Chris Courtenay Williams is Chair of the Chester FC Senior Blues

“I was born at the Chester City Hospital on August 29th  1943,  I started working in Chester, at Williams and Williams, a metal window factory on Liverpool road on my 17th birthday in 1960, my wages were £2-18 shillings a week

“I was there for 9 months, I had been employed as a trainee draughtsman, but on my first day, I was told that  there was no vacancy in the drawing office, so I was put in the estimating office, mathematics was never my strong subject so I hated it. I was made redundant after 9 months.

“Without a job after just a short time, and much to mothers panic, I was living at home at that time, I was prepared, literally,  to take anything. Both my brother and sister had gone to university by this time. I got the bus into Chester from our home near Holywell, on the first three days of my unemployment, to visit the Employment Office in George Street, Chester, I think it is now a florist. All the jobs in Chester at that time were in a box file on cards. The employment officer would go through the cards selecting jobs he thought would suit you.”

Chris was sent to a newly opened furrier, Ellis Barker’s at 20. St Michael’s Row, then known as The Arcade. To Chris’s relief, he was taken on as a trainee furrier. “I was basically an errand boy to start with, and I got know the City centre very well, and got familiar with all the little alleyways and passages around the city, most closed now to the public. There is still an underground  passage that runs from by the main steps in Bridge Street through to the back customers entrance to Browns of Chester and the car park for the Grosvenor Hotel and Newgate Street. The entrance in Bridge Street can still be seen, but is now behind black wrought iron gates.

“As well as running errands, other jobs included, cleaning windows and blinds and removing dog poo from outside the shop.”

Eventually, a furrier was brought up from London with his family to set up a fur workroom, which was a converted flat at the very top of George Clays fashion shop on the corner of the Arcade and Bridge Street Row. ”From the moment I picked up my Fur knife to start to learn how to alter and repair fur coats, I fell in love with the process”

By this time the music scene was booming in Chester and Chris was a keen follower.

“My very first concert was to see Adam Faith at the Gaumont cinema/theatre by Cow Lane Bridge. I’m also old enough to remember the Cattle Market, where the bus station is today! Incidentally on the bill with Adam Faith was a singer called Gerry Dorsey, who later got better known as Engelbert Humperdinck.  I saw “The Animals at the Royalty Theatre who were my favourite group at the time, along with The Bachelors.
“I saw The Rolling Stones, twice, at the ABC cinema/theatre, after one of those concerts, the group had to escape hysterical fans by climbing over the roofs of buildings in Foregate Street
I didn’t see the Beatles concert at the Royalty in 1963, as I wasn’t a great fan of them at that time, but their visit brought City Road to a standstill that night!
“Other concerts I saw at the ABC was Cilla Black appearing with PJ Proby, but the previous night, Proby had split his tight red velvet pants at another venue, and was banned from the rest of the tour, including Chester, so a replacement was hurriedly brought in, a young Welsh lad who was enjoying his first hit record, “It’s not Unusual “. ( Tom Jones).

“I was lucky to see most of the Merseyside and Manchester groups at that time and the likes of Roy Orbison over from America. One memorable concert was a Tamla Motown Concert, only The Supremes were really known at that time, but on the undercard was many of the artists who went on to become famous, including The Four Tops.”
“I had a friend at that time who was a newspaper reporter, and he visited the dressing room to interview some of the singers, but hoping to speak to Diana Ross, he was rebuffed because she was too upset to talk after seeing the ABC theatre only half-full.

About this time Chris was sent to a large manufacturing furriers in Manchester for month, and it was great learning experience for him. “Scroll on then to 1964 and we had a change in Government and one of the first things done by Harold Wilson was the SET- the selective employment tax. I am convinced that was the start of mass unemployment. This caused a lot firms to reduce their payroll, including my own job.

“So I was redundant for the second time in my life, with there being no jobs available in the Fur Trade in Chester, I rang up the Furrier where had trained in Manchester, he said to me, “Get the first train you can over here!”

Chris admitted it was a big culture shock moving from a farm in North Wales to a bedsit in Withington. The main work in the factory was producing new fur garments, there was a staff of about 40 people all doing different processes in the manufacture of making fur garments.

“ I had been employed for my expertise in the repair and alteration of fur garments, I couldn’t believe the size of the rail they dragged out for me, literally buckling with the weight of numerous furs waiting to be altered, it was obvious that none of the furriers, who were used to handling new work, were in a hurry to do repairs and alterations, and neither were the machinists, who weren’t in  too much of an hurry either to machine my work up, so in the lunchtimes I taught myself to machine. I was very lucky to learn a lot about working on the manufacture of new items, which was invaluable for my future career.”

