26 replies to this topic

[NIMROD]

Does anyone know where the Wishing Well,cafe/restaurant was in St Helens.

Nimrod

[ashton]

NIMROD, on Oct 15 2008, 11:28 AM, said:

Does anyone know where the Wishing Well,cafe/restaurant was in St Helens.

Nimrod

it was where the charcole grill is now in claughton st

ashton

[gilly]

ashton, on Oct 15 2008, 12:05 PM, said:

it was where the charcole grill is now in claughton st

ashton

It wasn't, it was opposite Helena house next door to the 'Kamera' place the Charcoal is still where it's always been.I think it was Claughton st tho couple doors up from Rexmore(?) house.The Charcoal was/is completely different.WHOA i might be getting confused was the charcoal once called the Fountain Grill

Edited by gilly, 15 October 2008 - 09:02 PM.

[Griffin]

The Wishing Well was the downstairs part of the Charcoal Grill premises, with the latter upstairs. We're talking 1960s to 1970s, and then the Charcoal also used the downstairs as a proper restaurant in the 80s. The Fountain Grill was in Cotham Street opposite Helena House, between Kamera (or F. George Laughton's as it then was) and Rexmore House.

[gilly]

yep thought i was getting it mixed up did the fountain grill become tony sampsons ?

[Griffin]

Rings a bell. Was that a fairly modern menswear shop? I know the late Barney Taylor had a menswear shop somewhere around there until a few years ago, so maybe that was also the same place which he took over. That whole block, of course, used to be a corn chandler's owned by J. Appleton Argon, with the famous "chicken window" further along towards the Gas Showrooms. It was all redeveloped when they built Rexmore House for the County Court, which had formerly been in East Street near the Market Hall.

[brunty]

been on the wine griff,its argon appleton.

[Griffin]

For some reason, everybody called him Argon Appleton. However, his name over the window of the corner premises (where Kamera is now) was clearly shown as J. A. Argon. Also, the carriage arch leading to the rear of the establishment had the word Argon painted up the side of it. I have a photograph of his premises and one of the "chicken window" which I must dig out and post.

[brunty]

you may be wrong there griff owd bey.

[Olliebeak]

Griff - this 'chicken window' you mention has disturbed some sediment deep at the bottom of my memories. What exactly was it? Not sure now if it's a genuine memory or something generated in my mind by your phrase

[Griffin]

Brunty, the facts I stated were correct. I'll post that photograph when I find it. However, his name does appear to have been Appleton, as explained in this article.

Ollie, the corn chandlers occupied the entire block from what is now Kamera down to the Gas Showrooms. Towards that end was a large plate glass display window, and in the window were day-old fluffy yellow chicks scratching about. They were kept warm by bright lights. Children liked to watch them, and I suppose it was a sort of advertisement for the business. I have a photograph of that too. I'll upload them to the site when I dig them out.

[Alan]

Strange, the "Chicken" shop in my mind was somewhere in the old market square, near to the market end of the Palatine Arcade

[brunty]

that would be turners alan,he had a smallholding in south st at the back of the vine.

[Voll]

Phew!! At last, something I remember; thanks Brunty. Turner's Nurseries was at the opposite end of South Street to the Vine, just behind, and to the side of, the little Nutgrove Methodist School.

[Griffin]

Here are those pictures of Argon Appleton's shop (now Kamera) and the chicken window, which can be seen part way along in the main picture.