Part 5

In this pre-1896 view, looking back into the centre of the village, the lighter coloured house by the horse and cart is no. 70. The next house, moving towards camera, is no. 72 with the hedges. Out of view is no. 74 which stands well back from the road and was at the time the home and surgery of Dr. Richard Vernon. No. 76 is also out of view. Finally, the shop with Hayes above the window is no. 78. The rural scene on the other side of the road is again evident.

This is the same view in the mid-20^th century by which time the right hand side of the street was built up. A car stands on almost the same spot as the horse and cart in the previous scene.

The same view again but this time in 1986. The area around the former surgery had been opened up and the house converted into two shops.

Fact file: No. 70 Church Street

The building (above left) behind no. 70 Church Street was originally a fustian works. (Fustian is a twilled cotton cloth). It was owned by the Dean family who lived at no. 19 Church Street (see part 1). In 1883 Daniel Maddock rented the house and workshop for his building firm. The firm built the Methodist chapel on the opposite side of Church Street in 1896. Daniel’s son Frank had to hold a lantern for his father to do the woodwork in the chapel. Daniel Maddock had been born in Audley in 1858 and married Annie Horton in 1879. Frank, born in 1881, was the son of this marriage. Daniel died in 1909. In 1913, when the lease expired, Frank Maddock purchased the house and workshop from the two surviving daughters of Thomas Dean, Mary and Florence, for £850 and lived at the house. His half-brothers, who were Maddock Brothers Builders, moved their business from Nantwich Road and rented the workshop. Frank worked for them as a bench-hand joiner. The half-brothers were from Daniel’s second marriage to Jane Billington in 1884, following Annie’s death in 1883. In 1936 Maddock Brothers Builders moved across Church Street to set up a builder’s yard at the rear of the chapel, but with an access drive from Church Street (where Margaret’s Garden is today, alongside the Co-op). They later erected about sixteen lock-up garages on land (behind the present day Co-op) which had once been a bowling green. That business closed in 1967.

In 1936 Frank’s son, Vince Maddock, took over from his father and set up Vince Maddock Builders in the workshop and lived at no. 70. There were also 10 lock-up garages on this site, as shown in the above photos. In 1967 Vince’s sons, Eric and Gerald Maddock, took over the business which became Vince Maddock & Sons. Vince died in the same year. The business closed in 1994. Eric’s son Michael converted the workshop into a house which became no. 68 Church Street. No. 70 was originally two houses, nos. 68 and 70, so the number 68 was easily transferred to the new property. Gerald’s son, Paul, is the 5^th generation of joiners in the Maddock family.

Also in the above right-hand photo, just showing above the garage roofs, is no. 66a Church Street. This house was converted from the former slaughterhouse (which closed around 1943) at the rear of no. 66, when it was a butcher’s shop.

Fact file: No. 72 Church Street

The only business here was that of the hairdresser Albert Heath who is recorded between 1910 and his death in 1923; otherwise it was a private house.

Fact file: No. 74 Church Street

In 1891 it was the home and surgery of Dr. Richard Vernon. He retired around 1900 but continued to live in the house until his death in 1946. The house remained private until 1980 when the property was divided into two. No. 74 became Rees Jones, Huntbach & Phoenix (see also no. 88) during the 1980’s then P. Hughes in the 1990’s, both solicitors. It was then Premier Financial Services and today is C. W. Mottram & Family, funeral directors. No. 74A became Louis Taylor during the 1980’s then Cooper Collins in the 1990’s, both estate agents. It is now the dog grooming and horse care business called Woofs and Winnies.

Louis Taylor & Sons in 1982 at no. 74A

Fact file: Nos. 76 and 78 Church Street

In 1891 no. 78 was recorded as the shop of James Hayes, tailor and draper, continuing until his death in 1903. It was then the draper’s shop of Arthur Subden until about 1924, then Alice Subden from 1928 until 1936. From 1936 it was the newsagents of Harry H. Heath. In 1950 the post office moved from no. 33 to the newsagents, but was in no. 76 which adjoined the shop. It can only be assumed that no. 76 had been part of no. 78 for some time. Heaths remained there until 1972 when the business was taken over by J. & J. M. Lewis who remained until 1983. The post office closed but the newsagents continued under new management as Finlays Newsagents. It was Audley Newsagents then Newsplus in the 1990’s. It is now Occasions which was previously at no. 28 but now run as a newsagents and gift shop.

A view of Heath’s shop, probably taken during alterations in the 1960’s

Looking uphill in this view taken some time around 1900 shows the residential area of Church Street. Although there were some businesses in the remaining section they were surrounded by houses. The large building at left is the Peoples’ Methodist Church. The buildings on the right hand side are nos. 78 to 100 with nos. 104 and 106 standing end-on to the road. There is no record of a no. 102.

