Lollipops from the lollipop lady

By Chester Chronicle on Aug 22, 08 11:50 AM in Chester City

A CHESTER lollipop lady was surprised to see a photograph of herself in a recent Nostalgia feature on Boughton St Paul's School.

Mona Concannon, known as Monica, spotted the photo in our feature on the history of the school which closed in July as part of Cheshire County Council's Transforming Learning Communities.

She was lollipop lady at the school when it was on the corner of Hoole Lane and what was Richmond Terrace.

Monica, who turned 80 in July, has fond memories of her time at the school and of headmistress Miss Cornelia Graham.

"It was a wonderful school and I loved the job," she said. "Every holiday time I would give every child a little present.

"At Easter it would be an Easter egg, at Christmas time a bag of sweets and in the summer a lollipop."
At the time Monica lived in Newton with her husband Michael and three sons.

She now lives in Handbridge and has six grandchildren and great grandchildren, one of which is due mid-August.

"I used to be invited to go on school trips and remember a lovely day out at the zoo," she added.
She even helped the children learn to swim on a Saturday morning at the City Baths.

"Every Friday on the way home from school the children would say: 'Mrs Concannon, will you be at the baths tomorrow?' and I would be there."

Monica originates from County Clare in Ireland and moved to Chester when she was 21. She worked at Williams and Williams on Liverpool Road before getting married.