Percy Seed hits the news!
Chairmaker Percy Seed hit the local news in August, 1975, when an article was published about his model chairmaking. Many
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Community heritage hub
Berry’s Chairworks
Table Tennis Presidents Shield
Twenty years of Presidents Cup Winners. The annual table tennis competition between the workers at Berry’s Chair Works. There were
Read moreRange Rover & Show Van
Does anyone remember the ‘Show Van’? Here are few pictures of it’s ups and downs over the years! Please leave
Read moreFrom the inside
The Mill has been closed for a few years now, but about four years ago, when some work was being
Read moreThe kneelers of St Bartholomew’s, Chipping
From the booklet “The Kneelers of St Bartholomew’s.” Published 2008. This illustrates all the lovely tapestries made in the Millennium
Read moreThomas Harold Berry
There are numerous stories of accidents and tragic deaths involving workers at Berry’s chair works. But according to Ray Walker
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The canteen
The main thing former Berry’s workers agree on (and they seem to agree on a lot!) it’s that the food
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St. Bartholomew’s Church, Chipping
A Church with many hundreds of years of history, St. Bartholomews is, of course, an integral part of Chipping’s history
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Bob Parker
I started – I went back on me old job. I used to work with me father, building. And then
Read moreBerrys — timber purchases and hours worked 1956 – 1997
A meticulous summary made by James Berry. Interesting comment in 1988 about increased purchases as a result of the hurricane
Read moreExplosion at Berrys chair works Sept 1966
Report in the Daily Telegraph From the archives of the late James Berry, donated by his family to Chipping Local
Read moreVisiting Chipping and Berrys in 1940
Here’s some extracts from an article entitled “Aspects of Village Life in Wartime Chipping”, published in the Preston Guardian 29th
Read moreGroup of Berrys workers 1991
Here’s a cutting from the Clitheroe Advertiser Oct 1991. Names needed! Thanks to Yvonne Gornall, names left to right: Jim
Read moreTed Metcalf
I was born and bred in Chipping, but I was born at Little Blacksticks which is a little community now.
Read moreFire at Berry’s
Thankfully – there weren’t many!! Weekly fire tests at 3pm on a Friday afternoon and a fire gang ready to
Read moreColin Cookson
I would have loved to see the water wheel going. My father saw that going. But unfortunately at one stage,
Read more‘Stalwart’ Ruth Parkinson W.R.E.N.
From Kirk Mill to the First Lady! Eleanor Roosevelts visit to Liverpool November 8th 1942 H.J.Berry’s ‘Stalwart’ Ruth
Read moreMarriages at Berry’s
Employees who both worked at Berry’s and then married. Keith
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Clearing silt from the dam in the past
Extracts from typed and handwritten notes made by the late James Berry. The outlet sluice described by James
Read moreNewspaper cutting 1974
From James Berry’s collection of cuttings. An article in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, 18th Nov 1974. In the series, “People
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Ordnance Survey maps 1892 & 1912
Two very detailed maps by the Ordnance Survey. This was surveyed 1890-1. Published 1892. Map XLVI.9. Scale 1:2500 also
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Roger Kenyon’s map, 1608
Copied here are greatly enlarged portions of a map of Leagram and adjoining areas, drawn by Roger Kenyon in 1608.
Read moreGeorge Bleasdale’s notes about the history of the chairworks
Chairworks employee, George Bleasdale, lived in Chipping all his life, latterly at Seed Hill in the bungalow. He worked in
Read moreWaterwheel
The Kirk Mill waterwheel When was it cut through and why? At last we know! Raymond Freeman has the information.
Read moreJohn Berry
1896 — 1966 Jack’s father Some newspaper cuttings about him here, with a note added by his nephew James (HJ)
Read moreVal Doonican and a 161 White Rocker
Amazing where Berry’s chairs turn up!
Read moreTom Westcott’s Retirement
Can you help with these names? Please leave comments. Pete Harrison Alan Parker Jimmy White
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Wilf Cookson (Pinhead)
Wilf Cookson was Colin’s dad. This is what Colin had to say: My father, when he was still at school,
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Tommy Byers [2]
Tommy Byers – let’s call him ‘the younger’, so as not to confuse him with the slightly older Tommy Byers
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Jim Blezard
Jim Blezard was one of the earlier Berry’s chairmakers. He worked as a French polisher and can be seen as
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Tommy Byers [1]
Good friends with John Wells, Tommy Byers, together with Sandy Snape and Albert Walker would ‘have the bus in uproar’
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Percy Seed
Described by John Wells as ‘a great character’, Percy was always ready with a quick one liner, as John recounts:
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Bernard Gornall
Well, I’d two brother’s working there at the time and in 1962 I was baker and confectioner with our own
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Phyllis Freeman
Phyllis was a French polisher – the second lady back in this photo. According to John Wells, she could sing
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A letter from Winston Churchill
Berry’s sent a birthday card to Winston Churchill in 1947, when he was leader of the opposition. He responded soon
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Ray Walker
Ray has to be the leading contender for the prize for the Berry’s worker with the most incredible memory! He
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Dick Walmsley
(from an oral history recording by Chipping Local History Society in 1998) I went to HJ Berry’s chair factory. Well,
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Frank Whittaker
Frank is not a Chippinger by birth, having moved to the village at the age of 10 months old! As
Read moreTable Tennis at Berry’s
Berry’s had teams in the Preston & District League over many years and had a couple of tables set up
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Agnes Hayhurst
Agnes appears in a few photos from 1940s photos at Berry’s chairworks, including the 1949 photo marking the opening of
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Andrew Dinsdale
There’s just the one picture of Andrew Dinsdale, working in the machine shop and sporting the latest groovy hairstyle!!
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Harry Berry
Harry Berry was a sawyer at Berry’s in the 40’s. He appears in three of the photos and also the
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Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby, a rushbottomer, appears in a couple of photos. Is there more information? When did he work at Berry’s?
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Berry’s workers 1904
This photo features A. Wallbank, J. Parkinson, Roger Leece, Bob Coulthurst, J. Robinson, Ned Wallbank and Bill Slater on the
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Mick Barrass
Mick Barrass, on the left of this image was a multi-skilled member of Berry’s workforce, serving as a polisher, electrician
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Bob Bamber
Bob Bamber was an upholsterer at Berry’s from ? to ? He is in the middle of this group of
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John Wells
I started work at 14. On my mother’s side and my father’s side, they were all farmers. And I was
Read moreGroup of Berrys workers
picture from Chipping Local History Society’s collection. Can anyone suggest a date? Some names are written on the back of
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