This view shows the scene in 2007, minus only the chapel. The buildings on the left hand side are nos. 59-83 in the terraces.

Fact file: No. 80 Church Street

John Findlow, a furniture dealer, was there in 1891, followed by Joseph Carter in 1900 and continuing until 1912. George Darlington, a grocer, was there in 1916, continuing until his death in 1948. The business was continued by his wife Elizabeth and daughter Marion. Paraffin, lamps, sticks and apples were some of the varied items sold by Marion Darlington. In 1960 she sold the property to Eric Maddock (see no. 70). The shop at the front of the house was converted into two shops. One was rented by Mrs Kathleen Ford as Kathleen Salon, ladies’ hairdressers and the other by The Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society as an office. The shops were later a clothes shop of Mrs A. Ralphs, a clothes shop of Mrs S. Prince, an office of Sproston, Slaney & Swann solicitors in 1987 and an antique shop of Mrs I. Holland. Eric Maddock then converted the shops back into one to make more room for the wool shop of Mrs. P. Rhead. Next the shop became Ozpom with Mrs June Ward selling mixed gifts, cards, toys and sweets. Today it is For All Occasions, a florist and card shop.

Fact file: No. 82 Church Street

A private house until 1950 when Len Harrison moved from no. 67 to open an electrical shop selling radios and later televisions. In 1970 Scragg & Lunt took over the business, selling records as well as other electrical appliances. The business is still there today.

Fact file: No. 84 Church Street

Albert Heath was a hairdresser there in 1905. Afterwards a private house until the late 1960’s when it became Kathleen Salon, following its move from no. 80A, and remained so until 2000. It is still a salon, but now named Ebony & Ivory.

Photo: Kathleen Salon in 1997

Fact file; No. 88 Church Street

In 1891 it was the butcher’s shop of George Rowley, then his widow Mary from 1896. She died there in 1924 but is only recorded as a butcher until 1910. In 1928 it was the confectioner’s shop of Gladys Moreton. From 1955 until 1980 part of the house was used as an office by the solicitor, Frank Phoenix. He qualified as a solicitor in 1939 at the outbreak of World War II. After serving as a major during the war, he formed a partnership with George Hawley, a solicitor of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent. The main office was in St John’s Chambers, Longton, but for the benefit of Audley residents Frank Phoenix opened the office at no. 88 on Thursdays only. Around 1975 the business was bought out by Tony Freida who incorporated local solicitors into groups. The firm of Rees Jones, Huntbatch and Phoenix was formed. Frank Phoenix died in 1980 and the business moved to no. 74 Church Street. (Today the firm is based in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, but still retains the Phoenix name). Since 1980 no. 88 has been a private house.

Fact file: No. 94 Church Street

A private house until 1982 when it became the new premises of Gordon’s Hairdressing after it moved from no. 38.

Fact file: No. 100 Church Street

Joseph Dean was there in 1891 as a draper and newsagent. His widow Elizabeth continued the newsagent’s business in 1901 and was followed by their daughter Mabel Annie Dean in 1913. She died in 1933 and the property has been a private house since then.

Fact file: No. 106 Church Street

The home of coal dealer David Burgess from at least 1928 until his death in 1950. Otherwise a private house, but now part of no. 104.

This fine building was erected in 1896 as a primitive Methodist chapel but with the title of Audley Peoples’ Methodist Church. It replaced an older chapel in Chapel Lane which is directly opposite the front of this chapel. Sadly like many other local chapels, rising maintenance costs and falling attendances brought about its end and it was demolished in October 1973.

Fact file: Primitive Methodist Chapel

The chapel was built on a plot of land measuring 1,547 square yards which was purchased for £116 0s 6d from the trustees of the estate of the late Sir Thomas Fletcher Fenton Boughey on 12 April 1890. The trustees of the earlier Primitive Methodist Chapel, standing at that time in Chapel Lane in Audley, who were involved in the purchase, were:

                                    Henry Maddock, charter master

                                    Frank Proctor, grocer

                                    Joseph Statham, miner

                                    Enoch Statham, miner

                                    John Statham, miner

                                    Edwin Latham, clerk

                                    George Timmis, miner

                                    Andrew Thomas Henshall, miner

                                    Thomas Mainwaring, miner

                                    Thomas Johnson, farmer

                                    James Millington, grocer

                                    Daniel Maddock, joiner and builder

                                    John Hilditch, shoe manufacturer

                                    Henry Dodd, mechanic

                                    Alfred Gleaves, labourer

                                    Abraham Locker, farmer and cattle dealer

                                    John Lewis Edwards the younger, farmer,

                                    all of the parish of Audley

The chapel was erected by Daniel Maddock’s building firm following a stone laying ceremony on Easter Monday 6 April 1896, which was reported in the Staffordshire Advertiser newspaper of 11 April 1896.

