FAREWELL KERRY - A TRIBUTE TO KERRY KIRWAN

 Farewell Kerry!

by Dave Roberts

I thought it might be appropriate to pay tribute to a young lady who was Middlewich's Heritage Officer for close on sixteen years and, in that time, transformed the way the town looks at its heritage and history. The initiatives created by our new Heritage Officer did so much to tell the story of our town, not only to its residents, but also to the wider world.

Kerry Kirwan was appointed at the start of October 2007 at a time when Middlewich had, at best, a hazy idea of its own history. We knew that the settlement which later became  Middlewich pre-dated the Roman invasion and that the Romans were interested in the area because of its salt-making history. Every school pupil knows that the Romans prized salt and used it as currency, hence the word ‘salary’. The Heritage Society, of which I was a founder member back in 1985, did a lot to foster interest in our history and it was undoubtedly the work of the society which led the council to appoint Kerry as full-time Heritage Officer, working alongside the late town clerk, Jonathan Williams, and events manager Dave Thompson.

I worked with Kerry on two of her projects; ‘Tales of Wych & Water’ and ‘The War At Home’. My role was to edit together snippets of interviews which Kerry and her teams of volunteers collected around the town, telling the stories of Middlewich’s salt industry and canals and the role local people played in maintaining everyday life during World War II. Songs written by Dave Thompson and Andy Roscoe were then interleaved with these reminiscences from local people. One of the interviewees was ‘Auntie’ Maureen Shaw of Wardle Lock Cottage.

Kerry’s work in Middlewich eventually led to the formation of the Heritage Trust which, in turn, led to her crowning achievement in the town, the restoration and preservation of the Murgatroyd’s Brine Pumps in Brooks Lane, allowing our town to boast a unique piece of salt-making heritage to complement the Lion Salt Works at Wincham. The restoration of the ICI War Memorial, also in Brooks Lane, was another of Kerry’s projects which I had the honour, as Community Mayor, of declaring open.

Kerry’s contribution to Middlewich was immense and she’ll be very much missed, not least by the Heritage Trust which, under the able chairmanship of Mike Walton, continues the work started by Kerry.

MIDDLEWICH HERITAGE TRUST

MHT WINTER TALKS PROGRAMME 2023-2024

A version of this article appeared in the October 2023 issue of 'Go Local' as part of our 'Middlewich Memories' series.

 

FAREWELL JACK'S 25th MARCH 2022

 

FAREWELL JACK'S - A TRIBUTE.

by Dave Roberts

From the 18th October 2018 to 25th March 2022 Middlewich was one of thirteen towns and cities across Britain to take part in a short-lived retail experiment by Tesco, who were trying to counter the threat posed by the likes of Aldi and Lidl, the no-frills supermarkets.

Here you'll find our coverage of the end of what Middlewich people called 'Big Tesco' on the 18th August 2021. This Diary entry also includes a potted history of our town's first supermarket, from its earliest days as Gateway to the end of the 'Tesco era'.

There was a time when this giant retailer looked like it was going to make Middlewich into 'Tesco Town', with plans for a huge superstore encompassing the original Gateway supermarket, together with the land on the other side of Southway now being developed by McCarthy Stone and others. The story of the proposed 'Tesco Takeover', which may or may not have been scuppered by the building of the Morrison's supermarket ten years ago, together with  the expansion of nearby Lidl, can be found by following the following link:

BROKEN DREAMS - The end of Tesco's big plans for Middlewich

For most people, the closure of 'Big Tesco' came out of the blue. It was a settled part of Middlewich life, along with the  smaller Tesco Express branches in Wheelock Street and Warmingham Lane which still serve the public. No one would ever have called it the best supermarket in the world, but it served Middlewich well within its limitations, and its staff were friendly and very efficient.

Then, suddenly, it was gone and Middlewich was left without one of its major supermarkets. 

Soon, rumours began to circulate that Tesco had something in mind for the Middlewich store and others in various parts of the country.

In fact plans had already been in the pipeline for a couple of years before the announcement was made, which at least explained why Tesco had decided to close an apparently successful supermarket in Middlewich.

