Wonderful Times Too

A Memory of Swynnerton.

I read John Grehan's contribution with great interest. I too enjoyed the air raid shelters and LMS Station at Cold Meece, though four or five years later than his own expeditions. I too attended St Joseph's and the two boys in the taxi with John were my older brothers. By the time I went to "St Joe's", the taxi service was not available and I was taken in my mother's car the three miles to the nearest bus stop for Stoke on Trent. As a teenager, I attended a party in one of the inhabited houses next to "Meece House", the abandoned stately home. Naturally a deputation of us party goers ventured in to the then stable structure. In the garage was an old Alvis car, completely intact. Incredible, really.

My Dad was something of a local historian and wrote articles of local interest for the "Evening Sentinel" newspaper. Later these were compiled to make a local bestseller "Murders Myths and Monuments of North Staffordshire". One of the stories told of the air race where the winning aircraft passed over Meece House and the plaque that marks the spot. I remember fighting my way through the nettles with my Dad armed with his camera to get a photo of the plaque. Many of my childhood memories feature my Dad's research trips for his writing and I became steeped in the events and locations of the vicinity. I look back now and share John Grehan's view. We were priveleged indeed; my own son is only allowed to venture as far as I can see. Bike rides to disused buildings are out of the question.

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