Joey The Swan (Crewe)

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At the junction of Church Lane and Broughton Lane, there is an area known as Joey the Swan. This was a fish pool or ‘stew’ dug out in about 1870. The soil was thrown up in front of the building called Wistaston Hall and a ‘clinker’ wall built to retain it. The swan called ‘Joey’ was a local ‘character’...

In 1930 if you stood on the large front lawn of Wistaston Hall you would have had a far different view than today for right in the foreground you would see a large pond fronted by an iron railing which prevented children from wandering into the water. However, that was not the only danger... The pond was the home of a large and often aggressive swan!

No one seems to know just when he made his first appearance but it is believed that at one time he had a mate. It would appear that she came to an untimely end, but no one seems to know just how that was. Parishoners felt sorry for the bird and began to make a fuss of him by bringing their children to see him and throwing him food. And before long he had a name... Joey!

Although he was pampered by the villagers he could be somewhat ungrateful and was known to deliver a vicious peck from time to time. there were reports that he would poke his beak through the railings and tug at the clothing of small children.

Joey also had a daily routine. This was to fly onto the driveway of the Hall each day as the van, owned by a Nantwich bakery, arrived. Whilst the bread and cakes were being delivered, Joey would gobble up the crumbs left behind.

Unfortunately one day the van driver, having delivered his goods, climbed into his van and reversed over poor Joey who was killed instantly.

There was great constertnation amongst all concerned until at last someone hurried off to return with a member of a well known local family, the Bakers, who carried Joey into their nearby woods and buried him there.

His legend lives on!

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