“ I became well know in the Manchester Fur Trade for my expertise in working on remodelling and repairing, and worked for two three different furriers, at one time two at the same time.
“I remember the day in July 1966 when I sat down with my landlady and watched England win the World Cup on a small black and white television, not realising that I would never see that happen again!”

Chris got married whilst he was in Manchester and started a family, meanwhile he told me that whilst  he was courting  his soon to be wife, he used to rush home from work to do gardening for 25 p an hour, “I used to try and get four hours in, 6-10 to earn a £1. The money was used to buy my wife’s engagement ring, which cost £12.50 in today’s money!”

 But after 3 years he was missing his beloved Chester Football Club, so moved back to Chester. “I was asked to go back to work in Chester again at Ellis Barkers, this time situated at 55, Bridge Street, where I became workroom manager. But because whilst I had been away, my previous job as junior and general dogsbody had never been filled, I ended doing all that again, as well as managing the workroom. It was very hard work, although they did try and recruit a “junior”, none of the lads would work for the money offered, as it was over a third less than  the £25 a week they could get working at Vauxhall’s in Ellesmere Port. After five and a half years I was offered a job at Browns of Chester, which turned out to be the best job I had in my life so far.”
“In the three years I had been away of course, the city had changed with the ring road now in place and the Grosvenor Shopping development.”

“I became workroom manager at Browns and I loved it, because I knew what time I started in the morning, and what time I went home. It was the latter days of Browns heyday, where literally they boasted that people they could look after you from birth until death, they could arrange christenings, engagements, weddings and funerals. They could furnish and decorate your house, see to your plumbing and electrical problems.

Unfortunately this was all to come to an end Chris told me, “At about 1975/76 when Debenhams bought the store, this had an alarming effect on the staff, mainly the services, all the things I have mentioned above, were closed down, most of the staff affected decided to become self-employed in their particular trade thankfully.”
“I had no illusions that my job would be one of the services to go, but I was granted an interview with management who told me that they would be closing the Fur workroom, but I was told they did not want to lose my expertise, and offering me a job running the fur cold storage department, a service where customers paid for their furs to be looked after during the Summer months, previously this had been a full time job, plus they wanted me also to help out on shop floor. I thought to myself if I’ve got to do two jobs, my pay would increase, but was then told my salary would be regraded, down, from £55 a week to £44 a week, by this time I had a mortgage and three children. I felt my insulted that skills were not being valued, so I refused their offer, and told them I would start my own business”

Chris said that he didn’t realise at the time what a big step that would be, but he said “Browns management were brilliant and offered me everything I needed, including work, to set up my own business, which I duly did on the third floor of 96, Northgate Street on November 1st 1976.” Chris admitted his first two days didn’t exactly inspire him, and he feared for the future.
He told me, “I had forgotten that I had placed an advertisement in the free paper, “The Chester Mail” and on the Wednesday morning when I opened up, I actually had customers waiting for me.

He remembers other traders of the past Northgate high street: “It was a great little street, full of small businesses, we all knew each other and helped each other when we could. There was everything you needed, a Paper shop, butchers, barbers, an Army and Navy stores, a chemist and a cafe, and below me, an ironmongers. I actually did the Grand National Sweep for the Street every year. There was the Odeon cinema across the road along with Ladbrokes the bookies, I remember it being opened, by “Stan Ogden” of Coronation Street fame.

‘I certainly hit the ground running and continued to take in business, almost forgetting that I had my Browns of Chester work to do as well, which resulted in me working into the night up to Christmas and taking work home for my wife to do. That Christmas was the one and only time that we booked in for Christmas dinner at the Blossoms hotel, as we were all so tired.”

In 1977 Chris got a call from the Town Hall. “They said that the Civic Robes were in a bit of a mess and they asked me could I refurbish the Mayors Robe, the Deputy Mayors Robe along with Sheriffs. Little did I realise that that job would keep me busy every Spring for a further 40 years! It was certainly something I had never been trained to do, but along with my sewers we soon learnt, and started to adapt them to reduce the wear and tear on them, we also did the jabots, and cuffs to go with the robes. I went on to make new robes for a number of local councils including Wrexham and East Cheshire. The Sheriffs robe of Chester I made new, the first for over 50 years and still can be seen on civic occasions today.

By now Chris felt he wanted help his beloved football club and started sponsoring, his first was Derek Jeffries. The defender came to Chester towards the end of his career having played for Manchester City and Crystal Palace. He went on to sponsor floodlights for a season or two and even bought a new set of goal nets when they were needed.

However by 1986 things were changing. Campaigns and protests led by Animal Rights groups had begun.

