Memories of Stramshall

Our Local Bobbies with guns.   1941/2

Our police officers, left after mobilisation and known to me, were PC Whale, Stramshall. Sergeants Anderson (Div Clerk), Sgt. Chamberlaind (Great War veteran) and PC Jack Blower, who was called the Black Abbot, I never knew why. All ARP activities were police controlled and during 1941/2 parachutes, clearly German, were found at Bramshall, Stramshall and Marchington. We were then treated to the rare sight of our police officers carrying sidearms, large revolvers from the Great War. Stop Points, I remember, were Three Tuns junction with Ashbourne Road, Hollow, Stramshall (outside my Great Uncle Tom's), Spath and Beamhurst. Sgt. Chamberlain was always on duty outside the Three Tuns. As a Great War veteran he would have no trouble using his revolver. After a few months, the police realised that the parachutes were dropped to upset and alarm the population. It did not work. The police took off their revolvers and Stop Points were abandoned.
John Mellor (John P Mellor., OBE., QSM., Ridder van den orde Orange-Nassau,  Vier Dienst Kreuz mit bande, now living in Wolverhampton.)

AWalk with Grandfather

A walk with grandfather
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A Walk with Grandfather.

I was about 11 years old, one summer's day, when I noticed my grandfather, who lived at Park Hill Farm, New Road, Uttoxeter (Parish of Stramshall) was preparing to go out. He had his walking stick, that meant no horse and trap. His name was Percival Jackson Mellor, and he lived with his family, and my paternal grandmother, Mary Ellen (nee Leedham). He said, to me, “Come for a walk”. We walked across the fields, to Campbell’s, and then to Titleys Mill. We gained the Ashbourne-Uttoxeter Road, turned left over the River Tean bridge, and then into Leasons Farm. My grandfather went and spoke to Mr Leason, senior, we then departed, turning left, and carried on until we reached Stevenson Bus Depot, the Yellow Bus service.

We then got onto the footpath immediately opposite the Depot. Grandfather then explained that the large grass mounds were the remnants of the Spath Quay, laughingly called Spath Ocean, by residents, who had not studied their local history. This was the size of four football pitches. Grandfather explained that this had been an inland port, with large barges moving loads across the country. These mounds then became clear canal banks, and we walked on the left-hand side, the field on the left being ours. The right-hand side was a public footpath, little used by anyone. We then took a left bend in the banks, until we reached the River Tean. I asked my grandfather what the large stones were in the river. He said that they had held an iron aqueduct, which used to cross the river. He explained that in 1914, to assist the war effort, he had detonated explosives and blew the aqueduct up. The scrap iron was purchased by Mr Cyril Bamford, from The Parks opposite us. This was taken to Leighton Iron Works. We then entered the rear gates of the farm. The canal banks were levelled out in 1973. Whilst at the river, Grandfather pointed out, on the left-hand side of the canal, the remains of a house. He said, "Your Great Uncle John(Jack) lived there with his wife, Dolly". She was an amusing character, called Dolly Duck Egg for her love of the fruit of ducks. It was an isolated spot, and Great Aunt Dolly did not like it. She moved to Stone Road, Uttoxeter, living in a row of cottages which she owned. Into the front of the farm, which was built on the canal site, the ground had been levelled. Until the bypass was started in 1936, it was possible to walk along the old canal banks, till you reached Beesons slaughterhouse (later Keelings Yard), and until you reached Ashboutne Road. Park Avenue, Slade Fields, was built on the site of the canal.

John P Mellor, then living at 57 Park Avenue, Uttoxeter.
Now living in wolverhampton John P Mellor. OBE., QSM., Ridder van den orde orange-nassau. Vierdeient Kreuz mit bande, Polonia Restituta-Commandatore; Grosse Goldene Ehrenzeichen

Bombs during the war

Uttoxeter did not suffer much during the war. The first stick of bombs fell in a field at Loxley, and a further stick followed later. The only 'blitz' was on the Bailey and Mellor families, in New Road (parish of Stramshall) - exact date forgotten, 1941/2. I was at home at 57 Park Avenue. My father was on Home Guard duties (he was too old for military service) at Bamfords Ltd, not JCB.

I usually got up early in the summer, walked along the unfinished by-pass and down to Park Hill Farm, breakfasted with my uncles and cousins. Then to school, or I went off scouring the fields. On this day, I met a neighbour, Tom Simpson, veteran of the First World War. He had a strange stacatto speech. He said, "The Germans hit your grandma's". I told my mother and went to the farm. Some rescue and firemen were about, but no police. I saw a large crater in the front garden, some 30 feet across, and about 20 feet deep. It was filling with water (this was the site of the old canal). Park Cottage or farm, our neighbour, had received a direct hit, and a bomb went down the well. The whole building had collapsed. I was told that Bill, Aunty Maud and Annie had taken ladders to get Mr and Mrs Bailey out. They stopped with us, until relatives collected them. No one in our farm noticed the crater, in the front garden, until the following morning. The only damage we sustained was a cracked pane in the kitchen window, the soft soil had absorbed the blast. Over the next hour, people were coming to gaze at the bomb craters. My cousin, Teddy and I, being enterpreneurial, charged sixpence to go and look at our crater, we had made three shillings each when PWR Arthur Mellor, my father's cousin, came and stopped anyone from entering; this was not his fault, the Superintendent had instructed him.

My cousin and I, with my Uncle Dan, then went to look at the other bombs. There was an oil bomb, not detonated, blue and white and metallic. No cordon, my uncle actually touched it. I dared not. It was by the basin, where we swam. There was a oil-like substance all around it. There was an unexploded bomb about 150 yards from the oil bomb, on land belonging to Websters. The cordon remained for weeks. Everyone forgot it. I consider it is still there. Months later my uncle sawed off the fins of the oil bomb, which he gave to my father - it was at our home, until father died in 1981, and it then disappeared.
John Mellor(John P Mellor. OBE., QSM., Ridder van den orde orange nassau, Vierdienst Kreeuz mit bande. Commandatore Polnia Restotuta.Grosse goldene Ehrenzeichen. nowliving in wolverhampton. 01902338904

Park Hill Farm, Stramshall Parish

My grandfather was enlightened in many ways. He permitted the children from the western side of the town, to bathe and swim, at The Pipe, boundary with campbells, The Basin, near to stramshall footpath, subject to no litter, and interference with animals. This was permitted long after his death by my family, until 1972, when the farm was sold, due to the deaths of my aunts.

Growing up with all my relatives living in Stramshall Parish

I was born in 1928, to John James and Olive Mellor, my grandfather was Percival Jackson Mellor, my grandmother Mary Ellen Mellor. They built with help Park Hill Farm, New Road, Uttoxeter, paying tithes to Stramshall Parish. All the family went to Stramshall Church, all my parents, uncles, and grandparents are buried in Stramshall Church. The first Vicar I remember was the Rev Charlon, an Anglican churchman of the old school. My great uncle, Thomas, lives with his wife Selina at Hill top Farm(Cottages). I spent my youth between the two farms and the surrounding fields. With the River Tean running between, it was an exciting place to grow up.