BEFORE THE MIDDLEWICH DIARY: THE KING STREET ROMAN DIG 1973

HERE'S ONE FROM MAY 2011

From Facebook, 29th May 2011

This is the view from my bedroom window at no. 33 King Street in 1973. The Middlewich Archaeological Society is playing host to other archaeologists as they make a field trip to the dig in the field adjacent to our back fence. Many years later, this would also be the site of the Middlewich 'Community Dig'. In the background can be seen the site of the Seddons Pepper Street Works across the Canal and River Croco. This seemed to remain empty for many years (although the 1975 Inland Waterways Association Rally was held there) until the Moorings was built. If you look carefully, you can see that the Middlewich we know today was slowly taking shape around the new 'Inner Relief Road' (St Michael's Way). The telephone exchange is on the right and the 'Co-operative Superstore (now Tesco Express and the Super Discount store) on the left.

The huge building just to the right of centre is the rear of the former Barclays Bank and its associated flats.

Editor's Note (29th May 2018)

These early Facebook entries, published in the run-up to the launch of our Middlewich Diary blog in June 2011, are all rather vague and sketchy. The object of the exercise was to publish the actual colour photographs via the then still novel medium of Facebook and enabling people in Middlewich and elsewhere else to see them whenever they liked, rather than keeping them filed away for special occasions only. 

As always seemed to be the case with these early Facebook entries, more information was forthcoming with the Facebook feedback, which is reproduced below.

Facebook feedback

Dave Roberts The immaculate lawn in the foreground shows no sign of the ravages of a few years earlier when my Dad, a keen member of the Archaeological Society, dug his own trench there in search of Roman remains. The views of my Mother on this are not recorded. Dad was an early proponent of the idea that the 'Roman Settlement' at Harbutt's Field was much more than that - that it was, in fact, a full-blown Roman fort. And how right he was. The Roman site behind our fence turned out to be the site of an ancient iron works and, for a time, our garage shelves were stacked with boxes full of Roman nails.
.and I think I'm right in saying (real, proper Roman historians might like to help here) that if you draw a line on a map from the end of Brooks Lane (by the Boar's Head) to the southern entrance of the Roman Fort, this would have been the route of a road leading to the fort and lined with iron works, salt works and other industries serving the fort. Our back garden - and Dad's iron works - would have been on that road.

Maureen Condra Nice pics. They brings back a lot of memories. I used to  play dominoes in the Talbot when I was 18. Ha Ha! A long time ago. I love to see all the old pics.

Chris Koons Is that my Nana, there in the maroon/purple & the white hat, standing next to your mum? I'm sure I remember that hat! LOL

Here's a link to the Middlewich Diary version of this posting, with a little more information on the photo and a link to the Cheshire East/English Heritage pdf document explaining some of the background to various King Street digs including the ones of the early 1970s.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 1973

First published 29th May 2018

Re-published 2nd November 2021

POCHIN (I.C.I.) OFFICES, 1973

by Dave Roberts

We're in Brooks Lane in 1973 and here we see the soon-to-be-demolished offices of Pochin (Contractors) Ltd and Contractor's Plant (North West) Ltd. This building was originally the offices of the ICI Middlewich (formerly Brunner-Mond) works and stood on the landscaped area in front of the current Pochin offices. The building is very much in the same style as the Pochin (formerly ICI) Club across the road which still exists today as the Middlewich Community Church. This slide must have been taken very shortly before demolition because I worked for Pochins for two years and served time in the new offices before moving just down the road to ERF in 1974.

UPDATE (5th August 2019)

On the 5th August 2019 Middlewich heard the news that the Pochin Group had 'collapsed' and was going into liquidation.

Just about the most unbelievable news we've ever had - Ed.

Update: 2nd July 2020:

At the start of July 2020 it was announced that a new company, CLD Fencing Services, had taken over the Pochin site, using the 1970s office building as an HQ and demolishing surplus buildings on the site to create additional parking space.

