Lee Brickley, a 38-year-old mature student at the University of Wolverhampton, has turned his obsession with the city into a new book that compiles its most dramatic, unusual and inspirational stories. The Unofficial Wolverhampton: An A–Z of People, Machines, Music and Trouble brings together tales that range from a Victorian balloon flight that nearly ended in disaster to the day The Stone Roses launched a paint attack on a record label boss.
Brickley, who lives in Cannock, began studying for his history degree last year after previously publishing books on true crime, ancient history and the paranormal. He said the early part of his course brought the city's past to life in a way he had never expected. “My teacher Dan just did such a brilliant job of bringing it all to life. I just became absolutely obsessed with the city,” he told BirminghamLive. That obsession drove him to spend 10 months researching and writing the A-Z guide, which he hopes will appeal to anyone “looking for a cool story to make a film about”.
A balloon flight that inspired a film
One of the stories in the book has already made it to the big screen. On 5 September 1862, a large gas balloon rose from Stafford Road gasworks in Wolverhampton, carrying meteorologist James Glaisher and professional aeronaut Henry Coxwell. The balloon climbed without settling at a stable height, and its constant rotation twisted the valve line, making it difficult to release gas for the descent. Glaisher temporarily lost consciousness as they passed 29,000 feet, while Coxwell – whose hands were numb from freezing temperatures – was forced to operate the balloon's valve with his teeth before they finally landed at Cold Weston, near Ludlow.
Their story became the basis for the 2019 film The Aeronauts, starring Eddie Redmayne as Glaisher. But the film moved the action to London and replaced Coxwell with a fictional pilot named Amelia Wren, played by Felicity Jones. Brickley's version restores Wolverhampton's crucial role in the historic ascent, giving readers the true story behind the cinematic retelling.
The Stone Roses' revenge attack
Another chapter delves into a notorious episode from 1990, when The Stone Roses attacked the Goldthorn Hill headquarters of Revolver Records. The incident followed a dispute over the re-release of the band's single Sally Cinnamon. Blue and white paint was thrown over label boss Paul Birch, his wife Olivia, plus their office and cars. The revenge attack saw band members Ian Brown, John Squire, Reni and Mani arrested and charged with causing an estimated £15,000–£20,000 of criminal damage.
Brickley's book places this moment in the wider context of Wolverhampton's music scene and its sometimes turbulent relationship with the industry. It is one of many stories he says show a side of the city that is “brilliant, grim, funny, shocking and completely unexpected”.
A treasure trove of local stories
Beyond these headline-grabbing tales, the A-Z also features pioneering engineers, forgotten campaigners, Olympic champions, international footballers, writers, musicians and companies. Brickley said he wanted to go beyond the traditional history book. “I looked at Wolverhampton history books and they're great, they're really detailed, but they only sort of appeal to people who are already looking for a Wolverhampton history book,” he explained. “This is more of a popular history book. I am attempting to tell the stories, put them in context and explain why they're inspirational and why they're really important for Wolverhampton.”
The book took shape after a mid-project change of direction. “Maybe about halfway through what is now the book, I had a lightbulb moment, and I thought this shouldn't really be just another Wolverhampton history book,” he said. “So I completely edited everything I'd already written and carried on writing in the new way I decided the book needed to go.”
Fast sales and international demand
The response has been immediate. Brickley said he was impressed by the reaction after the book sold 500 copies within three days, including orders from America and Australia. “I feel Wolverhampton's overlooked a lot,” he added. “A lot of people know a lot of the cars that were produced in Wolverhampton, or they know the bands or whatever, but they don't associate Wolverhampton with these achievements.”
The Unofficial Wolverhampton: An A–Z of People, Machines, Music and Trouble is available to buy on Amazon, priced £3.99 for the Kindle edition or £12.99 for the paperback.
