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dir 2 1822 Piggot’s Shaffordshire/Cheshire Directory

£5.00

Trade directories in England trace their history back to the late 17th century, when volumes such as the Little London Directory of 1677 listed names of merchants and tradesmen “for the Benefit of all Dealers that shall have occasion with any of them; Directing them at the first sight of their name, to the place of their abode.”

Trade directories were originally produced to help promote and facilitate trade and commerce. A directory would include a general description of the town or area as well as details on local transportation, churches, schools, government offices and officials, shops, and businesses. Sometimes information on specific people, such as businessmen, traders, shopkeepers, was included as well.

Later directories began to include sections on private residents. At first this mainly consisted of the wealthier and more prominent individuals. Eventually the directories became more comprehensive and more residents, especially householders, were included regardless of social status. Try this 1822 and fiand all that you are after.

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dir 1 1818 Bradshaws Trade Directory

£5.00

Trade directories in England trace their history back to the late 17th century, when volumes such as the Little London Directory of 1677 listed names of merchants and tradesmen “for the Benefit of all Dealers that shall have occasion with any of them; Directing them at the first sight of their name, to the place of their abode.” The first one for Stoke on Trent including this of Penkhull is Bradshaw’s 1818. Download and view it now.

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census

cen 7 1911 Spittals Workhouse, Stoke-upon Trent

£5.00

The 1911 census for the Spittals workhouse contains in excess of 700 inmates, a huge number the care for and to provide meals each day. The burden upon the local community was huge and with constant problems to manage.
The listing in this excel report is a further valuable contribution for those wishing to study the returns each year and as 1911 was almost at the hight of the industrial revolution and therefore the numbers fail to reflect that.
Viewing this return firstly using the age listing can easily locate the young from the old and importantly those of working age to enable a graph illustrating the difficulties in society. The same applies to the place of birth whereby setting a radius around stoke at every 10 or 20 miles to ascertain there most are coming from. There is no end to the illustrations of life in 1911. A further example of the work that can be done with facts and figures.

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Manor of Newcastle

man 41 Hearth Tax Stoke-upon-Trent 1662, 1666, 1672

£4.00

Currently there is only one Hearth Tax record for Stoke upon Trent published in the Staffordshire Historical Collections.
Hearth Tax records can be an important tool for the historian as the number of hearths are listed, in some case some marked blocked up to save paying part of the tax.
It is used to assess the size of the property and in doing so determine the wealth of the owner helping to create a more detailed framework of the area under study.

Whilst doing my M.Phil at University of Keele I managed to locate a private searcher who during the war worked at the then Public Record Office who know the location of other returns. She subsequently copied these for me and listed here.
The important thing with three the names of property can change but with the same surname suggesting the father had died and now it was the son now living there.

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Manor of Newcastle

sur 12 1671 Lord Waste for the Manor of Newcastle under Lyme.

£4.00

This 1671 documents lists tenants who have built cottages on the waste land of each area of the Manor – Wolstanton, Penkhull, Hanley, Seabridge, Whitmore, Knutton, Botteslow, Fenton Vivian – all under the authority of the Duchy of Lancaster and within his Manor of Newcastle under Lume.
These lists give name, and the rentals charged thereby giving an estimate of the larger and smaller plots. The waste is normally that land that is not suitable for cultivation normally at the sides of roads.

Three pages

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wedding 2

rel 20 Penkhull Marriages. 1845 – 1891

£4.00

St Thomas Church, Penkhull

Marriage Register 1845 -1891 Excel format spreadsheet

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Baptism

rel 15 St. Peter’s Church Stoke baptisms 1813 -1835.

£4.00

The baptism register for St Peter ad Vincula – Stoke Church

in Excel format 1813 – 1835

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graveyard

rel 13 St. Thomas, Penkhull list and date of all Burials.

