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rood

rel 10 Rood Screen in Penkhull Church 1st WW Memorial

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

Following the end of the First World War every village, town and city in the land discussed a memorial to those who had given their life in the Great War. Some created civic memorials in front of town halls some were erected in Parks and Churchyards and others took other forms of remembrance. At Penkhull it was agreed that this should be in the form of a Rood Screen.

It waas this national movement to remenber those who died that prompted Penkhull Church to consider which was an appropriate memorial and worthy of the sacrifice of so many lives and the desire to express thankfulness to Almighty God for allowing Britain to achieve victory.

Plans were drawn of the proposed designed and distributed to every household within the parish. The scheme costing £950 well over £275,000 in today’s money. A Mural Tablet, it was said would be situated near to the Rood listing the names of those who had made the ultimate sacrifice. The plan also included new choir stalls. It was thought that if every household promised to contribute just one guinea that the scheme would become a reality. The project was ‘to the Glory of God, in memory of the brave fallen and as a thank-offering’. As a result volunteers would visit each home to collect their weekly donation of just 3d a week for twenty weeks, such was the poverty in the 1920s.

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rel 8 Religious Census 1851of all churches in Stoke-upon-Trent.

£2.00

A pie chart and list of three different denominations withinStoke-upon-Trent as recorded in the religious census of 1851

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New church

rel 4 Hopes of Stoke becoming a Cathedral City in 1930s.

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

Shortly after Stoke was conveyed with the title of City in 1925, there was a move to create a Potteries Cathedral. It was Rector Crick of St. Peters in Stoke (1924) who expired such enthusiasm for a new parish church in Stoke, to become the Cathedral of the Potteries. It was his wish to lay the foundation stone on October 6th 1930, the centenary of the present parish church dedicated in 1830. The pictures here of the proposed new cathedral were published in the Sentinel in March 1928. Rector Crick was convinced that if our city could catch a vision of the possi¬bilities of our great church, the dream could be realised.
The plans for the cathedral were prepared by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, R.A. The estimated cost was £150,000 (less than the cost of two old, terraced houses in Penkhull today) £50,000 was needed in five years. The Free Churches of the Potteries also offered their support in the campaign.

However, the war followed on following the depression which finally ended any hope of a Potteries Cathedral. The 1834 parish church of Gothic architecture still stands but sadly creates a huge financial burden to every subsequent generation that comes along.

Two pages with pictures of the original design by Sir Giles

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all saints

rel 2 All Saints Mission Church – Boothen.

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

Within the traditions of the Anglican Church attention was made to the provision of small churches, frequently built of corrugated tin and run by local Lay Readers especially for the poorer areas of a parish.
In the case of All Saints Mission it was a brick building, a large chapel with raised platform and a room for meetings etc at the side. It was opened in a former joiner’s workshop in 1894 and run by Church Army Captains until the First World War when all Church Army Captains went to serve their country leaving no one in charge so it closed the following year. It remained closed until 1919 when Mr Arnold A. Wain, a licensed preacher was asked to re-open the Mission and take charge.
The building was by then dilapidated with no congregation, so Mr. Wain walked with streets and back-allies of Boothen even standing on a wooden box preaching the gospel to hopefully encourage his future congregation. Following Mr. Wain the duty was taken over by Mr. Sam Calligan of Foden Street until it finally closed in October 1967. During his tenure the building went through a period of change, such as electric lighting, new floors, platform and heating even started a youth club in the adjacent room in 1949 continuing until 1958.
The Mission was always well attended where people found common support in difficult times of unemployment, illness, and poor inadequate housing. In those days Churches and Mission had large Sunday Schools, and the familiar site of the Annual Anniversary walks around that part of Stoke brought with it a welcomed admiration of the work of the Mission. Mr. Wain was always invited to preach on Anniversary Sundays. In his time, he was known as one of N. Staffs outstanding orators and preached with authority and conviction.
This is a good story of social interest of the period and shows that despite many poor areas of Stoke had a ministry adapted to their needs.
Two pages

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Inside theatre

reg 6 The Struggle for a Live Theatre in the Potteries Begins

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

The Struggle for a Live Theatre in the Potteries begins by attempting to save the old Gaumont cinema in Hanley against all the odds in a working-class economy. Yet it is from a background of despair and difficulty regarding the future of live theatre in Stoke-on-Trent with the almost daily issues of finance and management at the Theatre Royal that a new assessment had to be made with a fresh vision and a line drawn under the past– that of saving the then closed old Gaumont Cinema in Piccadilly, Hanley, and re-opening it as a refurbished working live touring theatre. It became clear to me and others “that live theatre should be seen in a wider context, encompassing a focus for re-generation and an elevation of the city’s profile to encourage much needed inward investment”. Yet there was a further dimension, it was to do with the appreciation and the involvement in the arts “unless there is a focus of top professional shows presented in a well-equipped, suitable and comfortable environment there would be no future for live theatre in North Staffordshire and little to which our young could aspire”. It is these two fundamental principles that became my driving force to save the Regent and to bring it into use as a live well-equipped theatre.

