rel 14 St. Peter’s Church Stoke marriages 1703-1752.

I must have spent hours in researching this material of all those who are listed on the church WW 1 memorial, plus others from Penkhull for whatever reason were not listed.

The list of seventeen pages long  is compiled in alphabetical order and under each name is given the age, under which body ther served under with full military details of their record and well as family details where possable and home address.

For those searching family histories this is a welcome addition to assist in your research.

The 1840s witnessed a huge growth in Anglican church building within industrial towns, Stoke being just one of them in an attempt to increase the number attending Church of England rather than the Methodist Church whose growth continued undiminished. As a result in districts of Penkhull and Trentvale more people moved into the area and raised the necessary funds two churches before their consecration in October 1842.
For Hartshill, Herbert Minton had already undertaken at its own expense the building of Holy Trinity. At Penkhull, it had been proposed to erect a church by subscription which the Rev Thomas Webb Minton, the son of Thomas Minton the potter consented to endow the church with £1,000 (later to become £2,000) the interest of which would help to pay for a permanent priest and so another step would be made towards the completion of the building. Both were consecrated in October 1842 and still remain an active witness to the worship of God.

Two pages packed with information

The first production entitled Snow White, and the Seven Dwarfs was staged in 1958, and was presented almost in a makeshift theatre in the upper schoolroom of the Sunday School. Because of its huge success and public praise, it was decided to present the panto in what was then called Penkhull Senior School the following year. The new venue had a large stage and many schoolrooms that could be used for dressing and props. The next production, Cinderella, surpassed all expectations and the mould was set for an annual pantomime to be presented the week after Christmas. Mrs Buxton continued to produce for three years and was followed in that important role in 1962 by Mrs Betty Powell, by which time the organisation drew in many helpers to build the props, install the lighting, and paint the scenery from both chapel members and the local community. My mother-in-law, Meg Palmer, took charge of the costumes; Dennis Cotterill the lighting and electrics. Other helpers in those early days were Mrs Marjorie Prophett; Mr and Mrs Tom Rowley; Frank Adams; and Jim Powell who helped to produce the props. A story that will bring back so many wonderful memories both of the pantomimes but the people involved.

Three pages with loads of Panto photographs.