No sooner had the post gone out and Angie dug deep into the image bank at Stockport archives and posted
“I've found him Andrew ! There is a picture on the Stockport archives of Castle street taken June 1969 by H. Lees, from comments on another site he appears to have been an Ironmonger.
The sign reads. W.H.Potts, Prop F.Potts, We sell the Tools your neighbours like to borrow,
We also sell a good selection of household goods.”
Now that was a find and I am hoping that Stockport give me permission to reproduce the photograph.
In the meantime I shall content myself with the promise from Dave Bradshaw who wrote to that
“my Granddad Arthur Bradshaw, did the Potts sign writing, he's not with us anymore but my dad said the sign was painted in 1947. As an 11 yr old, his job was ' footing' the ladder.
I also discovered that my granddad did the ' Fyffes Bananas' sign on the roof of what is now the hat museum. My dad will know more. I'll have a chat with him and pass on your name. I'm sure he'll enjoy doing it.”
All of which goes to show that with very little effort and some help from friends you can uncover some fascinating little pieces of the past.
And in the fullness of time I think the story of Mr Potts and the work of Mr Bradshaw will grace the blog.
Well I didn't have to wait long for within minutes of me posting the story Stephen who took the picture sent me this comment,
"W.H. Potts traded until very recently as an ironmongers Andrew, verity much a fixture on Castle St during my time in Stockport.
Like so many shopping streets it has seen so many changes yet still maintains a bustling vigour, vitality and variety."
So there you are and there are pictures of Castle Street on Stephen's site.**
Picture; courtesy of Stephen Marland
*Mr Pott's and his ghost sign on Castle Street in Stockport, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/mr-potts-and-his-ghost-sign-on-castle.html
**Stephen Marland, https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevemarland/sets/72157645951456812/
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