The JACK'S logo, unveiled for the first time in October 2018

TESCO TAKES ON ALDI and LIDL (from 'Marketing Week')

On the 18th October 2018 the new Middlewich Jack's store opened its doors for the first time.

Photo: Cheshire Live

The JACK'S Story

In the entrance lobby a large photo of Jack Cohen welcomed people to the store, accompanied by a brief explanation of what 'JACK'S' was all about.

'In 1919 Tesco founder Jack Cohen took his £30 demob money and sold surplus armed forces stock from his market stall in Hackney, East London.

Jack had an eye for a deal and an intuition for what his customers needed. His stall was famous for making affordable food available to everyone.

Today at Jack's his legacy lives on in great-tasting food at the lowest possible prices.

7 out of 10 JACK'S products are grown, reared or made in Britain

to bring you outstanding value'.

The last paragraph, incidentally, was an obvious attempt to appeal to those who had voted for Britain to leave the EU two years previously.

Photo: CHESHIRE LIVE

Party food and free gifts were the order of the day as Jack's went all out to win the hearts and minds of its former Tesco customers.

Jack's product lines were very simple and basic.

The simplicity of the choice offered by Jack's meant that there was plenty of space, enabling the store to have wide aisles.

Perhaps surprisingly for a discount supermarket Jack's had its own in-house bakery. Then again, Lidl in Chester Road has a similar facility.

The warehousing and unloading facilities for Jack's were as basic as the store itself, with trucks having to make the awkward turn from St Ann's Road to make deliveries. There appears to be no viable alternative to this as Home Bargains will be making deliveries in exactly the same way.

In its later years, Jack's was managed by Darren, a well-known local lad who enthusiastically supported the store's community initiatives. He was particularly interested in the activities we promoted through the short-lived Community Mayor project. Many of the staff at Jacks were local and they managed to preserve the 'community feel' that the store had inherited from the Tesco store which had preceded it. But they were fewer in number and were always rushed off their feet. Jack's had a policy of asking everyone to multitask, so there was little time for friendly chats with the customers. Somehow, though, they managed it.
Reactions to Jack's were mixed. Many people liked it and appreciated its convenience, friendliness and low prices.

Others, though, felt it was a little bit too 'no-frills' and had hoped for a better range of products.
Whatever Tesco's reasons for discontinuing this experiment in retailing, as with 'Big Tesco', the end came suddenly and it was announced that the store would close on the 25th March 2022.

JACK's IN 2022                              Photo: CHESHIRE LIVE

Photo: CHESHIRE LIVE

The Jack's sign in Queen Street, which replaced an earlier Tesco one. This area was once a part of Fountain Fields and the site of the sign is said to be where the water supply which gave Fountain Fields its name was situated.

Belated thanks to everyone who worked at Jack's for all your hard work in keeping the store going for four years. It obviously wasn't an easy thing to do and we're sure we speak for the people of the town when we tell you how much we appreciated your efforts.

One lasting legacy from Jack's might be the name of the local park. Its official name is, of course, Fountain Fields but during the Tesco era it was dubbed 'Tesco Park' by the children who played there and smoothly transitioned into 'Jack's Park' when the supermarket changed its name.

Somehow 'Home Bargains Park' doesn't sound right, so it might be that the name 'Jack's' will live on, if only for young children and their parents.

Although the Jack's stores are gone, the brand still exists. Tesco has adopted it for many of its 'own brand' goods, such as those formerly sold under the 'Happy Shopper' brand. For instance, you can buy 'Jack's' products, with that familiar red and white label, at the new Winsford Gateway Service Station on Road One in Winsford.

And now, we wait for the 23rd September 2023* when our supermarket, having undergone another transformation, re-opens as a branch of Home Bargains.

HOME BARGAINS WEBSITE

HOME BARGAINS STORE LOCATOR

*Sources close to Home Bargains are telling us that the opening date has been brought forward to 16th September.

