Longton memories
Here are memories of Longton and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Longton or a Longton photo.
BELCHER'S
Running parallel at the back of this church [St James] runs High street, where I was born as generations of my family were.
The two pot banks on the right represent a fraction of the "Belcher's"
that existed in Longton in the 30s/4os, they dominated everyone who lived amongst them with their endless stream of black smoke belching six days a week and covering all the buildings with soot and dirt. Night time brought short relief, until the next firing. Wash days were a nightmare, clothes went on to the line clean only to be covered later on with black spots that poured down relentlessly from the heavy smoky skies. White washing was unheard of in the Potteries until the eventual closure of the pot banks.
Perhaps on reflection in the late evenings when the kilns stood like silent sentries, silhuette outlines in the night skies, we should remember the generations of potters who worked endlessly in all this grime who gave us once an industry 2nd... Read more
My Early Years in Longton - 1870s to 1940s
I was born in Longton in 1933 at 151 High Street Post Office, Longton.
All my childhood was spent there with my grandmother Sarah Wright and my great aunt Matilda Ward (my grandmother's sister). Between them they ran the Post Office until the middle years of the Second World War.
Before it was a Post Office, my great grandfather William Ward had a tailoring business there, from 1871 until it changed to the Post Office around about the early 1900s.
This is when his two daughters took over and carried on with the family business.
Next door at 153, my great grandfather's son William Ward junior ran a mens' hairdressing shop and a newsagent ...approx c1900.
It really was the happiest time of my life with so many friends around me. The High Street was one great big family with many shops that stretched on either side of the street. It was a great place to live, and I feel privileged to have lived there at this time.
Licensed Game Butcher
Our gt uncle Edward Cope Statham, born in Barrow in Furness, was a licensed game butcher in Longton. He is on the 1901 census, aged 24, as lodging in Trentham Road so don't know if the shop was there too but we do have a photo of him outside his shop. However on February 7th 1903 he was found dead and it was thought to be suicide at first but on investigation the police decided that was impossible and it must have been murder. He had been shot. He was a very handsome man and engaged to be married. Wonder if anyone has ever heard of this death/murder or could indicate where in Longton the shop was?
The shop was called - Fish, Game and Poultry Emporium. He was taken back to his original home in Barrow for burial but might have had his funeral in Longton. We also have the bible given to him by his father on his 16th birthday.
There were rumours, we believe,... Read more
Seems Like Yesterday
Hi! I was born in Meir 1934,and all my mother's family lived in Longton (Worsdale). My Uncle Frank had "The Studio" pub in Commerce Street, and, later, "The Studio Snackery". I've lots of great memories of Smith's Crisps,and Vimto the soft drink. I recall that myself and my friend, William Tranter (Billy) once carried a full sized pub skittle from Commerce Street to Catchem's Corner, where we lived. We could not get the pole off, at the time! I recall seeing "Robin Hood" at "The Empire Cinema" when my Auntie Kathleen worked as an usherette. And, of course, all the cinemas around The Alexandra, The Criterion, and two cinemas that were not in Longton, "The Alhambra" and my favourite, "The Broadway. I attended Longton High School at both the Trentham Road premises, and the Sandon Road location. My first job was at "The Sentinel" and I also worked at Palfreymans furniture in Hanley, and Blundells in Longton. All still very fresh in my memory. I have to mention The Longton... Read more
George Edward Ramsden, Coopers And Crate-Makers
I have been told that my grandfather and great-grandfather had a business at Longton as coopers and crate-makers for the potteries. This business ceased I believe in the 1950s but would have been running from the late 1800s to that date.
I cannot find any details of this business and have only been told that it was run from Longton.
Any information would be appreciated as I am in the process of starting my family tree. My relatives from my father's side of the family originated from Congleton, Cheshire.
High Street Longton in The '40s And '50s
Barbara Johnson's memories brought back some of my own from the High Street days. Those rows of shops Barbara describes provided all the locals with everything they needed. I remember going over the road from the off-licence we ran for a meat and potato pie from 'aunt' Sarah's, going for haircuts at Billy Goodwin's barbers (right up till the middle '50s), fish and chips from MacLaughlin's (Graham Walkers grandparents), sweets and biscuits from Crooks', cooked meats, Aspros and rabbits from 'Rabbit Joes', Arkinstalls repaired watches and clocks, 'clogger' Quale for clogs, Ross' for fruit and veg., Harry Slater was the butcher, Nightingales would do all the tailoring needs, Sargeants was the furniture and pawn shop, Gothams for seeds, hardware, and almost everything else! The two pubs were the 'Sailor Boy' and the 'Royal Oak'. All these on both sides of around 100 yards of High Street. Our off-licence had once been a bakery and retail bread shop. The ovens were still in situ behind the house when we lived there.... Read more
Memories of Staffordshire
Critchlows Corner
The building in view was a Post Office and General Stores, the area was known as "Critchlows Corner" after the name of the family that owned the shop. The post office was the only one in the area. At the age of 10 I would cycle to the Post Office to collect our familys child benefit.
The bridge in the background was used by railway engines taking coal from Hem Heath Colliery to Florence Colliery. The trains travelled slowly and on many occasions I have "caught" the train to Longton Park as the line passed it.
Sadly the shop no longer exists and the gardens in which it stood are now a small housing estate. The rail line is no longer used due to pit closures.
Them Were The Days
I remember going to Critchelows corner shop to get my sweets before I went to school, I also remember walking across the fields with my brother to get to Blurton Road Chemist because that was the only one in Blurton at the time to get my mums prescription, we used to buy a liquorice root stick to eat on the way back we always went back via the brook so we could jump it Happy Days!!!!
My Memory
I remember I was about 10 and Critchilows Corner was a derelict building at this point, probably in 2000, and we used to try get in to see what it was like inside. I moved away but do visit the area from time to time and it's a housing esate now, seems a shame.
I Went to That School
I went to that school. I went to the nursery and stayed there right up until the year 2000 and then moved away to Scotland. It was a great school.
Brings Back Memories of my Childhool.
I lived in Blurton from 1964 to 1983. My memories of Critchelow's Corner, called so because of the Critchelow sisters who ran the Post Office, is of walking past this corner to get to Gom's Mill and then walk on to Longton. In my dreams when I dream I am back in Blurton, I am often walking down this road, past the Post Office. I can remember in 1970, it was a really hot summer, and I was fascinated with the giant sunflower plants that the Critchelows had grown in their back garden that summer. They were enormous, over 6 feet tall. I was very sad to hear about the closure of the Post Office.
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