Kingsley Archives - Times Echo and Life

February 13, 2020

Plaque commemorating WWII air crash unveiled

A COMMUNITY in the Moorlands has honoured the lives of service men who died in a WWII disaster in a village by unveiling a plaque in their names last week. Residents in Kingsley gathered together for a ceremony at Blakeley Lane Methodist Chapel on Friday (February 7) to commemorate the six men who were killed on February 7, 1944 when a Handley Page Halifax bomber crashed onto farm land close to the chapel after its engine became frozen during a training mission. Flying officer Ernest Charles David Richards, Sgt Kenneth Murray, Sgt William Desmond Joshua, Sgt Herbert John Couling, Sgt Albert John Denny of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and flying officer Hubert Lloyd Kerr of the Royal Canadian Air Force all died in the crash.

Large poppies on pub to remember the fallen

THE MANAGER of a village pub has pulled out all the stops to remember the fallen this autumn. Danni Molloy, who has run the Blacksmiths Arms in Kingsley for the past 18 months, has painted bright red poppies all over the Shawe Park Road establishment as a way to raise awareness about the forthcoming remembrance commemorations and also to raise money for this year's Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal as well as Help for Heroes. Danni told the Times & Echo: “I decided to do this as The Blacksmiths Arms is a very community orientated pub.

Parish council donate thousands to community project

A PARISH council has given thousands of pounds to a project team to help towards the regeneration of a recreation field. Kingsley Parish Council have confirmed that they have donated £10,000 to Kingsley Venture Valley Project Team for their plans to improve Kingsley Recreation Ground.

Parking issues put an end to bus services

FOUR bus services in a Moorlands village are being cancelled this Spring – due to “inconsiderate parking.” Community leaders in Kingsley have, since November, held meetings in the hope of saving the bus services which go through their village at school drop-off and pick-up times. But despite sending notices to parents about parking issues outside St Werburgh's School, no improvement has been made. The journeys being withdrawn by First Potteries, as of April 8 are: 8.39am from Kingsley to Hanley; 8.47am from Kingsley to Cheadle; 3.11pm from Kingsley to Cheadle and; 3.14pm from Kingsley to Hanley.

Egg-ceptionally large lay for Moorlands chicken

A MOORLANDS chicken has laid three very large eggs – and her owner was in for another surprise when she cracked the eggs open. Nicola Randles owns a small holding in Kingsley and has eight chickens. She, and the students she has living on the small holding with her, were rather surprised to discover one of the hens, named Onyx, had laid a large egg – which was around five times the size of an average egg.

£23k for new play equipment in Kingsley Holt

A DONATION of more than £23,000 will help fund new play equipment for village children. Money raised from the sale of the former Kingsley Youth Club has been gifted to Kingsley Holt Community Fund for the new kit. A cheque for £1,000 has also been presented to Kingsley Village Hall for fire doors at the rear of the building.