The cinema was operating silent movies when it opened. At the same time a debate was being held between film directors and actors if to proceed with ‘talkies’ because of the costs and wondered if they would oust the silent picture or even rival the appeal of the theatre. It was only two months following the opening of the Regent that the cinema along with a further sixty of the Gaumont circuit cinemas were equipped with the Western Electric Company’s talking film installation whereby full-length films such as “The Singing Fool” and “Show Boat” could be shown.

The Regent Theatre in Hanley was opened in 1929 and waas the largest and most lavish seating over two thousand partons. It was not long after that the very first ‘Talkie’ in the Potteries was shown at the Regent in July 1929 when “The Singing Fool” starring Al Jolson took to the screen filling the 2134 seats at four performances a day. At the end of the week the demand was so great with constant queues around the block that the management decided to run the film for a further week. This meant that around 26,000 people came to see history in its making at The Regent and to witness actual words and music coming for the first time from actors. I doubt if there was one dry eye as he sang Sonny Boy. The Sentinel reported “Whenever it has been shown enormous crowds have been drawn to see it. It is a remarkable production and has secured almost universal approval. In it Al Jolson is revealed as one of the most powerful emotional actors on the screen”.

Two pages long

This article includes all the known ‘finds’ dating from the first century AD within the area known as Stoke-upon-Trent.

In the late 1920s and early 30s there were numerous Roman finds in the area, mostly documented by the late Thomas Pape of Newcastle. It was a further twenty years later in July 1955, when a group of volunteers excavated a series of trial holes in which Pape had worked. Two excavations were made, the first showed signs of occupation as a post hole were discovered. Adjacent to this lay a charcoal deposit, intermixed with pottery sherds and on the floor lay pottery consisting of lamp-holders, cooking pot lids, platters, flagons, and an incense burner. A crude hearth was found together with an iron poker. The pots were fashioned from local clay but at this point no kiln was unearthed. It was possible to deduce that the post holes supported a wattle and daub structure and with the profusion of potsherds, indicated a potter’s workshop. The building it would seem had been burnt to the ground suggesting a sudden vacation of the site perhaps the rebellion of Boudicca (A.D.61) demanding the return of all Roman outposts. Two x A4 pages and photographs.

In an old cottage found in Canada Cottage, Queens Road, Penkhull Stoke-on-Trent dates from 1814 during renovation of the kitchen, unearthed as a large deep well with water running through the bottom.

The well is 9m deep and is brick-lined in a manner that I’ve seen in other examples of the 18^th and 19^th centuries. Stylistically, the bricks appear to be no earlier than the late 18^th century, but, equally, could be early 19^th century in date. The owners pointed out a small number of pottery sherds that had apparently been found above the sandstone slab used to cap the well – most of these pieces were early-mid 19^th-century in date but offer somewhat iffy dating evidence as they’re essentially unstratified finds. Since the find the current owners have made this into a feature of the house, Not only is it now flood-lit it has a plate glass top cut to size making a feature many others residents in the area would like Certainly worth a read.

Two pages with a number of photographs.

Origins of this old building, the Newcastle under Lyme Barracks is reminiscent of a buy-gone age and remains much as it was when built. The first mention of significance is found in Keates Directory of 1882/3, nearly thirty years after the date that it states the barracks were built – 1855. An opening of a donation list commenced with the donation of £100 from the North Staffordshire Colliery Proprietors followed by numerous pottery owners and people of importance totalling twenty-eight who donated a total of £595, a huge amount in 1842.

Moving on in 1881, there were eleven resident families under the leadership of Sergeant Major William Dickinson, 3^rd Staffordshire Militia, aged forty-nine, and his wife Mary aged forty-three occupied No.1 The Barracks. They had four children, the eldest was James aged fourteen, a tailor’s apprentice in the town. There were two families with five children, Joseph Payne, aged forty-three, Colour Sergeant 3rd Staffordshire Militia, and his wife Jane and five children aged from ten months to eight years. The second was John Walton, Colour Sergeant 3rd Staffordshire Militia, aged forty-two and his wife Jane aged thirty-five. Their children were aged from one year to 13 years of age.

Its a facinating study to read of its development from 1855 until the Militia finally left the barracks.  Four pages long and a facinating read of an important feature of the town of Newcastle under Lyme.

Guilty or Not Guilty that is the question or does a Duel prove who is or who is not?

Searching through my archives of the Potteries Mercury for 1830, I came across a most interesting account of a duel taking place in London but what made it special was the behaviour of both parties following the outcome of the duel but also the inquest that followed.

Duelling had been the way officers and gentlemen settled matters of honour for centuries. Up until the mid-19th century there were situations where a meeting with pistols or swords was seen not just a possible response to a perceived insult, but the only honourable one. Men risked being ostracised from society for not issuing a duelling challenge in response to an insult. This is a true story. An introduction to a two page facinating artical of the once popular was of resolving and argument or a public insult. two pages.

Over the last fifty years I have acquired and transcribed what has become the only and largest collection in the world of the Manor Court Rolls of Manor of Newcastle-under-Lyme which included what is two thirds of Stoke-on-Trent from 1347 – 1927. It is from this extensive archive that an account appears of King Charles II visit to Penkhull.

Following the demise at the castle at Newcastle all manorial courts were held once every three weeks from c1530 in a large farmhouse in Penkhull and what is now known as the Greyhound Inn. No doubt many readers will know that Major General Thomas Harrison, the second in command under Oliver Cromwell was the son of a butcher and born in High Street Newcastle, the site of which is now occupied by the HSBC Bank. There is a brass plaque on the wall to this fact. It was Harrison with others who also signed the death warrant of Charles I.

During the Commonwealth period 1649-1660 Cromwell was designated the Lord Protector and appointed Harrison as the head of the former Royal Manor thereby receiving all rents and court dues. He is frequently mentioned as attending as head of the manor in the court rolls.
After the Restitution of Charles II, Thomas Harrison was executed on Saturday 13 October, 1660. Then Charles ll stayed at the Greyhound Inn whiles intending to do retribution against the family of Harrison – compelling story. two pages

The history of the new family home of Josiah Spode II, The Mount built in Penkhull in 1808 and still stands as a testament to his wealth of a potter. The beautiful dome covered entrance stand proud as it overlooks Clayton and Newcastle under Lyme, and importantly away from the grime and smoke from the town of Stoke, where his factory stood and contributed to the serious issue of pollution of the area.

This is a comprehensive history, covering many documents, photographs, sales documents and contents as well as details of the Mount Farm and the importance of its location. From the death of Spode in 1827 the story continues with the number of tenants who occupied the home from pottery manufactures, a girls posh finishing school, a home to one of Stoke on Trent leading solicitor Mr. Frederick Bishop who sold of much of the land. A huge amount of original research has gone into this over a long period of time and is a much-valued contribution both to the social and economic history of the area but to the important development of Penkhull itself from around the 1870s.

twenty four pahes including phiotographs