£4.00

A full record of all burials in the churchyard of St. Thomas, Penkhull from 1843 to 1943

A great help for people researching their family tree

Elzel format on a spreadsheet

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Baptism

rel 12 St. Thomas, Penkhull list of Baptisms 1843 – 1962

£4.00

This is the full list of baptisms listed in the registers now held at Stafford archives from 1842 – 1962 of St Thomas Church, Penkhull.

A great help for anyone researchibng their family tree of Penkhull.

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inside

rel 9 Religious Worship in Penkhull – Methodists then Anglican.

£4.00

If you are interested in the background of religions in particular the Anglican and Methodists and their origins this 5,000 ples words is a good start in understanding the growth of two quite opposing religions of the time. The early nineteenth century, an age of mechanism, seemed to muster that unimproved concern at the death of the spirit that was the parent of romanticism. The Anglican Church, conscious of decline, made stringent efforts to reverse the situation by the provision of new churches. The urban working classes, largely alienated, became increasingly apathetic to churchgoing. In many cases people who had been uprooted from their country parishes, by coming into new urban centres in search of employment, became indifferent to religion. Social mobility and demographical increase often left them outside the scope of the established church, a situation made worse by the emergence of the dissenting sects.
After the war with France and the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, the British people of all classes expected a period of prosperity. Times were hard however as there was no improvement in conditions of employment for the next seven years. K.S. Inglis attempts to put churchgoing into perspective. During the nineteenth century, the habit of attending religious worship was not normal among the working classes. From the beginning of the century, the spiritual destitution of the lower orders was a commonplace of discussion.

This is a brief outline of the essay but sets the picture of what follows. A great read for all keen to learn of the issues seperating two churches in the village of Penkhull.

Ten pages with 5,000 plus word content.

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Regent 1

reg 1 Amateur Society last show at the old Gaumont.

£4.00

With the closure of Hanley’s Theatre Royal in 1961, both Stoke, and the North Staffs Amateur Operatic Societies found them-selves without a venue. The North Staffs went to the Queens Theatre, Burslem and Stoke Society to the much larger venue, the Gaumont in Piccadilly Hanley. Built in 1929 with silent movies only, the building was designed with small acts taking place on stage during the change of reels etc. once the curtain was raised. As a result, the society negotiated with the owners Rang to hire the theatre for their next major production. Prior to this the Gaumont had only staged the odd one-night stand just a few times a year. Despite initial problems at the Gaumont with no stage lighting to speak of, no sound equipment and no back cloths or tabs just a deserted stage with no facilities except a fly-tower. All had to be hired for every show would be performed.
As a result, the society took the huge decision to move across the road from the Theatre Royal to the Gaumont for the societies first production to be staged there – The Most Happy Fella in 1962. Despite fears and apprehensions about such a momentous decision in the societies history, in the end it was a near sell-out production.
However, for the following two years Mecca, owners of the Theatre Royal allowed the society to return for their annual production. Things changed in 1965 as Mecca declined to allow the society to return. So, with the previously tried and tested Gaumont which had proved finically successful, despite many problems in mounting a show there, the society returned with confidence having gained valued experience in making the stage fit for purpose for presenting live musical productions at the venue with the popular musical The Desert Song followed the following year by The New Moon, to a theatre that became their permanent home until it closed in October 1989.
All productions at the Gaumont were successful, both in their staging and the numbers attending for a week’s run proving to Rank that the venue was viable and the facilities backstage sufficient to present a full musical production for a week or more. It had secured a future.
So successful was the society at this new venue in 1967 for their production of the White Horse Inn, all 2234 seats were sold out for seven performances, two weeks prior to the opening night, a record never to be overtaken. In 1969, the society secured the amateur premiere licence to present My Fair Lady, sets were secured direct from The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane’s, production in London followed my many popular but challenging productions.
However, as a result of the miners’ strike of 1974 bought with it a four-hour blackout period on a rotation basis. Panic struck!!! as for the final Saturday evening performance the theatre would be in darkness from six to ten p.m. The society was presenting the Mikado and to overcome the problem members provided car batteries, candles and oil lamps and torches to illuminate the dressing rooms and stairways.
The opening was rescheduled to commence at ten-thirty, all agreed by the theatre management and the orchestra with doors opening for the public on the dot of ten with theatre staff in place ready for the crowds which had stood outside for nearly an hour and becoming more excited by the minute. It was almost reminiscent to a war-like atmosphere during black-outs until the lights were turned on and a huge cheer rose from the heights of Piccadilly like a pack of lions fighting over their latest kill from those standing outside.
More of this available in the document listed. Shows continued, even for the production of Annie for which I devised two conveyor belts secured in a newly laid floor to carry on the props etc. Packed out for seventeen performances! More stores to share in the article. The last show presented was in 1989, again to a packed audience – The White Horse Inn – and, as the curtain came down for the last time there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Three x A4 pages

