St Mary-without-the-Walls

Handbridge

 1949 - 1953

In 1949 Dad moved to Handbridge intially living in Percy Road, then after their marriage in September, Mum joined him and they lived at 5,Westminster Green.

1949 was  a year of very mixed emotions for my parents. Sadly mum lost her mum in June following a long illness. This coincided with the excitement of moving to Chester and getting married in September.

Handbridge was Dad's third and final curacy, after periods in Aberdovey and Bangor.

During his time there Dad served under Rev Digby Thomas.

My parents were 29 to 33 years old during this period.

It was during this period that he met and became great friends with Ernie Edge. Dad, Mum, Ernie and Florrie were friends for life. Ernie had founded his Butchers shop in Handbridge the decade before. (1937)

Dad always said how kind Ernie and Florrie were to him. At the time my parents did not own a car and Ernie used to lend him his butchers van. The first day they visited Barnston to view it was in Ernie's van. I was baptised in Ernie's family christening outfit and Ernie and Florrie came to my wedding at Barnston.They also loved playing Bridge together several nights a week. There were also stories of 'easing' the challenges of meat rationing together!

Eating 'Ernie's Sausages' was a staple of my life at Barnston as a boy.