Ralph Williams' Grocers shop, the Central Supply Stores"

Central Building, Lane End, Brunswick Road, Buckley

1906

Mrs Gladys Roberts, née Williams

Abenbury Bungalow, Knowle Lane, Buckle

Gladys was always told by her father, John Ernest Williams, that his father, Ralph Williams, bought the chain for the Mayor of Buckley. I don't know if it was the original chain or not. Her grandfather was also on the Board of Governors of Ruthin Jail and he met Princess Alice of Prussia. There is a photo of this. He was presented with a samovar in an exchange of presents during a visit she made to Ruthin Gaol. (See 16.19 for a photo of the samovar.)

R.D. Davies, the undertaker, made his first coffin in the front room of Central Stores soon after her grandfather had finished building the shop. There is a tile above the front with R.W. in it. Everyone knew the family as "Johnny Williams, Chester," the cattle dealer whose home was Ewloe Hall down Liverpool Road. John Ernest, or J.H. as he was known, used to go with his uncle Johnny as far as Pwllheli to buy cattle. They would walk from Pwllheli with the cattle and stop at Kent Farm, Pontrug, near Caernarvon for the night and the next day would walk to Denbigh Moors. They would reach Chester four days later where his uncle would have a slap up meal in the Blossoms Hotel and the dog would always have the same, but the lads who walked with the cattle would just have sandwiches in the courtyard.

Ralph Williams had shops at Buckley, Penyffordd, Kinnerton, and Rhos y Medre. Uncle Rowley ran the Wrexham shop. Ralph Williams died at the age of 42 with cancer of the back passage. He used to go to Stoke-on-Trent for crockery by horse and cart and was also the first town councillor for Buckley. The shop was a butcher's slaughterhouse, diary and crockery shop.

Author: Mole, Margaret

Ralph Williams' Grocers shop, the Central Supply Stores"

Central Building, Lane End, Brunswick Road, Buckley

Tags