Thank you Carl !!
This was very interesting as my Irish McNicholas ancestors came over from Mayo and ended up in Bilston. Head of family Michael was an Iron puddler. In 1871 they were in Temple Street which also seemed to have a lot of courts and a concentration of Irish famliles.
They later moved to Oldcott, Wolstanton where the address is listed imaginatively as "New Buildings" which was again packed with Irish families. However, I think this has since been demolished as I can't find a reference to it any more?
Last weekend, I went back to Staffordshire with my father to check out the various streets and locations I have uncovered in my research and he pointed out an an area near where he had lived as a child and said "We used to call that area the "Orange Free State" as it was solidly Irish!". I asked if these were Northern Irish but he shrugged and said back then people didn't know the difference .. OUCH!
Anyway, thanks again for the link to the article!
Lynn