George Lewis' Diary: Part Six"

February 1960

Buckley Society Magazine Issue Eighteen, Spring 1994

THE DIARY OF GEORGE LEWIS PART V1, 1955-62

Edited by JB Lewis

1955

Jan 5 Wed12th O.A.P. Treat at the Albert Hall

Jan 13 ThurFrom the registers of St Matthew's Church, as printed

in Magazine;

1850-50 1900-04 1950-54

Baptisms 301 297 152

Weddings 66 36 67

Funerals 62 620 208

Jan 11 TueDr Allen Cathcart, M.O.H. to Buckley Council, reported December

nil births, 13 deaths[10 over 70], 37 cases of measles

Feb 22 WedSnow 8ft deep in Scotland; people and animals

believed starving by helicopter

Feb 23 ThurThe worst blizzard in the West Country for 30 years

Mar 2 WedThe 23rd Annual Pantomime 'All Baba'

Mar 14 MonShones at their Drury Brickworks started to fill their new

continuous Kiln [504] today

Apr 5 TueSir Winston Churchill resigned as M.P.

May 4 Wed'Prescription' won the Chester Cup

May14 SatBuckley U.D.C. Election: Ewloe Wood Ward - W.L.

Rowlands 276, P.L. Dunn 247,J.Lewis 194

May 21 SatBuckley Pantomime; total income £4,730-4-0, expenses

£2,903-4-0, profit for distributionto charities (all named - Ed)

£1,826-I 9-6

May 26 ThurMrs Eirene White's majority for Parliament 8,352

Jan 14 TueBuckley O.A.P. Trip to Rhyl; 300 persons in 9 coaches

June 29 WedSt Matthew's Church Fete, a wet day, made £257

July 12 Tue99th Buckley Jubilee in brilliant sunshine

Aug 6 SatA skeleton, believed to be at least 3,000 years old

was found in the field calledDol-Yr-Orsedd at Llong

Aug 8 MonThe Castle Firm finished taking the dirt heap away

from the Jump [505]

Aug 24 WedThe thermometer outside the Buckley U.D.C. Offices

registered 107 degrees F today,probably the hottest ever

Sept 17 SatVaults belonging to the Wynne and Elton families

containing a small lead coffin were discovered by

workmen laying a concrete floor in Mold Parish Church

at the East end of the North Aisle

Oct 1 SatMr Groves started to keep the Liverpool Road Post

Office, Buckley

Nov 21 MonMr Joseph Lewis, The Willow, started today to build a

new. cement works on the Old Pottery land, Lower

Common, First cement blocks were made there on Dec 27

[506]

Dec 19 MonThe first snow this winter

1956

Feb 3 FriThe old Brickyard, Lane End, Buckley closed down in a

State of bankruptcy [507]

Feb 13 MonThe Union Jack flew at half-mast at Buckley today in

memory of Dr David Fraser, the first M.O.H. for the

U.D.C., who died the previous night, aged 85, at

Bridport, Dorset. He was M.O.H. for about 50 years at

Buckley and was interred at Weymouth [508]

Feb 28 TueMr George Arthur Hallam, Daisy Hill, died; He was the

first man to bring wireless to Buckley.

Feb 29 WedThe 24th Buckley pantomime, Cinderella

May 10 ThurThe Castle Brickworks finished the dirt heap at the

Hop and Skip on Llong Road. They are now going to

Bromfield, Mold [509]

June 19 Tue240 O.A.P.s had their annual trip to Llandudno. It

was reported in the minutes of the General Purposes

Committee,that George Lewis, a director of the Castle

Fire Brick Co Ltd (510), attended their meeting to

discuss the company's proposals for the excavation of

clay from land on the common. He said that they wouldbe prepared to give suitable guarantees for the back-

filling and reinstatement of the surface of the land,

after excavation of the clay. The Council adopted a recommendation of the committee, approving, in

principle, the company's proposals, subject to conditions being agreed. A sub-committee was appointed to inspect the site

June 27 WedSt. Matthew's Church Garden Fete was opened by Mrs Parish,London.

As Dorothy Drew(511),she lived at the vicarage for seven years

Jul 10 TueThe Centenary of the Buckley Jubilee, a record crowd with the

Buckley Royal Town Band,the Llay Silver Band, the Chester

Salvation Army Band and the Caergwrle Boys Brigade Band. A new banner sent by Mr Neville Griffiths, of the servicemen

in Malaya, was sent to the Drury Lane Methodist Chapel; the new banner for the Tabernacle was donated by a legacy left by a former minister, Rev E. Lacey. The Centenary shield was presented by Mr Horace Beavan to St John's Congregational Church (512). [A fire display and plaque dedication followed on Friday and Sunday to mark the Centenary-Ed]

Aug 6 MonA plague of crickets in Buckley; the Council has bought £50 worth

of chemicals to destroy them The worst harvest for 15 years

Sept 8 SatThe worst harvest for 15 years

Oct 20 SatIn a large upper room, the Rev J.E. Bulk, Curate of Hawarden held

the first Harvest Home Service at the Boar's Head Inn, Ewloe [513]

Dec 1 SatThe High Sheriff of Flintshire, AId T.E.D. Hibbert (514)laidthe

foundation stone of the new schoolroom at Drury Methodist Church,

Buckley [515]. The estimated cost of £500 is aided by the J.

