IT'S a subject that just refuses to go away! And it proves that Dickie Glover's old-time chip shop was arguably the most famous and best loved little eaterie of its kind in the borough.
An avalanche of response has rushed in since Keith Robinson, 59-year-old former Pilks employee, mentioned the little take-away chippie with dining room, in a letter from Altinkhum, Turkey, where he's now living in retirement.
The chip shop enjoyed a roaring passing trade, being conveniently close to a dance hall, two cinemas and the Theatre Royal on Corporation Street, St Helens.
Now, additional info has formed an unsuspected link between chips and ice-cream; and one old-timer, E.S. Green from West View, Rainford, reveals that Dickie Glover had been a famous half-back with the old St Helens Recs between the two world wars.
He also points out a slip-up concerning an earlier suggestion from one reader that Dickie Glover's place was also known as the Slip In! "That particular cafe was a few shops lower down the block. It served pies, cakes, tea and coffee in a small room behind or near the counter. I used it a few times before catching my train from Shaw Street station to Rainford Village after a show at the Rivoli or the Hippodrome".
Two other followers of this cobwebby column cranked back the clock by a half-century in identifying the physically handicapped, highly proficient manageress of Dickie Glover's place. A red-haired lass named Eileen Farrelly, she eventually inherited the business from a grateful Dickie.
C.B. of Eccleston paints the full word picture. "Until our civic vandals tore it down, St Helens boasted a fine market hall as well as a covered market. Between the two buildings was a street housing an open-air fruit and veg market; and at the junction of Market Street, in the shadow of George Brooks' stall (selling ladies' underwear and hosiery, and still surviving today in the existing market) was Randolph's pink and white ice-cream van".
Wishing to remain anonymous but supplying full identity in good faith, he adds: "On the opposite corner was the blue-and-white ice-cream van of Frederick's, parked close to the underground gents' toilet block and near to the Robin Hood pub where former rugby league bruiser and one-time fairground boxer-wrestler Jonty Pilkington lost an eye in a beer-glass attack".
Bright-eyed courage
Frederick's van provided work for Mrs Frederick, plus a dark-haired woman called Agnes who lived in Lacey Street and the flame-haired Eileen Farrelly, so severely disabled that she wore irons on both legs.
Spotting her at work, Dickie Glover marvelled at the bright-eyed courage of busy-bee Eileen, jokingly suggesting that she might like to help out at his chippie in her 'spare time'. Eileen rose to the challenge, combining her ice-cream duties with stints at the chip shop.
"Dickie was absolutely bowled over at how hard Eileen was prepared to work", C.B. goes on, "and vowed to make sure she would never be poor in her life". Dickie proved as good as his word and when he either retired or died (C.B. isn't sure which) it was discovered he had left the business to Eileen. She recruited the services of ice-cream workmate and best friend Agnes. And Mrs Frederick even volunteered to lend a helping hand.
"Eileen did justice to Dickie Glover's reputation as having the best chippie around, and she also expanded the dining-room facility until she herself retired ... with redevelopment of Corporation Street on the drawing-board and demolition in the offing".
One man who would have loved to tackle a bag of Dickie Glover's lip-smacking chips 'n fish was Terence Lennon, larger-than-life local business personality who built up the Lennon's supermarket empire.
Explains C.B.: " He told me he'd been often tempted to step inside the steam-filled shop for a serving of newspaper-wrapped chips, but always pulled back at the last moment. The reason? He worried that his public image might suffer if he was spotted in a chip shop queue.
"He might have been a millionaire", observes C.B., "but he was the poorer for not having enjoyed a Dickie Glover experience! Imagine going through life and never having the chance to suck vinegar through the end of a cone-shaped bag!"
Lynn Arnold (nee Harrison) knew both Eileen and second-in-command Agnes. "I spent many happy times in their company and earned pocket money serving fish and chips in the dining room".
Lynn also confirms that the Slip In Caf stood some doors away, towards the Swan Hotel, which her own parents ran for 20 years. She signs off on a mysterious note: "I could tell you lots of tales about the Swan, from its celebrity guests to the ghost of Mrs Hunter". (Pray let's know more on the subject, Lynn!).
A gang of greybeards calling themselves the Wednesday Warriors (they meet midweek for a chinwag and cuppa at the parish church) also identified Eileen and Agnes. "We remember, with more than a little affection, both of those hard-working girls". One of the 'warriors' identified himself as being a relative of Keith Robinson, who first set the Dickie Glover ball rolling. He's jetting out in a few weeks' time to visit Keith and discover what life is like at the Turkish resort.
Bill Bromilow, who has lived in Charles Street, a stone's throw from where Dickie Glover's premises once stood, also clears up the Slip In issue, adding that he took a few lessons at a small dance studio which he believes was located above the Slip In. He recalls that the instructor was a 'German sounding' man, married to the woman who ran the caf below. Anyone able to confirm this?
Final postscript comes from a follower of this page now living in Leicester. Jeff Wharton of Brent Court spotted the name and overseas address of Keith Robinson in my original article. "It's interesting", he writes, "to see that Keith lives in my favourite holiday resort. I have visited it since 1988; and every year I spend the first two weeks of June there.
"If Keith would like to meet up in Altinkhum in June next year, to chat about old St Helens, I can be found in the Turan Bar, opposite the Yildrim Hotel every evening. Just ask proprietor Mustafa for Jeff. I'm the same age as Keith, so we might find some common interests to discuss".
H IT'S now over to Keith, who I understand likes to follow this page via the Internet.
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