two pages

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Rock

reg 5 Rock around the Clock – that changed the world. Just two minutes and eleven seconds

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

In April 1954, Bill Haley and the Comets recorded Rock around the Clock and created nothing less than a cultural revolution in the USA and Europe. It was even more remarkable that the words were penned by a sixty-year-old Max C. Friedman – one, two, three a ’clock four a ‘clock rock – that became the biggest selling single in the UK and world-wide selling around forty million copies. Its impact, recalled Tom Jones years later was spontaneous and liberating,
Because of its phenomenal success, Rock around the Clock, released in 1954 was chosen for the film Rock around the Clock of 1956, and was shown at the Gaumont in Hanley and Stoke with phenomenal success, packed houses and dancing is the isles creating mayhem for the management wherever it was shown. This article explores the local reaction at the time which has never been repeated.

Two pages plus photos

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Back of Regent

reg 4 Gaumont was stopped from burning down.

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

Since the advent of the battery-operated electric drills and considered a boon to both trades and DIY groups, but they are the also provide an asset to potential burglars as I found out which could have easily ended with the Regent being burnt down. It was quite a few years ago when I was campaigning to save the former Gaumont/Odeon cinema in Hanley from demolition to be replaced by a shopping arcade stretching from Piccadilly to Pall Mall. I used to visit the old closed up cinema several times a week to see if all was OK and no one had destroyed the interior. With luck, I came across three potential catastrophic incidents that could have lost this beautiful Grade II* theatre for ever.
On each visit when I entered the auditorium, I always switched on the four 2kw cleaners flood lights mounted In the ceiling, shining its high-powered light through a cut out. On one such occasion after switching on the lights I noticed that two were just re glowing and something was seriously wrong! I climbed the never-ending back stairs in double time, across the roof to gain access into the roof void and walked on planks to the offending lights. The lights had been lifted and placed directly onto the wooden supports. In fact, the whole void was constructed of timber and the huge dome of papier-mâché – once ignited it would go up like a tinder box. It was only a matter of probably a few minutes before the whole lot would have set fire.

Two pages x A4

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Panto

reg. 3 1929 Cinema kept traditions of live pantomime alive ….

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

When the Theatre Royall in Hanley finally dropped the safety curtain on live in 1961 shows, it would have caused some considerable disappointment to families with young children as they would all lose out on the annual pantomime. Yet there was hope as the then Gaumont cinema practically across the road was built with full theatre facilities, dressing rooms, fly town, and a huge orchestra pit all standing empty. The thought I ponder over that for practically two generations of children would have only experienced for the twenty odd years last, Jonathan Wilkes playing the leading role at the old cinema, now greatly restored and back to its original name The Regent.
But it was the old cinema that came in and saved the annual Christmas Pantomime for the masses of children and families. With the silver screen raised high into the fly tower, productions once more commenced of the annual potteries pantomime.
Annual pantomimes at the Gaumont commenced the same year as the Theatre Royal closed to live shows.
So, with a re-decoration of dressing rooms and a general clean up, the first pantomime was staged in December 1961 with Robin Hood staring John Hanson known for his fine tenner voice and the character of the Red Shadow in the musical The Desert Song. All 2,334 seats were sold for each performance and the Sentinel report referred to it as a most colourful – well-dressed production and worth seeing if only for the singing, praising John Hanson as being on top form and engaging in fights and duels. Comedian Max Wall played the part of Martha, the children’s nurse was described as a likeable dame who showed himself as a versatile dancer.
This was just the beginning of the pantomime continues success for the potteries. The story contains stories of some of the top stars of the day, frequently playing the Dame.

Two pages x A4 Pictures

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al jolson

reg 2 The Singing Fool – the first Talkie shown in the Potteries.

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

The 1920s was a decade known in North America as the “Roaring Twenties” while in Europe the period is sometimes referred to as the “Golden Age” because of the economic boom following World War I, but all this came to an end in October 1929 with the devastating Wall Street Clash.
Provincial Cinematograph Theatres, the country’s largest cinema chain at the time with over one hundred cinemas in the UK had secured the Hanley site as early as 1925. However, with issues with other properties next door it was 1929 before the largest cinema in the Potteries was opened.
Amid all this it was the picture-house which thrived for just a few pence you could leave all the stresses behind as be transformed twice a week to a world of make-believe. This would be created not just by celluloid projected onto a silver screen, but by the sheer splendour of the ‘Picture Palace’ and the new Regent in Hanley was going to be the best in the Potteries 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 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. A simply magical story of our lost years. two x A4 pages

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cup 2

pre 2 Roman occupation at Trentvale, kiln, fort, and ramparts.

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

Little has been compiled regarding the local evidence of the Roman first century occupation at Trentvale with the exception of the discovery of a roman kiln found there in the 1930s. A replica has pride of place in Hanley museum. However, by chance the ramparts of the fort overlooking the entrance to the North Staffs conurbation at Hanford was discovered around sixty years ago and is detailed also in the article in addition of the discovery in 1912 of a cobbled pavement in the centre of Campbell Place twelve feet below the present surface above which was found twelve inches of silt by Charles Lynam. Mention is also made of a boulder channel discovered in Honeywall in 1909. Interesting research and illustrated.