FREEMASONS IN LEWIN STREET

 

Photo courtesy of MARJORIE PACE

In August 2023 Marjorie Pace posted this photo on our Middlewich Diary Community Page, under the title of 'Freemasons', pointing out that one of the people featured is her Grandad, Frank Cliffe (third from left).

But who are the others? Does anyone recognise anyone else?.

Our only contribution can be to point out just where the photo was taken.

They're in Lewin Street, in what was called 'Victoria Square' at one time - the space in front of the Victoria Building (Middlewich Town Hall). That's the distinctive 'tower' of the Wesleyan Methodist  Church in the right background. Left background is the now empty shop that was originally a branch of the Co-op and has also been, among other things, a laundrette, a Land-Rover agency, Stott's Chemist (later Mistry's Pharmacy) and was last used as Middlewich Post Office.

MIDDLEWICH'S CIVIC INSIGNIA

THE SEAL OF THE URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL OF MIDDLEWICH 1897

 Middlewich Town Council

by Dave Roberts,

The Civic Insignia of Middlewich, by which we mean the chains and badges of office worn by the Mayor and Mayoress (or Mayor's Companion) and the Deputy Mayor, are quite magnificent and bear comparison with those found in any other small town.

The Mayor's chain and seal has been in continuous use, year after year, since 1897. The badge worn by the Mayor's Companion (formerly the Mayor's Consort) is of more recent vintage, having been gifted to the former Middlewich Urban District Council in 1954. In 2019, the first (and, it appears, only) year of Middlewich's Community Mayor, the badge took on a completely unforeseen and very personal significance for Lynne Hardy, the first Mayor's Companion. But more of that later.

It's a privilege to be able to show you, possibly for the first time ever, exactly what our town's insignia look like, and we're very grateful to the Town Council for allowing us to do this.

Middlewich Town Council

The chain and seal of the Middlewich Urban District Council was presented to the town by local industrialist and philanthropist Sir John Brunner to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897.

There is an inscription on the back of the seal recording this fact, but unfortunately our photographic skills do not permit us to show you a clear picture of it. Here's what the engraving, now somewhat worn by the countless suits, ties, waistcoats and dresses of past Council chairmen and mayors, actually says:

Presented to

The Town of Middlewich

by

SIR JOHN TOMLINSON BRUNNER, BART. M.P.
FOR THE NORTHWICH DIVISION OF CHESHIRE

In Commemoration of the Sixtieth Year of

The Reign Of Her Most Glorious Majesty

QUEEN VICTORIA

June 1897

Middlewich Town Council

The council's seal and motto, which was used on the Urban District Council's letterheads and documents until the council ceased to exist in 1974, is borrowed from the coat of arms of the France-Hayhurst family of nearby Bostock Hall.

The crest as used on Middlewich U.D.C. paperwork prior to 1974

The design was also used by the Middlewich Heritage Society in its early years, the society going to the trouble and expense of having a printing block of it made in those pre-computer days.

 Evidence of the family's influence in the town can also be found in the Parish Church.

Courtesy of St Michael & All Angels, Middlewich

The coat of arms itself is now used on the sign outside the popular Hayhurst Arms pub and restaurant in Bostock.

Courtesy of THE HAYHURST ARMS

Virtus Semper Viridis translates as
'Virtue is always flourishing' or
'Virtue is always green'

When the Town Council came into being in 1974 it applied to use the seal and motto but this was refused on the grounds that the council which used it originally had, effectively, ceased to exist, meaning that the design had become the property of the Crown.

Many town councils, presumably being in the same position, decided to go to the expense of having new insignia made with the town council's name and newly created coats-of-arms on them, but Middlewich sensibly decided to carry on using the original UDC chains and badges, creating a pleasing sense of continuity and a link with the past. This policy also, of course, saved the council an not inconsiderable amount of money.

Obviously, though, the old design couldn't be used on council paperwork, hence the creation of the council's now familiar logo.

MIDDLEWICH HIGH SCHOOL

Eagle-eyed readers will, by now, have realised that the local High School badge

also has a familiar look to it

Middlewich Town Council

Here's the full chain and insignia, as worn by the Mayor. Bottom centre, just above the seal, is the Brunner crest. Does anyone know how Bibe Si Sapis translates into English?





