Recently by Chester Chronicle

RUNCORN may be a New Town, but it is also an old town with a long history.

.

The words are those of historian Bert Starkey, eloquently summing up an introductory piece to his latest pictorial book entitled Runcorn - A Town Not So New.

The book provides us with everything we have come to expect from the historian's offerings: more than 200 photographs (the majority new to most of us) with every one accompanied by explanatory, lucidly presented, self-contained captions.

And once again, the contents are neatly compartmentalised, beginning with breathtaking pictures of the building of the Runcorn-Widnes Jubilee Bridge, followed by chapters on industrial Runcorn, town and country views, landmark buildings, church activities, pageants and processions.

Finally, there is a chapter on Some Runcorn Folk, in itself a modest title for a number of revealing and fascinating pictures, ranging from an Edwardian wedding 100 years ago to a picture taken at a banquet at the Exchange Station in Liverpool on December 7, 1916, when Hazlehurst & Sons Limited celebrated its centenary.

Hazlehursts was acquired from the United Alkali Company by Levers who closed the soapworks in 1913 and transferred production to Port Sunlight. Among the 150 guests were some retired employees of the firm. Hazlehursts brand name was still in use in the 1930s.

There are also photos of the boys of the old Runcorn County Secondary School, seen in formal pose in 1927, and a group of sixth formers of the Runcorn County Grammar School at the Waterloo Road site in 1946.

Within a couple of years the school was closed and the pupils were transferred to the then new Helsby Grammar School.

Bert prefaces his book with an easy-to read account of the town's 1,000-year history, skipping easily though the years from the third century AD when the Romans established a settlement at Halton Brow.

Published by Avid Publications, Runcorn, A Town Not So New is priced at £12.99 and is available from the Curiosity Bookshop, High Street, Runcorn

THE much awaited book telling the story of the Crewe Kings speedway club will be published in May - but there is still time for Chronicle readers to have their stories included.

The launch of When They Were Kings - The Crewe Speedway Story will coincide with the 40th anniversary of British League speedway beginning at the old Earle Street stadium in 1969.

The authors Mark Potts, Tony Marks, Kev Tew and Andy Scoffin have all but completed their labour of love, which is to include all the heat details from all of the 350-plus meetings which involved the Kings. Junior and training school matches and details will also be included.

The authors are interviewing ex-riders for the final chapter of the book, who include Dai Evans, Dave Morton, John Jackson and Phil Crump.

The foreword has been penned by Dave Parry, who was involved in the Kings story from start to finish, first as a rider, then manager and promoter.

Readers are being invited to send in their memories and stories of the Crewe Kings to the Chronicle office at 32-34 Victoria Street Crewe; e-mail crewe.news@cheshirenews.co.uk. The top 10 will be published in the book and the best one will receive a free copy.

The launch next year will involve many ex-riders who will be present to sign the books.
The 375-page hard back book, published by Brookmark Publications of Nantwich (Quayside Creative) will feature many never previously published photographs and will retail at £12.99 (ISBN 978-0-955-6733-4-4).

AN OLD journal has been discovered which sheds light on life in South Cheshire more than 170 years ago.

It was written by Ellen Tollet of Betley Hall and describes two years in the life of a privileged 22-year-old living in the 1830s.

She was the daughter of a wealthy landowner and close friend of Emily Darwin, the wife of Charles Darwin.

The journal and a collection of letters have been transcribed by Staffordshire woman Mavis E Smith into a book called Ellen Tollet of Betley Hall which includes 60 illustrations and sketches.

The journals were found by Mrs Smith in the Shropshire archives and she got permission to transcribe them.

Mrs Smith said: "It's been a tremendously rewarding experience transcribing this book and I feel like I have got into the head of someone who lived an incredibly long time ago.

"The journal was written before trains and at a time when Crewe was just a small village."

From tragic deaths to house parties, the diary includes the deepest thoughts and witty observations of a well-educated lady.

It follows Ellen Tollet's experiences travelling before trains, and at a time when women did not enjoy the same freedoms as they do now.

The book also includes unpublished letters from Florence Nightingale and Charles Darwin.

It costs £12.50 and can be bought from the Nantwich Bookshop or directly from Mrs Smith on 01782 750176.

Any profits from sales or subsequent talks Mrs Smith may make will be given to a cancer charity.

THE authors of the forthcoming book When They Were Kings - the Crewe Speedway Story, which is due out next May 2008 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of British League speedway at Earle Street, have set about interviewing the riders who rode for the Kings from 1969-75.

They visited Ironbridge to interview Dai Evans, the captain of the Kings when they won the league and cup double in 1972.

The interview, which is to appear in the final chapter of the book, gives a fascinating insight into the sport and the goings-on at the Earle Street stadium.

Dai was already somewhat of a veteran when he was signed for Crewe to replace Colin Tucker in May 1970. He had ridden for Wolverhampton (twice), Cradley, West Ham and Newport in Division One before signing for Crayford and Nelson and finally Crewe.

