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
Read moreKirkMill.org.uk
Community heritage hub
Berry’s Workers
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 moreLongridge St Wilfrid’s FC October 16th 1971
Longridge St Wilfrid’s FC October 16th 1971 No fewer than nine of this team worked at H.J.Berry’s chairworks Chipping. [Which
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
Read more
The canteen
The main thing former Berry’s workers agree on (and they seem to agree on a lot!) it’s that the food
Read more
Ernest (Ernie) Kenyon
Sergeant Ernest Kenyon K.I.A. February 2nd 1944 – Age 22 One of the stalwarts who failed to survive the war
Read more
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 more
Basil Beesley
A tribute written by James Berry, at the time of the death of former chairworks employee Basil Beesley in 1991.
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 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
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
Read moreTom Westcott’s Retirement
Can you help with these names? Please leave comments. Pete Harrison Alan Parker Jimmy White
Read more
Wilf Cookson (Pinhead)
Wilf Cookson was Colin’s dad. This is what Colin had to say: My father, when he was still at school,
Read more
Tommy Byers [2]
Tommy Byers – let’s call him ‘the younger’, so as not to confuse him with the slightly older Tommy Byers
Read more
Jim Blezard
Jim Blezard was one of the earlier Berry’s chairmakers. He worked as a French polisher and can be seen as
Read more
Tommy Byers [1]
Good friends with John Wells, Tommy Byers, together with Sandy Snape and Albert Walker would ‘have the bus in uproar’
Read more
Percy Seed
Described by John Wells as ‘a great character’, Percy was always ready with a quick one liner, as John recounts:
Read more
Bernard Gornall
Well, I’d two brother’s working there at the time and in 1962 I was baker and confectioner with our own
Read more
Phyllis Freeman
Phyllis was a French polisher – the second lady back in this photo. According to John Wells, she could sing
Read more
Ray Walker
Ray has to be the leading contender for the prize for the Berry’s worker with the most incredible memory! He
Read more
Dick Walmsley
(from an oral history recording by Chipping Local History Society in 1998) I went to HJ Berry’s chair factory. Well,
Read more
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
Read more
Agnes Hayhurst
Agnes appears in a few photos from 1940s photos at Berry’s chairworks, including the 1949 photo marking the opening of
Read more
Andrew Dinsdale
There’s just the one picture of Andrew Dinsdale, working in the machine shop and sporting the latest groovy hairstyle!!
Read more
Harry Berry
Harry Berry was a sawyer at Berry’s in the 40’s. He appears in three of the photos and also the
Read more
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby, a rushbottomer, appears in a couple of photos. Is there more information? When did he work at Berry’s?
Read more
Berry’s workers 1904
This photo features A. Wallbank, J. Parkinson, Roger Leece, Bob Coulthurst, J. Robinson, Ned Wallbank and Bill Slater on the
Read more
Mick Barrass
Mick Barrass, on the left of this image was a multi-skilled member of Berry’s workforce, serving as a polisher, electrician
Read more
Bob Bamber
Bob Bamber was an upholsterer at Berry’s from ? to ? He is in the middle of this group of
Read more
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
Read moreVideo: Rhubarb and Custard
John Wells recalls the humour of Percy Seed …
Read moreVideo: If you want to test a chair, take it to an old folks’ home!
Bob Davies talks about working on the sales van for Berry’s
Read moreVideo: Crackerjacks!
Anyone got a picture of an actual crackerjack?!!
Read moreVideo: Everybody had a nickname
We need to match names, nicknames and faces … Nicknames Canny – Ray Freeman Chew – Tom Wolstenholme Chips –
Read moreVideo: When Ray Walker went to the match …
… and lost his job (and then found it again!)
Read moreVideo: A Mishap on Herbert Freeman’s Foot
Ted Metcalf and Herbert Freeman were lifting logs …
Read more