Memories of a Blurton Boy by Alan Myatt

Review by Fred Hughes

The recent local history book Memories of a Blurton Boy by Alan Myatt is the essence of a labour of love. Written and entirely illustrated by this talented Longton historian, this is a manuscript worth savouring indeed. It is Alan’s life story, from his schooldays all through his working life and to his present activities spent in a community he’s clearly very much at home with. Truth is that Alan loves Blurton. It shows in every word and in every picture (there are 83 of them, one for each page – I counted them because through some printing fault my copy had no page numbers).

Alan tells us of his personal memories: a day trip to Woodland Cottage, a house on the old Longton Hall Estate leased by Heathcote ironmasters to a number of families with pottery connections. Nothing particularly exciting about that, except that it was sold to a committee of locals, including Alan’s father, who developed it into Blurton Private Clubs, an entertainment venue with a list of famous artists appearing there, including the Potteries’ own Jackie Trent – she of the Neighbours theme tune fame. Alan recalls it before its transition as the ‘house with the scented knob’. Apparently it had a large doorknob made out of maple. Kids would be invited by older kids to sniff the sweet aroma, before some urchin pushed the back of their heads so that they bumped their noses on the door.

The defunct tilery is made into an essay narrating its history as well as recalling a number of associated anecdotes. Similar treatment is afforded to the millpond, the Aynsley’s grand house and the so-called ‘Gingerbread House’ which was once the tollgate house in Trentham Road. Even the famous first Potteries’ waste farm – sewage disposal works – has a place in this colourful and aromatic compendium.
Longton Park is a theme that runs alongside many of Alan’s personal memories. Locations such as Dresden’s Bridle Path link arms with the architecturally outrageous Moneta House in Ricardo Street. The Alhambra Cinema in Normacot, the Empire Theatre, the Focus and Alexandra Cinemas – Lost Empires, to coin author Barry Blaize’s evocative phrase – are recalled in detail along with Alan’s reminiscent illustrations. Some pubs too, such as the ancient Tam o’ Shanter in Normacot Road, are given a turn. And what about a shop named ‘Dickiefidos’ – an Aladdin’s cave of ‘animal pettery’. Even ‘Invisible Japanese Fighting Fish’ were sold there. But, as Alan says, try as he might, squint his eyes as much as he could, he still couldn’t see them: but then again as he says, he was only very young at the time. His dad wouldn’t let him have any, so he bought three yellow fluffy chicks instead.

The ‘warm holes’, ‘white rock’ and ‘poison pools’ were childish adventure playgrounds. How did the children survive? They did, and as Alan’s own memories attest, they were the better for it. Who’s to disagree?

The book can be bought from Bevans Sound Centre, 67 The Strand. Hurry before they’re all sold out.