Lest We Forget...
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Sunday, 11 November 2012
Saturday, 10 November 2012
A RELIC OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR
The Roberts Collection
by Dave Roberts
To mark the season of Remembrance this year we bring you a precious piece of Middlewich history from our private family collection.
This illuminated document was presented to William Shore of Middlewich in 1919 to mark the town's appreciation of the part he played in World War I, the dates of which, you'll notice, are given as 1914-1919 rather than the more usual 1914-1918. This is because the Treaty of Versailles which, it was hoped, would bring a chance of a lasting peace in Europe, wasn't signed until that year. The years 1918 and 1919 are regarded as interchangeable by war historians.
William Shore was my mother's uncle and lived all his life in the town.
His son, Harry Shore, was responsible for building number 44 King Street just before the Second World War and this certificate of appreciation was hung on the wall of one of the bedrooms in that brand new house, and stayed there for over fifty years, gradually fading in the sunlight as the years went by.
The certificate was signed by the Chairman of the District War Committee, Oswald B Whitehead, and the Committee's Hon. Secretary C F Lawrence, who was, as we've seen before in the Middlewich Diary, a noted Middlewich historian, as well as being clerk to the Middlewich Urban District Council.
Mr Lawrence's influence is very strong in the wording of the certificate. He was a staunch patriot and Royalist and never missed an opportunity to stress Middlewich's strong Royalist traditions.
The certificate also feature the crest and motto Virtus Semper Viridis ('Virtue Is Always Flourishing') which was used for many years on Middlewich UDC stationery, but never officially adopted as the town's coat of arms due to objections from the College of Heralds.
A version of this crest is carved into the back of the Council Chairman/Mayor's chair in the council chamber. The device was also used as an emblem by Middlewich Heritage Society in its early years.
On Thursday November 10th the Middlewich Diary was looking at a well-remembered view of the town centre as seen from King Street and, to acknowledge the time of year when the people of the town come together to remember the fallen, also took a look at Middlewich's main war memorial which, despite all the changes over the years, still stands only a few yards away from its original position in the town centre.
MIDDLEWICH'S WAR MEMORIAL 1934
On Remembrance Day itself, which fell on A Friday last year, we looked at the wreaths left at the War Memorial after its re-dedication in 1972
FOR REMEMBRANCE
Thursday, 8 November 2012
BRICKER CUP WINNERS' TROPHY 1938
by David Roberts
Here's an interesting piece of Middlewich sporting history from just before the Second World War.
This Bricker Cup Winners' Trophy was loaned to us by Leo Sykes who discovered it in a house in Sutton Lane which he moved into recently.
Now that we have photographed the trophy Leo plans to donate it to the town so that it can be displayed on suitable occasions.
A close-up of the inscription shows that the cup, which is 5 ½ inches high and 4 inches across, was given to the winning team, or a member of the winning team, in the 1938 competition.
According to Allan Earl's Middlewich 1900-1950 (Cheshire Country Publishing 1994) the Bricker Cup was founded in January 1913 when Mr Bricker 'presented a cup to the Children's Aid Charity Football Committee for the "material benefit of the poor children of Middlewich"'.
We're hoping that someone has records somewhere which show which team won the Bricker Cup in 1938.
The competition itself has had several revivals over the years, usually as a consequence of the re-discovery of the Bricker Cup Trophy - the actual 'Bricker Cup' itself, that is - in a forgotten corner of a local pub undergoing refurbishment..
Does anyone have any information on the current 'state of play' as far as this popular local competition is concerned?
Originally published 8th November 2012
Re-formatted 6th April 2020
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| 6th APRIL 2020 |
Sunday, 4 November 2012
THE CHESHIRE CHEESE 1987
Continuing our series of photos of Middlewich as it was twenty-five years ago, here's one of the town's favourite Lewin Street pubs, the Cheshire Cheese. Always a cosy and welcoming sort of place, 'The Cheese' continues as an unpretentious but well-frequented watering hole.
In the last twenty five years the pub has expanded somewhat, while at the same time managing to keep its traditional atmosphere.
The licensed premises have now been extended to incorporate the small cottage to the right of the 'Cheshire Cheese' sign and the former car park at the rear (indicated by the small black and white sign on the extreme right) has been transformed into an excellent outdoor performance area which has been well-used for Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival and Middlewich FAB Festival Events.
In 2012 the Cheshire Cheese looks smarter than ever, as can be seen from the entry on our sister site, the Middlewich Directory:
Facebook feedback:
Geraldine Williams: It's a good many years since I was last in The Cheshire Cheese but I do remember that at Christmas they used to cover an entire wall with fir branches and fairy lights instead of having a Christmas tree (probably because of lack of space) and how effective it was.
Robert Sheckleston: Always been a great little pub. The last time I had a pint in 'The Cheese' Graham Woodbine was the landlord.
On November 4th 2011, the Middlewich Diary was making one of its numerous visits to
Monday, 29 October 2012
Sunday, 28 October 2012
THE LAST OF SEMI-RURAL WARMINGHAM LANE
by Dave Roberts
Until relatively recently the section of Warmingham Lane between Cross Lane and the Middlewich town boundary had a semi-rural aspect, consisting of fields with just a sprinkling of houses.
All that, of course, has changed and looks likely to change even more in the next few years.
Mike Jennings has sent us these photographs of Warmingham Lane taken just before the start of major housing developments, and he writes:
Hi Dave
Its been a while since I sent you anything so here are a
couple of photos I took.
Time for a look at Cledford?
They came to mind as a further housing development is
going ahead in Warmingham Lane, not without the usual protest I see!
This is a photo of Hardman's Farmhouse after he sold the land for the present houses, again not without
protest then, as I remember.
Cheers,
Mike
Mike's referring here to the controversial plans for 350 more houses in the area.
Here's a link to the story in the
Facebook Feedback (9th May 2020)
Betty Williams Sunday afternoon walks along the lane, into Dragon's Lane to Tetton Bridge, back along the road to Cross Lane, sometimes treated to lemonade and crisps at the Kinderton. Or a bike ride into Warmingham and back as above to Cross Lane. Happy memories.
Jim Bradburn
I remember going down the bottom of my road cross lane & watching them take the first hedging out to get the groundwork machines in. Sad day.
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Sarah Louise
This is quite depressing. I remember when it was all green fields as I grew up nearby
Tuesday, 2 October 2012
MIDDLEWICH HERITAGE CALENDAR 2012 (ARCHIVED)
ARCHIVED
This Diary Entry was first published on 24th March 2012
UPDATED 29th July 2012/2nd October 2012
Friday 19th October - Saturday 20th October; Middlewich and the Ecosal-Atlantis Project:
To find out more about the Heritage of Middlewich go to:
contact KERRY FLETCHER at
Tel: 01606 841379
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