Primitive Street was a cul-de-sac of twenty three terraced houses, eleven on the south side of the road, with an extra one detached property on the north side, off Church Street. The odd numbered houses were in the southern row adjacent to Apedale Road. The even numbered houses were in the northern row.

Nos. 2, 4, 6 and 8 were all condemned and demolished in 1948 and the families that occupied them were relocated.

Although built before 1877, as late as 1900 Primitive Street was known as New Street. When the 1901 census was taken in March 1901 it was recorded as Primitive Street. Primitive Street was demolished before 1972 and the physical record has been completely erased.

Today the area has been redeveloped with council bungalows.

Fact File: No.1 Primitive Street

Daniel and Phyllis Hogarth lived here in March 1901. Daniel Hogarth was born in 1874/5 and had married Phyllis Webb.

Daniel Hogarth lived here in 1905.

By 1910 Daniel Hogarth had moved to No. 78 Apedale Road, which he owned.

James Cork lived here in 1910 when the representatives of William Platt owned the property.

James and Emma Cork and their children; Ada and Harold lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

Emily Gater died here on 18^th March 1926, aged 64.

May Dumbil lived here in 1933.

Herbert J. and Annie Proctor lived here in 1951.

(Photograph Courtesy of Fred Evans)

Looking into Church Street from Apedale Road, in the 1960’s. Immediately on the left is the Primitive Chapel. The road going off to the left where the car is parked is Primitive Street. Every property that is shown on this photograph has been demolished.

Fact File: No.2 Primitive Street

Frederick and Alice Healey lived here in March 1901.

Jabez Henshall and his wife Mary together with his mother-in-law Ann Statham lived there on 2^nd April 1911.

Enoch Durber died here, aged 5, 1^st February 1924. May have been in No.21 in 1910.

Ethel Durber died here, aged 31, 21^st June 1924

Ernest and Doris Machin lived here in 1933.

Brian George Griffiths was born here 29^th September 1940

This property was condemned in 1948 and the Bedson family, who lived there at the time, had to move.

Fact File: No.3 Primitive Street

Alan and Ellen White lived here in March 1901.

David Bromley lived here in 1905.

Thomas Johnson lived here in 1910 when the representatives of William Platt owned the property.

Thomas and Ann Johnson and their children; Abel, Caleb, Emma, Alice and Ann lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

Martha Proctor died here, aged 46, 12^th April 1923

Bernard Thomas Nixon died, aged 24 days, 21^st May 1924

Thomas and Eva McCready lived here from around 1928.

Thomas died here in 1964.

(Photograph courtesy of Chris McCready)

Thomas and Eva McCready (née Dale – see No. 15) lived here from around 1928 until the street was demolished. After Primitive Street was demolished Eva moved to a flat in Wedgwood Avenue, Wood Lane where she died in 1979.

(Photograph courtesy of Chris McCready)

Clifford and Joan McCready photographed in the back of No.3 Primitive Street. Clifford lived at No.3 until his marriage to Joan in 1954. In this photograph Clifford is still wearing his whites having just returned from playing for Wood Lane CC. Detailed architectural features of the Primitive Chapel are visible in the photograph. The differing roof height of the extension is shown in the background. There are brick supports for the guttering on the main building and very ornate ridge tiles on the extension.

(Photograph Courtesy of Albert Harrison)

The east end of Primitive Street, from the south, with the rear view of No’s 1, 3 and small portion of No.5. This picture locates the picture immediately above showing that Clifford and Joan McCready were standing at the back of the recently pointed outbuilding, which is at the centre of this picture with their back to the chapel.

(Photograph courtesy of Fred Evans)

Looking into Primitive Street from Church Street in the 1960’s. There is lots of interesting detail in this picture including the external, and offset, chimney breast in the end property on the right. The first house on the right is No. 10 as by the time of this photograph 2 – 8 had been demolished. The rough ground to the right indicates where they had stood. The narrowness of the street indicates that this was a pre motorcar development. The viewer will also be able to see that the properties towards the far end of the street become lower and are built in twos as the ground falls away.

Fact File: No.5 Primitive Street

Anne Platt lived here in March 1901.

Samuel Cooper lived here in 1910 when the representatives of William Platt owned the property.

Samuel and Lydia Ann Cooper and their children; William, Doris and Ethel lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

John Cooper was a lodger here on lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

George H. and Elsie Frost lived here in 1933.

Thomas D. and Evelyn M. Robinson lived here in 1951.

Fact File: No.7 Primitive Street

George and Anne Chidlow lived here in March 1901.

