CHAIRMAN'S SUNDAY 1940s

© Phillip Shales 2012 All Rights Reserved. With acknowledgments to Kerry Fletcher and Dave Thompson at Middlewich Town Council

by Dave Roberts

Today we're featuring another of  Phillip Shales' collection of black and white photographs from the 1940s, and we're being deliberately vague about the precise year.
This, of course, is through sheer necessity as the photos, rescued from a computer at Middlewich Town Council, do not have any real background information with them.

We've seen pictures from the 1948 Chairman's Sunday processions before and we're hazarding a guess that this is another of those occasions.

Something about the clothes worn by these solemn-looking civic dignitaries seems to suggest that it is from slightly earlier in the decade, and they do not appear to be the same people we saw in, for example, this 1948 shot.
Then again, this could just be a different group of council chairmen on the same occasion.
Presumably that is the then Chairman of Middlewich UDC in the middle of the shot, complete with robe, chain of office and ceremonial hat? And could that be the clerk to the council look rather self-effacing at his side?
The other gentlemen in the group give the impression of being at a state funeral.
Then again, Chairman's Sunday was always a somewhat sombre affair, as is only right and proper.
So what was the year? Was it 1948? Does anyone recognise the MUDC Chairman in this picture? If we could put a name to him, we're halfway there.
As always, though, it's the Middlewich streetscape which steals the show and we can  easily put this very old photo into a modern context and identify the scene as Hightown.
The main clue is the White Bear which we can see above the heads of the group of Chairmen.
 Left of that is the old Coopers shop which we had a good view of here. This shop was formerly Kinsey's, and the location of one of the first telephones in Middlewich, as recounted here.
 To the left of the gentleman we're presuming is the Chairman of the MUDC is the National Westminster Bank (a small part of the Fittons/Vernons butchers shop can also be made out).
But who knew that the labour (or employment) exchange once occupied that shop on the left which later became Brockley's wallpaper shop?
Out of shot to the right was Middlewich Town Hall and the row of shops seen here were demolished in the 1970s to make way for the 'Piazza', now in its turn replaced by the amphitheatre which was memorably photographed by Paul Greenwood at the end of last year. Here's a reminder of that wonderfully atmospheric winter scene.

Facebook Feedback:

Geraldine Williams It's certainly the late 40s, judging by the girls' clothes. The Chairman looks a bit like Clement Attlee but, as this is unlikely (!), might it have been Mr Powell from the Gents Outfitters in Wheelock Street?

Dave Roberts When we published an old Powell's Tailors bill last year one of Mr Powell's relations got in touch. I wonder if he might be able to confirm whether or not Mr Powell is the man in the picture?
(see comment below)

SEE ALSO: CHAIRMAN'S SUNDAY 1940s (2)


First published 9th April 2012
Re-formatted and re-published 16th April 2018

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MIDDLEWICH TOWN CENTRE PUZZLE PICTURE

Here's one for all our Middlewich aficionados. The puzzle we're trying to work out is the date of this picture of Middlewich Town Centre. There are various clues and indicators to be taken into account.
First of all, notice that the weather vane is securely in place atop St Michael's Church Tower. This went missing for a few years and, we seem to recall, was refurbished and put back in place just before one of the original Folk & Boat Festivals, which puts the date after 1990.
Below the church the late and unlamented 'piazza' is still in place, awaiting replacement by the much superior 'Roman Amphitheatre' we know today.
In front of the piazza you can just make out the old bus shelter with a sign indicating that we're still in the Cheshire County Council era.
Why, incidentally, did they put those steps in on the right of this lacklustre structure when there's a perfectly good pavement running right alongside? We'll probably never know.
On the left the Vaults car-park is still in unrebuilt form and a blackboard proudly announces the presence of BIG SCREEN SKY TV, so we're also in the early years of  satellite TV in pubs. Nowadays all pubs showing SKY TV have massive banners outside proclaiming the existence of SKY on the premises and the BIG SCREEN bit is taken for granted.
Middlewich's tall and quite elegant lamp posts are still in place, albeit painted grey instead of municipal green and there's no sign yet of the horrendous 'glorified patio heaters' we have complained about in more recent years.
And what, we wonder, are those pipes doing running across the road?
On the right of the picture is a collection of buildings which merits closer inspection...

On the left our poor beleagured butchered butcher's shop has become home to a video shop called 'Titles', although one of the windows seems to have been broken.
The hideous green wooden panelling which so disfigured this formerly beautiful shop has not yet been introduced, giving us the possibly unique sight of a video shop with MEAT PURVEYORS on the front.
In 2013 the shop looks much smarter as the home of the Balti Spice Takeaway.
Next door, sporting a white logo rather than the current red one, is...er...the Natwest Bank, about which the least said the better...
And to its right is the never-to-be-forgotten Dillon's, now part of Tesco's dwindling Middlewich empire.
'See you Down Dillon's!' was the cry in those days.
The red and white sign to the right of the shop is indicating that Dillon's was, at the time, the home to Middlewich Post Office, now situated in Lewin Street.
This picture rather makes it look as if the Post Office was a separate establishment but it was, as people will well remember, actually at the rear of Dillon's.
We think this picture was taken sometime between 2000 and 2005, but we are, as ever, open to correction.
UPDATE (27th March): In fact, we've already been corrected. Bill Armsden says:
'The street lights are still the old type, so do we know when the street lamps were changed? 24 Self Video were at No 12 Hightown during 2001/2 and by that time 'Titles' had gone and Balti Spice were there. So, before 2000 is my guess because that was the year we moved back here and Baltic Spice were already trading. Asking Baltic Spice when they opened for business might help date this picture too.'
(See also Bill's comment, below)
So when did the Town Centre look like this?
Middlewich, it's over to you...