Welcome to Smallthorne History & Memories
Thank you for visiting my website. This site is an extension of my family history site ashley-surname.org.uk and is my hope that it becomes a repository of history and memories from the village of Smallthorne, Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire. We also have an active Facebook group with over 2400 members, join the discussion.
Our Mission: To capture, document and record as much about Smallthorne’s history as possible.
SMALLTHORN on the north-east side of Burslem (SJ 8850). Smallthorne 1572 SHC XIII 287, 1838 O.S., Smalthorne 1597 Norton-in-the-Moors ParReg. From OE smœl ‘narrow, thin’, and OE þorn ‘a thorn-tree’, ‘the narrow belt of thorns’. Smalethornis recorded in the 13th century (SHC XI 324), appears to have been in Barlaston.
Smallthorne Past
Many of you will have grown up or lived in Smallthorne at some point in your life. By documenting the memories of residents and the history of Smallthorne we hope to preserve Smallthorne’s rich heritage.
Smallthorne Present
The present is tomorrows history. The world is forever changing which is why it is important to create a record of the here and now so one day future generations can look back on it as history.
Smallthorne Future
We can’t predict what the future holds for Smallthorne but we all have an important part to play in shaping the future of the village. So future generations can look forward to forging lasting memories of happy times in Smallthorne.
Latest History & Memories
Smallthorne from the air
A big thank you to photographer Pete Stonier for allowing us to share these superb aerial photographs taken from the 'Grenade Nutrition' hot air balloon which feature Smallthorne and the surrounding areas taken on 11 October 2020 [gallery columns="4" link="file"...
Bradeley Methodist Church Centenary 1884-1984
Click the link to view the pdf document or right click and save as Bradeley Chapel Centenary
Kevin Millward
This year (2019) I had the pleasure of meeting Kevin Millward. Kevin contacted me as he had some Smallthorne related documents and photos from his family history. A post about Joseph Millward on the Smallthorne History Facebook group proved popular and generated quite...
History of St Mary’s Church by Mick Moran
This fine document has been collated by Mick Moran, which he has kindly agreed to share on the Smallthorne History Site. Click the link to view/download the pdf file - History of St Marys
Property and Mortgage Documents Circa 1903 to 1907
Documents relating to properties and mortgages in Camp Road and Heath Street (now Robert Heath Street) at the turn of the last century circa 1903 to 1907. Note that Scragg were a family of landowners/builders and Orion Street was originally Scragg Street. A lot of...
Auction Brochure from 1909
A large document with maps of land for sale, equivalent to a modern estate agents leaflet or auction brochure. This helps me build a timeline of the houses in the village. St Mary's Church was built in 1905 and these plots of land were that side of Camp Road between...
You can take the Boy out of Smallthorne, but you can’t take…… by Andrew Bramhall
Smallthorne, along with Sneyd Green, are two of Stoke-on-Trent’s oldest villages, and as befits such a status, the inhabitants of places of such long-standing demonstrate certain characteristics, such as loyalty, longevity and permanence, qualities which are not...
The Way We Were – Delving into the life of Thomas Tomkinson
The relaunch of a book by a 19th-century poet has fired up his descendants to discover more about their ancestor, writes Colette Warbrook "The family of the ‘original Smallthorne poet’, Thomas Tomkinson, know little of the 19th-century writer. Born in Macclesfield in...
My Memories of Smallthorne by Lesley Clubman Seville (nee Knox)
My Memories of Smallthorne by Lesley Clubman Seville (nee Knox) We moved to Nellan Crescent in 1965. I think of it has being the first real home as a family as before we moved into the house we had lived in a flat in Bentilee and with my grandparents in Fenton, where...
Who is Thomas Tomkinson – The Original Smallthorne Poet?
Further to “Village Changes – A Tribute to Thomas Tomkinson” by Barry Ashley, being, published, direct descendents of Thomas have decided to find out more about the man and his family. The Book, Village Changes, reprinted the poems found in the original book, simply...
Local Events, Site Notices & Info Appeals
Site Badge by Shmoo Doodle Designs
Had This wonderful badge commissioned for the website by Ali Shale @ShmooDoodleDesigns, check out her fabulous work on the Shmoo Doodle Design Facebook page - here.
Tales Of Marrduck
Tales of Marrduck, written by two local ladies - Beverley Cooper and Heather Bourne. Some of you will recognise the name from Smallthorne and Burnwood. Great to see this published. Visit their Facebook page 'Tales of Marrduck' for activities for the young uns.
Information Appeal – Help return Betsy Smith’s Bible to her family
We've had a request to help return the Bible of Betsy Smith back to her family. If anyone has any information that could help please contact us I am in possession of a bible presented to Betsy Smith as a special Sunday school prize. It was presented to her by the...
Information Appeal – Help find the family of Gunner J Cox
We've had a request to help trace the family of Gunner J Cox to reunite them with his First World War army bible, if anyone has any information that could help please contact us Hi I have a First World War army bible that once belonged to Gunner J Cox of 10...
Information Appeal – Info on Stanley Stubbs
We've had the following request for information, if anyone can help please contact us Hello, Can you help me, please? I'm looking for photographs of Stanley Stubbs and/or members of his family for a book I'm compiling. He left Stoke in about 1939. I have photos of...
Information Appeal – Carnival Queen mid 1930s
We've had request for help, if anyone has any relevent information could you please get in touch using one of the contact methods available. Hi, My nan and grandad kept a grocery shop in Smallthorne - Clara and Bill Warren and my mum was carnival queen twice in the...
Smallthorne People
They are a stoical people who have one foot in the town and one foot in the country.The village of Smallthorne is the last knuckle of the Pennine chain, the last little lump of a hill before the land becomes flatter and the Midlands begin. It is most definitely a part of the North, a part of the Staffordshire moorlands, and whenever I go through this country I know it is my own clod, the place my tribe comes from. by Arthur Berry
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Smallthorne History & Memories Facebook Group
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