The early 1970s Pochin office block. The original ICI office shown in our main photo was situated on the grassed area to the left of this photograph. Buildings on the other side of the access road (out of shot, to the right) were being demolished in early July 2020. (Photo: Middlewich Guardian)

NEW FIRM TO RECRUIT IN MIDDLEWICH (Guardian report)

Facebook Feedback

Dave Roberts I think the reality was that the new office block for Pochins was built behind this one before it was demolished. The ICI offices stood where the lawn in front of Pochin's new offices was.  If this was 1973, and I moved to ERF in 1974, there would not have been time for this to be knocked down, and the new block built, before I went.

Geraldine Williams What happened to the Scout Hut that was in that area?

Dave Roberts It's still there, and thriving, in the area to the left of this picture but out of shot.

Geraldine Williams Oh good. We never get down Brooks Lane these days but we had to make many weekly journeys to the Scout Hut in the early 70s!

First published 15th July 2011

Updated, re-formatted and re-published 5th August 2019
Updated and re-published 2nd July 2020

BEFORE THE MIDDLEWICH DIARY: RICHARD DEVANEY IN A KILT 1973

HERE'S ONE FROM MAY 2011

From Facebook, 13th May 2011


For Mr Ian Murfitt and all his other fans here by popular request is 
the  notorious 'Richard Devaney in a kilt' photograph, taken at the Middlewich Carnival 1973. Richard was one of the founders of the Middlewich Folk & Boat festival in June 1990.

If you look closely, you can see that Mr Devaney is also sporting some quaint kind of headgear, but we must stress that the sunflower is not part of it.

Mr Devaney does not wear giant sunflowers on his head (though we wouldn't put it past him).

Facebook Feedback:

Liz Mcguinness Haha!! Love it!

Geraldine Williams Was his headgear the prototype for Princess Beatrice's hat....??!!

Ian Murfitt A truly magnificent specimen.

Liz Mcguinness Yes it'll keep the kids away from the fire Dave!!

Angela Appleton I remember babysitting for Richard Devaney when I was about 15, sure he had twins. They had a Jack Russell dog and everytime I moved it growled at me. The babies were crying and I didn't dare get up.

First published 13th May 2018
Re-formatted and re-published 16th April 2020

THE WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH, LEWIN STREET, circa 1973

If you own the copyright on this photograph, please let us know.

(This diary entry incorporates one from 7th July 2011, which has now been deleted)

We're dating this photo from the Paul Hough Collection as 1973 because of the tell-tale signs of recent demolition to the right. It's the unmistakeable frontage of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Lewin Street, with its 'four-pronged' tower.

Of the buildings in this part of Lewin Street, Seddon's wagon repair shop and associated buildings, which were to the right of this splendid building, were the first to go - a fact that enabled us to more accurately date this slide by Jack Stanier - and the few bits of rubble on the right are all that was left of those buildings when this photograph was taken.
Our regular contributor Bill Eaton tells us that those stone gateposts from the front of the church now perform the same function outside Ravenscroft Cottages in King Street, home of the late Frank Smith
The church was built of a particularly attractive type of red brick with stone trimmings and, when the weather conditions were right, perhaps towards sunset on a Summer day, looked positively resplendent.

We were able, with the aid of the irreplaceable Kodachrome film, to capture something of that elusive quality in this slide:

© Salt Town Productions 2011

In its heyday the interior of the church was as magnificent as its exterior.

Although this poor quality image can't really do it justice, you can get something of an inkling of the Victorian splendour of the inside of the church.
According to information obtained in the 1990s from Messrs Andrews and Williams, authors of a book about Middlewich, several features of the interior were saved and can be found in other places of worship: The pipe organ was installed in Lostock Gralam Chapel; several pews found their way to Rudheath and Lach Dennis, and a prayer desk from the church is now in the Lady Chapel, across the road at St Michael & All Angels.
As regular Middlewich Diary readers will know, the Salinae Centre and its associated grounds now occupy this site, as mentioned in this entry showing the Seddon's site next door.
To see how the chapel fitted into its surroundings see this entry.
This attractive building replaced an earlier one on the same site.