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Jack Burton

pub 16 A Village Cobbler – Jack Burton a personal reflection.

£4.00

This is a fascinating true story of the one-time village cobbler, Jack Burton who had a small cobblers shop in Manor Court Street, Penkhull. Born in 1907 his first recollections were attending services of the Primitive Methodists, which throughout his life he remained a regular worshipper and trustee of the Penkhull Methodist Church.

The story commences with his early school life then followed by WW1. His father was a collier and in 1921 Jack left schools at the age of fourteen. But with it came poverty and depression the same year with the miners’ strike which lasted six for months. Jack describes the impossible task of finding work with three million unemployed. It was impossible. With no dole money at that time and the family were desperate. For many they worked at the workhouses where for their labour would receive bread, the number of which depended upon the size of the family. He writes about his uncle who was a cobbler knowing of Jacks predicament offered to take him on to learn the trade. That was his start and stayed there until 1935 when he got married.

He later describes reading in the Sentinel of a cobbling business for sale in Penkhull, then run by an ex-WWI invalid with one leg. Jack attempted to get a bank loan and trudged around for help until he finally obtained a loan to purchase the shop. The story full of early difficulties continues to provide an almost compelling read of hard work, finally leading to success. It’s a story to enthuse perhaps those younger audience of life in the 20s and the over whelming hardships endured and yet it was hard work and determination against the odds which in the end made it all worthwhile. Jack’s essay is over five thousand words long over five pages with illustrations of him at his little shop. Certainly, one of my favourite reads and an inspiration to others today.

Five x A4 pages

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grpup

pop 6 The Potteries 1839 – A reflection of the period.

£4.00

This four-page article is reproduced from the Potteries Mercury of 1839. The writer commences with a gloomy view of his visit to the potteries with its slag heaps, air pollution, hovels and a general demise of the area. It then explains how he finds potteries people, dirty, downtrodden, no ambition where every day is a challenge with long hours and little pay.

The writer in one section describes his feeling: All this time imagine yourself marching beneath great clouds of smoke, and breathing various vapours of arsenic, muristic acid* sulphur, and spirits of tar, and you will have some taste and smell, as well as view, of the potteries; and, notwithstanding all which they are as healthy as any manufacturing district whatever.

The place is described further with large chapels that are scattered throughout the whole region and describes it as one of the strongholds of dissent and democracy. Nine-tenths of the population are dissenters. The towns have sprung up rapidly, and comparatively in a few years. In fact, and why it has been reproduced here as it is probably the most depressing but sad to say a factual essay of the potteries. It is certainly worthy of a read and an assessment and a most valuable piece of social and economic writing to stimulate, thoughts, discussion and perhaps on how the city now appears in comparison to that of 1839. *getting rid of mould and rust from a variety of surfaces including brick, concrete and stone and swimming pools.

Four x A4 pages

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sewage

por 1 1864 the Arlidge medical report.

