Chester Chronicle - Cheshire Memories

Flint Memories: Councillor criticises Welsh Assembly Government's care of Flint Castle

2009-11-08T17:21:11Z

A FLINT councillor has blasted the Welsh Assembly Government's attitude towards the town's most historic monument, writes Eleanor Barlow.

At a meeting on Monday, Flint Town Council received a letter from Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones turning down a request from Sandy Mewies to meet council members and discuss Flint Castle's promotion and security.

Enclosed with the letter was a message from visitor services manager of WAG's historic environment service, Cadw, advising the minister to turn down the council's invitation while discussions with officials continued.

The council put in the request after Cadw decided to close the castle temporarily in August following reports of anti-social behaviour and vandalism.

Cllr Ian Roberts said: "I find it particularly offensive that he was advised to turn down the invitation, presumably while Cadw covers itself for the absolutely unforgivable closure of the castle in the summer."

He added: "Cadw's promotion of unstaffed monuments is nonexistent, they are only interested in places where people pay to get in.

"The only events held there are arranged by us or Flintshire County Council, Cadw does absolutely nothing.

"If they attended to the castle better it might not be in the state it's in.

The council decided to ask Sandy Mewies if there was someone else in the assembly they could see to discuss the matter.

A WAG spokesman said: "Cadw remains committed to the conservation, presentation and promotion of Flint castle.

"It has spent £30,000 on remedial works to repair damage and to install railings to prevent out of hours access and a further £30,000 on CCTV monitored by Flintshire Council.

"Cadw was instrumental in lobbying for the monument and castle grounds to become an alcohol-free zone.

"Cadw officials met earlier this month with local representatives at Flint including North Wales Police, Flint Town Council, the local Young People's Drug & Alcohol Awareness team and Youth Development Worker to discuss ways of addressing the problems and to explore, as soon as possible, options to drive improved community engagement and use of the castle by local people and organisations."

Helsby Memories: The Britannia Telegraph Works

2009-11-08T11:06:53Z

In the nineteenth century the village of Helsby was primarily known for the quality of its quarried stone. This was used for such high profile projects as Liverpool Docks, Liverpool Custom House, local churches and a number of buildings in Chester (including repairs to the Cathedral).

However, its main industrial development began in 1886 when the Britannia Telegraph Works was established on the western side of the settlement. This company produced cabling for the electrical industry and provided a source of employment for the Helsby area until the beginning of the twenty-first century.

The company of G C Taylor & Co was established in 1882 and initially built a factory in Neston to produce electrical components. The business relocated to Helsby in 1886 and changed its company name to the Telegraph Manufacturing Company.

The Britannia Telegraph Works was able to utilise gutta percha to insulate electrical wiring for a range of purposes. This natural latex had begun to be used in the 1840s for insulation and was resistant to animal and marine life, which made it particularly suitable for transatlantic cabling. Gutta percha was also used to produce golf balls and tyres at the Helsby factory for a short time. However, the growth of synthetic materials meant that its use was gradually phased out in the electrical industry in the early twentieth century.

The electrical cabling industry saw a number of changes around this time and in 1902 the Telegraph Manufacturing Company was merged with British Insulated Wire Company (which had been established in Prescot in 1890). This new company became known as British Insulated & Helsby Cables Limited and dropped the Helsby part of the name in 1925. A further merger took place in 1949 with Callenders of Erith and the resulting company was then known as British Insulated Callenders Cables Limited (BICC).

These companies saw an increase in demand for their products following the Electrical Supply Act of 1925 and the subsequent establishment of a unified National Grid in 1938.
As a result, the Helsby factory saw the height of its success between the 1940s and 1960s when it employed up to 5,000 people.

In the 1970s BICC had a number of sites in the North West such as Prescot, Kirkby, Leigh and Wrexham (in addition to Helsby), which were manufacturing power and telecommunication cables. However, the company experienced a prolonged decline in demand from this peak and in the 1990s the cabling part of the BICC business was sold.