More land became available later. This lay between the chapel and the school, the bulk of which was Leddy’s Field (see beginning of part 4). The land was offered in 11 lots to be sold by auction at the Boughey Arms Hotel in Audley on 27 August 1903. The chapel trustees purchased five lots for a total of £860. This comprised of three lots fronting Church Street, from the chapel to (and including) the site of the future Butt Lane Co-op building at no. 35, and two lots in what would become Hill Terrace in 1910. A document dated 13 March 1904 gives full details and includes the names of all the above trustees with the exception of John Hilditch who had died in 1898 (see no. 1 Church Street). However, several of the trustees were no longer resident in Audley by that time.

A plot of land at the rear of the chapel was set aside for a Sunday school, but this never materialised and the old chapel in Chapel Lane became the Sunday school instead.

A view of the chapel interior in 1952, on what may have been the centenary of Primitive Methodism in Audley village.

Views of the demolition in October 1973

Upon closure of the chapel in 1971, a new, small chapel was built at the rear of the Sunday school in Chapel Lane. It lasted for a further 30 years until its closure resulted in an amalgamation of the Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists in Audley. They now meet in Audley Methodist Church in New Road (see website: www.audleymethodistchurch.org.uk)

A view in the opposite direction shows no. 59 at right.

The same view in 1988 by which time the chapel site was occupied by a supermarket which became no. 57.

Fact file: No. 57 Church Street

The supermarket opened as Cee-n-Cee in the 1970’s, was taken over by Tates, then by Kwik Save. It closed in 2007 but re-opened in 2008 as Tesco Express.

Fact file: No. 59 Church Street

A private house until about 1928 when Harry Matthews started his hairdressing business which continued until the 1960’s. The property was then occupied by a dentist whose name is not known. By 1983 it was Fruitex of Audley, run by Stan & Joyce Harper. Stan Harper also repaired sewing machines. The fruit shop was continued by Mary Eardley. It was then the second-hand goods shop of Alan Knott and is now the New Ruby Chinese Take-away.

Fruitex in 1982

This is a Hospital Saturday parade in 1906 as it passes nos. 65 and 67, the photographer’s of Thomas Warham before he moved to no. 27. Next is a house at no. 69 followed by the original Butt Lane Co-op store at no. 71. The higher buildings are nos. 73 onwards.

This is a similar view taken in 1988 showing no. 61 at left followed by the three Horsley shops. The front of the house at no. 69 has bay windows added but the former Co-op store is unaltered. Nos. 61-71 were built by 1876 and along with no. 85 were the first to be erected on this side beyond the school.

Fact file: No. 61 Church Street

A private house except for use as the veterinary practice of Richard G. Yorke during the 1990’s.

Fact file: No. 63 Church Street

A private house for many years until it became one of Horsley’s hardware shops.

Fact file : No. 65 Church Street

This was the photographer’s shop of Thomas Warham before his move to the purpose-built “The Studio” at no. 27 in 1910. By 1921 it was the boot and shoe repair shop of George Henry Proctor. Mrs Elizabeth Horsley is recorded there in 1936 as a hardware dealer. The shop is still Horsley’s today.

Fact file: No. 67 Church Street

Thomas Warham was at this shop from 1896 until 1910. Thomas Aldridge, a confectioner, is the next recorded in 1921. Mrs Elizabeth Horsley used it as a dairy in 1936. It was briefly used by Len Harrison for his radio business in the late 1940’s but then became another of Horsley’s shops. In 1984 it became Audley Post Office following the closure of the office at no. 76.

Another Hospital Saturday parade passes the Butt Lane Co-op store at no. 71. Nos 73-83 can be seen in the next terrace with no. 85 at the far right.

Fact file: No. 71 Church Street

In 1896 this was the first Audley store of the Butt Lane Industrial Co-operative Society, who rented it. The property was sold by auction at the Boughey Arms Hotel in Audley on 12 June 1902 at which time the Co-op was paying an annual rental of £26. The property included a wood-built joiner’s shop at the rear. By 1910 it was owned by Elias Johnson, who had his builder’s yard at the rear of the premises. The Co-op moved in 1914 by which time the builder’s yard had passed to Elias Johnson junior. Until 1924 it was Johnson (Audley) Ltd, who in that year went out of business. By 1928 William Worthington had the builder’s yard and house, continuing for many years after. In the 1980’s it was Audley Mower Services.

