A FEW weeks ago we asked for help with memories of a crisp factory in Warrington.

Brian Robinson, who emigrated to Adelaide in Australia with wife Jean back in 1972, got in touch asking for information about a crisp factory in Howley.

He remembered the great smell from the factory which was off Church Street.

He added: “It had an open window into the lane way and it always looked very greasy but the smell was great.”

Plenty of you got in touch to recall the business as being Chadwicks, Hughs and Golden Wonder.

Thomas Swift remembers the firms as Chadwicks from he was working as an apprentice in 1954 – not to be confused with the paper mill of the same name which was sited nearby on the Mersey.

He takes up the story: “In Church Street, opposite the Star Kinema, there were two shops, a barbers and a butchers.

“Then set back was an entry with an undertaker alongside, then a furniture shop and Lockers.

“To get to Chadwick’s crisp factory from Church Street, you went down an entry between the two shops and the undertakers.”

Warrington Guardian:

A map from the 1950s

As for the names, well it seems all three were correct.

In the 1951 Trade Directory, the firm was listed as H Hugh & Co (late Chadwicks) potato crisp manufacturers, Morris Court

It is then thought that the company was sold to Golden Wonder crisps before it was closed in Warrington.

That street and Greenall Street. which was the larger road nearby, are now both long gone.

Janice Hayes, from Warrington Museum, explains: “Morris Court was a very small alley near the larger Greenall Street.

“In the 1930s several small houses were listed there but I think several of those had been demolished by the 1950s.

“As people have said it was almost opposite the Star Kinema (the cinema) but further down towards the Parish Church than the National School.

Warrington Guardian:

“A lot of that area seemed to have been cleared by the 1970s photo (above) but it would have been to the left of the taller white building.”

  •  Do you have memories of the crisp factory?

Then let us know at Yester Years by emailing newsdesk@guardiangrp.co.uk.

Or write to Yester Years, Newsdesk, Warrington Guardian, Unit 4, 240 Cygnet Court, Centre Park, Warrington, WA1 1PP.