“I remember going downstairs to Mountfords. There was a new paper out called Chester Tonight. I was horrified to see a picture of a fox with a man with a large boot on its neck, under a headline of something like “The price of a fur coat” (I turned out later that the photograph was decades old, not that made any difference.)  but I knew in my heart things were never going to be the same again. It was a damning article about the fur trade, and over the next weeks all the Chester papers were producing anti fur articles.” Before this trade has still been very successful with a 50k turnover in 1986- “It very quickly went down”

Chris said “At the time it seemed to be the thing to attack the Fur Trade in the general media and radio and television,  I went on radio and television to counter the lies and mistruths about our Trade, both locally and nationally, I lost count of the numerous articles and letters I wrote to National and Local newspapers. I can argue and defend my trade with anyone, but  found it very hard getting my point across, when, literally the media were just making things up about us, and most would not even allow a counter argument.”.

Now receiving hate mail in the post and abusive phone calls, his shop was even raided by activists who destroyed his fitting room and threatened him. Chris went on “The police even came to see me at the shop to tell me to take a different route home every night!  The funny side of it was I don’t drive and used to cycle to work and back!”

By the late 80s Chris told me, The Animal Rights groups had got into women’s heads that if you wore a fur coat in the street, you would likely to have paint thrown over you or you would be attacked” in actual fact, I never heard of any attacks, the worse being that fur wearers getting abused in the street, which of course is bad enough, but instead of getting calls for people wanting work done on their furs, all they did was want to sell them.”

With business down and insurance costs doubled, Chris closed the shop and has worked from home ever since. He says that in recent years, “The British Fashion Trade has simply whitewashed us, you will not see any magazine or television programme showing real fur today, although they will promote “Faux Fur” which is basically plastic, and we all know the damage the manufacture and use of plastic is doing to the planet.”

Chris reflects on his support of Chester FC.
“I first came to watch Chester to see my school friend Ronnie Davies play in 1960, and I got hooked from that day on. I was very lucky to see the mid 60’s high scoring team, scoring 142 goals in all competitions which is unlikely to be matched again, the great day at Old Trafford when we lost 1-2 in the pouring rain, being beaten by a George Best offside goal. Of course the 74/75 League Cup  run was a great highlight, the dreadful temporary re-location to Macclesfield, clinging on to the seat in front of you as the bus driver hurtled down the Kelsall Hill, on the way back.   The worst part being, arriving back at the Sealand Road ground, with stadium still intact was really galling. . The pitch was overgrown, that was really rubbing it in. I think that’s where we lost a lot of support , football is a habit you get into it. Its very easy to get out of the habit. I knew a lot of people who suddenly stopped going. ”

“We did get our new Stadium though, and unbelievably it’s now 30 years ago. But we have had mixed fortunes” says Chris. “We have had some great times there, also some bad times when private owners owned the club” This eventually resulted in the club being first, relegated from the football league and eventually liquidated.

Chris told me, “I was one of the original supporters who were involved in the group that set up the CFU, but because of my work commitments I couldn’t join the the first board of directors. But I’m very proud of my part of setting up the new Chester FC.”

“Three champions victories in row under the great Neil Young, is certainly the new clubs biggest achievement is very unlikely ever to be repeated”

Looking back on his time as chairman of the Senior Blues he says, , “Not long after one of our promotion seasons, I can’t remember which one, whether is eleven or twelve years ago I don’t know, but, director, Mark Howell asked me to set up a Supporters group for “Senior supporters” which I was happy to chair and arrange.
“It’s turned out very successfully, we fund raise, we now give money ever year to the Academy to help our future players, we have now given them over £30,000 in the time we have been running, we also help finance the women’s football team which is going from strength to strength. We have also sponsored games, bought new chairs for the boardroom and new goal nets  the last two seasons alone.”

“We meet the first Friday of every month August to May inclusive, with interesting speakers, both football and non football. We organise trips, this season so far, we have been to the Gladstone Library and visited Wroxeter Vineyards. In the past we have visited various museums and even been to the top of the Liver building in Liverpool.
Our most memorable visit was to the Somme battlefield in Northern France in 2019, which was something I, personally, had always wanted to do.”

Thinking back as far as the City of Chester is concerned, he regrets the destroying of the original market frontage, which he said was “almost a crime” and he  cannot understand why the Amphitheatre has  never been developed.” People can’t understand why we want to retain an empty building! It could be Chester’s biggest attraction and the centre of the city.

However Chris praises the Northgate development “There is progress. I think its brilliant. We’ve missed a proper Cinema. It will get more people into the city. I’m old so I can remember what Chester was like. Times are changing and the internet has made such a big difference. When I started, people were writing cheques! ”

Asked what his legacies would be, Chris said, without doubt the work on the Civic Robes for Chester Town over 40 years, my work with Chester Football Club, especially the Senior Blues, and as far as my Fur work is concerned, the teaching of my wonderful girl students, both in the UK and abroad who will continue using the skills I’ve taught them long after I’ve gone.