Arthur Rank Organisation.

`1957

Jan 2 Wed250 O.A.P.s at the 14 Treat held in the Elfed School

Jan 25 FriThe ,first payment was made today of a pension to men who have

worked for 40 years at the Castle Fire Brick Firm, Buckley; 10/-

per week for those who have worked for 40 years; £1 for those who

have worked for 45 years.

Mar 6 Wed25th Buckley Annual Pantomime; Jack and the Beanstalk

May 24 ThurProfits of the Buckley Pantomime were £1,200

June 18 Tue150 O.A.P.s from Buckley went to Llandudno in 7 coaches

Aug 5 MonThe Royal Buckley Town Band came first in Class D in the

Brass Band Section on the opening day of the Eisteddfod at

Llangefni. Melvyn Smallwood, aged 15, of Buckley played in

the National Orchestra at the Eisteddfod

Nov 9 SatSix bell-ringers from St Matthew's Church went today to ring the

bells at Liverpool Cathedral

Dec 20 Fri27 Italian employees were discharged today and 10 O.A.P.s from the

Castle Brick Works today; 20 clocks were given to those with over

40 years service [516]

1958

Jan 2 Thurs200 O.A.P.s attended the Annual Treat at the Elfed School

Mar 15 SatOver 15,000 people have seen the 26th Buckley Pantomime this year,- Robinson Crusoe

Apr 26 SatMold Churchyard wall has been built with the stone from a

disused chapel at Llong [517]

May 3 SatProfits from the Pantomime were £1,149-lls-8d.

May 7 Wed Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother visited Chester Races

May 29 Thur The Urdd National Eisteddfod visited Mold for the first time

June 18 WedBuckley O.A.P.s visited Southport in 7 coaches

Sept 18 ThurThe bridge 150 yards from the Elm Pit was pulled down (518)

Nov 1 SatMr Wallington started to keep the Liverpool Road Post Office

Dec 7 SunThe Bishop of St Asaph confirmed 38 candidates from St Matthew's

and 3 from Bistre in St Matthew's Church today.

Dec 13 SatThe Buckley and District Caged-bird Society, which was

formed early this year, held its first member's annual show in the

Parish Room (519) today - 320 entries

Dec 30 TueOver 200 O.A.P.s attended the annual treat in the Tabernacle Schoolroom today.

1959

Feb 21 SatThe Castle Fire Brick Co Ltd are closing the Buckley Junction

Brickworks [520]. There will be no redundancies since the men will

be employed at the Lane End Works [521]

Feb 23 Mon2nd Buckley Caged Bird Society Show - 67 entries - at the

Feathers Inn

Feb 28 SatBuckley Pantomime 'Puss in Boots': Admission: Circle 5/6d;

Stalls 4/6d and 4/-

Apr 1 Wed The St Matthew's Church Council passed the ruling that no' more

kerbs, or white marble stones or black granite ones or

artificial wreathes or the planting of trees or shrubs would

be allowed in the churchyard

May 23 SatBuckley Pantomime balance £925-9s-9d.

June 6 SatThe sale of the Gwysaney Library at Sotherby's this week,realising £13,911. The books were from the collection of Lt

Col P.R. Davies - Cooke. Many were bought by the National

Library of Wales. The Library was formed by Robert Davies

[1658 - 1710], the Welsh Antiquary; many of the books

contain his signature and book-plate. Mr Quartich, the London

bookseller, paid £2,900 for five legal works printed by Wynkyn de

Worde, between 1510 and 1519, also he paid £200 for a Welsh Bible

of 1620 and £700 for Tyndale's version of the New Testament,one

of the two surviving copies, published in 1553 [523]

June 7 SunThe Rev P.J. Blake M.A., Curate of St Matthew's [523] finished his

ministry and was presented with a cheque for £72 in the Gladstone

Hut [5241 The Rev Brython M.Davies, the newly appointed Pastor

Of St John's Congregational Chapel, began his ministry [524]

Aug 19 Wed Thousands of tons of clay has been brought from Port

Sunlight to fill the Prince's Clayhole [526]

Sep 22 TueA meeting of 700 inhabitants of the Lane End in the Parish

Room to prevent the Council moving people from 60 houses there to

a housing estate in the middle of town [5271

Oct 17 SatThe 4th Harvest Home at the Boar's Head Inn, taken by the

Rev J.T. James, Vicar of Buckley (528)

