Burslem Canal Arm in the 1940s

Interesting bird-eye map of Middleport, from The Burslem Port Trust. I just couldn’t figure it out, until I realised it’s not now or the future. It must show Middleport way back when the Trent & Mersey Canal Arm (‘Burslem Port’) was still flooded. Which would put it at the 1940s, and with the map presumably being drawn from the late-1940s RAF pictures of Stoke-on-Trent. The allotments above Rogerson’s Meadow are in ‘full spread’. A large chunk of them were fallow when I lived there. Interesting that the Meadow may once have had a shallow pool in the centre of it (seen on the far left of the picture). It always was a bit damp.

Re-Form Heritage is now calling for Middleport memories and objects, for their refurbished terraces in Harper Street. Especially “those authentic items that would have been in the house – ordinary items small or large”. These can be donated or given on-loan.

Loos you can use

Seemingly overlooked in the media reporting of the government’s Spring Statement on the public finances, public loos and nappy changing stations…

“Changing Places Fund – The government previously made £30 million available to Local Authorities in England to install life-enhancing Changing Places toilets in existing buildings. Spring Statement is allocating £25.3 million of the Fund to install over 500 life-enhancing Changing Places toilets, in public places and tourist attractions where users want them the most. This will dramatically increase accessibility for thousands of severely disabled people who need specialised facilities. An additional £6.5 million will be allocated to areas where there is little or no provision.”

There will also be many more coming. Because, as announced a few weeks ago… “All new public buildings must provide Changing Places toilets” by law. Sounds good, and sure to raise a cheer in Stoke-on-Trent.

Potteries Post launched

Right, the The Potteries Post is now launched and primed. Have at it, and please spread the word to those puzzled at why the Creative Stoke / Wild Stoke etc Groups have had to cease on Facebook.

When the RSS feed is viewed in a proper Web browser (e.g. Pale Moon) it can be read downward by eye, with most of the body-text included for each post…

The advantage of a blog over Facebook (or Twitter), is that it’s far more public and (eventually) gets into the keyword search-engines.

Potteries Post

I’ve retro-fitted my old hyperlocal ‘good news from Stoke’ blog site with a new template and renamed it The Potteries Post. Seems as good a name as any, and doesn’t appear to conflict. Nothing to see there at present except the old 2018 items. But it will start to fill with the items I was previously posting on my Facebook Groups. Submit your own news by adding a comment, which will be held for moderation and consideration as before.