UPDATE: We're grateful to Garnet Marshall, who is a member of the Brunner Lodge in Middlewich and tells us:

It's the motto from the coat of arms of the BRUNNER family. It translates to "if though art wise, drink"

Sound advice.

Middlewich Town Council

This will be familiar to anyone who has ever attended Sir John Deane's College, or its fore-runner, Sir John Deane's Grammar School. Sir John Brunner was a great benefactor of the school and the family crest is incorporated into the coat-of-arms still used by the college.

Courtesy of SIR JOHN DEANE'S COLLEGE

You'll notice that the college's version is missing the 'Red Hand' in the top left hand corner. During my days at SJDGS the hand was included in the badges on our blazers and there were always dark mutterings about some supposed connection with the Irish Loyalist movement, as the symbol was thought to be 'The Red Hand Of Ulster'. A simple misconception, it turns out. Sir John's red hand simply indicated that he was a Baronet. The school quietly dropped the symbol from its badge some time in the sixties, presumably to avoid such conjectures. To save any further confusion, the Red Hand of Ulster is a right hand, while the red hand indicating a Baronet is a left hand.

Coincidentally, Sir John Brunner died exactly one hundred years to the day that this article was written, on the 1st July 1919.

Around the Mayoral chain are fourteen medallions with the names and dates of Chairmen (and they were, as you can imagine, all men) of the Middlewich U.D.C. from 1897 until the end of the Great War and on into the mid-1920s. They read like a roll-call of (almost) every well-known Middlewichian name you can think of and are (running anti-clockwise):

HENRY SEDDON 1897-8, 1902-3

THOMAS HULME 1898-9

WILLIAM JONES 1899-1900, 1908-9, 1909-10

JAMES WILLIAMS 1900-1, 1910-11

THOMAS SUMMERFIELD 1901-2

GEORGE WILLIAMS 1903-4

EDWARD BAKER HARLOCK 1904-5, 1911-12, 1921-2

WILLIAM BOOSEY 1905-6

FRANK ALBERT LIDBURY 1906-7

JAMES SMALLWOOD 1907-8

CHARLES LAWRENCE 1908-9

JOSEPH POWELL 1912-13, 1924-5

JOSEPH ALBERT HULME 1913-14

OSWALD BARKER WHITEHEAD 1914-19

Middlewich Town Council

The Middlewich UDC Consort's chain of office and badge. From 2019 the term Mayor's Consort was replaced by 'Mayor's Companion' - though for the first year of the Community Mayoralty at least, most people seem to prefer the term 'Mayoress'. 

Middlewich Town Council

The Consort's insignia is of much more recent origin, having been presented to the Middlewich U.D.C. in 1954. And thereby hangs a tale...

The 'Mayor's Companion' (or Mayoress) for the first year of our town's Community Mayoralty, was my partner, Lynne Hardy.

Lynne originates from Huddersfield and has lived here for thirty years.

For nearly all of those thirty years her best friend was Ann Hough, a very well-known and well-loved Middlewich lady.

Sadly Ann passed away last October, and is very much missed by her family and her wide circle of friends including, of course, Lynne and I.

So imagine Lynne's feelings when we examined the civic treasures we've been looking at here, and she found that on the back of the insignia she would be wearing throughout the year were inscribed the words...

Middlewich Town Council

'Presented to the M.U.D.C.

by

MISS ANNIE HOUGH

of

MIDDLEWICH

1954'

A happy coincidence, to say the least, and there couldn't have been a better omen for the first year of this new and, we believe, unique type of Mayoralty.

But does anyone know who Miss Annie Hough was? Attempts to find out have all come to nothing so far and, for obvious reasons, we'd love to find out something about her. 1954 is, after all, within living memory. If you remember Annie, or know anything about her, feel free to contact us.

Finally, just a word about the terms used in this article. I am, as you'll have gathered, no expert on civic insignia, heraldry, family crests and coats-of-arms and the like. I've used the terms I thought appropriate. If you know better, please don't hesitate to get in touch and put me right.

