Davenham memories
Here are memories of Davenham and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Davenham or a Davenham photo.
The Dizzy Heights!
I lived next door to the Church for 17 years and during that time, I climbed to the top of the spire just once.
In 1962 when I was 10, some neighbours were having their house decorated.
Being an outgoing (some would say nosey) child, it didn't take me long to befriend the two men who were doing the work. One day, during the summer holidays, they told me that they had got permission from the vicar to go to the top of the tower and asked me if I would like to go with them, of course I said "Yes". The older of the two came with me to ask Mum if I could go and after some persuasion and warnings of "I'll be watching!", she agreed. What a climb it was - ever upwards on an increasing tighter stone spiral staircase. We emerged out of the spire through a small doorway - and the views all around were amazing.
Looking down into our garden, I... Read more
Bert Price''s Shop
Bert Price's Shop was at the top of our street - Church Street. Bert Prices' shop sold anything and everything. From household buckets and dusters to DIY tools, firewood, fire lighters and paraffin for the heater in our bathroom. It was run - if memory serves me right - by Mr Price and two sons. It was the shop of choice that my dad took me to when I repeatedly mithered him for a penknife -that would be when I was about 8 or 9 years old (1960ish). Being a girl, this could be said to be a strange request. But I was more of a tomboy than a 'girlie' girl - and David, who lived next door to me, was a Boy Scout and he had a knife. So anything that was good enough for David was good enough for me!
It was a different world back in the early 1960s. Knives were used by children for whittling pieces of wood, cutting bits of string and sawing twigs... Read more
A Quiet Haven of Peace.
I lived next door to Davenham Church, and one summer's day, when I was about 7, I went for a walk around the churchyard. Hearing a rustling noise on the ground, I crouched down, parted some long grass, and found a baby hedgehog. Now my sister and I had had a tortoise, and he had died during the winter, so I thought the hedgehog would make a great pet.
Running back home, I found a wooden box and my dad's gardening gloves and scurried off back to the churchyard. To my dismay the hedgehog had gone, but some careful detective work soon located him. Donning the overlarge gloves, I carefully picked the hedgehog up, placed him in the box and triumphantly returned to the house. It wasn't long before mum came and found me and explained that hedgehogs couldn't be kept as pets. My disappointment was great - but mum said, "His mother will be looking for him." With that, I returned the hedgehog to the churchyard and watched... Read more
Buttercup Field
This field was behind our house and is accessed from a path that runs along the churchyard wall. From the age of about 7, I spent many a happy hour with my dog Shep - just wandering around the field looking at the Buttercups, spying rabbit holes and trying to keep the dog out of dried cow pats.
The path continued onto the bypass - and it is this route that my errant dog Shep would take, in order to visit Leftwich Estate. Every so often he would escape from the garden and set off on his mission to visit his friends! Such was his urgency, he let nothing or no-one get in his way. How he managed to cross the bypass without mishap is beyond me - but during his lifetime, he made several visits! Usually my dad (Eric Jenkins) was in hot pursuit and I can hear him now woefully shouting, "Shep, Shep - confounded dog!". I knew there was no point in trying to catch Shep... Read more
Childhood Home.
This view of Davenham Church shows the house in which I grew up.
The property, the former vicarage, had been split into semi's and I lived in the left hand side as you look - Church Croft.
I lived there for 17 years - from Easter 1959 and I love the house to this day!
Happy Childhood Memories of This Lovely Village.
In the Easter of 1959, I was six years old and that is when I moved into Church Croft, Church Street, Davenham. On the day that we moved, I recall my dad telling the driver of the removal van that he should drive to "Davenham Roundabout" and then turn off into the village. Although I had been to see the house that we were moving into, this was the first time I had heard of "Davenham Roundabout." I thought that there would be a fair with "Hobby Horses" and asked if I could have a ride on one. How disappointed was I when my dad told me that it was a roundabout for cars! My name at the time was Lynn Jenkins.
I have many fond memories of Davenham and its people. Bell ringing practice on a Tuesday night. Warburtons the greengrocers and their horse and cart. Bike rides down to the River Dane during the summer holidays. (If I was feeling really adventurous, I would cycle into... Read more
My Childhood Home
My parents bought the nearest semi to the detached house in Grovemount when it had just been built, I believe they paid in the region of £2000 for it. I was born in 1966 and this was my home until 1987, my parents are still there now. I have many happy memories playing outside the house with children from other houses in Grovemount. There is a lamp post outside my parents' home, I don't remember that being there at all, although the telegraph pole's still there. I had my photo taken leaning on it by Northwich Guardian when I had been selected to be Davenham Rose Queen. Happy days.
The Off Licence
The old meeting place, sitting on the wall after youth club in the church hall, or on any other occasion.
Birt Price, the shop where you could buy almost anything from a child's bycicle to tools and hardware.
A Hot Summers Day.
My name is Paul.D.Dean. I am the little boy in the photograph. I was eight years old at the time. The year was 1953, Coronation year. It was a hot day in the school summer holidays. My house can be seen in the background to the left of the School.
