Our Great - Auntie Agnes
Grandma Ada Whiles
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Our Fish Story
It all started way back about 100 years ago, when our Grandma Ada
opened a Fish and Chip shop in Burton-on-Trent, England. Her first
husband, Frank, who had a weak heart, became too ill to work and in
order to make ends meet it was decided to make the most of Ada's
reputation for great home cooking and go into business selling fish
and chips. Agnes and May, her two youngest sisters, would help Ada
in the shop after school and with their help she ran the business
very successfully. Unfortunately, Frank died in 1913, only a year or
so later.
The young widow, Ada, continued in the fish and chip business and it
was there that she met and fell in love with our Grandpa Owen
Whiles, who had become a regular customer. They got married on
Valentine's Day 1916 and continued to live on the shop premises (a
very small terraced house, 2 rooms up and 2 down) for the duration
of Owen's service in the First World War and beyond. Our Dad,
Clement John Whiles, was born in 1921 and his sister Betty in 1924,
after which they moved to a bigger house and gradually handed over
the day to day running of the shop to Ada's youngest sister, Agnes.
Agnes married Bert in 1925 and together they worked hard and
expanded the business to three more locations in Burton-on-Trent.
We never knew our Grandma Ada because she died suddenly when our
father was only 14 and his sister 11, but Auntie Agnes and Uncle
Bert play a big part in our English childhood memories. In 1954 our
parents emigrated to Canada with four young children. Mike Whiles,
one of those children, is now part owner of this restaurant. It was Great Auntie Agnes and Uncle Bert who
waved Bon Voyage as we sailed away to our new life in Oliver, B.C.
where our father had accepted a post as Commerce teacher at South
Okanagan High School. Our parents went on to have three more
children. Dave Whiles, the youngest of the family, is the other
owner of this restaurant together with his wife Deb who is the Chief
chef and the inspiration and driving force behind this venture.
Our Great Auntie Ag owned fish and chip shops in Burton-on-Trent for
over thirty years until she and Bert moved south to Devon and opened
the Sea View Cafe in Westward Ho! We have fond memories of our Great
Auntie Ag, we are proud of her past success, and that is why we have
chosen to name our restaurant Auntie Ag's Seafood Cafe.
Hope you enjoy our food!Deb, Dave &
Mike
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