The original Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Lewin Street.  According to Allan Earl this building was demolished 'around 1905'.

Facebook Feedback:

Geraldine Williams Brings back memories of my Gran. It was on her circuit of all the harvest festivals in the town.
Might it have been built at the same time as the Victoria Building (Technical School) - a similar ornate red-brick edifice which was, presumably, a Diamond Jubilee commemoration of something similar?

Jain Talbot Why was it pulled down? Such a beautiful building.

Dave Roberts In common with all the buildings in that part of Lewin Street it had become unsafe. This chapel, and the adjacent school, were large, heavy buildings, and the ground they were built on unstable. It also sloped steeply away from road level down to what had been the Croco Valley (shared with the canal by the time these buildings were erected). You'll notice that Salinae has been built at a lower level to partly compensate for the slope.

Originally published 14th March 2012
Updated and re-published 4th July 2016
and 4th July 2019

• 
  

BOAR'S HEAD ADVERT 1972/3

From the Mike Jennings Classic Collection comes this newspaper ad from forty years ago in which the Boar's Head Hotel, Kinderton Street, advertises itself as a prospective wedding venue.

We're not sure what the difference is between a 'casual' wedding and a 'formal' one.
1972 was way before even Shaun Devaney's time at the BH. Does anyone remember who was in charge at the time? We have vague memories of an American gentleman running the pub at some point during the seventies, but it was all a very long time ago.

It goes without saying that the Boar's Head is still going strong and still offers everything seen in this advert and more. Even the telephone number is the same, except that you need to add '83' at the beginning.

However, we don't seem to hear much these days of 'basket meals' which were a bit of a 70s phenomenon, usually to be found at places like Jollees in  Longton where you could enjoy them while watching Mel Scholes introduce the Stylistics or Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes.

Mostly there was a simple choice between chicken & chips and scampi & chips. But you were never allowed vinegar for your chips, which put a bit of a damper on things.

First published 19th July 2012
Re-formatted and re-published 24th January 2019

THE FOUNTAIN FIELDS PADDLING POOL, EARLY 1970s.

 by Dave Roberts

Photographs of the paddling pool which once lay behind Fountain Fields are very rare indeed.
In fact it's very often forgotten that the  facility ever existed. 
Chris Koons, who now lives in America with her family, but was in a former life Christine Sant, daughter of David and Miriam Sant of King Street,  has kindly sent these precious snapshots showing the pool in around 1973 or 1974. That's Christine in blue on the left, with her sister Karen. The spot where they were playing all those years ago is now the private access road which runs alongside Fountain Fields to Wallcroft Gardens and ultimately to Wheelock Street.
The pool was behind the still existing 'bowls hut' (or 'putting hut') on Fountain Fields, now used as a base for Cheshire East's maintenance workers but at one time the place where you would go to hire bowls, golf balls and putters to enable you to  use the Fountain Fields amenities.
In my first job, with the Middlewich U.D.C. (1969-72) one of my duties was to visit the hut and collect the pennies and half-pennies which locals had paid during the week, and take them back to the office.
You can see the roof of the building on the top left of the photo. There were at one time public toilets behind the brick wall, and the pool, together with a children's slide, were in a sort of 'annexe' to Fountain Fields, reached by a gate alongside the bowls hut. To try to get our modern-day bearings, we can point out that the building on the extreme right is the present-day High School Drama Studio (originally the school gymnasium). And now we come to one of those little mysteries which infuriate and delight us all. To the right of the brick wall should be what were at the time the tennis courts on Fountain Fields*, and the uprights for the wire netting seem to be present and correct. But why are those cars parked there? The access road to the car park and supermarket is not in place yet (and neither are the car park and supermarket, come to that). Beyond the tennis courts, certainly until the late sixties, was the  putting green which, along with bowls and tennis, was the sum total of  Fountain Fields' attractions until more recent times. So where do those cars fit in? All information, as always, gratefully received.