There is, incidentally, one piece we haven't shown you, and that's the badge worn by the Deputy Mayor. We hope to add a photo of this in the near future.

I very much hope you've enjoyed this glimpse of our town's beautiful civic insignia.

With grateful thanks to:

MIDDLEWICH TOWN COUNCIL

DENISE FRENCH

NICCI ANTONEY

JONATHAN WILLIAMS

COLIN COULES (MAYOR, 2023.-2023)

UPDATE August 21st 2023

In August 2023 the Town Council finally obtained permission to use the old MUDC crest, and here it is, looking better than ever and injecting much-needed Civic Pride into our local affairs. It can be found on the council ranger's van and, increasingly, on MTC paperwork. Many thanks to Middlewich Town Mayor Colin Coules and Town Clerk Nicci Antoney.

A version of this article also appears on THE MIDDLEWICH YEAR

This version first published 1st July 2019
Revised and re-published 21st June 2020

re-published 24th June 2022

UPDATED and re-published 21st August 2023

CROWDS AT THE 1952 CARNIVAL

© Phillip Shales 2011     All rights reserved
with acknowledgments to Kerry Kirwan and Dave Thompson 

by Dave Roberts

The crowds gather in the Bull Ring to watch the 1952 Middlewich Carnival procession and the effect this photo from the Phillip Shales collection has is astonishing. You almost feel that you could walk into the picture  and talk to the people in it, so perfectly has the photographer captured their faces.

Unlike the crowds of today most of the people seen here, rather than fighting for car parking spaces and then walking a few yards, will have trekked into the town centre from all over Middlewich; from Kinderton and Newton and Cledford. And it's a safe bet that quite a few of them will have cycled from outlying areas such as Wimboldsley, Stanthorne and Sproston to see all the glamour and spectacle of one of Middlewich's major annual events.
There's a definite air of anticipation about the photograph, as the crowds wait for the procession to arrive. We'll be seeing the Carnival Queen and her retinue for ourselves in later entries in the Middlewich Diary.
The railings in the foreground are part of the enclosure for the War Memorial at the end of the row of buildings separating Lower Street and Hightown at that time. The road still curves around in the same way at the end of the 'amphitheatre', though the space to the left of the picture where most of the crowds are is usually taken up these days by cars jostling for parking spaces outside Tesco Express.

The buildings in the background disappeared at the end of the 1960s in preparation for the building of what was then the Co-operative Superstore and is now Tesco Express and the very popular Super Discount Shop.
If you're wondering where Dierden's Terrace has got to, it's the narrow alleyway between the now vanished Cooper's shop and the next building, which survives as a hairdressers establishment opposite the current Super Discount Shop and Tesco Express.

Note: The current building on the site is huge. In its earliest days it was, as we've said, the Co-operative Superstore. The section to the right , now the Discount Shop, was originally the Co-op Chemists department and optician and  later became the home of Pineland before  re-opening as the Super Discount Shop a couple of years ago.

The upper landing of the Discount Shop (the area devoted mostly to gardening products and large domestic items) was originally the Co-op furniture department, reached by a large staircase from the shop below. Pineland used the area for warehousing.

Editor's note: We originally published this entry under the heading 'Crowds at the 1949 Carnival' but have changed the date as other photos in the series were proved to have been from 1952. If you have any information which will help us confirm the true date of this photo please contact us. Thank you.

5th APRIL 2020
7th MAY 2021

First published 21st December 2011
Revised and republished 21st June 2023

MEET THE MIDDLEWICH METEORS!

The Middlewich Meteors May 1957: L to R - Elvin Bowyer (washboard), Alan Birchall (guitar), Peter Birchall (guitar), Peter Wilson (double bass), Freddie Moores (banjo), and Brian Eaton (guitar) In front is Edward Tattersall (guitar)

by Dave Roberts

The Middlewich Diary is always at home to talk of Middlewich music matters and from local legend FREDDIE MOORES comes this salutary reminder that music in Middlewich didn't begin twenty-five years ago with the first Folk & Boat Festival.