Nov 7 SatMr Dennis Griffiths has resigned from his role as producer

of the pantomime, on medical advice

Dec 26 Sat360 entries at the Caged-Bird Show in the Parish Room

1960

(The entries for Buckley are very few here; he was

increasingly less mobile and so it was more convenient to

copy large tranches from the daily newspaper - Ed)

Jul 12 Tue The first time that the St Matthew's Processional Cross was

carried in the Jubilee

Dec 2 TueLarge concrete lamp-standards erected in Buckley

1961

Feb 3 Fri17 people died in Buckley in 2 weeks on account of a flu and

measles epidemic'

Mar 25 SatThey have started to take the Old Ewloe Pottery down; it was

built in 1740

Apr 1 SatGibson's Brickyard closed down; to be demolished [530]

Apr 8 SatThe council has started to pull down the twenty row [529] in

the Pentre, Burntwood.

Apr 15 SatCounty Council Election; Arthur Jones [lab] 547, Margaret

Herford [Con] 433 [531]

Jun 1 Wed I saw men pulling the Old Vicarage down at Mold today [532]

Jul 8 SatThere are about 50 Italians working in the Buckleybrickyards now [533]

Jul 9 SunAn open challenge fishing contest in the Trap Pool [534] was

won by G.F. Davies, Broughton, with a catch of 9lb lloz 11 drms

Aug 30 WedC. Fletcher, Liverpool Road, has started to build a workshop

on the Mountain Colliery ground [5351

Aug 30 WedSt Matthew's Bells [long account-Ed] sent to Messrs John

Taylor, Loughborough to be recast; estimate £351 + ropes-

10-0 (536)

Oct 23 TueA new machine at the Castle Fire Co Ltd is making 6,000

bricks per hour

Nov 3 FriIt is my 84th Birthday today

Nov 18 SatHarry Bartley left No 7 Higher Common today (537)

Nov 22 WedA Council Meeting today it was decided to demolish No 7

Higher Common [538]

1962

Feb 18 SunThe U.D.C. to demolish 14 sub-standard houses (539)

Mar 2 FriBuckley Clinic opened by Miss Jones (540)

Apr 18 WedA sale at John Edwards's Smithy, Tram Road, Buckley [541]

Apr 28 SatBuckley Baths were officially re-opened last night by Mr.J.S.Parry [542], Chairman of the U.D.C after an extensive

renovation scheme costing £20,000

Notes 1955 - 1962

504A kiln in which the chambers are serially arranged, in contrast to the older 'bee hive' type

505 See note 506

506 See Oriel Mostyn op cit p 23

507 The Metallic Go: taken over by Castle Fire Brick Co Ltd

508 [I believe he went to live near his daughter, in old age-Ed]

509 The site of the Bromfield Industrial Park

510 The Diarist's eldest son

511 See note 6

512 Mr Beaven was the 'guiding light' of the Jubilee for countless years

513 An innovation indeed

514 The first person, in modern times, to hold this office who was not from The Establishment' i.e. of Oxbridge/Public School origin

515 Appears earlier as Pentrobin

516 Employees were offered the choice of a gold watch or a clock made by Aspreys of London

517 The Methodist Chapel at the bottom of the 'Watery Lane'

518 Does he mean the railway bridge taking the line from Oak House towards Connah's Quay?

519 Attached to all Saints Church

520 On the right ,up the lane, immediately before the railway bridge; now an infil centre

521 Home of 'Autumn Tints'

522 See Gwysaney and Owston by G.A.Usher [Private publication] pp99-l28

523 Left the diocese for England

524 Drury

525 Brython Morlwydd b 1901 - came from Wrexham

526 Near the Horse and Jockey

527 Well known to Buckley people

528 See note 534

529 A long terrace of houses 'behind' the Grand Stand Inn

530 Part of Castle Fire Brick Co Ltd at that time

531 A very well - know and respected G.P.; Dr Hereford lived and had her consulting rooms in Mill Lane, before retiring to Liverpool Road; she became a Buckley 'institution' and a veritable 'backbone' of St Matthew's Church and, indeed, of the Church in Wales

532 Known to the poet A.H.Clough, when his uncle was Vicar of Mold and he attended The King's School, Chester

533 The remaining prisoners of war

534 Next to the 'Hope and Anchor Inn

535 Mr Fletcher and family owned the Smithy in Liverpool Road

536 See note 47

537 Amos' cottage: see Buckley and District

538 See note 526

539 See note 518. She was also the organiser of the voluntary organisation which

sold goods for child welfare for many years each Monday afternoon in the Calvinistic Methodist Chapel Schoolroom - as has been stated, a considerable philanthropist

540 Almost immediately opposite Amos' cottage

541 A well-known corn-merchant in the district

Author: Lewis, George, 1877 - 1963, Part 6

George Lewis' Diary: Part Six"

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