This resulted in the closure of the Helsby site in 2002 and it is now used for a mixture of industrial and retail purposes. The parent company, BICC plc, still exists today, although it took the name of its subsidiary Balfour Beatty in 2002.

The above picture shows the site of the Britannia Telegraph Works in Helsby.

Flintshire Memories: An Exhibition of Edwardian photography has gone on display thanks to the late Dai Price of Mynydd Isa

2009-11-07T17:13:55Z

THE wife of a man who was the brainchild behind a photography exhibition is happy his ambitions are finally being realised after his death, writes Francesca Elliott.

An Edwardian Family Album, an exhibition of photographs taken by a Merseyside family in the early 1900s, is on display at the Lady Lever Gallery in Port Sunlight, Wirral, but David Price of Mynydd Isa, died from cancer before it opened.

David, known as Dai, was a keen photography historian and member of Mold Camera Club, and along with his wife Heather, who found the photos 20 years ago, wanted to share the photos with the public.

Heather said: "I found 580 glass negatives in my house in Bebington before I met Dai.
"Dai loved them, but wanted to wait until he retired before he did something with them.
"We met at the nuclear plant in Capenhurst where we both worked.

"We knew someone with connections to the Lady Lever Gallery, so Dai started the process of organising the exhibition.

"He always wanted to share them with people. Sadly he died of cancer in January 2008, before he could see the photos displayed. He was only 62, I wanted a tangible memory of Dai, so along with Caroline Johnson from Mold Book Shop, who I went to Carmel Primary School with, I made a book of the exhibition.

"I know he would have loved it, the photos are so beautiful.

"Some of the profits are going to Clatterbridge Hospital where he was treated."

The exhibition shows Jack and Biddy Urton with their daughters Mary and Lois before the First World War, and will be on display until May 3.

The book An Edwardian Family Album is available at The Bookshop, Mold.

Runcorn Memories: Names of St Pat's class of 1971 are revealed

2009-11-06T17:03:24Z

THIS is the latest photograph in our short series featuring classes of 1971-72 at the old St Patrick's RC School, West Bank.

My apologies to readers for mistakenly thinking the pictures had been taken at West Bank Junior School. The backdrop to the photos should have made it obvious to me that they were, in fact, taken at St Pat's.

The pictures were taken by former community nurse Joan Hawkins who died earlier this year at the age of 90. Her partner, Jack Shaw, of Rainhill, provided the photos.

The children are pictured with their teacher, Mr McMullen.

Back row: Stephen Ashton, Stephen Gray, Brendan Foskin, Michael Moran, Barry McKeown, Thomas Arrowsmith, Barry Worth, Alan Woolley.

Middle row: Malacahy Houghton, Stephen Dunning, Ian Bradshaw, John Pye, Anthony McGowan, William Shaw, Trevor Burgess, Anthony Philbin, Paul Flynn, Liam Carter.

Front row: Mr McMullen with Teresa Worsley, Tina Tomlinson, Ann Twist, Colleen Mullally, Helen Colford, Sharon Hayes, Kerry Trehy, Paula Phillips, Deborah Skilky.

Previous articles in the series:

Runcorn Memories: First glimpse at album reveals life in the 1970s

Runcorn Memories: Can you identify class of 1972?

Runcorn Memories: Family search shows history on the water

2009-11-06T12:55:40Z

ROYAL Navy officer Bob Ratcliffe, who regular readers will know from previous stories on this page is serving aboard the aircraft carrier Ark Royal, is currently researching the Ratcliffe family history and would welcome readers' help.

The family history centres around the names White and Clarke as well as the Ratcliffe connection.

Bob writes: "Every now and again I still encounter potentially new links with the Ratcliffes throughout Runcorn and I am hoping to get in touch with any of these probable relatives.

"Those who have lived in Runcorn for many years may have some recollection of our clan which has been largely involved with the sea and river and canal trades, in many cases working out of the Old Quay yard.