Fact file: No. 73 Church Street

Although a house, this was the home of William Llewellyn until his death in 1956. He was recorded as a house decorator from 1910 until 1940.

Fact file: No. 75 Church Street

Again a private house but the home or office of Thomas Sproston, a solicitor, from 1928 until 1940.

Fact file: No. 77 Church Street

Another private house, but also the home of William Harry Beeton, a plumber, from 1901 until his death in 1940.

Looking back again from no. 71 at right, down to no. 59 in this pre-1896 view.

The same view in 1986.

This view shows nos. 108-114 at left and the terrace at right along to no. 83. No. 85 is just out of view at the right. The road to the right is Hougher Wall.

A similar view, taken in 1987, shows the remainder of Church Street at left. Nos. 108-114 can be seen in the terrace, furthest from camera, no. 116 is the shop with the blind down, followed by a house at no. 118. Finally no. 120 at left completes Church Street on that side. On the opposite side no. 85 can just be seen at right and beyond is no. 83, the end terrace.

Fact file: No. 116 Church Street

In 1891 Daniel Darlington, shoemaker, had his shop there. He died in 1905 and his widow Jane lived there until her death in 1925, but there is no record of the business continuing until then. The property passed to their daughter Bertha and her husband Edmund Viggars. From at least 1936 their daughter Elsie Viggars had a milliner’s shop there, continuing until the 1960’s. By the 1980’s it became the butcher’s shop of S. & E. Taylor, continuing until a few years ago. It changed briefly to a craft shop along with the adjoining no. 118, but is now a private house incorporated into no. 118.

Stuart Taylor in 1982

No. 116 in 1999

Fact file: No. 118 Church Street

In 1896 this was the tailor’s shop of Abel Darlington, continuing until his death in 1913. It was later a private house until joined with no. 116 as above.

Fact file: No. 120 Church Street

From 1896 until 1905 it was the clog and shoemaker’s shop of John Edmund Shaw. It was then a confectioner’s, first of Bertha Pepper in 1916, then John Pitt in 1928. It became a greengrocer’s under John Ernest Taylor in 1932 then John Taylor from 1936. From 1954 until 1959 it was the hairdressing salon of Dorothy Hackney and in the 1960’s it was Wilshaw’s fish and chip shop. However, the property was also a house which was the home of Ezra Baskeyfield, the butcher, until his death in 1940; Reginald Hawthorne, the shoe repairer, until his death in 1954, and George and Dorothy Hackney from 1954 until 1959. By the 1980’s the house had changed to an off-licence, Audley Wine Cellar, which adjoined first Gerry’s Chip Shop, run by Gerald & Teresa Mottershead, then the Audley Fish & Chip Shop of Maureen and Barry Sheppard. Later a Chinese take-away and off-licence, it is now a house and The Oriental Chef Chinese Take-away.

                                Gerry’s Chip Shop in 1982

The final terraced row in Church Street shows nos. 73-81 in this 2007 view.

Fact file: Nos. 81 and 83 Church Street

No. 81 was the home of Thomas Joynson Higginson, an insurance agent, from about 1921 until 1933. By 1936 it became the hosiers of T. & E. Higginson later selling a large range of adult and children’s clothing, haberdashery and other items. The business expanded into no. 83 after 1960 and continued in the family under Mrs Thorley Platt who traded as Thorley Higginson, selling clothes, rugs and wool. It closed soon after 2002 and both properties are being converted back into private houses.

And finally, no. 85, the former home of Dr. John Vernon, stands on the corner of Church Street and Hougher Wall Road.

Fact file: No. 85 “Highfield” Church Street

This property was built by 1876 with stables and a coach house at the rear. It became the surgery and home of Dr. John Vernon who was the son of the previously mentioned Dr. Richard Vernon. He was assisted by Dr. J. Megaw and then by Dr. Albert Riley. Following Dr. Vernon’s death in 1944 the practice continued under Dr. Riley and Dr. J. H. Jervis. Dr. Riley died in 1952 and was replaced by Dr. J. Jenkins. The surgery closed in the 1950’s and moved to Wereton Road. The property was also used during the 1950’s by Emlyn Owen, opticians. No. 85 is now a private house but named “Highfields”.

For details of Audley Historian and other available publications go to the Publications page on this website. For details of Audley Community News go to the News page on this website.

Additional information and recollections about any of the buildings and businesses would be greatly appreciated, as would any photographs of individual buildings or occupiers, which could be incorporated into the article. Please contact the society with any information.

Most of the old photographs are reproduced from the Thomas Warham Collection by kind permission. Most of the colour photographs are by Clive Millington. Other photographs have been kindly donated.

Many thanks to all concerned for the information and photographs received for insertion into this article.