*one of the tennis courts survives in modified form as a  five-a-side football/basketball court.

And here are Christine and Karen again having a paddle with their Grandma, who was visiting from Manchester. Behind them is the original spiked fencing, which was first modified to avoid injuring would-be trespassers and then replaced completely about twenty years ago. Beyond the fence is the bowling green, which has just been replaced by all that lovely children's playground equipment, and beyond that can be seen the Congregational Church (the 'Congs') in Queen Street, now known, of course, as the United Reformed Church. The building looks very much the same today,except that the Victorian ventilators on the roof have disappeared. Two doors away the top of the original Middlewich Police Station can be glimpsed.
If you look directly behind Grandma, you can just make out a wooden building. This was the original France-Hayhurst clubhouse later replaced, following a fire, by the modern brick building next to the 'bowls hut'.

Many thanks to Chris for giving us the chance to show you these photos of a long-vanished Middlewich attraction. If you have any photos of this, or any other, Middlewich scene from the past, or can add to the information in this Diary entry, please don't hesitate to get in touch. For example, was the slide the only facility on the site, apart from the pool, or were there also swings there? Can you remember?

- and here's the proof that there were indeed swings and a slide on the site in those days. The paddling pool was beyond the slide seen here.

 Photo added 1st December 2018.

Update: See the Facebook Feedback below. It's obvious that the 'annexe' to Fountain Fields was a fully-fledged children's playground in its own right, complete with paddling pool and separate from the Fountain Fields main site. It was only in later years that the playground equipment began to encroach on the main site (necessitated, no doubt by the sale of the land where the paddling pool and other playground equipment once stood). I myself was a young man in my twenties in the early seventies, and not interested in children's playgrounds, which explains why I can't remember how things were. Many thanks to everyone for their memories.

Dave Roberts
Editor.

The same area in October 2018. The access road to Wallcroft Gardens now runs through the site of the playground. The brick building in the centre of the picture identifies the site. 

Photo added 1st December 2018

Facebook feedback:

Chris Koons I’m pretty sure there were swings there, too, and another access gate to the annexed area via a gate from the alleyway close to Nana Dean’s.
Also, the putting green was still in operation in the mid-late 70s because I remember playing on it when I was seven or eight, and I was born in 1969. 

Gaynor Smallwood There were two big swings at the top, together with two baby swings, then the big slide. The paddling pool was at the bottom. On the grass was the roundabout and a big red horse that rocked. I spent every day in the summers of 1975 and 1976 on the park. The boys (Steve Smallwood, Alan Bowker and John Price) would get us girls at the top and run us down into the pool! We would need to change into dry clothes three or four times a day! Happy, hot days, with no worries.

Anita Hough I remember the paddling pool too. It was the mid eighties, as that's when we moved to Middlewich. It wasn't filled that much then which was a shame. I remember the swings, MASSIVE slide and the dreaded roundabout that we used to make ourselves dizzy and almost sick on. The access gate is still there near Nana Dean's. The bowling green was still used in the mid eighties as well, as I remember sitting watching them play and being fascinated by it.

Sylvia Burrows I used to take both my children there when they were little. They really enjoyed it!

Jayne Latham There were two swings and a baby swing. Then a rocking horse that would head butt you if you went too fast and had about 6 seats on it. Then that steep slide that used to get greased with bread paper so you would slide quicker and if you were unlucky you would end up in the pool.
I am sure the other end of the very slippery pool had a two-tier concrete fountain on it. This was removed as the kids would climb onto it, so it wasn't safe. Then you would run through the gate behind it and run right through the gardens to the toilets either side of the putting hut, as we called it. The best person to tell you all about this is Alan Sant, who lived across the road from the school on King Edward Street. His Mum, Joyce, who was the school cleaner, said he played in that pool in any weather in all his clothes! I'm going back over fifty years, now. Thinking back, the original toilet was in the hut. The other toilets were added years later. There was a big greenhouse looking at the right hand side of the hut. Also there was a sunken garden to honour someone or something - sorry, not sure who or what* Good memories.

