Memories of Crewe

Queen's Park

I think the Queen's Park was nice one time.

Early years plus.........

Born 1933; lived in Lewis Street; relatives (Oldham, Mingay, Mayberry) in Walthall Street and Chetwode Street (candy manufaturing). Moved to Stafford, 1937 (Father with LMS). Moved to Bahamas (Eleuthera), 1966 (teacher and writer).
Celebrated VE Day in the Square.

The Adelphie Pub

My friend Raymond Slinn was the last bar man to work in the Adelphie Hotel and he was telling me about it when I stayed with him in his home in Tenerife where he is retired. Apparently when the Adelphie was pulled down grown men cried as it was reduced to a pile of rubble. It was such a lively and friendly place to be (I can immagine this to be so because Ray himself is a bundle of laughs). His wife's name was Pam and his children Karen, Claire and Emma, who he misses now that he is so far away. People would have a drink at the Adelphie before going to the Crosville Club where all the caberets were on. He would like to hear from anyone who remembers him to exchange memories. He recalls Brierley Street Secondary Modern where he attended from years 1958 to 1962. He remembers, without much joy, a headmaster named Mr Edervane who was there at the time and Mr Brooks who was a gentleman and good teacher. He remembers sneaking out of the school's science lab to go for a smoke (he still smokes!). He later worked at Rolls Royce Motors on the assembly line before going to live in LLandudno where he made his fortune entertaining in the Grand Hotel.

Burtons Corner.

A foundation stone laid by Arnold James Burton in 1933 is to be found on the extreme right of this shop, just off the picture.  I'm sure this foundation stone used to be at the other end of the building.  The possible reason for its move is that a separate small shop unit has been created at this end of the building.
The building opposite was the Blue Cap Dog pub and we used to be able to leave cycles in their yard for one penny.  Crewe had a problem in those days - cycles were stolen on a regular basis and most ended up abandoned outside the railway station about 1 mile from the town.  Apparently, visitors from the Potteries and other outlying towns who came to Crewe by train would nick a bike for transport to the station on their way home, and leave the unwanted cycle there.

Town memories.

The photograph was probably taken from the top of the Odeon cinema which was demolished in about 1983. On the skyline can be seen the Lyceum Theatre, the Corn Exchange (now demolished), the Market Hall clock tower, the Town Hall and the Mechanics Institute with Library and Ballroom below (now demolished). Traffic is still running in both directions along Market Street, which became 'one way' in 1963 in the week I took my driving test!
The buses that used the Square as a terminus were operated by Crosville Motor Services and their office/staff rest room can be seen on the left of WH Smiths. Other buses coming to Crewe were operated by Potteries Motor Traction and also North Western Road Car Co., but these visitors to town did not use the Square. Their 'stops' were in Prince Albert Street, which lies parallel to Market Street.