Memories of a Family Business
Recent social media conversations and donations to the Newbold Verdon Parish Archive have revived warm memories of Mac and Doreen (Bet) Statham, and the long-running Statham’s shoe business.
A Main Street institution for generations, which has now ended with its closing earlier this year. The family’s daughter has loaned treasured photographs and offered further material and meetings with the Archive, prompting a wave of community identification and reminiscence, both on social media and at community gatherings.
1976 Statham staff trip to Jersey
The main article photograph of the staff’s Jersey trip captured many firsts, including several people’s first aeroplane journey. Maureen recalled the flight as “exciting and scary in equal measure” and a lobster‐from‐the‐tank lunch that divided the group. The community quickly identifiedfaces, left to right:
Bob Davey (warehouse); Mac Statham; Maureen Dixon; Bet Statham (in red); Ron Hudson;
Glenda Weston (Barlestone); Maureen Davey (check dress); Olive Bancroft; Janet James; Carol Knight (white coat); Gordon and Joyce Smith (butcher’s friends); Colin Ballis (bus driver); Chris North; Mike Dixon; Phyllis Robinson; Brenda Finlay. The image became a shared touchstone for village memory.
Newbold Verdon Working Men’s Club, mid 1980s
Many members of the community remembered how Mac Leonard Statham was Chair of the local Working Men’s Club and also contributed a lot of his spare time to helping out the community. Two club photographs prompted a spirited dentification session.
Front‐row figures included Mac Leonard Statham, Les Kent and Freddie Bayliss; Terry Davis and Bill Pettit were spotted in the back. A gentleman in a striped tie might be an Albert Pears.
A second photograph of committee wives, produced confirmations for Brenda Finlay, Mrs Plant from Ratby, Norma Davies, Doreen (Bet) Statham, Dot Pettit and Bet Kent.
Cricket teams and Playscheme, mid 1980s
Photos of sponsored cricket shirts, presented by Mike Dixon, were dated by readers to about
1987–88.
Identified players include Richard Williams; Anthony Childs; Nathan Sturgess; Scott Brown; Paul Watson; Ian Moore; Paul Halpin; Mathew Bird; Roger Watson; Michael Mulligan; Lee Farrington; Ian Pears, prompting other donations of the same cricket team from other contributors.
A Playscheme image, pegged at 1986, evoked long summer days and Health & Safety jokes while naming children such as Steven Duffy; Chris Turton; Steven Vallis; Sadie Roach; Helen Dixon; Paul Bevins; Andrew Nutting.
The community also remembered Steven Vallis with affection following his early death.
Granny Statham and the Stute
Older donations revealed Rose Hannah Cave (Granny Statham) at a social tea. Villagers identified the setting as the Institute, known as the Stute, or the Miners’ Welfare Hall, noting a snooker table that suggests an Evergreen Club event. Names suggested included Nellie Spareham, Matilda Statham (née Farmer) and possibly Clarence Thompson, with memories linking the scene to local families such as Edna and Doug Statham.
Community Impact
Recent chats on social media and at village gatherings have sparked a wonderful chain of recollections about people, places and events. One memory led to another, names were remembered, stories resurfaced and conversations grew as neighbours helped each other fill in the gaps. That collective remembering has already enriched our understanding of Newbold Verdon’s past. Together with the help of the community the Archive can add colour to the factual information that is collected with regard to the history and heritage of Newbold Verdon.
If you have childhood memories, recollections of village events, or can name people, trades or
contributions from years gone by, please add them to the Archive. Your stories, photographs and details help us piece together family histories and community life and ensure these moments are preserved.
Get in touch with the Newbold Verdon Parish Archive (click the Contact button at the top of every page) to share memories, loan photos or record a short account. Every contribution matters and will be kept for future generations to explore and enjoy.
Thanks
Our thanks to Maureen Dixon and everyone who contributed names, dates and memories. Your shared recollections have stitched together many small details into a fuller picture of Newbold Verdon’s social history and ensured these family and village moments are preserved for future generations.