‘WR Smith & Sons’ was an animal product manufacturer based at the Tattenhall Road Boneworks, his premises being located adjacent to the Shropshire Union Canal. The location of the Boneworks, in close proximity to both the Canal and to Tattenhall Road Station, was ideal in dealing with the requirements and distribution related to the business.
Combining a slaughterhouse with a new and extensive building programme, including a ‘landmark’ chimney of over 100ft in height, the Tattenhall Road Boneworks became a significant employer on the outskirts of the village until its decline in the 1950s. Regrettably very few of the original buildings remain.
Aerial view of Tattenhall Boneworks (taken from Tattenhall Brickworks)
Animal bones, hooves, horns and other by-products were processed in the production of bone meal fertiliser. This was then transported on the canal network to the various clients of the company. A range of glues, gelatin and fats was also manufactured at the site.
Both Alice Dutton and Philip Randles make reference to the Boneworks in their Oral Histories.
WR Smith also became renowned in the locality for his ‘Annual Competition and Exhibition of Swedes and Mangels’ which was open to his clients and which was held on 1 November every year. Mangels, in particular, were a staple animal feed for dairy cattle, with Mangel roots growing up to 2 feet long.
The prizes awarded by WR Smith were substantial at the time. In 1899, for example, a prize of £50 for ‘Swedes’ was awarded to Mr Thomas Shepherd from Burton, Rossett. In fact, Mr Shepherd became unstoppable, gaining success in 1901 when he was awarded £25 for his success in the Mangel root competition and again in 1902 when he scooped another £50, winning prizes in both categories. This was obviously a serious competition with entries from near and far and by 1910, at least, 2 Silver Cups were awarded to the category winners of ‘Heaviest Swedes and Mangels from North of Shrewsbury’ and ‘Heaviest Swedes and Mangels from South of Shrewsbury’, a combined weight of over 180lbs being the requirement.
A series of certificates and photographs appears below covering the years 1899, 1901, 1902, 1906 (when the competition was held in October) and 1910. These artefacts were salvaged from a skip during the demolition of sections of the Boneworks and provide a unique snapshot of times past.
This badly damaged certificate, dated 1899, indicates that Mr Thomas Shepherd of Rossett was awarded 1st prize of £50
In 1901, Mr Thomas Shepherd was again successful in this local competition when he was awarded a £25 prize for his ‘Mangels’ and was also awarded a Consolation Prize for his ‘Swedes’
Surprise, surprise … Mr Thomas Shepherd scooped every prize category in 1902
In 1906, the prize money has increased to £30 and Mr Thomas Shepherd is no longer featured (doubtless to the relief of all)
By 1910 the financial prizes appear to have been replaced by ‘Silverware’ … Mr Thomas Shepherd is again recorded!