My mother had sent me to take down passing car numbers to keep me occupied and out of her way while she did her housework. No sense of danger in 1953. Little car traffic passed through the village in 1953 mostly cycles of I.C.I. workers going to work and home after work. I was sitting on the other side of the memorial (London Road) and when the photographer arrived he moved me to the place in the photograph I suppose to add interest.
My father was the Headmaster of the Primary school. As regards the caption, I was not playing truant as is said in the caption, my father being the Headmaster would have severely punished me if I had... Read more
My First School
This photo shows my first school where I went from 1945. My father worked in the bakery, which was also a grocers shop.
My Dad's Childhood Memories
I grew up in Davenham and so did my dad, Terence Littlemore. He's now in his late eighties and loves telling us stories about when he was a small boy and how hard life was then...but very enjoyable. Before he went to school (in Davenham) he would deliver milk for Horace Foden on his milk cart which was pulled by a carthorse. After deliveries he would take the horse back and feed it, then go on to school, after school he would do the same, he did this for 7 days of the week. People would have 2 milk deliveries, morning and afternoon, because with no fridges milk would go sour fast. My brothers (Terry and Kevin) and myself all went to Davenham school. I remember Paul's Dad, Mr Dean. I was a good girl, but I remember the boys often got the cane, in those days, just for looking in the wrong direction....it was NEVER their fault! Mrs Cook was a teacher and she also taught my dad. I... Read more
Memories of Cheshire
Kipper Will Soon be Home From Work
I was born at No. 3 Church Street in 1950. There are so many good times to recall. Where to begin? It is difficult to place them in any sort of logical order. I just guessed the year of 1961 but it was around this time.
Perhaps I should just ramble on and someone else will be able to fill in the gaps and errors.
Do you remember the Church and the Reverend Hale. He was a lovely man with the patience of a saint. He ran the church choir, cubs, scouts and festival.
Do you remember Reggie Wilson's Shop, Florie Buckley's Shop, Browns Post Office, Stan Lawton's Barbers, The chippy next door?, The Sunday League Football Team?
Fishing on the River Weaver and Shaft Pit?
But most of all playing football on the 'Rec' all day during the holidays. Probably 20 a side with kids from 5 to 15 years. We played all day everyday dawn till dusk.
Oh yes 'Kipper'. The game... Read more
Growing up in Moulton
I was born at my nan and grandad's house 11 Wilson Drive, and lived in Lawrence Avenue then Weaver Road and eventually 1 Barlow Road, where my parents have lived for 50 years. My memories are playing marbles on the corner of Barlow Road, and skipping, we were out all day, then Miss Leak would come round and sing a hymn on the corner, she frightened us sometimes because she was always dressed in black. The paper shop was another fond memory because Reggie used to make the best ice lollies, the Calypsos were great as well. Then when Freda's shop was open in Regent Street and you went in for boiled ham, she would always have a piece when she was weighing it, haha. I could go on and on. I live in Alberta in Canada but go back home to Moulton with my husband who comes from Weaverham for at least 3 months evey year. Maybe someone else will read this and remember the good times that were... Read more
Freda's Shop
My wife at the time, Beryl White, and I rember this shop so very well, also the old Post Office at the bottom corner. We used to live at 16 Wilson Drive. Life was a struggle at that time. Then we moved out to Sydney, Australia where life took on a new and successful direction. It was like moving into a new dimension. We eventually divorced, but still remain good friends. Life now is one of happiness and adventure. Would we return? No, we both have too much to lose over here, but Moulton still holds fond memories.
David Crank, Weaverham
I remember David very well, we met at five years old at Middlehurst Avenue Infant School then went to the junior school on Northwich Road and on to the Secondary Modern, we were always in the same class. David's mother and mine worked together many years ago and his dad, I think, worked at Kellogs. We bumped in to each other in the Travellers Rest pub in Moulton a few years ago. I lived there for thirty years with my wife and family, then moved to Hartford before moving to Spain four years ago. We still go back to see my mother, she is 90 on the 7th of May, so we're having a party. I have got many memories of Weaverham and can remember the pupils and teachers. I am glad I found this site. Paul Coppock
MOULTON
My father owned the grocer cum off licence at 1 Regent Street next to Hartleys Sewing Factory and my grandmother lived at 63 Regent Street. My best friends were Pauline Ikin who lived on Main Road and Judith Dixon who lived on Beehive Corner. Other names I remember were Bruce Crawford, Alan Noden, Mary Clarke (whose mother ran the chip shop at the top of Regent Street) and Stuart Egerton. Judith suffered a terrible motorcycle accident and was in a coma for a long time but I believe she eventually recovered. I remember the Village Band, garden parties at the Vicarage, the village fete and parade, riotous football matches on the playing field behind Reg's Newsagent and playing skipping, cricket etc on the washing line area at the back of Regent Street. One of the 'characters' I remember was an older lady on Main Road who changed her hair colour on an almost weekly basis - sometimes pink or blue or even purple! Mr Hale was a... Read more
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