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Priorslee Remembered - SGPPC version_Layout 1 23/07/2018 15:29 Page 1 PRIORSLEE REMEMBERED THE UNFORGETTABLE MEMORIES OF PAST RESIDENTS by Allan Frost This account reveals that FOREWORD community life in old Priorslee was a fascinating combination of elford has, from the time it agricultural and industrial co- first received its name in existence. T1968, seen the publication of During my research I have numerous local history books. been impressed by the hospitality, Initially, emphasis was given to enthusiasm and willingness to the Ironbridge Gorge; a commonly reveal even the smallest detail of held opinion was that Telford life as it was before Telford Development Corporation wished conurbation (it was never a ‘New to ignore, as far as possible, the Town’) was named in 1968. ALLAN FROST fact that most townships and A few people interviewed ************** villages in the conurbation had far either had very little to add to this Allan Frost was born in more interesting and much longer collection or they wished to histories. remain anonymous; their Wellington and has lived in In recent years, there has been comments form the Mixed Priorslee since 1986. something of a resurgence of Memories section of these notes. He began researching the history membership of voluntary groups Sincere thanks are due to those of the district now known as the whose sole aim is to rediscover who have lent me their treasured Telford conurbation over 50 and promote the fascinating photographs, other historic years ago and has written more histories of their own settlements documents and rare memorabilia, ... especially as they have been whatever condition they have than 30 books and numerous overlooked and effectively been in; they are all invaluable magazine articles. Founder unappreciated by a succession of records. chairman of Wellington History Telford & Wrekin councillors I hope you enjoy reading it as Group and a popular public apparently determined to continue much as I enjoyed listening to the speaker, he is often called upon to the blinkered precedent set by revelations of those whose provide historical and heritage Telford Development Corporation. memories are recorded here. information to councils, schools, colleges, Historic England and the Press as well as professional, amateur and family researchers. The recollections included here first appeared in Allan’s book Priorslee Remembered (ISBN 1872989020) published in 1993; this version, prepared for the Parish Council, has been improved by the inclusion of additional material. It is dedicated to the memory of those whose recollections are recorded in these pages. * * * * * * Priorslee Furnaces, c.1920s Published in the autumn of 2018 Priorslee Remembered - SGPPC version_Layout 1 23/07/2018 15:29 Page 2 2 http://www.stgeorgesandpriorslee-pc.gov.uk/ Priorslee Remembered - SGPPC version_Layout 1 23/07/2018 15:29 Page 3 fire – there was no central heating I went to St Peter’s Church for DOLLY HARRIS in the school. The toilets were Sunday School in the morning, outside, and if you wanted to go then on to the church service you had to cross the yard, afterwards. Not a lot went on at whatever the weather. the church in those days. The Like other children at the time Vicarage was in the same road as we played with tops, hoops and the church, opposite the Priorslee skipping ropes. The hoops were Institute and next to the school. made of iron and rolled along Priorslee Institute, a wooden using a pot hook. We didn’t really hut, was in Church Road near to have any proper games at school: the Church and quite a few games, we were there to learn and learn like cricket and tennis, were we did! Not like today. Mind you, played in the grounds. Me and my we weren’t given any homework friend used to look in the hedges to do; conditions at home weren’t for all the lost tennis balls and really suitable for study. keep them for ourselves. The I remember my friend Rhoda, Institute was used for dinners and who was top of the class, helping all sorts of community activities. I me to do some sums during the think it had a bit of a library, but lesson: she passed the answers I’m not sure. along under the desks for me to Cricket was also played on a copy. She used to earn many a field below the Lion Inn, not far orothy ‘Dolly’ Harris (née sixpence that way! from where the Priorslee Hall Franks) was born on 7th June Mr Upton from St Georges was Lodge was. There was a large 1908 in Wellington Road, the headmaster – he was crippled mulberry tree by the field, the D up almost double, and he had a only one in the district, and my Donnington. She was fostered at eight to a Mr and Mrs Biddulph living in cane. If you talked in school he’d friends and I occasionally climbed St Georges and Hollinswood during give you six of the best. If we had the tree and threw the berries the years prior to her marriage to to hold our hand out to be beaten down to eat later. Isaac Harris, who died in 1991.She we sometimes whipped it away at Mr Wallace Tart, rather badly lived in a Duke of Sutherland cottage the last moment when the cane crippled, used to keep a little in Donnington for over 50 years. was coming down, but you wooden shop by the railway line couldn’t escape! below the Pigeon Box, and his PRIORSLEE SCHOOL was on Miss Mollineux, Mrs Turner house was on the other side of the the ground opposite and slightly and Mr Upton’s daughter were the road. His parents put him in the above the Sneds Hill Wesleyan teachers there, together with Mr shop to give him something to do. Methodist Chapel and between Price, also from St Georges; they His father was watchman at the Priorslee Road and Church Road. I were quite good. Priorslee Furnaces in later life after was there when the big strike was Mrs Corbett used to make soup he retired. (Mr Biddulph, one of on around 1920, before the for us schoolchildren; I can see her my foster parents, was also a General Strike of 1926. now, coming across the road with watchman at the furnaces.) The There used to be a big porch these enamel buckets and the split shop sold practically anything – where you put all your clothes in peas bobbing on the top. You had sweets (two ounces for a penny), and it had a big fire. In the winter a bowl of soup and a big lump of tea, sugar and all sorts of we all used to huddle around this bread for one penny. groceries. Priorslee School, c.1900 Sneds Hill Methodist Chapel, demolished for housing, 1988 Priorslee Remembered 3 Priorslee Remembered - SGPPC version_Layout 1 23/07/2018 15:29 Page 4 The Teagues kept the Pigeon carts. They’d have a ‘chain horse’ school and before they got Box when I lived up at Priorslee. to help the main horse haul the married. They were expected to Later they went to keep the ‘Vic’ cart up the Hollinswood bank, and give up work altogether after next to Whiteford’s shop in after the cart had reached the top marriage. I remember that he was Oakengates. (My husband worked Mr Chetwood would unharness very tall and very thin, and rode a at Whiteford’s for about 16 years. the chain horse and give it a slap Douglas motorcycle. His knees When he left his wages were 42s to send it back, all on its own, to almost reached to his chin when 6d – about £2.12p – a week!) the field by the Priorslee furnaces he sat on it. Nellie Teague used to have a where they had a small coal depot. Obviously, I wasn’t allowed horse: we used to think they were Most houses had outside beyond the kitchen and it used to so well off for having this horse! I toilets, usually two-seaters shared fascinate me, looking up at all think they also had a farm not far between two families and with old these pheasants and other away down Teagues Lane which newspapers cut into rough creatures hanging from the ceiling, ran from the Priorslee Road to the squares to act as toilet paper. You and maggots dropping down from Woodhouse Pit. used to have to sing if you were in them! I can also remember lots of There were some old miners’ there to warn the unwary! If it was stone jars on the floor. They were barrack houses near the Pigeon dark we had to take a lantern or filled with flour and all sorts of Box. Some of the people living candle in with us. These toilets ingredients. The kitchens were there were called Leylands and weren’t connected to a sewage absolutely enormous. their son went to school with me. system, so the night soil men came I can remember when Mr When we lived at Hollinswood we in the hours of darkness to empty Freeston came to the Hall; Mr had to get our water for the wash- them out. Those were the days! McKinley kept it before Mr house at the back from a tap at the Looking back, the place was a Freeston. I never liked Mr roadside, each tap serving about bit of a tip because they didn’t Freeston, he was rather a hard 20 houses. Each family did their have dustbins then, so rubbish man. washing on different days to avoid was usually burned and the ashes There was a row of cottages in everyone being in there at the were scattered over the gardens.