Talbot Street runs from Eastwood Road to Lichfield Street. It is joined at the Lichfield Street end by Pelham Street.

The entry between Pelham Street and Talbot Street
Photo taken from the Eastwood Road end - the house backs which are in the photo are those in Talbot Street.

House on the corner of Talbot Street
The side of Hanley Pottery in Eastwood Road can be seen at the end of Talbot Street.

House on the opposite side of Talbot Street

"I was born at number 42 Talbot Street, Hanley in 1942 and lived there for 20 years.  At one time there were two general stores: one in the front room of number 48 run by the Mrs. Harvey; the other being the corner property adjoining Eastwood Road run by Mrs. Platt.  Both were kept very busy, especially at lunch times, by the workers of Johnson Bros. which was at the end of the street in Eastwood Road.  There were similar shops at the corner of Berkeley Street and Bernard Street.

For many years there was an air-raid shelter in the middle of the street, even numbered side, allowing single passage of carts.  When it was demolished I do not know.  One day I noticed that it was no longer there.  It had always seemed to be full of rubbish, dirty and smelly.  Only the boys dared to enter!

In the 1950's we didn't need a clock because the buzzers of Johnson's told us the time..... 

7.50am - 10 minutes to go! 
7.55am - ought to be there! 
8.00am - time to start work! 
12.25pm - almost dinner time;
12.30pm dinner time. 
1.25pm - 5 minutes to go;
1.30pm - back to work and so on. 

How we coped on Sundays I don't know!

Our playground was the streets - rounders in Eastwood Road, the canalside, Johnson's 'extension', the crateyard in Pelham Street, 'farmer, farmer may I cross your field' in Talbot Street, top and whip, two ball, skipping, etc.  It seemed we were never bored although we must have been.  It was usually warmer outside than in! 

All gone."

 Elaine Bryan (nee Ratcliffe)