*This would be the France-Hayhurst family. The sunken garden is still there, but rather neglected. Ed.

Lynda Lever I moved to Middlewich in 1988 and had my kids in 1992 and 1994. I vaguely recall there being a small playground area and pool, though I'm not sure if the pool actually had water in it. I don't recall my son actually going in it, but perhaps he was too small.

Jacky Connell Cottam I remember it very well. I used to go there often, but sorry - no pics!

Susan Johnson I remember it well. I used to spend weekends and school holidays there all the time in good weather.  |Many families took picnics and spent all day there. The park was always packed. The putting green and tennis courts too. Also the bowling green and the hut they used. There used to be an attendant in the building next to the toilet block.. You could hire putting clubs, tennis rackets etc. Happy days and happy memories.

Lynne Towers Happy days; long, hot summers! I remember Mrs Dean's ice-cream van and that massive slide!

Tim Morton I remember slipping over and hitting my head on the floor of this pool.

Pete Berry I've still got the scar on my chin! It had a bit of a divot in it. Turned the pool red! My parents still have photos of the pool. I remember seeing them a few years ago. I'll ask them if they can try to find them.

Barbara Cooper I remember this pool. My Mum and Auntie Freda used to take our daughters Louise and Angela  there. Happy days!

JULIE CORT has pointed out that there was a similar paddling pool in one of the childrens' playgrounds in Cledford. Does anyone have any photos of this pool?

First published 1st September 2018
Revised and re-published 1st December 2018.

BEFORE THE MIDDLEWICH DIARY: A GENUINE MIDDLEWICH WITCH

Here's one from May 2011

From Facebook, 28th May 2011

Here is a genuine Middlewich Witch, pictured at the Carnival of 1973 and treating the idea of being a Middlewich Witch with the reverence it deserves.

The other lady is a walking advert for Mr Kipling who, you'll recall, did make exceedingly good cakes. Mr Kipling was part of the same company which owned RHM Foods (now, like much else, consigned to history).

The Carnival that year was held on what had been the grounds of Middlewich Manor, so these two happy souls are sitting not too far away from where I'm sitting typing this - the difference being that they're in the middle of a field and I'm in the middle of a housing estate.

That's what 38 years can do. Does anyone know who these ladies are?

Note: This was, obviously,  written when we were living in Whitley Close.

Facebook Feedback

Geraldine Williams Powell's the Tailors used to have a brass band which I always thought was called 'St Henry' but I think it was just the Middlewich pronunciation of 'Centenary'! They always played for the carnival procession (and also the Carnival Queen's procession with her retinue round the field) and for a child living in Wheelock Street there was no more exciting sound than the opening beats of the bass drum as the band set off from Powell's.
The carnival was also held on land at the top of Sutton Lane on what is now the campus and housing estates.

Dave Roberts Yes, that's the place I'm referring to. Some people call it the 'Manor Estate', though I don't. The carnival procession used to end in that top bit of Sutton Lane, and everyone would go onto the field through a gap in the hedge, round about where Rushton Drive begins today. The Manor itself (now a nursing home, of course) is about 50 yards from where I am sitting now.
 ...and the Centenary Band, the last time I heard of it, had become the Roberts Bakery Band. I used to think it was 'St Henry' too!

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 1973

by Dave Roberts


This is the view from my bedroom window at no. 33 King Street in 1973. The Middlewich Archaeological Society is playing host to other archaeologists as they make a field trip to the dig in the field adjacent to our back fence. Many years later, this would also be the site of the Middlewich 'Community Dig'. The archaeological project of the early 1970s was headed by J D Bestwick of Keele University.

