BLIND Bob, the amazing coal sculptor, certainly made a big - and-long lasting - impression during his gala visits to Sherdley Park between the two world wars.
Thomas Rockwell of Archer Street, Sutton, has gleaned from his elderly parents, some more interesting details about the craftsman who chipped out unique little works of art at the drop of a flat cap.
His likenesses of sitters who flocked to him at the local fetes were translated into soft cannel coal after Bob gently ran his sensitive fingertips over their facial features.
Thomas's parents enjoyed reading my earlier pieces about Blind Bob. And our Sutton correspondent now tells me that they can confirm that Bob did, indeed, have a rather unique close friend . . . a dwarf named Colin.
"The two were inseparable," says Thomas, "with Colin helping to set up Bob's stall.
"What your other correspondents failed to mention was that Colin was a supremely talented man in his own right. He had his own act, being a proficient juggler and with amazing strength for one so small in stature."
Thomas adds: "He'd invite the men to to form a queue before lifting each one off the ground - some the size of the fellows you now see at Knowsley Road in Saints' kit. My own father, Clifford, remembers this particularly well as Colin once performed this remarkable lifting challenge on him."
The local fetes were real annual highpoints with stalls abounding and the kids let loose to play their games of tick and hide-and-seek while parents strolled around looking at paintings, side-show attractions and, of course, Blind Bob's pieces of sculpture.
"Surely," comments Thomas, "this was an early fore-runner of today's St Helens Town Show."
Then came that fateful summer when Bob arrived solo. His little companion had died during the previous year and Bob was too upset to discuss the details.
Thomas touches on the mystery surrounding Blind Bob's surname by pointing out that his parents believe it was either Atcheson or Atherton. "He had a strong Norfolk accent - something special in its own right to local Sintelliners.
"And," adds Thomas, "my mother tells me it was easy to tell how busy Bob had been on a particular day, because of the number of people walking around with black coaldust on their faces."
This was where Bob had placed his talented hands to feel out the features of those seeking their portrait in coal.
MY thanks to the family Rockwell for bringing that splendid slice of yesteryear back again into focus.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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