"I have traced my direct line back to 1796 (my great, great, great grandfather Richard) and have had some success in discovering distant uncles and cousins.

"My grandfather George (1914-84) worked for many years on the Manchester Ship Canal tugs and both his father Frederick (1869-1917) and grandfather William (1829-1890) were also mariners who spent many years on the canals and rivers in the area.

"My father Ian and his brothers Harry (whose mate Brian Janion has helped me in my research) and David are also mariners.

"In addition to these, there are many others in the town, including those Ratcliffes who lived in Cavendish Street, then Shaw Street and later Laburnum Grove (an aunt Molly and her children, Robert, Pam, Keith and David whose connection to the family I am not all clear about) but I have had some help from David Buckle about this following a recent article in your column.

"There is also the branch of the family from Shaw Street and Jackson's Lane, which includes my cousins, Brian and Elaine.

"I also know my grandfather spoke of the Whites and Clarkes of Dukesfield as cousins of ours. And I have since befriended local boatbuilder Ron Turner whose wife Hazel's (nee White) aunt married a Bill Ratcliffe. Thus, I know this shows a family connection to the White family but I have no idea who Bill was in relation to us."

"As well as the aforementioned people, I can also remember a Ratcliffe who lived at the top of our road, Kirkstone Crescent, on the corner of Wenlock Road.

If any Ratcliffe, White or Clarkes (or anyone else for that matter) reading this would. like to share details of family history I would be very grateful.'

Bob can be contacted at 12 Rampart Row, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 IHT or on email , Tel: 02392 368 411 (mobile 07720 839 874).

Incidentally, Bob hopes that he will soon have an expanded set of works on local ship and boat builders which he hopes to send to Runcorn Historical Society for publication.

Widnes Memories: Phil Jennett researches Second World War casualties on Victoria Park cenotaph in Widnes

2009-11-06T08:50:38Z

AN SAS hero from Widnes who was killed in one of the most daring commando raids of the Second World War is among 337 men being researched for a new book.

Amateur historian Phil Jennett is chronicling the lives of Second World War casualties named on the cenotaph at Victoria Park.

Contained in his research is Bombardier Geoffrey Caton, who was born in Widnes in 1920 as the fourth of seven children.

He started his career with the Royal Artillery before transferring to No.11 Commando.
He later transferred to the SAS, fighting alongside Paddy Mayne, one of its most famous soldiers, and its founder, Lieutenant Colonel David Stirling.

At the age of just 22 Geoffrey was transferred to a special unit of the SAS called the Special Raiding Squadron (SRS), where he took part in Operation Husky, the allied invasion of Sicily.

On July 10, 1943, Geoffrey and the rest of the 'SRS' attacked a large Italian battery at Capo Murro di Porco, in southern Sicily, which had to be destroyed before the main Allied landings could take place.

After hitting the beach at 3.30am the SRS assault teams threw themselves against the cliff and began to claw their way to the summit.

The 700-strong Italian garrison was too shell-shocked to put up much of a struggle but heavy fighting continued throughout the night, with the SRS attacking command posts, bunkers and barracks.

However, during the assault Geoffrey was killed and six of his colleagues were injured.
For their losses, the SRS had put six heavy guns out of commission, killed about 100 enemy soldiers and captured 200-300 more.

Bombardier Caton is buried at Syracuse War Cemetery, Sicily.

Another man mentioned in Phil's research is John Cosgrove.

John joined the elite Parachute Regiment at 18 and was deployed to Palestine in 1945.
He died at the age of 19 on active service whilst carrying out internal security duties and fighting Arab and Israeli terrorist groups.

He is buried at Ramleh War Cemetery, Israel.

Mr Jennett said: "I have identified a total of 337 names so far and am looking for any relatives who can assist with either information or photographs to contact me."

Email Phil at

The picture shows the commando team which may have contained Widnes war hero Geoffrey Caton, according to researcher Phil Jennett.