In fact, although this article is about Middlewich music 1957 style, it goes without saying that there have always been people around town making music of one kind or another. An older generation, for example, will tell you all about Percy Bailey's Band which played dance music at the old Middlewich Town Hall on Hightown for many a Saturday Night Dance, with Percy famously propping the latest edition of the Evening Sentinel up on his piano's music stand to keep up with the local news as interminable waltzes, quick-steps and fox-trots filled the smoky air.

The old Middlewich Town Hall

So, to be clear, we're talking about the start of the modern era of Music In Middlewich in the1950s - the age of Skiffle and Rock 'n' Roll!

Fred kindly loaned me this historical souvenir which features not only a copy of a press cutting from May 1957 about the Middlewich Meteors but also one from 48 years later when Freddie was trying to get hold of a copy of the photo he remembered being published all those years before. There's also an 'ode' to the band (or 'group' as they would, undoubtedly, have been called in those days) which was probably written by one of those young musicians.

We're happy to reproduce these historic documents for the electronic generation and preserve them for posterity.

Let's begin with Fred's 2005 appeal to the local Guardian for information about members of the band, and for a copy of that elusive photograph.

The first thing to note is that Fred was talking to the 'wrong' newspaper - perfectly understandable after all those years, and given the tendency of the Guardian and the Chronicle to wax and wane in popularity locally, seemingly taking it in turns to be the local paper of choice for Middlewichians.

NORTHWICH GUARDIAN

Winsford & Middlewich Edition

Wednesday April 13th 2005.

FRED ON A MISSION TO BE REUNITED WITH BAND

A MIDDLEWICH musician is looking to be reunited with his former band mates nearly 50 years after they first formed.

Fred Moores of Shropshire Close is looking for members of his old skiffle band The Middlewich Meteorites (sic)*, and is trying to source a picture of the band which he believes was taken in 1956 or 1957.

Fred, 67, said: 'The picture was taken at the back of the White Bear pub which is where we used to practise.'

Fred says the picture, which appeared in the Guardian (sic), features guitarists Eddie Tattersall and Brian Eaton, as well as washboard and bass player Peter Wilson.

Fred, who played the ukelele and banjo, would love to know if anyone has a copy of the picture and would also like to hear from his former band mates.

He said: 'We were only aged between about 15 and 17. It was just before we went into the army in 1958. We took part in a few contests at Mr Smiths in Winsford. I'd just like to know where they all are and if anyone has a copy of the picture.'

If you were a member of the Middlewich Meteorites (sic)*, or know someone who has a copy of the picture, contact reporter Gemma Sproston by ringing 01606 813624, email gsproston@guardiangrp.co.uk, or write to 15 Market Street, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 5DT.

*You'll note that we rather sniffily use the term sic to indicate that we are reproducing the Guardian's use of 'Meteorites' even though we know it to be wrong. It's very likely, of course, that Gemma Sproston, who is a very good journalist, only used the name Middlewich Meteorites because that's the name she was given by Fred who himself believed it to be the name of the group. It was, after all, a long time ago - Ed.

Fred's appeal obviously bore fruit because also included in his souvenir is a cutting from The Chronicle of Saturday May 18th 1957 (how long is it since the publication of our local papers switched from Saturday to Thursday?)

To put this piece of Middlewich history into context, remember that the Middlewich of May 18th 1957 was somewhat different to the town we know today.

Middlewich Station was still open to passengers and 'The Dodger' was still whisking passengers from Middlewich to Northwich in as little as 7 minutes. It would only continue to do so, however, until the last day of 1959.

The Alhambra was still open for business as a cinema and there were, as now, many pubs, but the only place you could get something to eat or a cup of tea was Heathcote's Cafe in Lewin Street.

The open-pan salt works were still going strong, with Seddon's in Pepper Street - just a matter of yards away from the Meteors' rehearsal room - belching out black smoke and white steam all through the week. The other Seddon's works in Wych House Lane and Brooks Lane were also thriving, as was Murgatroyd's Brooks Lane works. This venerable method of salt-making would continue for another ten years (nine in the case of Murgatroyd's) before falling to progress in the shape of the British Salt works which replaced them all in 1969.

