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

£2.00

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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reg 4 Gaumont was stopped from burning down.

£2.00

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

£2.00

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

£2.00

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

£2.00

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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pop 2 Causes of death 1789 Biddulph, Staffs.

£2.00

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

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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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por 16 Workhouse children – the move for Brass Bands.

£2.00

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

£2.00

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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por 11 The experience of working children.

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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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por 9 Spittals Workhouse, Stoke Regulations for new inmates.

£2.00

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.