George Chidlow lived here in 1905.

Aaron Bartlem lived here in 1910 when the representatives of William Platt owned the property. They had moved to here from No11.

Aaron and Sarah Ann Bartlem and their children; Florence, John William and Gladys May lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

Aaron Bartlem, who lived here, was killed in Jamage Pit, aged 50, on 13^th October 1917

Joyce, the daughter of George Steel and Florence Minnie Pointon was born here 13^th May 1923

George and Maria Brayford and family lived here in 1933.

John and Anne Boughey lived here in 1951.

Anne Boughey died here, aged 73, on 5^th May 1959

(Photo courtesy of Albert Harrison)

A rare photograph of Primitive Street, looking at the backs of the properties, from Apedale Road. This photograph is from the south and interesting detail of the street can be seen.

There is an entry between the bottom two properties on the extreme left and the two immediate to their right. Judging by the position of the central chimney stack the bottom two appear to be asymmetric in size. Whereas two single-storey outbuildings can be seen the smaller property second from the bottom appears to have a two storey extension. The double chimney stacks between the properties to the right may indicate that the street was not built in one go. Similarly the central chimney stack on the property to the left is unusual.

Fact File: No.9 Primitive Street

Aaron and Sarah Bartlem lived here in March 1901. They had moved to No. 11 by 1905.

Frank Proctor lived here in 1905.

Frank Proctor lived here in 1910 when M. Beech owned the property.

Frank and Martha Proctor and their daughter Hannah lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

Charlotte Colclough was a boarder here on 2^nd April 1911.

George and Sarah Hodgkinson lived here from 1933 to 1951

Fact File: No.11 Primitive Street

Aaron Bartlem lived here in 1905. See No.9. By 1910 they had moved to No. 7.

Henry Dale lived here in 1910 when M. Beech owned the property.

Henry Dale, his mother Amy Statham, his sister Esther Lomas, his children; Evelyn, Hannah and Henry and his nephew Ernest Lomas all lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

George Henry and Ada Edge lived here from 1933 to 1951.

Ann Riley was born here on 7^th December 1952

Fact File: No.12 Primitive Street

Enoch and Emma Jepson lived here in March 1901.

Charles Cork lived here in 1905.

Charles and Emma Cork and their children; William, Elizabeth, Albert, Charles, Eva and George lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

By 1927 Charles Cork had moved to No. 88 Apedale Road.

John Swingewood died here, aged 60, on 12^th March 1929

Joseph and Evangeline Gater and family lived here in 1933.

Edmund and Ellen Durber lived here in 1951.

Fact File: No.13 Primitive Street

John and Harriet Dodd lived here in March 1901.

John Dodd senior lived here in 1905.

John Dodd lived here in 1910 when the property was owned by George Downes.

John and Harriet Dodd lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

Sarah and Bertha Eardley lived here in 1933.

Bertha Eardley died here, aged 27, on 4^th July 1933.

Sarah A. Eardley lived here in 1951 and was still here in 1965 when, with demolition imminent she said: ‘It is a problem moving at my age (85). One of my neighbours has already gone ….I shall miss my neighbours.’ She said how much she would miss the wonderful view; ‘In winter it’s not so good, but in the summer it more than repays you. The meals-on-wheels people who come here always comment on it. I shall just have walls to look at.’

Fact File: No.14 Primitive Street

Enoch and Annie Whalley lived here in March 1901.

William White lived here in 1905.

William and Lizzie White and their children; Reginald J., Gertrude and Doris lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

George and Gladys Sumnall lived here in 1933.

Jennifer Ann Otter was born here on 5^th June 1949

Arthur and Megan Lawler and Jean M Bromage lived here in 1951.

Keith Michael Lawler died here, after 15 mins, on the 22^nd July 1953

Stewart James Lawler was born here on 18^th July 1954

Diane Megan Lawler was born here on 17^th March 1957

Christopher Johnson was born here on 15^th October 1961

Fact File: No.15 Primitive Street

John and Hannah Dodd lived here in March 1901.

John Dodd junior lived here in 1905.

John Dodd lived here in 1910 when George Downes owned the property.

John and Hannah Dodd and their children, Eva and Ada lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

Elizabeth Dale died at number 15 Primitive Street in 1913, aged 44.

Samuel and Selina Dale lived here in 1933. See No. 22.

