Some of the Characters of early days - 1910 onwards Remembered by F. Rawson

What made these men peculiar was how they spoke. This was very often accompanied by wild gesticulations, and queer "pulling" of their faces.

John Henry Pitchford went for an interview for a job with Mr. Beech, chartermaster at the Lilleshall Co. After the interview Mr. Beech said "Well John Henry you are not such a good man as your father" John Henry replied, "Nor your Billy inner such a good man as thee!"

Another character was Johnny Downing who lived in Duke Street, St. Georges. He worked at the Blast Furnaces, Priorslee. In his spare time he went about killing pigs and on one occasion someone sent for him to come and kill a pig which had gone off it's legs and was dying. When he returned home his wife asked him if he had managed to do the job in time. He replied "Ah - I was just in time to save it's life".

When out with his horse and wagonette one day, the horse bolted and tipped the wagonette over, and all the passengers fell out. When Johnny got to his feet he was heard to say "Well Lads, is there anyone else killed besides me!"

One morning when he was dressing himself, he asked his wife if she knew where his leather belt was? After a while she said "You duffer, you've got it on". To which he replied "it's a good job you towd me, or else I should have gone to work without it". Johnny seems to have originated the saying "The first time I went up a ladder was down a well".

In those old days works had no canteens or tea breaks, so workmen took a bottle of tea with them. It was hot weather, so Johnny decided to take a quart bottle (oval in shape). The bottle, he discovered, wouldn't go in his pocket, so not to be beatem he said "Never mind, I know what to do, I'll pour a drop out".

Joe Purcell was another character. He lived in a caravan up the Naird Lane, near Shifnal. He used to go about with a pony and cart, collecting scrap iron. One of the main features about this was his deformity, which made him lean over sideways, and he lurched rather than walked. On his rounds you would here him shouting "Have you any owd iron, any owd iron".

Another in the same trade was Herbert Walker of Holyhead Road who also had a pony and cart for his transport. He used to shout "Have you any owd rags, any owd rags". Once he called at Mr. Rawson's home who thought that he was selling him some old iron etc. After loading his cart he said "Thank you very much Sir". Mr. Rawson asked him what was he going to pay for it. He replied "I've go no money. I've just been doing 14 days in gaol".

I had a part time job with Mr. Tom Molyneaux, the butcher, nights and Saturday for 316 per week. There were no refrigerators in those days so on Monday nights we used to boil all of the joints of beef that were unsold on Saturdays and make it up into pressed beef and you can bet that I had plenty of the lean being just as it came out of the boiler. It was grand., even without any bread and butter. I wanted no supper when 1 got home at night. Nancy Pitt, who was the maid also had her share of the lean beef, in fact she was just as. much a glutton as I was, she helped me to make the pressed beef which we sold at 1/- per pound without any bone. It was ready for sale on Tuesday morning.

At weekends lots of people went for rides in Wagonettes, probably round through Shifnal and Tong or Blymhill and Newport for 216 per head. On very steep hills the men would get out and walk to the top. A round trip of about 20 miles was the popular run. A trip to Shifnal Duff Club or Newport May Fair was a great attraction, if you went on your old bike it would cost you 2d for storage in someone's back yard. Once 1 went to Shifnal with my only shilling to spend and I brought three boxes of chocolates home with me, having won at Hoop La three times. I still had Id to bring back home".

John Bailey was a well known figure in Oakengates. He had a Barbers shop near the Railway Bridge. He had one very good customer in the local Doctor, Dr. Brown, his surgery was situated in what was known as "the back of Parkes" known now as limes Walk. The doctor called at the shop very often for a trim, should there be any customers waiting for a haircut or shave the doctor would take the first chair that came vacant, for this privilege he would pay for all the men who were waiting. They did no mind as this saved time from spending twopence each.

William Bladen well known in the District for travelling around with a horse drawn Dray selling mainly Paraffin and hardware items. One day his horse fell down on it's knees and could not be persuaded to stand up. A crowd of people had gathered, some were shouting at the horse, others prodding it. Mr. Bladen intervened "Don't bother the Hoss, he'll get up when he's ready". From then on Mr. Bladen was called "Owd Bother Hoss" and this was the name he was known by for the rest of his life.

Mr. Norman Shepherd from the age of 14 years worked for Mr. Bladen. He tells how from early morning to late at night Mr. Bladen would toil to make sure that he met the needs of all his customers. Norman's duties included cutting chaff for the horses feed, cleaning out the stable and helping to bed down the horses for the night. All this as well as going on the rounds which would take them out into the Country Villages.

The proud boast of Mr. Bladen was he never loosed a customer down. I would endorse this because I lived next door to him for over 15 years and I found that if he made a promise he kept it. I've heard my parents say you couldn't have had a better neighbour than William Bladen.

Mr. Sam Crawford now living at Furnace Lane, Trench, worked many years at the Lilleshall Company, New Yard Engineering Works. Here he earned the reputation of being one of this establishment's finest engineers.

Sam is a well known member of a most respected family who have lived in the Oakengates District for a good many years. He told me some of his childhood memories when associated with the Stag Inn (next door but one to the Greyhound Inn). The-licensee was Henry Cadwalladern, but the brewing of the beer was done by his brother John who lived at Forge Row, Old Park. He recalls how he went with John to fetch water from a fountain which then was near the Snedshill Crossroads. This water was conveyed in a huge barrel or in a water cart and of course horse drawn. The water had a fine reputation for making good home brewed ale, it was in great demand not only from The Stag Inn but alsofrom the other pubs in the district.

The Stag became the "Mecca" for the"Ale Carriers" from the Snedshill Forge. Two men at least were detailed for this job which was part of their duties. They fetched the "ale" for the "puddlers" and others who worked on the night shift. It was their proud boast that they could carry as many as 8 to 10 pint and half bottles at a time. The record of these sales was kept by the Bar Tender on a slate, against the individual name would be a code sign signifying the number of pints purchased at any one time, settling day was Saturday.

Sunday was an important day at the Stag Inn, for on this day a limited number of Special Customers had their ale served in real china cups.

THE LOCAL DOCTORS

The doctors who served the community in which 1 lived and whose names I heard very often were Drs Rose, Brown. Glissen and later MacKenna. Strange though it may sound I can't ever remember seeing any of them. To engage a doctor was a luxury indeed - how we humble folk bore our ills is a mystery to me.

Copyright:  Estate of  Moses Evans