Halton Memories: David Hopkins of Runcorn completes five year World War One research project

2009-11-05T13:35:41Z

FIVE years of painstaking research has reconstructed the First World War exploits of two Halton soldiers, writes Mark Smith.

David Hopkins, a Citizens's Advice Bureau employee from Lockwood View, Preston Brook, spent much of his spare time trawling through documents to compile the stories of his great-grandfather and his wife's grandfather.

His task was made more difficult by the fact most First World War service records were lost in Second World War bombing raids on London.

David's great-grandfather - George Stevens - was a territorial from Widnes who fought with the Fifth South Lancashires.

A chemical worker from Wright Street who was known as 'Tom' to his friends, he had the legal right to refuse service in the war because he was 43 and had seven children. But he darkened his moustache to make himself look younger and signed up, serving on the Western Front.

David told the Weekly News: "I was in awe of him. He was one of 37 men captured by the Germans at Villers Guislain."

A Government report on Tom's time in captivity is printed in David's research, and reads: "We were marched until 7.30pm and placed in a cage, we had nothing to eat all day.

"During the march civilians tried to give us food and water but the sentries stopped them.

"I personally saw some of our men kicked while trying to accept the bread."

Tom survived the war and returned to his job at what later became ICI in Widnes. He died in 1954, receiving a spontaneous 'state funeral' from the people of West Bank.

The second story is about Patrick McCarthy - the grandfather of David's wife, Julie.
Patrick was a horse-driver from Victoria Street, Widnes, and served in the Salonika campaign in Macedonia and the Balkans - often termed 'the forgotten war' - with the Royal Garrison Artillery.

He contracted malaria and at one stage his family thought he was dead due to a service number mix-up. He came home in 1919 and died in 1952.

David added: "It disturbs me the way history is taught now, not enough people know what these men went through."

Two copies of David's work, Two Stories from the Great War, are available at Widnes library.

He can be contacted at hopkinsdavid@btinternet.com

The first picture shows the author, David Hopkins, and the second, George 'Tom' Stevens, seated, with two other captured soldiers in 1918 at a prisoner of war camp in Parchim, north of Berlin.

Crewe Green Memories: Plaque honours local war heroes

2009-11-04T16:10:52Z

RESIDENTS of Crewe Green will be both making history and preserving history when they gather round the new war commemoration plaque for a service at 10.50am on Remembrance Sunday.

The plaque, which has been placed prominently on the churchyard wall along Narrow Lane, is the result of co-operation between St Michael and All Angels' Church and Crewe Green Parish Council.

The cost of the plaque has been covered by the Leadbetter Trust, which is administered by the parish council.

The plaque has been worked by Bob Parry, stonemason at Co-operative Funeral Care in Crewe, from a design by the Rev Anne Lawson.

Made of Welsh slate to complement the dark decorative bricks in the wall, it balances the postbox on the opposite side of the church gate.

The plaque is not technically a war memorial as it has no names on it. Instead, it gives thanks for the men and women of Crewe Green who have served their country during times of conflict.

This makes it a focus of remembrance not only for those who served in the First and Second World Wars but also those serving in the many other conflicts past and present.

Sandbach Memories: £250,000 appeal launched to save Sandbach church

2009-11-04T12:05:02Z

A CAMPAIGN to raise £250,000 to help bring St Mary's Church at Sandbach into the 21st Century has been launched.

Church officials say the historic church tower in High Street, which dates back to 1661 and stands 80ft tall, is in urgent need of repair.

There has been a church on the site of the existing building since 1200AD.

A recent report by an architect described the problem as serious rot.

The overall cost of the project would be £250,000 but £20,000 would render it safe.

Churchgoer Vera Shallcross said: "The church is the most important building within the town. The tower houses eight bells and the sound of church bells is a traditional part of British community life.

"We hope the people of Sandbach will respond."

To get the campaign up and running, the church is hosting its Autumn Fair in the Church Hall off the Cobbled Market Square, from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, November 14.