Samuel Dale, the husband of Selina died here, aged 75, on 17^th December 1943

(Photograph courtesy of Chris McCready)

Samuel and Elizabeth Dale (née Brindley). They moved into number 15 Primitive Street some time after 1911. Samuel Dale was in No 22 in 1910. Standing between Samuel and Elizabeth is Ephraim Dale. Samuel Dale was a local Methodist preacher. The girl leaning against Samuel is Eva Dale, (see entry in No. 3). The girl sitting on Elizabeth’s knee is believed to be Lizzie Dale. The Photograph is pre 1913.

Fact File: No.16 Primitive Street

Richard and Elizabeth Wade lived here in March 1901.

Richard Wade lived here in 1905

Richard and Elizabeth Wade and their children; George, Kate, Jack and Emily lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

Roy, the son of George William and Mary Alice Betton was born here on 12^th May 1932

George William and Mary Alice Betton lived here in 1933.

Cissie and Walter Robinson lived here in 1951.

(Photo Courtesy of Albert Harrison)

Cissie Robinson in 1965

Fact File: No. 17 Primitive Street

William and Alice Woolridge lived here in March 1901.

Alice Woolridge was the owner-occupier of this property in 1910.

Alice Woolridge and her children; Frank, Luther, William Lydia and Laura lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

Private G/9158, Luther Woolridge, the son of Alice Woolridge of 17 Primitive Street Wood Lane Bignall End Stoke on Trent died 3/5/1917 age 22. He was in the 4th Royal Fusiliers.

Raymond and Harold, the sons of Arthur and Lydia Buckley who lived here were baptised on 12^th June 1925.

Graham Arthur, the son of Arthur James and Lydia Buckley who lived here were baptised on 11^th December 1927

Alice Woolridge Amos Henshall and Arthur and Lydia Buckley lived here in 1933.

Arthur James Buckley died here, aged 48, 24^th March 1945

George and Lydia Sumnall and family lived here in 1951. Lydia continued to live here until at least 1965. Having been born here in 1899 she spent 64 years living here having been married twice and raising four sons and three daughters.

(Photo Courtesy of Albert Harrison)

Lydia Sumnall in 1965

In 1965 and with the prospect of demolition of the street imminent, Lydia said: ‘This is my home. I have always lived within the smoke of this chimney’. When commenting on the view from the back, she said: ‘Just look at that view; isn’t it marvellous?’

Fact File: No. 18 Primitive Street

William and Sarah Jepson lived here in March 1901.

M Dean lived here in 1910 when Enoch Whalley owned the property.

Mark and Hannah Dean lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

Mark Dean died here 28^th March 1920.

Gordon, the son of Harry and Edith Mason was born here 6^th March 1921

Herbert and Irene Webb lived here in 1933.

John V. and Rachel Ratcliffe lived here in 1951.

Fact File: No.19 Primitive Street

John and Hannah Austin lived here in March 1901.

Wilmot Taylor lived here in 1905.

Eli Henshall lived here in 1910 when the property was owned by Jessie Taylor.

Arthur and Betsy Burton and their children; Leonard and John William lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

William and Beatrice Gallimore boarded here on 2^nd April 1911.

Arthur and Elizabeth Proctor and family lived here in 1933.

Albert and Ada Heath and James B. Myott lived here in 1951.

Fact File: No. 20 Primitive Street

Ralph and Annie Johnson lived here in March 1901.

Thomas Johnson lived here in 1905.

Arthur Leech lived her in 1910 when E. Johnson owned the property

Arthur and Sarah Jane Leech and their children; Herbert, Arthur and Daisy lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

Laura Beech died here aged 10 1^st June 1923

Richard and Harriet Jones lived here in 1933.

Roland A. and Mercy M. Cork lived here in 1951.

Fact File: No.21 Primitive Street

Thomas and Anne Johnson lived here in March 1901.

Daniel Durber lived here in 1905

Enoch Durber lived here in 1910 when Jessie Taylor owned the property.

Thomas and Rose Austin and their children; Joseph, Annie and Thomas lived here on 2^nd April 1911.

Hannah Austin boarded here on 2^nd April 1911.

Henry and Hilda Boulton lived here in 1933.

George W. and Emily Griffiths lived here in 1951.

Fact File: No.22 Primitive Street

David and Martha Bromley lived here in March 1901.

In 1910 Samuel Dale lived here and E. Johnson owned the property.

Samuel and Elizabeth Dale, their sons Ephraim, John and Samuel and their daughters Eva, Amy and Elizabeth lived here on 2^nd April 1911. This family eventually moved to No. 15.

George Henry Joynson, the son of Abraham and Hannah Joynson was born here 9^th May 1926

Frederick and Jennie Johnson lived here in 1933.

Ernest and Gladys Dale and Arthur Heath lived here in 1951.