Little Sutton

More on Berwick Road School et al

I recall the school was divided into two portions, the infants and the juniors. A small corridor with Seth Hughes' office alongside separated the two. The infants were in the two classrooms at the School House end of the building where the very motherly Mrs Edwards took care of the first intake and the somewhat more stern Mrs McLaren took the 2nd year. The juniors had the large classroom at the canteen end of the building and also the two smaller classrooms on the Berwick Road side.
Edgar Foxhall, Mrs Bailey, Mr Wynn and later Trevor Jones taught this portion of the school. As did Mrs Kerfoot who was not to be trifled with under any circumstances...
There were three separate ...read more here
Contributed by Chris Bennion

Little Sutton

I seem to have opened up vast memory stores here! It's good to know so many people who were around at the time I was at Berwick Road are still around today. Mind you, fifty-ish isn't old these days never mind what teenagers think.
Who remembers Warrington's Cafe? I do. And the OLD Black Lion (not that I ever went in there - too young) and the Railway (first mother-in-law ran that place.)
It was a good place to be and I hope it still is because I intend to move back there at the end of this year.
Contributed by Stephen Owen

Berwick Road School

Our family have a long association with the school. Our grandfather William Short born 1884 was educated there, also our mother Hilda Short born 1920. Then the school taught both primary and secondary education. My mother leaving when she was 14yrs to do a hairdressing apprenticeship. Our nana, Mary Short was one of the cooks when we were there, and no we didn't get any extra helpings of that lovely Manchester tart. Does anyone remember poor Alan Walsh getting caned for climbing on the pegs in the cloakroom. Mind you I remember getting the ruler across my knuckles for not being able to sew, still can't.
My twin Susan, older sister Enid and myself, Susan and Trish Yarwood, Diane and ...read more here
Contributed by sandra hemsworth

Berwick Road C of E School

I started at Berwick Road C of E School in 1957 together with some of the people referred to in the other memories ie: Heather Wallis, Christopher Bennior, Lorraine Staton.  There were others obviously such as Margot Raynor and Linda Richards.  Linda Richards lived in an old house in Berwick Road opposite the School - Berwick Road was just off the main Chester Road and the school had been built circa 1868 - she could run faster than any other girl in the school.

I remember the Headteacher at the time Seth Hughes.  He was Welsh, very old fashioned and straight laced and every Friday morning, once we moved into the juniors, he taught us all italic handwriting.  His wife ...read more here
Contributed by Kathleen Green

The Rec!

Ah yes, The Rec!  Scene of many a battle and many a cup final, in later years there was romance!  You could get through the hedge and down onto the railway line to put halfpennies on the line that got flattened by trains as they ran over them.

At the End of Heath Lane, or more accurately at the junction with New Chester Road, a bobby did point duty at busy times.  I can remember one day going to school and making a dash across the road and the bobby grabbed me before I went under a car!  Probably wouldn't have been fatal - cars didn't get up to much speed in 1959.

When my father was a boy ...read more here
Contributed by Stephen Owen

The Rec

From Berwick Road school several classes would be assembled in a long line two by two and walk the half mile or so along Heath Lane to the recreation ground, or the Rec as it was called, for school games. We would pass the houses of school mates David Griffiths, David Anchor, Heather Wallis, Denise Southey and Loraine Staton. The line of pupils would regularly come to a halt and Steve Owen would call out "Its a hold up!" before being suitably admonished by Mrs Kerfoot.
That little area of green field, shelter, swings and seesaw was the centre of the universe for most kids in those days.
Contributed by Chris Bennion

Neston - Parkgate 1955ish

When I was about 5, I went to visit my Great Aunts Amelia Jones and Maggie Robinson at their house in Parkgate. They were quite elderly and because I only visited once, it is quite a vivid memory. Maggie was allegedly married to a 'Sea Captain', but a widow and Amelia never married. I seem to remember the sea still being there - when did it cease to reach the Parkgate shore? I have been trying to find out more about where they lived - I think it may have been Severn Row? Any help would be much appreciated. When Maggie died, she left all her money to a cats' home and Amelia had to go and live with her niece ...read more here
Contributed by Patricia Jones

Rivacre baths

I moved to Childerthornton about 1966. I attended Childer Thornton primary then moved to Little Sutton and on to Mill Lane. I spent many summers at Rivacre baths. Does anyone remember Dave Williams? His parents lived in the flat within the grounds of the baths.
Contributed by janet roberts

TRACING SANDRA HEMSWORTH

Further to my memory yesterday - I have now been contacted by Sandra. So the system works! I can now share memories of family in and around Little Sutton with Sandra.

