News items

  Other news: Local radio on air | Warm welcome for battalion | Dabbers invited to SIN | Artist dies just before exhibition opens | Airman's sister dies | Weaver bursts banks

Firemen help children

Oyez, oyez . . . town has crier again

AFTER a break of about 15 years, Nantwich has its own town crier again - thanks to the Rotary Club of Crewe and Nantwich Weaver.  

   John Parsons took up his new duties in early November 2011.

   Attracting the attention of passing townsfolk with the traditional crier's handbell (right), and resplendent in his tailor-made uniform - funded by the Rotary club  - he proclaimed news about various town businesses (below).

   John's appointment is part of the Rotary club's idea of supporting businesses by attracting visitors - and shoppers - to Nantwich. He can be seen at work on Thursdays (one of the indoor market days) and Saturday mornings.

   It was planned that he would also be in town on Sunday mornings as Christmas approached.

    His announcements must have made an interesting background to the services in the nearby St Mary's Parish Church.

   When he is not in Nantwich, John will be working as the personal crier to Sir Richard Baker-Wilbraham of Rode Hall.                             NOVEMBER 2011

Rotary Club of Crewe and Nantwich Weaver website | Rode Hall

Warm welcome for battalion

A SUNNY day and a warm welcome from residents greeted the First Battalion of the Mercian Regiment (Cheshire) when they marched through Nantwich town centre on June 2, 2009.

   It was one of a number of Freedom Parades by the battalion in the first week in June and the second that day. They had marched through Congleton in the morning.

   The crowds lining the streets applauded or shouted greetings as they marched by from the Civic Hall. A number of Gurkhas in the parade got a particularly warm welcome following their victory to be allowed to live in this country after the sterling service they had given to the U.K.

   The parade returned to the Civic Hall where the new Town Mayor of Nantwich (Cllr Edith Williams) and the Mayor of the new Cheshire East Council (Cllr Margaret Simon), together with Crewe and Nantwich M.P., Mr Edward Timpson, were among those taking the salute. Members of Nantwich Town Council were also present at the event.      

   Later the civic party and the battalion enjoyed a reception in the Civic Hall.

   The Mercian Regiment was formed by an amalgamation of the 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment and other regiments. 

   Two pages of pictures can be seen here                                                               AUGUST 2009

Dabbers invited to SIN

NANTWICH residents are being invited to SIN. But it's not - as a closer inspection of the leaflet (right) will show - as it might seem. It's an acronym calling on them to Shop In Nantwich.

   The invitation comes from Nantwich Town Council which has launched a "Buy Local" scheme, adding that it is a "use it or lose it" call to give Nantwich businesses the local support they deserve.

   Councillor Keith Cafferty (the last Chairman of the council before the first citizen became a Mayor) writes in the summer 2009 newsletter, "Talk of the Town": "Not only are the vast majority of local traders supplying top quality and excellent service, the money which goes into the local economy is recirculated, so everyone benefits."                                       JUNE 2009

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Family and friends of Dorothy Bradford outside Nantwich Parish Church after a Thanksgiving service for her life.

Artist dies just before exhibition opens

AN internationally-known artist who lived in Nantwich - she hated being referred to as a Nantwich artist - died at the age of 90, just two days before an exhibition of her work opened at Nantwich Museum.

   Dorothy Bradford, who was well known in the town, had given the exhibition her blessing in the run-up to the opening. Her family gave permission for the event to go ahead.

   Her family didn't like the photo of her (right) but it is the only one that the Museum or I have. Ironically, I was going to take a new one of her at a reception to mark the opening of the exhibition.                                           JULY 2008

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MRS Dorothy Maus, of Wading River, New York, has died.

   She was the sister of 1st Lieutenant Arthur L. Brown who lost his life as he avoided hitting the town with his stricken Thunderbolt plane during the Second World War. As you can read on this page, his selfless action saved the lives of many Nantwich people.

   The news of Mrs Maus' death reached Nantwich in April and was received by local people who have stayed in touch with the family over the years.

   Mrs Margaret Brown, a Brown Owl in the Brownies (junior Guides), places flowers on the airman's grave every month, but two ladies who wished to remain anonymous and who wouldn't pose for a photograph, placed two posies of flowers (right) after receiving the news.

   Mrs Maus had a daughter, Melissa (or Missy) Pennock, and a son, Chris Maus. Dorothy and Missy had visited Nantwich on two occasions.              MAY 2008

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THIS is a panoramic view of the River Weaver as it flows alongside the Waterlode, our inner ring road (right of picture). Centre left is where the channel that used to run round the corn mill rejoins the water which flowed through the mill - the flow from behind the camera is fed by the mill race which used to take the overflow of water when water wasn't flowing through a turbine in the mill.

   Nowadays it carries the water under a path across Mill Island to the Millfields Housing Estate. The rising water cut off that path, giving residents a much longer walk into town. 

   The picture was taken on the morning of Tuesday, June 26, 2007, after overnight rains had caused the river to rise so much that it burst its banks. This followed days of rain and grey clouds.  In the far distance is the Weaver Bridge in Welsh Row/High Street. For more flood pictures, click here. JUNE 2007

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NO, the firefighters of Nantwich have not fallen on hard times and run out of fuel for their fire engine. The firefighters and fire cadets held a fire engine pull in aid of the BBC Television's Children in Need Appeal on November 18, 2006, around the streets of Nantwich.

   The picture and the information comes from my friend, Gareth Roberts, who tells me that a collection along the route of the fire engine pull raised a total of £775.46 for the appeal from "the generous people of Nantwich." 

   The fire fighters are pictured in Hospital Street pulling a 40-year-old 'Dennis' fire engine. Thanks for the news, Gareth, and well done to the fire fighters.

lGareth is actively involved in charitable events staged by local fire fighters and other activities. He just missed winning a Mayor's Oscar as the Volunteer of the Year, a couple of years back, for his voluntary work, but made up for that by winning the Community Initiative of the Year award at the fifth annual Oscars of the Mayor of Crewe and Nantwich in February 2007. He was nominated for his involvement with promoting fire safety especially among schoolchildren in Crewe.          NOVEMBER 2006

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lIf you have a news item (especially if you can send me a picture to go with it) that you think will interest visitors to this website - that's local and worldwide! - contact me on dabber@dabbersnantwich.me.uk and tell me about it. I reserve the right not to use it - please don't be offended if I say "No".