Two printed pages x A4

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grpup

pop 2 Causes of death 1789 Biddulph, Staffs.

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A list of all known dieses at the time and the number of deaths relating to each in Biddulph 1789

Excel spread sheet

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sick

por 18 Treatment of the sick in the Parish Hospital 1858.

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

Few if any historians have approached this subject on the basis that few workhouses had little provision for the sick. At Stoke upon Trent workhouse as early as 1842 provision was made both for inmates but also for the parish community outside as no other facility had yet been provided. The Stoke upon Trent Hospital was erected in a central position with the workhouse and the building still remains as listed by English Heritage.

The study starts from the first thoughts of providing this facility, the number and descriptions of rooms and wards. Focus is made on one report that has survived and stored in the National Archives. It’s a complaint by someone in the community who wrote to the poor law in London to complain how he had been treated. Mention was made of his time in a lunatic ward, having to share a double bed with five other sick inmates – the list is endless and would make good reading for all who are keen to learn of the early years of medicine and the treatment of patients in workhouses.

two x A4 pages

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EastLondon Ind School c1909 brass band

por 16 Workhouse children – the move for Brass Bands.

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

This is a section dedicated to the policy of training boys in the art of marching whilst playing an instrument. The boys at Stoke union were encouraged to learn as once trained have an opportunity to find good employment. The sections explores and quotes examples of training and once proficient presented brass band concerts across the area to the delight of the community and of cause the Governor. At times when the children were invited to visit Trentham Gardens by the Duchess of Sutherland, the band would lead the way playing their instruments. They also undertook band concerts or to perform at a special event. A most interesting study and set apart for the work to secure work for those incarcerated for no fault of their own but considered nationally the fault of their parents.

Two pages x A4

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wetley

por 14 Wetley Rocks proposed site for a new larger workhouse.

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ByRichard Talbot

In 1832 the overseer of the poor prepared a report of several pages referring to the problems of the current workhouse then situated in the village of Penkhull and its over-crowding with no room for enlargement. His brief was to come up with some proposals for a new workhouse and suggested the area of Wetley Rocks, an area of some miles from Stoke and isolated. His conclusions on how the inmates would be treated and noting the vast amount of land which could be purchased for £10 per acre. It was here that he describes that there was sufficient land to make the workhouse self-sufficient. A tremendous document to read and the only one to have survived. A huge contribution to the social and economic period of the time in addition to the terrible treatment of paupers.

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children work

por 11 The experience of working children.

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

This project is a focus of the life of children in the middle of the 1800’s. It is a focus is the life of the young, how they were treated in the workhouse and within the working environment. It’s not an easy read as it quotes extensively the experiences of life by many children from as early as 6/7 as they had to go out to work in support of their family. Illustrated with photographs of the time and a worthy read to place life at that time into context and how children were treated in so many ways. Breadwinners, because of the system of wages being paid in the street corner pub, were encouraged by the landlord to have more to drink as he claimed he had not enough change to pay them from a £5 note from the foreman who held the pay for all under him. Many wives, along with their children, would stand outside imploring their husbands to come out before all their wages were spent. But would often return home with a drunken spouse in the certain knowledge they would be evicted the following week as there was no money for the rent or food. For many families the breadwinner would just walk out, leaving his wife and children to the mercies of the Poor Law system, or to survive on just a few pence from the relieving officer. For others, because of industrial disease, many mothers were left widowed at an early age. Against this background of need and lack of sustenance, there was also a lack of education except that offered by Sunday schools.

Breadwinners, because of the system of wages being paid in the street corner pub, were encouraged by the landlord to have more to drink as he claimed he had not enough change to pay them from a £5 note from the foreman who held the pay for all under him. Many wives, along with their children, would stand outside imploring their husbands to come out before all their wages were spent. But would often return home with a drunken spouse in the certain knowledge they would be evicted the following week as there was no money for the rent or food. For many families the breadwinner would just walk out, leaving his wife and children to the mercies of the Poor Law system, or to survive on just a few pence from the relieving officer. For others, because of industrial disease, many mothers were left widowed at an early age. Against this background of need and lack of sustenance, there was also a lack of education except that offered by Sunday schools.

3 x A4 pages

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workhouse women meal time

por 9 Spittals Workhouse, Stoke Regulations for new inmates.

£2.00

ByRichard Talbot

This work is a totally one off as it covers extracts from 1714 regulations of the Spittals Workhouse, Stoke-upon-Trent relating to the admission, cleansing, disinfecting clothing and searching of inmates for any valuables.

It describes the experiences on admission to the Institution, articles of value found upon the inmate shall were deposited with the Master, any money or value security in his possession will be used to off-set their maintenance within the institution.

It continues to list the items that are prohibited such as Cards or Dice, Letters, articles or written or printed matter of an obscene or improper character. The reference to the bathing of inmates is quite scary. This is an early view of life in 1714 under the Old Poor Law of Elizabeth I and an eye-opener again to the treatment of inmates both male and female.

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