Hitchman Street is located in Fenton, one of the six towns of Stoke-on-Trent. Hitchman Street Conservation Area consists of thirteen red brick terraced dwellings and a shop which hinges around the corner from Victoria Road. The buildings date from 1889 and there is a date stone of 1890 to mark their completion. Another terracotta stone bears the monogram ‘WMB’. From the conservation area appraisal:
“William Meath Baker was the absent owner of an adjacent pottery, inherited from his Uncle, William Baker. William Baker’s sister (Aunt of WMB) was called Hitchman when she married, hence the name of the Street.”
No 11 marks the end of the terrace where it leads down towards Fountain Street.
Number 7 Hitchman Street was once home to the Hammersley family: Samuel, his wife Mary and their only son Charles Meakin Hammersley. Looking at the records, Charles was a Staff Sgt in the 1st North Midlands Royal Garrison Artillery who was killed in France almost 100 years ago to the day. His death was recorded on 7th July 1917, age 38. His father lived for only four months after and he passed away on 17 Nov 1917, aged 74.
Mary Hammersley however, must have had a strong constitution as she endured another war and died some 32 years later on 24th Nov 1949, aged 98.
Derek Scragg has collected a large number of memorial inscriptions from Stoke-on-Trent and surrounds, and his most up-to-date transcriptions, with maps and photographs can be found on his site of North Staffordshire Headstone Inscriptions
Detail of some of the terracotta tiles seen high up in the gables.
Do you know of any one who lived along here? Would you like to share any history to be included here? Please get in touch as I would love to hear from you.
Signed limited edition print available to buy online from Barewall Gallery, Burslem.
Thanks for reading
Ronnie
Drawing the Detail 
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