My Links To Cheslyn Hay

A Memory of Cheslyn Hay.

I was born in 'The Lot' on Cheslyn Hay in 1950. I have been able to trace my lineage back to the 1700's through the Brough, Horton and Cadman families.
The Horton family lived in all or some of the cottages in Dundalk Lane. The last family member was Clarice Biddle[nee Horton] who died in the early 1980s. The cottages then passed to my mother and were eventually sold. They are called Rose Cottage and Pickwick Cottage respectively today.
The Brough family can again be traced back to the 1700's. Interestingly, the Horton and Brough family became linked by marriage. Frederick Horton married Hannah Brough, thus, my mother and father are second cousins!
The Cadman family first appear in Cheslyn Hay in 1919 when James Henry married Lillian Brough. A Horton marries a Brough and a Cadman marries a Brough!
James Henry Cadman is my grandfather and he was always know as Harry. He spent all of his working life as a face worker at Hawkins Colliery. He died in 1989.
His son Joseph, my dad began his working life at Hawkins. However, he spent part of it as Sub- Postmaster in Cheslyn Hay. He will be best remembered for the many years he spent as Clerk to Cheslyn Hay Parish Council, in fact in the Village Hall in Pinfold Lane a suite of rooms are named after him,' The Cadman Suite.'
Dad was also connected to Hawkins Sports Club in Coppice Lane. He was Chairman and a Trustee for many years.
I myself went to Cheslyn Hay Primary school and my teachers there were people such as Mrs Jevons, Mrs Cooper, Mrs Price [my Aunt Corona] Mr Blount and Headteacher Mr Martin. From here I went to Gt Wyrley and Cannock Grammar and on to York to study. I returned to live in Cheslyn Hay and took up a teaching post in Cannock. I recently retired from teaching as a Deputy Headteacher. I now live in Stafford.
The village of Cheslyn Hay will always be dear to me. Birds nesting on the Coppice, football and cricket on the 'Rec' , walks around the 'Razza' bring back many happy memories. Those days always seemed sunny and carefree!
Station Street always seemed to be devoid of cars, unlike today, I even remember playing cricket up against a lamp post in Coppice Lane close to Vic Mears' corner shop. Collecting pop bottles and taking them back to the New Inns to get the 3d on each of them to buy fireworks from Mrs Ball's newsagents, the best selection on the Village, in my view. The first photo taken of me was me in my pram outside The New Inns with my dad!
Remember the Doctors, Dr Williams and the Marlones who held surgeries in Dorset House situated in Station St. George Lunts chip shop just before the Station Bridge where I always shouted to hear the echo. Westwoods butchers with the head of a huge beast mounted on the wall. A little further on St Mark's Church where I was a Choir member until I went to study in York [1968].
Cheslyn Hay will always be dear to me, not only for the family ties but the great happiness it afforded me in my childhood.

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