HERE are two pictures from Harvey's Tannery (one
of two in Nantwich at one time) which have been sent to me by Andrew
Lamberton. The tannery used to stand in Millstone Lane (the other was Blud's
in Welsh Row) where a three-storey block of apartments now stands.
The firm was owned by the Harvey
family of Nantwich, and run by Guy Harvey senior (founder of the boys' club
in Birchin Lane), and Guy Harvey junior, who once stood as Member of
Parliament for Nantwich.
The picture above shows Joe Pennell
working on a hide at the tanyard sometime in the 1950s, Andrew believes. [Joe
is still a lay preacher at the Market Street Baptist Church - although, I am
told, not taking services as frequently as he used to do.]
The second one, taken in 1935,
Andrew borrowed from Nantwich man, Robert Farrington, whose father was yard
foreman at the tannery. Robert was able to name some of the men.
Andrew says: "It is not easy to
describe the exact positions as they are not all in straight lines.
However, here goes . . . Front row, sitting third from the
left, cross-legged, is Sid Barnett, factory manager. Three more to his
right is Joe Basford. Behind Sid to left is ---?--- Stubbs, and
then behind Sid, right, is Henry Riley, Freddie Dutton and Joe Stanton.
"On the next row, with a
moustache and standing with arms folded, is Dick Pedley Farrington (I
think) yard foreman. To his right is Frank Ormes (who had his jaw partly
shot away during World War 1), then George Green.
"The man with a trilby on the
back row is Doug Merrill, and to his right is Henry Myford with his back
in the window. Two to the right of him is Billy Hill. To the left, and
in front of Doug Merrill, is Walter Lloyd and the youngster to the left
is Len (Twiggy) Mason."
Can website visitors
help to identify the other members of the tannery workforce? A mammoth task,
possibly.
Send the names you recall to
dabber@dabbersnantwich.me.uk,
and let's see if we can build up the whole picture. Thank you.
