I have known Chris for many years, he lived in Fell Street and his mum lived there for 50 years until she recently passed away. When he was back in Smallthorne he could be found in one of the local hostelries, I remember him frequenting the Bush.
Chris first got back in touch with me via an e-mail entitled Smogger Bank. And shared some snippets of info and was complimentary about the Smallthorne History website. He remembers the bonfire wars between there end the ‘Tittensor’s’ and our end at Lord Street the “Jones’ “. Chris then sent me some fabulous photos mainly of Smallthorne but also a couple of others that have to be included.
I’m sure it was Chris that told me the story of when he worked in the city of London and they would take your chair away if you hadn’t made a sale by 9am.
The following from Chris:
Told you I’d find the photo…its poor quality as I’ve re-photographed a two and a quarter inch contact sheet photo on the iPhone…can’t find the original 10x8inch photo…think my mum gave it to him…I used a Mamiya RB67 large format camera when I did photography at Manchester…I’ve got one of Ernie Brown but again from a contact sheet and it’s a bit fuzzy…and also a fuzzy picture using 35mm infra-red film of the bingo hall which was a bit of a squeeze to take…I’ve also got a couple of pics of some lads who lived towards the top of Smallthorne, probably Jolley St but for the life of me I don’t remember them…they were taken in Fell St…I’ll send them to see if you know them and if the pics are worthy of web page use…
Trubshaw Cross Lads n Dads…Sunday morning league:
Me, back row third from right (the big centre-half!!)..Chris Ansell, sitting, far left, lived in the big house on the corner of High Lane and Moorland Rd opposite Wolstanton Miners Welfare Club his dad was the manager…Graham Whitehurst sitting in the middle, his dad Graham Snr was compere at the miners club…did my knee in…knackered me for my high school years at PE!?!?
Feb 1983…I took this when Shergar was kidnapped…taken outside Newcastle post office…I’ve not sent it to the Sentinel for the Way We Were…perhaps I should?
The last photo here is of Chris and another Smallthorner Peter Jones. I hope to hear more from Chris and if he could share more of his excellent photos I am sure we would all appreciate that. In answer Chris you photos are more than worthy of the website and don’t forget you promised to get the kettle on.
