This photo from the Carole Hughes/Diane Parr collection shows us that the town's efforts to provide something rather more 'upmarket' than the norm is nothing new.
This shop, offering a delicatessen and 'high class provisions' was owned and operated by husband and wife V.T. (Trevor) and E. (Enid) Williams who also had a somewhat larger establishment in Holmes Chapel during this period*.
Later, part of the premises was turned into a sandwich bar to cater for the increasing amount of people who worked in shops and offices in the town and wanted to buy a lunchtime snack.
Trevor was also the owner of the splendid Georgian house at the top end of Southway which once boasted a swimming pool in the garden.
We met one of Trevor's daughters, Fiona, here during her time as a member of the original Middlewich Youth Theatre in the 1970s.
In the present day this shop, externally largely unaltered, is home to the Paragon Cantonese Takeaway.
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| The Paragon as it was in October 2012 |
On the extreme right we can just see part of Farrall Cleaners which also appears to be in a similar condition today. Even the signboard looks the same.
*see information below from Diane Russell and Geraldine Williams-Ed
Diane Russell says, 'the shop in Holmes Chapel belonged to Trevor's brother who had a son called Fred (real name Dorian). He was in the same class as myself and your sister (Cynthia).
Blue Ginger *next door to Paragon used to be a furniture shop which belonged to Enid's parents. They lived in the large house in Southway next to Barclay House called The Poplars.
The house could also be reached by going through the furniture shop and out of the back, as I did on a couple of occasions with Fiona, who was also in the same class as myself and Cynthia.
And Geraldine Williams told us: 'Enid's parents, who owned the furniture shop, were Sammy and Barbara Moss. Enid and her elder sister Maureen used to attend the school run by Mrs Plant at Ravenscroft Hall, which boasted a very smart uniform!'
Diane adds, 'Maureen owned the whole block where Forshaw's and Cynthia's are now and ran a hairdressers there. She lived above the shop. Her husband Alan still lives in Middlewich'
Many thanks to Diane and Geraldine for this additional information.
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Bill Armsden Great Dave. Love the links to and from the current users of that building too. Makes The Middlewich Directory a current part of the Town's trading history.
*Blue Ginger, as we've seen elsewhere, was also at one time Franco's restaurant, and before that, The King's Mexon, owned by Steve and Barbara Wells - Ed.
First published 26th January 2013
Revised and re-published 30th January 2018
Dave the shop in Holmes Chapel belonged to Trevor's brother whose son was in the same class a myself and your sister.
ReplyDeleteThe Indian Restruant next door that is called Blue Ginger once belonged to Enid's parents and was a furniture shop. They lived in the large house up Southway after Barclay House called the Poplars. You could get to the Poplars by going through the furniture shop and out the back as I did with Fiona on a couple of occasions.
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