So interesting to read about my ancestors.

My father’s family were the Copes from Cornhill, Norton and we have a family tree which lists the Iron Foundry at Norton Green, also other Foundries in earlier years.

Sue Morrey

Fascinating read. Honor was my great aunt, my grandad Sam Dawson was her brother. She taught my father Fred Dawson at Brown Edge school, and then my brother, sister and lastly me at Endon School. She was a fearsome teacher and made sure the three of us sat at the front of the class so she could keep an eye on us. Lovely lady though, one of a kind.

Hello-
My name is Ralph H. Sandmeyer III. My grandfather was the radio operator on the B24 that crashed in Brown Edge. It has always been my desire to visit Brown Edge. I’d be happy to share some of my grandfather’s military photos if you’d like to add them to your page.

Cheers-
Ralph Sandmeyer

A very interesting read. My grandad Frank Jervis married Alice May Davenport. I was told that their eldest son Frank Ashley, my dad was also born at Hobbs House. I wonder if Frank and Alice were living with Davenport relations at the time? I do know that later the Davenports were living across St Anne’s Vale

My mums nan and grandpa lived on Hilltop farm , I only knew her as nanny Tomkinson . Her daughter ( my Nan ) was called Marion Tomkinson .

Excerpt from “A likely story”, researching the Mountford family, by George Clifford Mountford, my late cousin. I suggested he name the history “Sermon on the Mountfords” but he wisely passed…
Fred Mountford, my grandfather, was born in 1881 at or near “The Lump of Coal” a public house in those days, but now a private residence at Brown Edge. Census records show that Fred’s brother George and sister Martha had followed their parents into the tailoring trade whilst John had become an earthenware potter, Joseph an ironworker, Harry was a colliery clerk and Thomas was running a business at home making locks.
Fred decided he wanted to be a Millwright. This was the pinnacle of the Steam Age and most mills would have been converted by this time from water or wind power to steam. Later records show him building and repairing machinery at Burgess and Leigh’s pottery which lies between the Trent and Mersey canal and Port St. in Middleport. He became well known and respected as a Millwright within the Potteries and once was sent to Bruges in Belgium to erect a steam engine for use in that city. Presumably that engine had been designed, made and exported by Boultons Engineers of Burslem.
Fred married his wife Bertha Stonier (from Tunstall) and they lived at 73 Forster St. Middleport, a few hundred yards from Burgess and Leigh’s works. They raised seven children. Elizabeth (Betty) 1906, Bertha 1913, Ida 1915 (my mother) Kathleen 1917, Edna May 1919, George Clifford 1907, Frederick 1910.
On the night of Friday 8th January 1943 tragedy visited 73 Forster Street, Middleport (from the Evening Sentinel). A middle-aged couple were fatally gassed and a daughter (Kathleen) was taken to hospital suffering from gas poisoning today as the result of an escape from a fractured main in the street at the front of their house. My mother found discovered the tragedy and raised the alarm, informing the police and medical aid. She was the only other occupant of the house. The houses at the bottom of the (now) Woolrich St. have now been demolished. No other houses were affected by the leakage.
I have more details if you are interested. Please use the subject “Mountford” if you reply to me. I took a photo for my cousin Clifford of the house that I was told was formerly the Lump of Coal. Do you have a contemporary one?

I am the granddaughter of Charles Edgar Burrows who is on the photograph receiving the darts trophy. He lived in Wiifeld Lane, Brown Edge. My grandmother made the lucky mascots. Many years ago I contacted Alan Hayes and he told me that my grandad and someone else (it could have been Alan himself) during the second World War raised funds for the soldiers when they were home on leave. My grandad held a raffle and raffled my mums dolls to raise money. I would love it very much if a member of Alan’s family could contact me. I never managed to visit him and regret this very much. He had lots to tell me about my grandad. I look forward to someone emailing me. Thank you for your time reading this.

could i please have a link for my research, i have ancestors named Pointon, Sheldon and Turner
kind regards
Rachelle

Hi when I lived at Norton we used to catch one of your buses to Hanley from outside the park on Ford Green Road just below the crossroads.

I am writing a family history/tree book for my sister and would like to include ‘Memories of Norton’ and hope to include the big brown bus in it. What I cannot remember is the service number.

Could you help please?

Kind regards
Barbara

Bacca Simcock was my Grandfather who lived on Fiddlers bank and was married to Elizabeth who was a postwoman. They had a number of children- Brian, Keith,David, Ray (my dad) Frank, Joe, Nancy, Florence, Violet, I think there were 14 in total

There was also OJD 128R which along with OJD 164R replaced VBF and JRF in1982.These were replaced by EWY78 and 79Y in 1987 shortly before the sale to PMT.

Hello from Jaimie McEvoy in Canada, Great Grandson of Arthur Goodwin of Bank End Farm.