The field in question, alone among the fields bordering King Street, has not yet succumbed to housing development, but repeated attempts have been made to build houses there and there's no doubt that one day someone will succeed, ending forever the wonderful view of the town centre and the church we enjoyed for all those years.

In the background can be seen the site of the Seddons Pepper Street Works across the canal and River Croco. This seemed to remain empty for many years (although the 1975 Inland Waterways Association Rally was held there) until the Moorings was built. If you look carefully, you can see that the Middlewich we know today was slowly taking shape around the new 'Inner Relief Road' (St Michael's Way). Is it my imagination or can I just make out, on the low grey building to the left which is now Tesco Express and Pineland, the words CO-OPERATIVE SUPERSTORE?

Top right is Middlewich telephone exchange, once isolated in its own compound off Pepper Street but by this time just another building on St Michael's Way. The telephone exchange has since been much extended and now finds itself surrounded by the Powell House and Spindle Whorl Developments which link St Michael's Way and Wheelock Street.


A brief history of the various archaeological projects in the area over the years can be found here:


MIDDLEWICH ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT (REVISED)

(pdf file - Cheshire Shared Services)


First published 22nd July 2011


Expanded and re-published 30th May 2018

TANGERINE DREAM, 1973

by Dave Roberts

This particular recipient of the MUDC's tangerine and Delft blue livery in 1973 is my favourite and is,quite possibly, unique.

Experts on vintage vehicles might be able to enlighten us. It was originally a steam roller but, according to the story its driver told me, had been converted into a diesel some time in the 1930s. 

Certainly it has a sort of home made look about it.

Note particularly the oil drum 'fuel-tank' slung high above the driver and designed to give Health & Safety Inspectors the heebie-jeebies.

Also of interest is the road-cone holder at the front, precursor of all the coffee-cup holders in posh cars to come. 

I don't know what happened to this venerable vehicle. Presumably it was scrapped.

This photo was first published on Facebook on 17th May 2011.

The original Facebook feedback is below:

• Dave Roberts  I've just done a spot of googling and, although there are quite a few photographs of steam rollers converted to diesels, I can't see one that looks anything like this one.
  
  Jonathan Williams According to my records, this was the Town Clerk's company vehicle. And very well-deserved it was too. And there was an expense account to boot.....25 cubic gallons of steam per month plus all the cones you could grow. I have a similar vehicle to this day, as the upholder of the Town's traditions. Can't get the tangerine paint these days though, so mine is silver, in tribute to the recycling bins.
  
  
  Jonathan Williams  This is indeed a remarkable series, and as intimated before, I would like to investigate how we might best appreciate and promote such a wonderful archive as a Community. Perhaps we could discuss this soon Dave, with Kerry and I on behalf of the Town Council. Let me know what you think. This needs shouting from the rooftops. Oops..they disappeared !
  