Thank you
Contributed by Margaret Eve

TRACING FAMILY HISTORY - LITTLE SUTTON

Hope someone out there can help. My Great Grandparents were called Elizabeth and Thomas Jackson. They are buried in St. Pauls, Hooton. They had 4 children, Thomas (my grandfather) John William Jackson (killed on 20/7/1916 at Delville Woods on the Somme - he served in the South African regiment); Mary Josephine Jackson; and Hilda Jackson - they all lived in Heath Lane, Childer Thornton - and as far as I know, my great grandparents worked at Heath Farm. Mary Josephine married William Short. Mary Josephine is my great Aunt and the Grand mother of one of your memory history subscribers - Sandra Hemsworth (who now lives in Australia). Sandra was trying to trace information regarding ...read more here
Contributed by Margaret Eve

Little Sutton in 1950s and 1960s

What memories your comments conjure.  How I loved the 'rec'  as a child.  We started on the 'baby swings' and progressed to the 'big swings' and see-saw and round-a-bout.  The old shelter there was a favourite hang-out when we got older.
 My favourite place was the library in the old bomb shelter, down a couple of steps. It had windows cut high in the walls.
I also remember the fair and circus coming to the land where the new library was built.
Does anyone remember that we called the shelter by the bridge near the old Railway Hotel  the Town Hall?  We used to hang around there as teenagers.
Berwick Rd. school also loomed ...read more here
Contributed by Janet Lee

Ledsham Station

Ledsham Station, on the Chester - Woodside line, was originally called Little Sutton before the Hooton - Helsby line was built. The son of the station master, Williams I think, went to Berwick Road school. The station closed about 1963. The original 4 tracks were reduced to 2 tracks and the road was subsequently realigned. Some of the original brick walls still remain.
Contributed by Chris Bennion

Ledsham Station

Ledsham station was on the Hooton - Chester line. On the railway bridge at the end of Ledsham Road you can still see the glazed tiles that were part of the interior of the entrance building. The 'Cheshire Yeoman' across the road was originally called the Station Hotel. The station itself was quite large (4 platforms) though most of this has been filled in and is now covered in part by the Welsh Road.
Contributed by Mike Day

Question, actually

Did Ledsham actually have a station? I've seen photos of what is titled Ledsham Station, but I've also seen a photo titled, 'Little Sutton, c. 1906' with a lovely sign above the building in the photo saying '1909', which has lead me to distrust photos from the past somewhat.

I've tried Googling for information on the station, but I cannot for the life of me find anything about it to see if it exists. The only reference I can find is on Wikipedia which has a reputation for false information. I'd like the people who lived here and have memories of seeing or hearing about the station from first hand sources to confirm it's existence to me. I've also tried ...read more here
Contributed by Leigh Kirkham

Schooldays

Started at Berwick Road School September 1958 along with Christopher Bennion, Terence Taylor, Tony Duncan, Susan and Sandra Blackburne and John Moore.  I remember the Winter that year gave us a huge patch of ice in the playground where we joyfully slid until we went in for lessons.  When we came out for break the caretaker had thrown ash all over our slide and it was no more!
Contributed by Stephen Owen

Rivacre Baths

We moved to Rivacre in 1960, within sound of the baths. I spent most of my summer holidays there. My cousin Paul James's mum worked on the gate and the owner's son Stephen Williams was my friend at primary school.
Contributed by Stephen Owen

Little Sutton Shops

The church was the Presbyterian and the fruit and veg shop also sold fish (Tommy Jones, fish).  There was a  furniture shop (Flackets)  On the corner of Ledsham was Miss (although a Mrs.) Locket’s.  Over Ledsham past the bank I remember a real estate agent and of course Williams the Carlton with their wonderful cakes.  There was something before Finefare but I don’t remember what (furniture?). Tommy Hind the butcher was closer to the bridge than the supermarket.  Back towards Chester I remember a shop that sold material and linen, Williams the Dairy who made fantastic icecream, and then Brighams the Chemist on the corner.  On the other corner was Nancarrow the ironmonger, the shoe repairer, an old-fashioned sweet shop and ...read more here

The Cubbin Twins

Yes, the Cubbin twins - Alison and Janet. They had an older sister, Shirley, who became a dancer.
I was in love with Janet for years! She was full of life, always laughing and fooling around. I never got up the courage to ask her out and never got round to telling her years later how much I had admired her. I can't now.
The twins' father, Ronnie, was my father's best friend. They grew up together in Childer Thornton and remained friends. Sadly, Ronnie died some years ago but I do remember him so well, a cheery, red-cheeked man, a true son of the soil. He used to work at Pulford's farm in ...read more here
Contributed by Stephen Owen

St. George's Presbyterian Church

St. George's Presbyterian Church stands in the forefront of this photograph between what was the Co-operative shop and Tommy Jones the fishmongers shop.   How long the Presbyterian Church has stood on this site I don't know but the Church itself was established in Little Sutton in 1838.

