a considerable Asian population living side-by-side with BNP supporters.

*Burslem's School of Art is renowned throughout Britain.

*Vauxhall Conference association football team Port Vale are based in Burslem. Founded in 1876 as "Boslem Scamps FC", the team changed its name in 1974 during Stoke's bid for independence from the UK. They are still nicknamed "The Scamps" to this day.

*Burslem is home to Lake Burslem, world famous for its resident monster called "Bursie".

*Pop star Robbie Williams grew up in the area.

Fegg Hayes

*Fegg Hayes is located in the north of Stoke, next to the Knypersley mountain range.
*The name Fegg Hayes comes from the greek 'Fides Hades', meaning 'Faith in Hades'. Hades is the Greek god of the underworld.
*Fegg Hayes is the home of the world famous Fegg Hayes Yeti.

*Fegg Hayes looks different from much of Stoke because of its unique history. From 1386 to 1797, Fegg Hayes was ruled by Viennese nobility. As such, much of Fegg Hayes reflects the era when it was part of the Republic of Vienna, its streets full of romanesque and baroque architecture.

*Pop star Robbie Williams grew up in the area.

Fenton

*Fenton is located just south of the city centre (Hanley and Stoke-upon-Trent).

*Fenton, from the Chinese 'feng tun', means 'bitch slap'.

*Fenton has been called "the place Longton wishes it was".

*During WWI, Fenton declared itself a tax haven hoping to attract rich war-evaders.

*Fenton is named after former footballer Graham Fenton who once had a successful loan spell with Stoke City FC.

*Fenton is home to Fenton Magistrates Court. Local judges are notoriously strict, often handing out sentences such as "hard labour", chain gangs and 100+ year prison terms.

*Pop star Robbie Williams grew up in the area.

Hanley

*Hanley is located bang in the middle of Stoke and is perhaps better known as Stoke's city centre.
*Hanley comes from the latin 'han lay', which means 'hen party'.

*Coal mining was important in Hanley until Margaret Thatcher closed down all the mines in the 1980s, calling them an "eyesore" on the beautiful Stoke landscape.

*Hanley is home to Stoke's biggest building, the Potteries Shopping Centre. It contains many of this Britain's biggest high street names including Sock Shop and Tie Rack!

*Hanley is also home to one of Stoke's biggest cathedrals, Hanley Cathedral, which is built on the site of an ancient stargate. It is currently being refurbished after being partly destroyed by a fire caused by a faulty lava lamp.

*Hanley has different districts, known as quarters. There is the commercial quarter, the cultural quarter, the French quarter, the red light quarter and the thieves' quarter.
*Central Forest Park (aka: Needle Park) is located in Hanley. That's where you're most likely to find Bigfoot in Stoke! Or a drug dealer.

*Pop star Robbie Williams grew up in the area.

Longton

*Longton is located in the south of Stoke.

*The name Longton comes from the Chinese 'long tun', meaning 'arse slap'.

*Longton is affectionately referred to as the "arse end of Stoke".

*Longton is home to a wide range of shops such as Tesco Extra, Sainsbury’s and Lidl.
*Portugal is Longton's oldest ally. The Longton-Portugal Treaty signed in 1373 is still in force.
*Vicious gang warfare between gangs from south Longton (southside) and north Longton(westside) have raged on the mean streets of Longton for years.

*Pop star Robbie Williams grew up in the area.

Stoke-upon-Trent

*Stoke-upon-Trent is located in the centre of Stoke-on-Trent! Confused? You will be!
*Stoke derives from the Latin word 'stoc', meaning 'barn fight'.
*Many locals want the town renamed to avoid confusion between Stoke-upon-Trent and Stoke-on-Trent. "Old Stoke", "Ye Olde Stoc" and "Barn Fight-upon-Trent" are popular choices for new names amongst residents.
*Stoke-upon-Trent is home to the Council of Elders, Stoke City Council and Staffordshire University.
*Stoke-upon-Trent was officially at war with Russia for 110 years. At the outbreak of the Crimean War, Britain declared war on Russia in the name of Britain, Ireland, Stoke-upon-Trent and all British Dominions. But when the war ended in 1856, the Paris Peace Treaty omitted Stoke. So Stoke was technically at war with Russia until 1966 when a Soviet official, made aware of the situation, visited the town to declare peace!

*Pop star Robbie Williams grew up in the area.

Tunstall

*Tunstall is located in Stoke's north-west, above Burslem.
*Tunstall comes from the Chinese 'tun sall', meaning 'slap my thigh'.
*Tunstall is home to Stoke's Chinatown area. The first Chinese settlers arrived here in 1065.

*Historians have discovered that locals were using iron ore found in the area to manufacture weapons from as early as the 13^th century.
*Britain's first holiday camp was Tunstall's Fascist Family Camp which opened in 1905. Alcohol was strictly banned (though opiates were allowed) and any holiday maker caught talking after 10pm was spanked.

*Pop star Robbie Williams grew up in the area.