Catalogue

Stoke Market, built in 1900 still dominates the central section of Church Street. It is of red brick in the Flemish style with curly gables and a central tower. Next to this stood the former National Provincial Bank dating from the 1890’s built also of red brick in the Jacobean style. The opposite side of the road there is a mixture of properties, but mostly of the mid-late 19^th centuries for which the upper floors still retain the original architecture.

The history of Stoke-upon-Trent is interrelated with the parish church of St. Peter-ad-Vincula. It is known that there has been a church on this site from 805a.d. but probably was a firmer site for Pagan worship.

Prior to the coming of the industrial revolution Stoke was the place where the parish church, rectory and parish clerks house was situated. There were no other buildings in the immediate vicinity except an old Inn known by the sign of the Red Lion. (now demolished).  In 1296, Stoke was the joint largest parish in the country and lates there became a number of Chapels of Ease dotted around North Staffordshire but remained under the authority of the Rector of Stoke. They became separate parishes by an Act of Parliament in 1807 as the parish was becoming too burdensome for a single priest and a curate.

Stoke town formed a part of the Township of Penkhull with Boothen until it became a Borough in 1875.  From early times, the inhabitants of the township did not live in Stoke town, but in either the small hamlet of Boothen, half a mile to the South or the larger Domesday Village of Penkhull standing high above the town to the Southwest.

This article is packed with date from 1807 and follows through with details of the towns development to become a commercial success with the building of a Town Hall which still remains the base of authority but other advances such as the public market and so many other examples of early developments during the 19th century. Again, a good read but also an asset for students of all levels.

For those coming up the hill to Penkhull from Stoke, the question was where did Stoke end and Honeywall start?  In fact, the name of Honeywall, a rather strange name, did not start from the bottom as it does today. That area was originally called Castle Cliff- changed to Cliff Bank. The next higher section was called Upper Cliff Bank followed by Princess Street before being known the whole length by the name of Honeywall. The name of Castle Cliff is really important and yet there is no evidence to support this name of a castle at the top of the hill. Perhaps this explains why parts of what Honeywall is now went by the name of Castle Cliff. Food for thought! The area known as Honeywall commences from just about where the Beehive now stands to its junction with Penkhull Terrace and in fact refers to the hamlet of Honeywall and not the road name.

To add even further to the mystery in 1870, whilst digging near to the White Lion an ancient boulder pathway was found.  Could this have any connection with some form of early settlement? 

Rev.Aston, in his little book of 1942 suggests without any evidence to support his claim that it could mean Hole in the Wall, pointing to a possible wall around the ancient royal forest where a hole in the wall was used for game hunters!  But in saying this there is an argument presented to that part of Honeywall being the boundary of the once Iron Age Fort that capped the hill of Penkhull. Why? We have the name of Castle Cliff, and we have the evidence of a boulder pathway being uncovered outside the White Lion.  Also, the name of Honeywall could derive from the old English – ‘hill fortress’ and lastly, it’s the name given to a small hamlet not a road.  People would be known by the place where they lived (not a street name, but a district) and the name Hole in the Wall, the entrance area of the hill fort, could be just that place where a group of small traders resided. Lastly, it was recorded in the 19th century that beekeepers were resident in the area, so could the name originated from there? The Bee Hive Inn could be named following the known occupation of Bee Keepers in the area. A further conundrum. Two pages and photographs.

The name of Margaret (Molly) Leigh of Burslem has been vilified by the press and so-called amateur historians who have taken pleasure in perpetuating the myth that she was actually a witch coming up on a regular basis.

Hardly a month goes without a further slant has been added to these ridicules theories in attempt to draw attention to the writer as an authority where history is concerned. Nothing could be further from the truth.

So, in attempt to place on record the actual FACTS I have studied these and present and with my own research provide a true account re Margaret Leigh the supposed witch buried at St. Johns, Burslem 1^st April 1748 and the copy of her will dated 25^th March 1748 written just one week before her death. In my experience over many years this was normal practice. The explanations I give destroys all the exaggerations and wrong information in an attempt to be known as an authority on the subject and further stretch the imagination to include their theories.

This article is there for all to make up their own mind on this subject. Two pages

This beautiful building of Holy Trinity, Hartshill was opened on Monday, 10 October  1842. From an early hour Hartshill was crowded by of what were called at the time “respectable visitors” wishful to attend the ceremony of consecration.  At 11 o’clock, the Bishop of Hereford arrived by which time the clergy of the neighbourhood, and many from a distance had been in attendance to receive his Lordship. About fifty members of the clergy were present.

The arrival of the Bishop was the signal for a procession from the main road the church drive and into the church. The children of the infant’s school headed the procession, immediately followed by the bishop and clergy; after whom came a vast body of ladies and gentlemen who took an interest in the proceedings. The entire number was calculated at above 2000 people very many more than the church could contain. Notwithstanding the solemn nature of the ceremony, the great admiration excited by the architectural beauty of the building caused a sense of admiration by the gathered company. The consecration service was conducted impressively after which the Rev C. Leigh of Newcastle, preached the sermon from Romans “for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent?”. Sermon was considered most appropriate by the congregation and the greatest expression was shown by all to the benevolence of the worthy founder of the church Mr Herbert Minton.

Hopefully this account will prove to be welcomed by the current residents of the district as a reminder of just how Hioly Trinity Church, Hartshill was indeed a great asset to the district. One page

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.

The thought of Stoke town being transferred to Newcastle in 1831 nearly happened.

The 1830s was a critical time in local and national history with Parliamentary reform top of the agenda. In March 1831, a proposal to abolish the old system of parliamentary elections and to make the voting system dependent upon a £10 per annum rental value of household property to qualify for a vote and then only for men which became the Reform Act of 1832. There was no representation of the six towns by an M.P. The Borough of Newcastle had one. Within the proposed John Russell’s Reform Bill, it empowered a commission to add populous districts such as the six towns to existing Boroughs.

Leading business men in the town including Herbert Minton thought that Stoke would prosper far more by being part of Newcastle.   Boothen and Penkhull (Stoke-upon-Trent) would be transferred to the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme . A a public meeting held on April 6th 1831 in the old town hall in Hill Street.

It was first suggested that the proposal for uniting Stoke with Newcastle would be in opposition to the wishes of the Burgesses of Newcastle. The only benefit, as advocated to Stoke was that it would provide an effective police force and a local magistrate. Also, there was the advantage of the union with Newcastle. The debate continued with one speaker after another. Large numbers tried to get into the town hall, so the meeting tyransferred to a piece of aloping ground just above. One page only but worth a read to follow just what could have happened that would affected the development of Stoke on Trent as a whole.