At the start of 1973, after leading the Kings to their best ever season, Dai shocked the management at Crewe when announcing his retirement just a few hours before their opening home match of the season versus Workington. In his time at the club he appeared in 107 league and cup matches and rode in 436 races, winning 83 and scoring 774 points (including bonus points) for a more than respectable calculated match average of 7.1.

He would later return into the speedway fold in a management capacity at nearby Stoke. Among the many questions he answered during the two-hour interview was who he thought was the best rider at Crewe while he was there.

"No question about it. Phil Crump was unbelievable during the '72 season. He first lodged with me when he first came over and I soon realised that this young Aussie was going to be someone special. He should have been World Champion, you know."

Dai still has fond memories of his time at Crewe and will be attending the book launch in May with other notable riders from the Kings. Pre-ordering details are to be announced in the next few weeks. The book is being compiled by Mark Potts, Tony Marks, Kevin Tew and Andy Scoffin.

About 50 years have passed since this photographs was taken, but for former nurse Julia O'Riordan they still hold happy memories.

This shows a group of nurses outside the now-demolished Nantwich Cottage Hospital. This picture features Irish-born Julia, affectionately known to her colleagues as Bridget, who now lives on Beam Street, Nantwich.

She says: "We had happy days together. The matron christened me Bridget because she didn't think that Julia was Irish enough!

"I had a lovely time there nursing and people were very kind and very good to me.
"I remember wanting to ask the matron about going to church on Sunday and she said she could tell I was a Catholic by the badge I wore, and she said she would do her best to make sure I could go. She was very strict but was good to us."

Are you in the photo? Do you have similar fond memories or any photos you would like to share? Phone the Chronicle on 01270 502433 or visit our office on Victoria Street, Crewe.

CELEBRATING its 75th anniversary is the Crewe and District Table Tennis League and among the many former players with fond memories of his days in the league is Nantwich man Frank Dale, who is well known for his football connections with Crewe Alex and Nantwich Town.

He has submitted this week's Nostalgia picture, which goes back to 1957-58 and shows the players at a Crewe and District Table Tennis League divisional finals night.

Frank says: "It was held at the Crewe LMR Club in Gresty Road, which was where Rail House is now and was known as the Penny-a-Mile."

Frank, who is the tallest player in the middle of the back row and was 18 at the time, adds: "It is nice to see the league is still going and celebrating its 75th anniversary.

"Back in those days before most people had televisions, table tennis was very popular and, like now, it could be played by all ages and in a wide variety of venues."

Among the players in the picture are Ray Hulse and Stan Morgan, whom many will know as a market trader.
We welcome your old pictures for our Nostalgia slot, which we can easily reproduce and return to you. Submit them to the Chronicle at 32-34 Victoria Street, Crewe CW1 2JE.

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.

Gerry Lynch, an ex-Portite who has lived in Canada since 1954, describes a narrow escape in wartime air attack. This photo was taken on the day he left Ellesmere Port for a new life in Canada in 1954. He is pictured with his mother on the steps of the family home at 87 Park Road.

Gerry describes of the night a bomb fell near his old home in Ellesmere Port during the Second World War. He wrote: "On the night of May 3/4 in 1941, at the height of the bombing of Merseyside, a bomb fell in front of 87 Park Road.

"I am looking for evidence that will confirm details regarding this incident. Here is a summary of what I know about this incident so far from my personal experience and research records.

"I was aged eight at the time. My brother, myself and my mother were all in bed when I heard the apparent whistle of a screaming bomb that was about to fall in front of our house.

"Upon impact we all got up and were walking on broken plaster that had fallen from the ceiling as a result of damage that had been done to the house. I remember all the soot which had come down the chimney and the cracks from the plaster of the walls.

"Luckily, there were no broken windows, and we preceded downstairs to the living room area.
"I recall hearing my mother ask an air-raid warden where the bomb had fallen. He told her it was on our front door step!

"The bomb had landed in the centre of the road in front of our house and close to the intersection of Park Road and Green Lane.

"It was a coincidence that some 150ft away from my house there was an ARP shelter. I remember crowds of neighbours on the streets standing around in front of the crater left by the bomb.

"It seemed to take up the width of the road and the water main people came out to deal with the damaged utilities about 2am.

"Across the street there were two houses which were damaged and had to be demolished and rebuilt.
"There are many stories which came from that night.

"I remember my Godmother, Mrs Rose, of 6 Green Lane, who was also an air-raid warden.
"She was on her way down to the air-raid wardens' station at the time and decided to drop in and see Mrs Davis at 5 Green Lane.

"She heard the scream of the bomb and managed to dive under the kitchen table prior to impact.
"She believed that if she had continued walking to the ARP shelter she might have been fatally injured.

"At the same time my dad, who had been on a nine-day leave in Ellesmere Port, was returning to Scotland to join the 5th Seaforth Highlanders Regiment. We thought he was well on his way to Scotland. However, during the air raid, he was trapped at Lime Street Station in Liverpool.

