Welcome to Cheshire Archives & Local Studies where this converted warehouse holds miles of shelving full of records that document almost 1000 years of Cheshire life. Some of these records are oral histories recorded on cassettes, and tape cannot be trusted to survive for decades. Without the National Lottery Heritage Fund project run by British Library and the expertise at the north west hub at Archives+ in Manchester the voices on our talking tour would have been lost. In the early 1980s the Chester Archaeological Society recorded older residents’ recollections of life in the city throughout the twentieth century – we hope you enjoy a tour of the city through their eyes.

Cheshire Record Office

A schoolgirl in the 1920s, whose route to school took her along Brook Street and Frodsham Street, with vivid memories of the sights and smells of shops at Christmas – but look out for the cows! She also remembers cows being driven from the cattle market where the bus station is now along Brook Street and Hoole Bridge to the railway sidings on Lightfoot Street.

Setting the scene – Brook Street

‘Two things couldn’t pass at the same time’ – much like today – chemists, shoe shops and bookshops – how much is that doggy in the window?

Frodsham Street

Hear all about ‘Porky Pie Duttons’ where Marks and Spencers is now – with a sweet factory in the back!

Duttons, Foregate Street

Chester is about to open a new market replacing the new market mentioned here. But it is the old market that is brought to life – the china seller who smashes the items he doesn’t sell to the crowd entertain this young lad!

Old Chester Market

Bollands Window Displays & Wedding Cakes

Can you imagine taking a seat when you enter a shop and items being brought to you – or even brought to you sitting in your car outside? Welcome to the world of Minshull and Meeson.

Minshull & Meeson

Curious figures from Venice promoted the stationer and bookseller Phillipson and Golder.

Phillipson & Golder

Mr Stephen Brown, a member of the family who founded the famous Chester department store, describes the shops expansion in the early 20th century.

Expansion of Browns in the early 20th century

Mr Stephen Brown describes the attitudes of customers to the expansion of Browns.

Reactions of existing customers to the expansion of Browns

What would Browns customers or Mr Minshull and Mr Meeson have thought when F W Woolworth moved in across the street where Next is now? There is no ‘shopwalker’ and browsing is encouraged – and plastic goods arrive. And Woolworths expanded throughout the twentieth century filling the space between Eastgate Street and St Werbergh’s Street.

Woolworths

Cheshire Archives & Local Studies: where Cheshire's history lives. 

A shared service of Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester Councils.

Cheshire Record Office

Cheshire Archives & Local Studies

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