The Fylde & Wyre Antiquarian

I've had somebody ask me today where Dish Dolls used to be as his grandmother used to take him when he was a child (lives away). We're going back quite a bit here but it was a cafe that was the 'in' place in it's day. He seems to think it was near the river somewhere. My mum remebers it and thinks it was over wyre but can't remeber where. James on my blog has said he thinks it was somewhere on Bull Park Lane but can anybody narrow it down for me ?

cheers

Wow, what a memory jerker! Dish Dolls Cafe was advertised on the back of the Cartford bridge toll tickets in the sixties. I think it was to the right as you left the toll gate, after the junction of the road up tp Pilling.

Hi Frank

Thanks very much for that. Jame s said it was down Bull Park Lane which runs right through to St Michaels past Cartford Bridge even though the road name changes a lot on the way through. That would also fit with it being near the river. I might have a drive along tomorrow to check it out.

I asked my Mum about this and she remembers a thing or two about it. It was opened as a restaurant by a family called Hewitson, who later owned and ran a restaurant in called Temple Grill, on Temple Street in Blackpool. Two brothers, Richard and Michael, were the mainstays. Richard died some while ago, but last my Mum heard, Michael was living in Cleveleys.

Later, the establishment's name was changed and it became Poachers Pocket. Frank was spot on with the location. A Google search for the later name brings up a hit on Wyre Borough Council's site [1], which includes a map showing the location. It's one of the places where the road from Out Rawcliffe to St Michaels runs right against the built-up river bank. When I was a kid, we would sometimes stop there for an ice cream on a Sunday afternoon drive around the Fylde and my brother and I would scamper up the bank whilst the ice creams were being procured.

I remember it quite clearly as the Poachers Pocket because I knew the owners and had a couple of excellent meals there. That's 25 years ago though.

[1] http://www.wyrebc.gov.uk/Page.aspx?PvnI ... 6597-36607

Hi Chris

I had a drive up there yesterday and thought it might be the Poachers Pocket. It's a house now but is still called the same but I wasn't 100% sure. Thanks for asking and clearing it up.

I thought the former Dishdolls (1950s and 60s) and the Poachers Pocket (late 1970s/early 80s) were different entities, about a mile apart. I may be wrong.
There is a lady living in the Wild Boar Farm area of Rawcliffe Road (whose house I gather incorporates a carriage or some structure from Blackpool's old Big Wheel) who will know the answer. I am occasionally in touch with her so will ask her next time I see her.
I remember my parents used to stop at Dishdolls for ice creams etc., when I was a kid in the late 50s / early 60s.

Ahh Dishdolls,

The family that used to own Dishdolls are old family friends, both my Mother and Grandmother worked their. I spent many a happy day their during school holidays. I used to help out in the ice cream shack during the late 70`s when it was still called Dishdolls.

Dishdolls was owned by my Grandparents Henry & Margaret Hewitson. They bought it for £1500 in 1930 when they returned to England after living in Canada for 17 years. They returned to England with their 4 children who were all born in Canada. Originally it was a house with six acres of land in Out Rawcliffe known as Wyresdale View. My Grandparents began poultry farming they later also tried their hand at mushroom farming before turning part of the house into the very successful tea rooms & restaurant.

The name Dishdolls comes from a local tale of a lady called Dolly who collected tolls from travellers crossing Cartford bridge, she would rattle a wooden butter dish for them to put the money in and became known as Dish Dolly.

Margaret & Henry ran Dishdolls right through WW2, however the strain of running it through the war and providing food for the Royal Ordinance Corps who were stationed nearby took it's toll on Margaret's health so they sold it just after the war.

My father Harold went on to run the Temple Grill in Blackpool which chris2553 mentions in an earlier post, later taking on his brother Richard as a business partner. Richard sadly passed away in 1977 however Harold is still alive and well and living in the Cleveleys area.

Hi Sarah

Thanks very much for that very interesting.