The Bull Ring, Park Avenue, Uttoxeter

The Bull Ring

Off Park Avenue, in Uttoxeter is a small cul de sac, which rejoices in the name of the BULL RING.
Long favoured years ago, by local children to play in. Helped in 1939 by the erection of a brick built air raid shelter. A playground, and a nuisance I am sure to elderly residents. It remained for ten years, before finally biting the dust.
I mention it, because in a book I have recently read, this is described as the old dockyard, of the Uttoxeter Canal. Not so, the dockyard in the early thirties was clearly visible between the homes of the Tansley and Lavin families, access by a lane, and two cottages, were I am sure, the Swinson family ( the only two I remember older than me, were Rita and Kitchener (Kitch) lived before moving into new properties. They were known as the Dockyard Cottages.
There was clear indication of two large bays, capable of taking barges. These were partially filled in with waste material. A piece of history which had survived then for over a hundred years, and destroyed in the name of progress .
I have not looked down that lane for over fifty years. I have no idea what developments if any, have taken place.
John Mellor