Living In Cavendish Bridge

A Memory of Shardlow.

I grew from a boy into manhood during my time in Cavendish Bridge. My parents had the Old Crown Inn and at the age of 17 had my first "pub crawl" with my mates from the bridge through Shardlow starting at the Navigation. I remember there was about 8 pubs on the main road and we never finished them all !!

I think it was the severe winter of 62' or 63' and the floods were very bad. At a lunchtime during the week the pub had no customers and my mum had only lit one of the fires. A Rolls Royce pulled up outside and an old man got out and came into the pub. My mum ushered him into the warm "Best" room and got him a drink and a sandwich. He asked her to join him and they talked for a long time. his name was Brough senior and he told mum about the times he would meet Lawrence in the Old Crown over the years and how he was killed driving his motorbike. He was talking about "Lawrence of Arabia". Anyway after awhile he said goodbye and that was that!

A couple of years later the Brewery "Offillers" came to refurbish the bar and during the fit out they found a number of old coins, tickets, bookie slips and a folded up note. The note read "see you at 6pm" signed Lawrence.

I just thought this would be interesting!

I currently live in Perth Western Australia

A merry Christmas to you all and a very interesting 2012!

Bill Yates

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