Part 2

A view looking downhill with Richardson’s store at no.80 on the corner of Wesley Place

The same view in 2008 with the former store replaced by new houses

Fact file: No. 80 High Street

In 1904 it was Thomas Richardson & Co. grocers and drapers. From the 1920’s it became Richardson & Co., with Albert Harrison as proprietor. Richardsons baked their own bread, the baker being Charlie Miner, who cycled every day from Silverdale. The items sold included greengroceries, flour, tea which came in tea chests, coffee which was ground in the store, butter which was bought in casks, treacle which was poured into jars from a barrel with a tap, cheeses which were cut on a marble slab with a groove down the middle, and bacon. In 1955 Harry and Barbara Horsley are recorded as proprietors. Lily Timmis is also known to have been a proprietor at some time (see also no. 186).

The rear of the former Richardson’s store in Wesley Place seen in August 1979. The premises included a bakery and storeroom when it was Richardson’s.

When this photo was taken on 23 June 1973, no. 80 was Harry Rainbow’s shop

Wesley Place was named after the chapel which stood on the corner. Halmer End Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was built in 1875 and replaced an earlier one which had stood on the opposite side of the road near to the school.

The view on 27 April 1988 by which time the chapel had been demolished and replaced by a house

The view in 2008. Nos. 86-88, built in 1908, are at left.

The rear of the chapel in August 1978.

A chapel window detail and an interior view of the windows

The Minnie Pit Disaster Memorial Plaque inside the chapel

The plaque being removed in September 1979, following closure of the chapel. The plaque was later re-erected in Halmer End Primitive Methodist Chapel (see later entry).

Chapel demolition 12 March 1972

Nos. 55-61, built in the 1950’s, which replaced an old row of cottages

No. 75 High Street seen in 2008. This area was redeveloped in 2009 as Burgess Court.

A 2008 view of nos. 81-83 which stand on the corner of Co-operative Lane

This photograph of Mary Brockley was taken in Co-operative Lane. It shows the Vine Inn at left and in the background part of the row of terraced houses which were nos. 90-112 High Street. They were all owned in 1910 by the Midland Coal, Coke & Iron Company of Apedale. The row contained the Miners Reading Room which occupied nos. 92 and 94. The row was demolished in the 1950’s.

This 1960’s view shows the council flats at right which replaced the old row of houses seen in the above photo. At left, by the entrance to Co-operative Lane, stands the former Vine Inn at no. 85.

The view in 2009 with the new houses on the left at the entrance to Burgess Court

Fact file: Nos. 92 and 94 High Street

This was the miners’ reading room known as Halmer End Newsroom. The two houses were knocked into one and contained a billiards room at the front, a kitchen and games room at the rear, with the reading room itself in a front room upstairs. A caretaker lived in the remainder of the property (see Halmer End … And Away by Gertrude Evans in Audley Historian no. 4 for a detailed description of the Newsroom). George Glover is recorded as the Newsroom Secretary from 1912-16, followed by Robert Challinor 1921-24, Herbert Millington in 1928, George Harrison in 1932 and D. Harrison 1936-1940. It closed soon after.

Fact file: The Vine Inn

Licensees: Dates are those for which records have been found. The intervening years could be covered by those listed or by an unrecorded licensee.

Benjamin Hulse 1871-1891

Catherine Hulse 1896

Frederick Hughes 1901

William Washington 1904

Caleb Wareham 1910-1921

Frederick Richardson 1924

Ernest Dolman 1928

Daniel Cornwall 1932

The following is a sale notice from 1902 when the Vine Inn was to be sold by auction along with other properties in Halmer End:

No records for the Vine Inn have been found after 1933, although the building was not demolished until the 1960’s.

This view of Halmer End Carnival, in August 1969, shows the space at left where the recently demolished Vine Inn had stood

The site of the Vine Inn as it appeared in 2007, with Co-operative Lane to left

The terraced houses of Railing Row, nos. 114-154, which were all owned by the Midland Coal, Coke & Iron Company in 1910

The houses around the entrance to Harrison Close, which were built as Council Houses, replaced the demolished terraces of Railing Row

Railing Row and the terraces opposite with no. 107 at left

Fact file: No. 107 High Street

This was the butcher’s shop of Henry Shufflebotham from 1910 until 1940, then Jack Johnson. The property was sold in 1963 to Dennis Brockley, a coal merchant, who started a ladies’ hairdressing salon which Jean Whitehurst rented. Frank Coverley continued the business after purchasing the property in 1968.

No. 119 is nearest camera in this 2008 view of nos. 107-119

No. 119 during renovation work in September 1979. The name of “Chatfield & Son Boot and Clog Makers” is exposed.

Fact file: No. 119 High Street

This was the shop of William Thomas Chatfield, a boot and clog maker, from 1910 to 1932. It was then purchased by Mrs Martha Ellen Dean who is recorded as a boot repairer from 1936 to 1940. Her son Donald continued the business and also sold newspapers.

A Chatfield letter heading from 1910

Nos. 123 and 125 at left are now one property adjoining no 127. The next row begins at no. 131.

Fact file: Nos. 123-125 High Street

Isaac Johnson is recorded here as a cycle repairer, from 1928 to 1940. It was then the fish and chip shop of Mrs Finnimore and in the 1950’s the surgery of Dr. A.C. Arthur. Afterwards a private residence.

The Red Lion Inn occupying nos. 135 and 137 High Street. Nos. 139 and 141 complete the row behind the overgrown front gardens.

Fact file: The Red Lion Inn

Licensees: Dates are those for which records have been found. The intervening years could be covered by those listed or by an unrecorded licensee.

George Bailey 1861-1896

George Dean 1901-1904

William Burbury 1910-1912

George Shaw 1916-1921

William Machin 1924

Henry Rowley 1928-1950

Victor Gould

Sidney Salt 1960-1978

The Red Lion closed soon after and was converted into private houses.

The houses converted from the Red Lion Inn can be seen in the centre