Goldenhill High Street

Goldendale High Street

Goldenhill High Street

Phyllis Salmon (neé Wharton) with her two younger brothers (Samuel and Arthur)
and Cynthia Beech ( from Beech's shop - Rodgers St.)
outside her shop on Goldendale High Street

Phyllis's father, Samuel, was known as 'pop' Wharton.

He owned The Goldenhill Mineral Water Company and manufactured pop which he sold to shops and pubs. He also had a coal round (every Thursday) collected from Birchenwood. He began his business, as a sideline to working in the pit, by making ice & selling it by horse & cart.

View of the Mineral Water Co
(High Street to the left - Rodgers Street to the right)

Junction of High Street & Rodgers Street
to the left of the picture Nos. 903-905 High Street
the shop name is "BEECH'S"
the white building to the right is the "Goldenhill Mineral Water Co" and this is shown on the sign

the buildings of Beech's Shop and the Goldenhill Mineral Water Co in 2008

As the years passed by, Goldenhill was torn down - redevelopment they called it but it took away all the happiness and comradeship. The community was torn apart. Families moved all over the place. It seemed to take so long for this 'so called' redevelopment to take place. Initially, we were told the road had to be widened and replacement housing would be built. But, look now - where is it? There is a lot of old folks housing and a cross close to the site of Mum's shops. The sad thing is that the old community was devastated.

So life has to go on - progress its called . I always drive through when I can, and try to remember what was where."

David Salmon - August 2001

Goldenhill - and the Potteries Loop Line