Brown Edge

Parish Council History

Brown Edge Parish Council is in fact Norton Parish Council! I know it sounds strange but until the local government boundary changes in 1965 Norton Parish Council was part of Leek Rural.  This process of enlargement of Stoke on Trent had started earlier with the transfer of Smallthorne to Stoke.

The Norton Parish Council consisted of members from Baddeley Green, Bemmersley, Brown Edge as well as Norton itself.  After the Boundary changes the old Norton Parish Council met and members which for the first time consisted entirely of Brown Edge men on 6th April 1965. in the “Tab” St Anne’s Vale.

Chairman Colin Simcock

Vice Chairman George Bond

W. Basnett

R.H. Cumberlidge

P. Durber

H Hammond

J. Heath

J. Rushton

? Sherratt

E. Slater

A. Turner

In December Councilor Sherratt died and Cllr Slater resigned they were replaced with K Basnett and Rev Richards.

In 1968 Norton Parish Council applied to change its name to Brown Edge Parish Council and this was approved one evening when I was in attendance, so probably in 1969.

They have met in various places over the years that I was present, including The Tab, Sandy Lane Chapel, The Church, The Village Hall and Church House. It did meet once in the Holly Bush Pub when no other rooms were available which is in fact not allowed.

I started to attend Parish Council Meetings in 1969, encouraged by my Uncle Alan and Bob Cumberlidge. I can remember these meetings as extremely smokey affairs and very formal compared to today’s meetings.

Comments

One response to “Parish Council History”

  1. norma kaczmar

    Hello Peter, I found some emails from 2017, and you asked for my grandad, George Bournes’ siblings and their spouses names. I cannot remember if I sent them, as this email was perhaps hidden somewhere. Grandad was treasurer at Ball Green Club. I remember the wonderful dances to live bands on a Saturday evening. The highlight of the year was New Year,s Eve. As my family was either related through birth or employment to everyone , it was like a weekly family get- together. We children had wonderful times playing up and down the stairs, and playing outside in the car park. No-one seemed worried about us, as we felt perfectly safe. Over to the chip shop opposite before driving home to Newchapel.
    My second cousin, Anne Hodgekinson of South Street has a wonderful memory, I will ask her what she can recall. Mr Parr was a committee member or perhaps chairman. I will search my photos. The highlight of the year was the club trip to Blackpool, by train from Ford Green. Members’ children got 5 bob to spend in Blackpool. We were given ricci and crisps for the journey and the children were treated to chips and egg, tea, bread and butter and ice cream in Woolworths cafe before our return. In the sixties the club thrived but membership fell in the eighties. The club gave camaraderie to the lives of hardworking men who had the fellowship of the pit. Grandad had many friends and the club was his second home.

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