Part 4

In the centre of Church Street these buildings stand on the corner of Hall Street. They were built in 1910 at the same time as Hall Street and Hill Terrace were constructed, on a plot of land known as Leddy’s Field. The building to the left is “The Studio”, no. 27 Church Street. Next door is the butcher’s shop of Audley Meat at no. 29. The next shop to the right is no. 31 built slightly earlier in 1905. The photo was taken in 1910 or soon after.

The butcher’s shop remained for only four years, changing to a greengrocer’s in 1914. It remained the same under several names until late 2006. The next block to the right, which included the former shoe shop, was Cope Brothers when this view was taken in 1994.

Fact file: No. 27 Church Street, “The Studio”

This was the home, studio and shop of the Audley photographer Thomas Warham, from 1910 until his death in 1938. He had “The Studio” and the adjoining no. 29 built. The initials TW can be seen on the buildings. Many of his photographs have been used to illustrate this article. Following his death, his widow Alice kept the shop, selling fancy goods, for a further three years until her death in 1941. Their daughter, Miss Louisa Warham, then continued for another three years assisted by Mrs Lucy Lowe. The shop was then tenanted briefly by Mrs Mildred Light, whose husband Ernest will be mentioned later. By 1950 Mrs Rebecca Power was selling books, tobacco, stationery and toys in the shop. Later she also sold sweets. It was then kept by Mrs Maude Sproston. Annette & Marjorie Colclough followed in 1980; Margaret  Vernon in 1985; Mrs Sheila Caton in 1989; John Looskin in 1993; Miss Claire Booth in 1998; Mrs Linda Hallam and Mrs Janet Pepper in 2001, and finally Kevin Plant in 2004. The shop closed in 2007.

Fact file: No. 29 Church Street

Audley Meat was the first occupant in 1910. In 1914 it changed to a greengrocer’s when Fred Steele relocated from no. 30. By 1930 it had passed to his nephew Alfred Edward Wright who remained there until 1969 when Victor and Nesta Johnson took over; then George Moss in 1975; his daughter Susan Blood in 1978; Audley Fruit Shop of Philip Clayton in 1981; Bernard Payne in 1983; George Heath in 1986; Robert Clarke in 1989; The Village Fruit Shop of David and Barbara Garwood in 1992, all selling fruit, vegetables, cooked meats and flowers. In 2000 it became Peapods, run by Robert Plant and Mrs Amanda Buxton, and finally The Village Fruit Shop of Mrs Caroline Harrison in 2004. The shop closed in 2006 and is now a private residence.

Fact file: No. 31 Church Street

Built in 1905, it was the boot and shoe shop of John William Darlington until the 1950’s. It was then purchased by J. H. McEllin along with no. 33 and continued as a shoe shop until closure in the late 1960’s. Nos. 31 and 33 were converted into the Midland Bank, which opened 1 August 1969. Mr Ron Davies was the manager until his retirement in 1985, when the bank became a sub-branch of Newcastle-under-Lyme. The bank closed in 1989 and became the architectural workshops of Cope Bros. 1994 brought another change of use when it became the dental surgery of Jon and Hilary Ball, following their move from nearby Chester Road. It is now the Audley Dental Practice of Dr. Alison Bedwell.

A view in the opposite direction shows all the buildings on the right hand side in the centre of Church Street in this 1920’s view. No. 27 and no. 29 can be seen behind the telegraph pole. No. 31 and no. 33 (the Post Office) are behind the gas lamp, and no. 35, the Butt Lane Industrial Co-operative Society store is nearest to camera. Hall Street (where the bus stands) was also the bus terminus for many years for buses from Newcastle.

By 1985 the Co-op store had closed and moved into a new store next door, which can just be seen to the right. The central block by that time was the Midland Bank, and the old Co-op was a chemist. The photo shows the old Co-op building virtually unchanged from when it was built.

The row in 2004

The Midland Bank in 1969

This was Audley post office when it was at no. 33 Church Street. Left to right in the photo are: Alice Taylor, Lily Henshall, Ernest Light, John Dodd, Jenny Taylor and Alice Rowley.