Legend has it that that two travellers passing through Little Sutton were stoned by the local youths and upon finding out that there was neither Church nor Chapel in the village paid for it to be built!  How true this is I do not know.  The Church Hall which was sited next to the old Black Lion pub was demolished in the  late 1950s early 1960s and this building was, I suspect,  old ...read more here
Contributed by Kathleen Green

More on St. Georges

Hi Kathleen
Some good old memories there...Tried to load this up as a comment to your article but the system failed!
Marjorie Lockett was a Bennion, being the daughter of Joseph Bennion one of my Grandfather Albert's brothers. Joseph was the Blacksmith and Albert was a Wheelwright/Joiner. Marjorie married George Lockett, also a Joiner who had lived on the corner of Ledsham Road where the estate agent now is, and Margaret was their only child. She now lives near Mold.
My father Joseph and his wife Marjorie are both Elders of St. George's, Marjorie having played the organ there for many years.
Mr Mitchelmore was a very friendly and jovial chap who took Sunday School in the vestry ...read more here
Contributed by Chris Bennion

little sutton 60s

Hi Paul Saxon here, we moved to Red Lion Lane in 1961.  I went to Mill Lane school and my brother Craig McAteer went to Berwick Road school.  Little Sutton was small as was Red Lion Lane.  We lived right next to the bowling green.  There used to be a youth club by the now car wash area and Craig and I played tennis at Hooton Lawn Tennis Club with Pete Moore.  Our mates at the time were Clifford Snowdon, Graham Dutton and Mally Cheshire.  Graham works at Shell with me, Mally moved to Aussie, my brother Craig was Chief Executive at Ell'port council in charge of leisure.  He now lives above the golf club with his son Lee.  They moved ...read more here
Contributed by First name Last name

Youth Club

Dear Paul,

I feel I should know either you or your brother but don't.  However, the Youth Club was originally Little Sutton library and prior to that the reading room.  I remember going there to choose my books from a very young age.  

I participated in decorating it when it was gutted and became a Youth Club.  It was very busy on its opening and I had to serve behind the "bar" i.e. coke, orange etc.  As I recall the most adventurous game anyone played was cards!  Is the building still there?

The new library was built on the field where the fair used to be held.   I used to think the fair very exciting with the ...read more here
Contributed by Kathleen Green

Little Sutton Shops

Just a few memories of what shops were there in Little Sutton around the time this photograph was taken, starting on the near left of the picture you had the food CO-OP, the white church followed by the fruit and veg shop, a hair dressers and two other shops (???). Over the Ledsham Road junction was a bank on the corner followed by about three shops, one of which was a shop called the Carlton which was a bit like a deli that sold cakes. On the opposite side of the road was a big supermarket called Finefare (which is where the big pine shop is now), coming back this way from there was a bank, a butchers, a veg shop ...read more here
Contributed by Tony Franklin

Little Sutton 60s

The name Craig McAteer is very familiar to me. Was Craig a gifted footballer or am I imagining things? I do remember him though. I also remember those fairs on the field behind Curbishley's garage where the bowling green is now. There was still a bowling green behind the Red Lion when I was a regular there in the 1980s although I don't know if it was ever used then. My father won me a goldfish at one of the fairs, must have been in the late 50s, and I can remember carrying it home to Seymour Drive holding it in front of my face and watching it swim around in its plastic bag. I ...read more here
Contributed by Stephen Owen

The Queen's Visit

I cannot be specific as to the date of the Queen's visit because I was very young at the time.  

On the left hand side of the road you can see what was at one time the post office but which later became a carpet shop.  On the right hand side of the road (slightly obscured) was Harold Jones's coal merchants yard and next door to it was the green grocers shop which was run by his wife.  Everyone was very excited because they were going to see the Queen.  

Ledsham Road and Chester Road were lined with people all penned back behind metal barriers with innumerable police men trying to keep the heaving throngs back.  The ...read more here
Contributed by Kathleen Green