On the afternoon of Aug 15th 1944,myself and pals from Norton in the Moors were watching a match at Knypersley cricket ground Biddulph. At the southern end there was a coppice of tall trees.Suddenly a Lancaster Bomber, at very low alttude flew down th pitch. The plane flying N-S went through the tops of the Trees,branches were ripped off. One engine started to smoke.The Plane veered to the East, towards Endon and Leek. On the next day news came that the bomber had crash landed in a field behind Brown Edge.I went on a search, found the site but it was cordoned off.However I found a crumpled piece aluminium,one side painted yellow , outside the crash site My souvenir ! I retained this despite house moves over the Years. What a Blessing all of the crew survived.

Very old Nortonian.!!

My great grandfather George Mountford was born 1838.He was the second child of Joseph and Martha Mountford. Anecdotal wisdom has it that he was born near The Lump of Coal.He married Elizabeth Turner and was a tailor.Their son George was born in November 1870, my grandfather, a tailor in Smallthorne.My grandfather died in 1938.

I’m tracing my Davenport family tree my Grandfather was John William Davenport born Lask Edge 7 May 1894 working back his father James Davenport Born Brown Edge born 1862/3, I’m now trying to work out if his father was William Davenport as mentioned in the Davenport family History above, any information on my family line would be greatly appreciated

The Lump of Coal. Richard Sheldon (1839-1928) was probably the longest serving landlord of any of the Brown Edge pubs. He was there from 1862 until 1909 when his son George took over. Not sure how long George was there but he died in 1934. His father-in-law (Basnett) was the licensee of the Rose and Crown at Stanley in the late 1800’s.

Reply

The following were licensees at the dates shown.
1876 – George Goodwin
1880 – George Goodwin
1900 – Charlotte Goodwin
1920’s – Possibly Ephraim Sherratt followed by his son (also Ephraim)
1939 – William Wilshaw
Later – possibly Harry Noel Hargreaves

Thanks for this website, very informative! – Do you know if any of any of Edwin’s children are still alive? According to a local obituary, Stephen Turner of Brown Edge (born 1956) died in August 2022. Was he Edwin’s son?

Many thanks

Does anyone have any information regarding my grandfather Charles Percy Baskeyfield running/owning the Hollybush pub in Brown Edge

“Raw roast for meddlers and crutches for lame sucks.” Is the phase my father used, I’ve forgotten the context

I am researching my family tree (Kirkham) and have a census of 1841 which quotes the family living at what looks like Blazingstone or Blazingstoe. It is close to Hodgefields (also Burnfields and Lions Paw) which I have found. Despite going up and down the road, I cannot see a building with this name. The father is quoted as a butter maker. Can anyone help, please ? Thanks.

Hi Paul
It’s bill brownsill
I’m heading down your way next year
2025
Would be nice to meet up

Hi Paul
It’s bill brownsill
I’m heading down your way next year 2025
Be nice to meet up

Absalom Mountford (1806 -1874), born Brown Edge, was the beer seller in the 1871 Census. His wife Elizabeth took over and is included in the 1881 Census.

The 1871 Census shows Absalom Mountford (1806-1873) at the pub. Occupation Farm labourer & beer seller. His wife Elizabeth was recorded as beer seller in the 1881 Census.

Thank you so much for this story. My second great grandfather was Charles Hall, who married Ann Turner. Ann Hall (nee Mitchell) was his grandmother. Charles and Ann emigrated to Australia in 1878. Wondering if anyone can verify who his biological parents were. DNA evidence seems to indicate that Hannah Hall was his mother, but I would love to hear from someone in the family who might be able to provide further information.

Could you tell me how to find more details of Tricks Holdcroft
Was that Enoch Holdcroft

Does anyone remember Brown Edge Working Mens Club and has anyone got a photograph of it , it used to be a good nights entertainment there
with plenty of groups and singers performing at weekends.

Wow! Many thanks Peter for writing this work about Turner’s buses and to everyone else who has had input into it.
I used to live “up Hill Top” and my first “Turners” recollection was in the early 60’s when Mr. Lithgow used to drum up customers around Hill Top for day trips to Blackpool etc. I remember Alan Turner (driving) and asking me about the teaching staff at Wolstanton County Grammar School as he had attended there and I was in my first year – 1960).
I used to love seeing the “old” double deckers parked down the side and round the back (mainly Leylands?) and then the newer front entrance ones, but I could not get my head round the Daimler flat fronted, flat backed things (slight autism there).
I used to “knock around” the village as there were not many lads my age at Hill Top and often saw “young” Gordon (later a conductor?) and Roy (Tank) who went to Leek High School.
Over the years I picked up a number of photos of some of the buses. They are presently residing with an avid bus fan mate of mine in Biddulph, but would love to see loads more of single and double deckers and also the depot as it was throughout its Turners’ years.

Can anyone tell me why there is an Ind Coope and Allsopp limited sign on the car park of what used to be Keith’s? Thanks! Mark