Chester Memories: Exhibition of Lache features in Chester History and Heritage Centre

2009-11-03T10:33:37Z

IMAGES of Lache in the 1940s will be shown alongside contemporary photos to portray daily local life linked across half a century.

The Lache Photographic Project, Life in Lache in 2009, funded by Lache Neighbourhood Management and the former Chester City Council, was started by celebrated photographer David Heke and took place earlier this year in February.

Lache Primary School took part in the project along with members of the Lache Saturday Club, students of Queen's Park High School and individual residents of Lache, to collect contemporary photographs for the exhibition.

This display is to show the best of their work taken with disposable cameras with evocative photos from the 1940s supplied by the Chester Heritage and History Centre bringing to life the changing face of the area.

Chester photographers David Heke, of Boughton, and Alison Parry, of Lache, helped organise the exhibition with community development workers Joanne Roberts and Julia Wilson.

David said: "The project is to help bring Lache into the fold of the Chester district and to help engage with the community."

This exhibition is the first of three Lache community arts projects including a mosaic project led by potter Neil Glendinning and a sign project for the new offices of Lache Park Ltd at Hawthorne House with the help of All Seasons Ltd tree sculptors.

Lache Now and Then has been touring several venues in suburb since July and the Chester History and Heritage Centre will be the next in line to showcase the project, from November 2-26, with the County Hall and Forum Offices to follow.

The three pictures reproduced here show Lache schoolchildren and teachers in the 1940s.

Chester Memories: Spooky scenes from a city steeped in haunted history

2009-11-02T16:23:03Z

Here is another instalment of pictures from the recent exhibition at Chester History and Heritage Centre.

The museum held a 'Murder, Mystery and Mayhem' exhibition exploring the city's eerie and paranormal past with sections on ghosts, a haunted hospital, witch trials and some unexplainable curiosities.

To read the original article on the exhibition please click here

Cheshire Memories: Were you one of Grenville's classmates at Alvanley Primary School?

2009-11-02T08:22:13Z

ALVANLEY Primary School was a very different place in the 1950s.

While pupil numbers are similarly low today, this picture shows that the dress code was worlds apart.

Proud headteacher Beatrice Hatton stands at the far left with the whole school.

The owner of the picture, Grenville Britland, who now lives in Garth, Llangollen, is keen to find out where his old school mates are now.

"I can't remember who the other teacher is, unfortunately," he said.

"Mrs Hatton died recently aged 93.

Also in the photo is Grenville's brother Clifford, who tragically died aged only 26 after suffering a heart attack playing cricket.

If you recognise yourself or anyone else in the photo, contact Laurie Stocks-Moore at the Chronicle on 01244 606436 or email.

The picture shows Alvanley Primary School in the 1950s including headmistress Beatrice Hatton (far left).

Chester Memories: Historic show on road

2009-11-01T16:02:49Z

A SPECIAL exhibition promoting Black History Month is touring Cheshire West and Chester.

The exhibition is organised by Cheshire, Halton and Warrington Race Equality Centre and was officially unveiled at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Its next stop is Ellesmere Port Library where it is on show between November 2-4.

Council Leader Mike Jones and Equality Champion Councillor Pat Merrick attended the launch.

Cllr Jones said: "Black History Month is important because it highlights the historic achievements and contributions of black people and Muslims over the years.

"The exhibition is open to everyone and it also serves as an educational experience.

"There is growing awareness about this important month and Cheshire West and Chester Council is extremely pleased to host the exhibition in Winsford and Ellesmere Port."

The picture shows Vincent De Paul May-Kasong, Mia Tan, Abdun Noor, Mohamed Abdul Malique, Paul Boateng and students from India studying for their MBA at the University of Chester at the Black History Month exhibition.

Chester Memories: Chester amphitheatre gets £300,000 rejuvenation

2009-11-01T10:53:21Z

IMAGINE the scene 2,000 years ago as two gladiators hacked at each other in a fight to the death as the crowd clamoured to see blood and guts spilled, writes David Holmes.