Fact file: No. 33 Church Street

In, or soon after 1905, Audley Post Office closed at no. 17 Church Street, and no. 33 became the new post office. It was run by John Dodd who had both nos. 31 and 33 built. The initials JD can be seen on the buildings. He was also a stationer and printer. His printing works was located at the rear and on the first floor of no. 33. The building also housed Audley’s first telephone exchange until 1939 when a new exchange opened in Wilbrahams Walk. John Dodd died in 1950 and the post office closed. The building was purchased by the Butt Lane Co-op Society with a view to expanding their store next door. The former post office at the front of the building became the Co-op cake shop. Ernest Light, who had worked for John Dodd and was also his nephew, took over the printing business. He retired in 1956 and Ernest Drew and Jack Mayer acquired the business which became Audley Printers. When the Co-op decided not to develop the property it was offered to Ernest Drew and Jack Mayer but they declined the offer. The premises were then purchased by J. H. McEllin along with no. 31. The shop became a part of the shoe shop next door. Audley Printers moved out in 1968 and the premises were acquired by the Midland Bank. The history from this point onwards is the same as no. 31 (see article in Audley Historian no. 10 for the full story of no. 33).

Fact file: No. 35 Church Street

Built in 1914 as the Audley Branch of the Butt Lane Industrial Co-operative Society, which had previously traded at no. 71 (see later), the store operated on two floors with food on the ground floor and drapery on the upper floor. A meat department was in a wooden building at the side of the store (at the rear of what is now the delivery access to the new store). In the 1960’s a new furniture store was built next door but this was not a success. Eventually it was decided to close the old store and use only the new one, but with the meat department across the road at no. 66 (see below). By this time the society was undergoing the first of several name changes and today the new store is part of The Co-operative Group. The old store became the chemist shop of B. J. Browning in 1970 on the ground floor and a separate carpet showroom on the upper floor. After the chemist closed it was a video rental shop for several years before eventually becoming an Indian restaurant. It is now the New Royal Balti Restaurant.

The opening hours of the Butt Lane Co-op stores in 1914

In addition to the Audley branch and the head office in Butt Lane, the society had stores in Talke New Road, Talke Pits, Alsager, Ravens Lane, Kidsgrove and Wood Lane by 1914.

The shop on the right in this view was Emberton’s drapers, one of the oldest businesses in Audley, founded in 1851 by Joseph Emberton. It was owned by Samuel Emberton when this photo was taken from Hall Street in 1910. He lived in the house, partly showing in the photo, which is no. 52. The shop is variously described as no. 48 or no. 50. The buildings stand on the site of Gingerbread Hall.

Fact file: Gingerbread Hall

Gingerbread Hall appears on the 1837 Tithe Map, but is also described in a sale advertisement which appeared in the Staffordshire Advertiser of 13 February 1841. The hall, along with Gingerbread Hall Field on which it stood, was sold at auction on 10 March 1841. The field fronted what are now Church Street, Dean Hollow and Chester Road.

Eventually nos. 48-120 Church Street would be built on Gingerbread Hall Field (see 1837 Tithe Map).

This 1948 view shows Emberton’s and Bank House with Dean Hollow between.

Emberton’s remained in business until 1985 but under new management when this photo was taken in 1983. By this time the house in the previous photo had long been a part of the shop. The building next door is no. 54, formerly the home of Frank Warham, a painter and decorator. By 1933 it was the home of Charles Emberton who lived there until the 1950’s. In 1954 it became the home of George and Dorothy Hackney (see also no. 120 Church Street). George Hackney managed the Emberton shop until 1983 while Mrs Hackney had her hairdressing business upstairs in the shop. (For further information on the Emberton family go to: www.joseph-emberton.co.uk)

The business was extended into no. 54 and taken over in 1985 by Fred Boon who continues to this day as a clothing retailer.

This view was taken in, or soon after, 1910. It shows nos. 48-54 behind the horse and cart, then nos. 56-66 along to the left of the view. The names above the shops read Baskeyfield (no. 66), Salmon (no. 64) and Statham (no. 62).

The same view in 1985 shows several changes to the shop fronts.