"He was out in the alleyway when bomb blasts forced him to go back inside. Little did he know that a bomb had also just landed in front of his house in Park Road.

"While he was at Lime Street Station he recalled hearing a loud explosion which was likely the munitions ship Malakand which had just exploded on the south west side of the Huskisson number 2 dock.

"Incidentally, there is still visual evidence of exactly where the bomb hit the road and where it has been re-paved over the years. My son Peter observed this in 1996.

"There are several accounts from people of this event but I have not been able to find any photographic reference of the crater.

"I'm looking for photographs taken by various authorities or any individuals documenting the bomb damage which took place in front of my house.

"I'd like to see what records the Royal Engineers and local Civil Defence may have regarding the incident.
"I'd also like to contact the German Luftwaffe to see if they can shed any light on the matter; for example who were the pilots and crew who dropped the bomb during this raid.

"I'd also like to find out what type of plane and bomb it was.
''And are any of the pilots involved in this bombing still alive and could they be tracked down?

"I have seen reconnaissance records of aerial views taken from the German Luftwaffe's surveillance photographs in various publications.''

If you can help Gerry out with any information about the bomb in Park Road you can contact him on gerryevertonlynch@yahoo.ca

Today, Chester Zoo is the jewel in the crown of the city's tourist attractions, but a new book has revealed the storm of protest and legal wranglings that threatened its creation.

Reared in Chester Zoo tells the story of June Williams, née Mottershead, whose father George founded the zoo in 1931 when June was only five.

Now 82, she has set the record straight on the troubled history of her father's creation in the book, written by Crewe-born author Janice Madden over the past two years.

Janice now lives in Australia but made two journeys to Chester to meet June, as well as speaking to her regularly on the phone.

June tells how, having established an aviary and zoological gardens in Shavington near Crewe, Mr Mottershead set his sights on a picturesque, 11-acre site which included The Oakfield House.

But after paying £3,500 for it in 1930 and announcing his bold vision, Mr Mottershead faced fierce opposition from residents and councils.

Local children would even throw stones at June as she walked home and a petition was handed to the council containing the signatures of hundreds of local residents.

After hearing from people who feared the arrival of wild tigers, lions and "people of mixed types" in then rural Upton, Chester Rural District Council and the Chester Town Planning Committee refused to consider the proposal.

Mr Mottershead promptly hired a barrister for an appeal at Chester Town Hall on February 6, 1931.

Under cross-examination from the town clerk, he responded to fears Upton would be overrun with visitors.
"If people came in hundreds and thousands, I would raise the entrance fee," was his astute response.

As the hearing continued an estate agent, Colonel Brown, was asked if he thought the zoological gardens would benefit Chester as an attraction.

He replied: "Oh, I don't think you could expect a very large number of people coming to Chester because of The Oakfield."

After hearing numerous representations, the town planning authority and the rural district council concluded The Oakfield was not a suitable place for a zoo and aviary.

The president of Upton Women's Institute and the chairman of Upton Parish Council also gave evidence against the application.

Mercifully, the Ministry of Health granted the zoo permission to open on March 13, 1931, subject to conditions agreed upon with the City of Chester which further delayed the opening until June.

Chester City Council drew up the conditions, including one barring signs advertising the zoo. Only one sign could be erected and that was to be at the entrance.
June says they found ways to get around the legislation.

"Because council workers weren't working during the holiday, we put signs out at the start of the bank holiday and took them down the night before they came back to work," she explained.

"The biggest thrill for many years after was when you saw 'Chester Zoo' on signposts."

The zoo failed to make a profit until 1944 when a lion enclosure was opened.

"We were just getting on our feet and it was getting established, then war started in 1939," adds June.
Mr Mottershead went on to buy three farms and 26 houses as the zoo expanded to its present 500-acre site.
June says: "My father bought as much land as he could to stop it being used for urban development."
He was made president of the International Zoological Society in 1962 and in 1963 the zoo achieved its first million visitors over a year when the tropical house was opened.

PUPILS at Crewe Grammar School in the 1960s were partial to a game of footie writes Russell Gregory.

This photograph, taken of the under 13s football team in 1965, has been kindly loaned by David Green, of Lynton Grove, Haslington, who is stood on the back row, second from left.

Led by Mr Pickup, the team was a strong side, bonding well together and winning every match they played.

But the kit left a little to be desired with the picture showing hardly any of the socks matched.

David says: "I'm still in contact with a lot of the people in the picture. One of them, Steve Jones, is still my best mate"

From left to right, sitting, are Christopher Allott, John Clark, Keith Whittingham, team captain Mick Lightfoot, Donald Black, Graham Buckley and Raymond Smith.

Standing are Peter Cope, David himself, Alan Gill, Mr Pickup, Robert Taylor, Philip Evans and best mate Steven Jones.