Chester's amphitheatre was used for such gladiatorial combat as well as executions of criminals and the slaying of wild beasts.

Today's visitors are unlikely to get a flavour of this brutal form of Roman entertainment - the ancient monument simply looks like a hole in the ground covered with uninspiring gravel.

That's why Cheshire West and Chester, in partnership with Chester Renaissance, is spending £300,000 on a project to draw out the story of one of the city's most important tourist attractions.

Among the improvements will be a footbridge over the north entrance, with steps leading down from it so visitors can experience an authentic perspective as they enter the arena.

"People will get some idea what it was like in the Roman period," said city archaeologist Peter Carrington. "Walking into one of the main entrances, you can pretend to be the emperor or a gladiator or even a criminal!"

Mediterranean hues will enhance the visual experience with golden grit used to resurface the arena floor, low red sandstone walls on the footprint of the original walls and a blue grit footpath around the perimeter.

Perhaps the most controversial aspect is a proposal for a mural on the back wall which aims to create the illusion of a 360º amphitheatre as it would have been, with the possible depiction of a gladiatorial scene. A public consultation will be held in January to help shape this element although there is an acceptance "you can't please everyone".

Rita Waters, chief executive of Renaissance, said imaginative forms of interpretation would be key to making the amphitheatre accessible.

"There are a whole plethora of tools we are looking at using," she said.

Renaissance is also project-managing the rebuild of a collapsed section of the City Walls, where it had been hoped to install a temporary walkway to complete the circuit while allowing visitors to see the ongoing repair work.

But on-site issues mean it is not cost-effective.

To follow progress and see live pictures, visit the website.

The rebuilding work is due to be completed by April 2010.

Flintshire Memories: Forest clearing programme reveals hidden history of Nercwys

2009-10-31T15:06:11Z

MAJOR felling operations across Flintshire are slowly revealing the hidden history of the area as local landmarks re-emerge from the forest canopy writes Lois York.

Back in the 1960s a big planting programme near Mold included the Nercwys mountain - and a 300-year-old shepherd's cottage which was demolished to make way for the trees.

Now, a partnership project between volunteers, Forestry Commission Wales and the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has painstakingly begun uncovering the past.

And as the team started dismantling the remains of the cottage they were joined by Ross Cameron, the last person to live there, and Tony Price, a retired forestry craftsman who helped demolish it.

Local man Ray Roberts also brought along researched census information for the old building, which was still used by shepherds tending their summer flocks into the 1920s together with maps and old photographs of the site.

"This project is giving local people a unique insight into the past," said Sharon Woods, Forest Partnership Warden for FC Wales and the AONB.

"The cottage was a prominent feature in the landscape for generations and the local community has been keen to see it recognised for future generations."

Harvesting work in the forest made this project possible as FC Wales used machinery on site to clear trees and remove stumps from around the cottage.

Pupils of Ysgol Brynhyfryd and The Alun School Mold will look for key stones and artefacts, which they plan to put into a time capsule to be buried on the site.

The Heather and Hillforts Archaeology Group is also keen to get involved and it is hoped Nercwys Primary school will prepare a time capsule set in the wall of the building.

The cottage is part of a larger project to diversify the forest including the repair of drystone enclosure walls and the creation of a flower-rich hay meadow.

It is also a way of interpreting landscape change from open moorland to plantation and now to a diverse multi-purpose forest habitat.

"We are very pleased to be playing a role in uncovering the history of this site," said FC Wales Coed y Gororau Forest District manager Steve Cresswell.

"It's great opportunity for people to get involved in their local forest and meet other people. There is a lot of work still to do and if anyone would like to volunteer their time please get in touch with Sharon on 01352 810 614."

The first picture shows hillfort conservation officer Samantha Williams searching through the cottage remains for key stones and artefacts and, the second, one of the few remaining pictures of Nercwys Cottage, taken in the 1920s, before it was demolished.