And Fountain Fields - now re-christened 'Tesco Park' by a new generation - which seems to have been there forever was, in 1957, a mere five years old.

UPDATE: In the never- ending story of Middlewich things change, as they do in all towns. Tesco replaced their main Middlewich Store with a short-lived branch of their budget store 'Jack's' (named after the company founder Jack Cohen) which was intended to compete with Lidl and Aldi. Middlewich people, of course, took it all in their stride and 'Tesco Park' seamlessly became 'Jack's Park'. Tesco's experiment in budget stores didn't last long and the store lay derelict for a while. At the time of writing (16th May 2023) the store is being extensively re-furbished (in fact 'rebuilt' would be a better word) and will, in the fullness of time, become a branch of 'Home Bargains'. 'Home Bargains Park' would be a weird and clumsy renaming. My guess is that 'Jack's Park' will keep its name, leading to  speculation by historians in the distant future as to who 'Jack' was.

Middlewich then was a dirty, dingy, smoky little town just crying out for some great entertainment - something Fred and friends were determined to provide...

THE CHRONICLE

Saturday May 18th 1957

They aim to 'rock' the town in a big way

MEET THE MIDDLEWICH Meteors, the skiffle group that is currently 'rocking' the town three or four nights a week at its practice sessions. You can see them in action at their headquarters - a room in what was a stable block in the ancient coaching yard behind the White Bear Hotel.

The group had originally planned to form themselves into a harmonica gang. Then came the skiffle craze. Nobody wanted to listen to harmonicas*, so the seven friends set about acquiring the necessary instruments.

The double bass is a simple matter of a tea-chest, a wooden pole and a piece of string. The washboard is of a kind any housewife can buy at a hardware store. The guitars were all bought second-hand.

So far the group has only had one official booking - they played at the British Legion Club a fortnight ago - but they are on the look-out for future engagements.

(the photo illustrating this story is reproduced at the top of the page)

The White Bear Hotel in the early 1970s. In a former stable building behind the pub the sound of the Middlewich Meteors was born in 1957. 

So where did the long-lost cutting come from? I'm making an educated guess that it was bass player Peter Wilson who kept it for almost half a century. Also reproduced in Fred's souvenir is a short poem, signed by 'PW' Is this also Peter Wilson? If so, he obviously, like Fred, never forgot his time as one of the MIDDLEWICH METEORS!

ODE TO A SOUND

One time when lightning struck in Middlewich

And the MIDDLEWICH METEORS emerged from the sky,

Was the single moment in the world of Skiffle

When each player soared nine miles high,

Freddie, Eddie, the two Peters, Brian - and Alan and Elvin too;

We don't forget those that shone as bright in our souls as they will always do,

An era we all belonged to that will never come again,

Arte those times of joy and fun that forever will remain,

And in this hour once more together in minds and thought , and heart

Forever we rekindle the flame that began its throbbing youthful spark. PW

And a quick glance at the music chart (an institution which had at that time only been running for five years) gives us an inkling into the music which inspired the formation of the MIDDLEWICH METEORS fifty-eight years ago.

Selected number one hits of 1957:

11th January Singing The Blues - Tommy Steele

12th April - Cumberland Gap - Lonnie Donegan

17th May - Rock-A-Billy - Guy Mitchell

28th June - Gamblin' Man/ Puttin' On The Style - Lonnie Donegan

12th July - All Shook Up - Elvis Presley

1st November - That'll Be The Day - The Crickets.

*'...nobody wanted to listen to harmonicas' Very ironic, really, as Fred is well-known today as a master of the blues harmonica. Together with his equally talented son Craig, Fred formed Moore & Moore Blues a few years ago. Fred and Craig are also members of the Salty Dog Blues Band

Many thanks to Fred for sharing this fascinating piece of Middlewich musical history with us.-Ed

First published 1st August 2015.

Re-published 1st August 2017 to mark the 60th Anniversary of the Middlewich Meteors.

Reformatted 29th July 2020 

Re-formatted, amended and re-published 16th May 2023