£4.00

ByRichard Talbot

This government report is a major contribution to the health issues of the times and the state of the potteries. A huge contribution to the social and health issues of the potteries and the industrial illnesses and deaths as a result of the time.

On the Sanitary State of the Staffordshire Potteries, with especial reference to that of the Potters as a class, their Mortality, and the Diseases ;prevalent among them. By J. T. Arlidge, M.J3. and A.13 Lond., M.K.C.P. Lond., Senior Physician to the ‘North Staffordshire Infirmary, formerly Physician to the West London Hospital,

Great help to Humanities students and social working conditions.

Report PDF Fifteen Pages

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hotel

mis 24 Queens Hotel, Hanley and why it was short lived?

£4.00

ByRichard Talbot

My guess is that few in the city are aware that Hanley Town Hall has become redundant because of council services being amalgamated with better use of council stock. This prominent Hanley building became a town hall in 1886, prior to which it was the prestigious Queens Hotel. Sadly, for a combination of reasons its life as a hotel extended just less than twenty years, but no one has over the last one hundred and forty odd years explored its demise, and yet its short life is full of intrigue and wonder as to why the most attractive building in North Staffordshire closed its doors.

The need for such a hotel came about because from the late 18^th century, the combined townships of Hanley and Shelton were rapidly expanding with Hanley as the central town of the six and where most of local business was conducted and meetings were held.

In 1857, because of its growth and importance, the township of Hanley with Shelton become the first incorporated borough of the six towns leaving the other five behind. It became the prominent town of the Potteries where its leaders and influential businesspeople were set on a course for Hanley to become the central and most important town in North Staffordshire.

With its new-found status of a county borough, the town council and leading citizens came to realise that to attract new business to the town that a hotel which outshone all others was important to its growth. As a result, they came together to form the Hanley Hotel Company in July 1864 offering four thousand shares at £5 each for sale. Hanley, they declared was the centre of the Potteries and frequented by china and earthenware dealers, commercial travellers and as such there was an urgent need for public functions and superior accommodation associated with a progressive town like Hanley. Indeed it was the most impressive hotel in all of the potteries six towns.

This four page history identifies the trials and tribulations that fell onto the Queens until it was purchased by Hanley Borough Council. A further good read of how a depressed financial state of the period can loose such a building. Four Pages.

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Canal

mis 19 Newcastle Canal, from Stoke to Newcastle under Lyme.

£4.00

ByRichard Talbot

Although this article is a history of the Newcastle Canal its origins stem from the opening of the Trent and Mersey canal in 1766. It’s from this time that the industrial revolution in the six towns took off as this new mode of transport from roads to canals.
It enabled raw manufacturing materials and coal delivered almost to the door at a smaller cost, quicker with less damage to good than previously. This advantageous mode of transport gave an urgency to extend its waterways for others to take advantage of increased sales at lower costs. One such emphasis was to create a branch from the Trent and Mersey at Stoke through to the town of Newcastle-under-Lyme to bring coal from the mining village of Silverdale to markets both in the Potteries and further afield. And in addition to bring much needed materials to the manufacturing town of Newcastle under Lyme. In 1795, the year of Wedgwood’s death, this new canal was cut from Stoke to Newcastle but because of the hills of Penkhull and Hartshill it was necessary to take a route the long way around on level ground of four miles. Its purpose, according to the preamble of the Act, was to provide for Newcastle and the establishments and manufactories near to it with a link to the main canal at Stoke and thereby the whole of the midlands and the Liverpool docks and to assist the agriculture of the neighbourhood of the canal by a supply of materials. A four x A4 pages long and nearly 2000 words long it follows the growth and the decline of the canal.
It also covers events that occurred because it was a canal and the drowning of a Bus Conductor whilst saving the life of a little girl. Other drownings are also listed as well as the Spittles Workhouse and Newcastle dumping raw sewage and with-it major health issues. A further good article for the study of social history as well as humanities.

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