Edward Perry, 1855 - 1857

Perry was a self-made businessman, owning a tin-plate factory at Paul Street. He began his early career as a japanner at Old Hall and went on to develop and expand his own business. Perry was elected mayor for two consecutive years, holding office from 1855 until 1857, a period of unrest. The Council had experienced public humiliation following a dispute with Wolverhampton Waterworks Company, a dispute that had serious financial implications. Consequently the position of mayor was refused by everyone except Perry, who accepted the position pending the support of the Council. He resolved the water dispute by personally collecting a voluntary rate from the citizens of Wolverhampton. The Chamber of Commerce was initiated by him in 1856. He died in 1871, just after the completion of Dane's Court, the house he had built at Tettenhall. His business was assigned to his nephews who had an established company, Richard Perry & Sons, in Temple Street.

An account of the party is in Jones, WH 1903 Municipal Life in Wolverhampton (Alexander & Shepherd Ltd London) pp. 84-95
J Jones The Mayors of Wolverhampton Vol 1 (EJ Rowland, Wolverhampton)
Photograph Index - Y1/SHI