  
  Dave Roberts I think that's a very good idea, Jonathan.
• 
  

First published 12th July 2011
Re-formatted and re-published 29th May 2018

MILL POOL AND MORETON'S FARMYARD 1973

by Dave Roberts

In the foreground of this Kodachrome slide from 1973 is the sad sight of the Mill Pool in King Street. A pool no longer, it looks very forlorn having  been filled in with all kinds of rubble, scrap metal and junk to form another piece of building land.
The pool once powered  the Corn Mill in Mill Lane off Kinderton Street, a 17th Century building said by some to be the oldest brick building in the town. The Mill building was (and is) out of shot to the right. About fifty yards out of shot, actually.
Mill Pool was fed by a mill stream which as descibed here (in the first Middlewich photo we ever posted on Facebook) supplied water to the water tower at Middlewich station before running into a small pond on the other side of King Street, where we all fished for sticklebacks as children, and then through a culvert under the road into the Mill Pool. The water from the pool, after powering the mill, drained into our old friend the River Croco.
Presumably that stream still runs underneath the filled-in pool in a culvert which still drains into the River Croco close to Town Bridge Motors. Another investigation is called for when the warmer weather arrives.
Town Bridge Motors now occupy the old Corn Mill (Though my brain will insist that it's called 'Old Mill Motors'. Was the firm ever called that? Is there another firm somewhere called that? Or is it just such a good name for a car repair business that my brain won't let go of it?).
(see the comment below - Ed)
In the background is the also less than photogenic farmyard belonging to Pool Head Farm (the buildings to the left, nearest the road, always being referred to as the 'stack yard'.
The Mill Pool was, at one time, separated from the road and footpath by a high brick wall which ran all the way down to the end of King Street and round the corner into Kinderton Street.
Modern houses have been built on the site of the pool and people can be forgiven for not realising that it ever existed. 

Only the name of the adjacent modern version of Pool Head Farm commemorates Middlewich's lost mill pool.

The whole area is a lot tidier now, certainly than it was when this picture was taken (although, as we said here, Moreton's farmyard now more closely resembles an industrial estate than a farmyard) but it has lost a lot of its semi-rural charm and character.

First published 12th January 2012
Revised and re-published 12th January 2018

KINDERTON STREET ROAD SIGN 1973 and WHEN CHARLIE CRABBE MET TOM JONES

by Dave Roberts

It's 1973 and we're in Kinderton Street just to look at this road sign, a relic of motoring days gone by. There is no mention of the M6, although Junction 18 had opened a decade earlier in 1963. There were plenty of other signs to direct people to the motorway and this relic of times past was left in situ until the buildings were demolished after which it was, presumably, scrapped. The white, slightly askew, sign further up the road is a local sign directing people to Holmes Chapel. Most of this row of buildings was ready for demolition at this point, but Costello's, the shop nearest to the camera sporting the Lyon's Maid Ice Cream sign, lingered on until the bitter end. Here are a couple of other shots taken at around the same time, showing just what a deplorable state the shop had been allowed to get into.

See MARY COSTELLO IN KINDERTON STREET 1973

When Charlie Crabbe Met Tom Jones


Talking of the M6, there's a story told of Charlie Crabbe, former landlord of the White Bear.
One day, some time in the late 1960s, the pop singer Tom Jones happened to come into town with his entourage, en route to a gig (this was in the days before Middlewich became the Entertainment Capital of the North-West).
Everyone was stunned to see this sixties icon in their local pub, except Charlie who wouldn't have known him from Adam.
Tom grinned at him and gave him that, 'yes, it's me! Aren't you lucky to have me here?' look which famous people always use.
Charlie gave him a blank look.
Tom walked over to the juke-box and selected It's Not Unusual.
Charlie looked at him again with the light of dawning recognition in his eyes.
'Blimey!' he said, 'I didn't recognise you at first!'
Tom gave him the standard, self-deprecating pop star smile.
'It's a while since I saw you,' went on Charlie, 'you were in that gang that worked on the M6 and you used to come in here every day for your dinner!
'How are the rest of the lads?'

I don't know if it's a true story. I hope so.