The row in 2007

Fact file: No. 56 Church Street

In 1901 it was the butcher’s shop of Enoch Riley, then the solicitors’ of Sherratt & Nelson. By 1921 it was the grocer’s shop of Thomas Hand, continuing until his death in 1942. The shop was run by his wife Florence who continued for some time after 1942. It was taken over by Alfred Edward Wright who at the time had a shop on either side of Church Street. It was later a bookmaker’s and is now a florist’s called Flowers by Sarahjane.

Fact file: No. 58 Church Street

This was a fish and chip shop run by James Johnson from at least 1916, Levi Thomas Harris in 1932 and Ernest Fryer from 1933. In 1957 it became the surgery of Dr. D. F. Ferrington. By 1983 it was Browsers antiques set up by Cynthia Roberts (see also no. 64) and Janet Parker, but continued by the latter. Later a coffee shop and restaurant, it has turned full circle and is now Audley Fish Bar.

Fact file: No. 60 Church Street

In 1905 George Statham was a china and glass dealer there. By 1932 it was the chemist shop of John Henry McEllin. He died in 1965 but the shop continued under his name (see no. 62). However, no. 60 was also used by Lucy Webb, a draper, in the 1940’s.

George Statham was born in nearby Wood Lane in 1861 and married Edna Platt in 1888. George was a shoemaker in Tom Fields, Wood Lane before moving to Audley by 1891. Their daughter Hilda was born in 1893. George died in 1908 and Edna continued the business until at least 1921. It would appear from other photos that no. 60 was the Statham home and no. 62 the shop to begin with. The photo shows George, Edna and Hilda in the garden at the rear of no. 60.

Fact file: No. 62 Church Street

In 1891 this was the boot and shoe maker’s shop of George Statham. He died in 1908 and his widow Edna continued the business until at least 1921. By 1924 it was the chemist shop of John Henry McEllin. The business became J. H. McEllin Ltd in 1961, when Philip Broadhurst, a pharmacist, moved to Audley to become managing director.  In 1981 he became sole owner of the business and property but eventually sold all to the Co-op in 1996. Philip continued as a locum pharmacist until his retirement in 2006 and the business retained its title until 2001 when it became the Co-op Pharmacy. The latter closed in 2007 when it relocated to the new Audley Health Centre.

Philip Broadhurst is also well known in and beyond the local area as the conductor, since 1976, of Audley & District Male Voice Choir (see website: www.admvc.co.uk and article in Audley Community News issue no. 3).

Fact file: No. 64 Church Street

In 1905 it was the milliner’s shop of L. Hesketh. By 1910 it was the draper’s shop of Miss Louisa Salmon and continued as such. She had, however, married Arthur Millington, the butcher, in 1914 but did not change her business name to Mrs Louisa Millington until around 1930. The business was a partnership between Louisa and her brother-in-law William Heath, whose daughter Elsie worked in the shop. Elsie, whose married name was Darlington, later took over the business, with Louisa assisting along with Miss Lucy Gleaves, a trained milliner. In 1940 the shop was sold to Lucy Gleaves who was still there in 1961. Dresses and hats were made upstairs in the property, especially for chapel anniversaries. The business was taken over by Mrs Maureen Whittaker, who is believed to have run the shop with her sisters Mildred (Betton) and Marjorie (Wood). In 1980 it became Paraphernalia, owned by Mrs Cynthia Roberts who sold antiques (see also no. 58). The next business, of Keith Roberts, opened in late-1982, followed by Capey & Co. in 1985, Peter Wilson in 1988 then Ian Smith in 1992, all estate agents. It is now Audley Village Barbers.

Fact file: No. 66 Church Street

For many years it was a butcher’s shop. Ezra Baskeyfield was there in 1900 continuing until at least 1928. Then John Carter from at least 1931 until 1947. In 1950 William Millington moved from no. 12 and remained until his death in 1955. Butt Lane Co-op then took over the shop as a meat department run by Rache Sutton. By 1980 it had changed to a ladies hairdressing salon, Bongenie. Since 1985 it has been Head-Masters hair salon.