Burton Mail Remembers

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Our photographers were there on the sidelines for many occasions over the years and these pictures date from the 1970s through to the 1990s - so chances are you will spot someone you know. With 700th anniversary of the first battle approaching next month, Mr Adkins is drawing interest in commemorating the event. Councillor Holmes had always lived in Newhall and when asked where he would rather live if he didn't live in Newhall, his answer was simply – "Newhall".

Subsidence problems in 1952 and 1955 had also resulted in the school being demolished with the new William Allitt School opening in 1959. Today marks exactly 60 years since the fondly remembered Tutbury Jinnie train made its final journey.And that final journey saw more than 500 passengers eager to be part of local history crowd onto the train, which was in sharp contrast to the usual number of passengers - on most days of the year, the train served just 12 people. Speaking in 1972, councillor George Holmes, the chairman of Swadlincote Urban Council, said he would like Newhall to become a residential area. Who remembers shopping here - many with mums and grandmas - buying bobbins and buttons. And who could ever forget THAT lift. Scary or what? The Ellis shop closed after trading in Burton for over 130 years. The Octagon Centre in the town centre celebrated its 10th anniversary. In the first year of the new century and millennium, there were many things happening. Ken Livingstone, standing as an independent, became the first directly elected Mayor of London. The Millenium Dome was opened for the first time to mark the year.

We have been digging through our archives once again to see some of the faces from the Pirelli factories in Burton through the years. They are mostly from the footwear division but others show the sports teams and clubs used by the staff. When I came here in 1926, it was a bit rough and ready, but if you went their way, the people were friendly. RE Cords: If you fancied spinning some tunes one of the go-to places was R.E. Cords, in High Street. Many a happy hour - or three - would be spent trawling through the endless vinyl recirds and then it would be across the road for a frothy coffee at The Chef. The store is pictured here in 1975.] The firm moved to Abbey Arcade, off High Street, in 1964. Haddon was joined in the business by his soldier son John Vincent Richards after World War Two. John and Sheila built the business in the 1970s and were joined by Andrew - formerly a electrical fitter - in 1979. The shop closed in 2019.I would like to ask a question which can do no good but might provide somebody food for thought – why was there only 12 a day? And not forgetting the big high street name who almost came to Burton in Debenhams. Following the closure of the Beatties store in The Octagon shopping centre, the national department store was at one time seriously considering moving to Burton as part of an extension to Coopers Square shopping centre but sadly the idea never materialised. Briggs: Briggs was one of the places to go in the town for some fancy footwear. The store was located in High Street, close to what is now Barclays Bank. The Pit Bank Colliery which was once an eyesore has been removed and turned over for housing. Every building has been taken." Historians have speculated that Lancaster had intended to use the money to pay for extra troops to help him defeat the king – and take the crown – but this is merely speculation, Mr Adkins says.