Gladys Roberts (nee Williams) with her Champion Bulldogs"

Abenbury Bungalow, Knowle Lane, Buckley

1950

Gladys Roberts was a native of Buckley. Her parents were John Ernest (1891 - 1966) and Gladys (1898 - 1981) Williams, Abenbury Bungalow, Knowle Lane, where the photo was taken by Dempter's Studio. Her grandparents were Mr and Mrs Ralph Williams who kept the Central Stores. R. D. Davies made the first coffin in the front room of Central Stores.

John Ernest Williams met Gladys Davies at Padeswood Hall when he was delivering provisions there; he was twenty-four years of age and she was nineteen. John Ernest had his apprenticeship to become a grocer at Fortnum and Mason's, pre 1917. When he finished there, he was given a desk as a presentation gift. He was in the army in Ireland 1917.

John Ernest and Gladys were married for sixty years. Gladys' mum was a seamstress at Padeswood Hall.

The prize-winning bull dogs were Shon, who won at Liverpool and Crufts, and Penny, who won at Rochdale and Huddersfield, winning when they were about eighteen months old.

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 Governor of Ruthin Jail and he also met Princess Alice of Prussia. There is a photo of this.

This photo is of Gladys in her twenties when her dogs won at Crufts, Rochdale, Leeds, Liverpool and Chester shows. The prize-winning bulldogs were Shon, who won at Liverpool and Crufts, and Penny, who won at Rochdale and Huddersfield, winning when they were about eighteen months old.

She was born at Hawarden Castle pub, now The Spinning Wheel (2007) on The Warren, Broughton. She worked in Green and Padgett's 1951 - 1955 and then moved to Balshaw's. She did her apprenticeship at Quaintways in Chester and her mother paid 5s. a week. The name of the head baker was Mr Pottier. He was Swiss.

see 17.34 for a photo of members of her family c.1906.

Author: Mole, Margaret

Gladys Roberts (nee Williams) with her Champion Bulldogs"

Abenbury Bungalow, Knowle Lane, Buckley

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