Childhood Cannock

A Memory of Cannock.

I started school at The Croft in High Green next to WG Smiths. This was near to the Danilo - Queen of Cinemas of the time and fascinating to visit. Later from Walhouse School we spent lunchtimes playing cowboys and Lone Ranger chases on Shoal Hill listening out for the one oclock siren at the Colliery to tell us that it was time to make our way back to school for the afternoon lessons. The walk up New Penkridge Road with its many "conker" trees. The town centre - Daces and Duttons sweet shops, Bob Reynolds the Butchers Linfords amazing shop Beasleys Grocery with its unique cash handling wired system and my school friend Francis Beasley Salmons grocers D W Clarkes best shop in town the large building housing the Coop in Church Street with the Health Office and Fire Station nearby in Queen Square Harry Hughes Toy Shop on Walsall Road and later Wolverhampton Road. Chums Club at the Danilo and later "pop" shows with many recording stars of the 60s at the Danilo - I used to organise coach trips over to Cannock from Stafford in the 60s to see these shows - fantastic nights - Cliff Richard and the Shadows Dusty Springfield Shane Fenton The Searchers Hermans Hermits to name a very few most of them to be found after shows having a drink in the towns Royal Oak pub . The old outdoor market and the Market Hall with Tranters Butchers in the basement area and Steadmans Chippie at the side the Green and Cream 21 Wolverhampton Corp Bus which terminated its round trip to Wolverhampton outside the fantastic Rosas ice cream shop and Harpers single decker to Brewood and Calf Heath outside Withingtons House. The "crocodile" of pupils at Walhouse School wending its way to and fro St Lukes Church on Thursday mornings Withingtons Shop with an outdoor photo board displaying wedding and local photos by Fred Parsona and the British Restaurant where I had lunchtime meals served by my grandmother when I was at Walhouse The Courier and Advertiser Newspapers and Praills Stationers in Wolverhampton Road with fellow Wedges Mills resident Audrey Meeson behind the counter when I bought my weekly Cannock Courier newspaper and in my teens Dr Butters old house in Wolverhampton Road taken over as the Town Police Station where I was to be stationed as a Police Cadet in the late 50s and later early 60s at the time of the Chase Child Murders . The New Hall nest to the Post Office in High Green where Walhouse Schools annual concert was produced. Most of these memorable locations long gone thanks to the planners of the sixties who decimated the town and took away all its charm. Enough happy memories survive for me to still see it as it was and not as it sadly is today.