Originally published on Facebook 13th May 2011

First published on the Middlewich Diary 21st July 2011

Expanded and re-published 16th May 2017

VISITING WINSFORD ROYALTY 1973

For the 1973 Carnival our town was graced by the presence of Winsford's Carnival Queen in a handsome horse and carriage. It's not clear whether the carriage was provided by Winsford or Middlewich Carnival. Was Middlewich trying to upstage Winsford by providing such an opulent vehicle for their Queen, or was Winsford trying to put one over on Middlewich by sending along their Carnival Queen in a vehicle fit for a real Queen?
The only slightly  jarring note is the rather crude piece of paper with WINSFORD CARNIVAL QUEEN written on it in felt tip pen.
Nowadays something a little bit more sophisticated would be run up on someone's computer and, no doubt, laminated. There would probably also be a commercial sponsorhip message saying CHESHIRE FM or somesuch.*
The Queen is waiting to join the carnival procession outside the Big Lock at the end of Webb's Lane where it is joined by Finney's Lane. The building just in shot on the left is part of the pub  itself, although this particular part was not in use as such at that time. In those days the Big Lock was in  a rather strange condition with only small parts of it actually in use as licensed premises.
Looked at from Webbs Lane, or from the canalside, there were large areas of the building which couldn't be 'accounted for' when one ventured inside.
It was, and is, one of those canal side pubs which the late Brian Curzon referred to as 'stack pubs',  on two levels, with a bar at the top for the use of local residents and another on the lower level, opening onto the lockside for the use of the boating fraternity.
By this time the former shop at canal level, which was also provided for the benefit of people working the boats, had been converted into a function room where, the following year, the late Johnny McAlinden would, like me, be part of the early disco boom in Middlewich.
It was only in the 1990s that the entire pub was opened up to become the pub/restaurant we know today.
Note also the once ubiquitous red GPO telephone box (or 'kiosk' as some would insist). These are now very few and far between and found only in areas thought to be particularly picturesque.
There are none in Middlewich.
*Not any more. Cheshire FM closed down at the end of January 2012.

Facebook feedback:

Geraldine Williams Very impressed that the Winsford Carnival Queen's carriage had to be followed by a Group 4 security van (thought it was Del Boy at first!) so her jewels must have been real........!

First published 24th November 2011
Re-formatted and re-published 24th November 2016

WORKING AT THE WOODLANDS by Carol Jennings

Editors Note: Following on from our Middlewich Diary entry on The Woodlands, Middlewich Diary contributor Mike Jennings e-mailed us with this account of working there in the 1970s, written by his wife Carol.

From what Carol says in her article, it's quite feasible that this photograph of  The Woodlands was actually taken in the early 70s, at around the time she worked there, rather than in the 1960s. Many thanks to Carol for her memories and to Mike (Jake) for sending them to us. - Dave Roberts

WORKING AT THE WOODLANDS

by Carol Jennings

I remember this garage very well.

I worked there for a year in 1973-74 when I was 17. I used to work at ERF during the day and then work three or four evenings a week - from 6pm to 10.30pm - at the petrol station for extra cash to pay for driving lessons.

Jelliman's did own it in the late 60s - early 70s but, after the death of Mr Jelliman, his wife sold the garage to a Jewish man called Mr Radivan from Manchester. He owned a few petrol stations, by all accounts.

Mrs Jelliman managed the place on a day-to-day basis for him, along with another lady whose name I don't recall. I do know that she lived on Newton Heath.

They showed me the ropes (or the pumps).

In those days there were no self-service pumps. You pulled up and waited for the petrol pump attendant (me) to come out and fuel your car.

I recall sitting in the little wooden hut between the six pumps with a small paraffin heater for warmth, but still it was cold and draughty.

I read countless books waiting between customers.

You have to remember that in those days there was nowhere to go - no late night shops.

You might get a few filling up on their way to or from Leighton Hospital, or going to work on nights.

I think it may have been the only late-opening petrol station in the area. There were no supermarkets with petrol stations then.

Looking back, it was quite lonely.

I'd cash up on my own and a lady from across the road would come and take the money for safe keeping until Mrs Jelliman opened up the next day.

In the 1970s the big house -'The Woodlands' - was unoccupied, with just one room at the front used as an office during the day.

But late at night it was dark and lifeless and spooky.

I was always glad when my boyfriend, now my husband Jake, came to pick me up.

And yes we were still giving Green Shield stamps in the 1970s too.

Twenty-thousand stamps, or twenty books, got you a torch - something like that.

Petrol was 37p per gallon.

It was 1973, the year of the oil crisis. Petrol rationing was in force and cars queued for miles for fuel.

Black Gold...still the same issues. Still a high price.