Articles
The History of Lolapalooza
Then and now - The Living history of our village
Lolapalooza was once a pharmacy run by Mr Allenby and locals remembered that the shop sold all sorts - eggs, dog biscuits and bird seed and cabbages. Kenneth White came during the war c1943 after Harry Allenby died. The back dispensing room was then a little sitting room, and all dispensing was done behind a screen. He then got the sitting room cleared and converted it. There was no running water, all dispensing done with a bowls of water. Kenneth White had ambitious ideas and his friend, and post war partner, Jack Ellard thought Ken was mad, particularly when he said he was going to produce penicillin.
Penicillin was on the Official Secrets’ Act, but he got some culture and the formula from someone (he never said who). He persevered despite disapproval from the Ministry of Health and eventually they came down to see what he was up to and as he was not profiting by it, they allowed him to carry on.
Kenneth White left in the 1950s to travel and Jack bought the shop and it stayed there until his death run by Jack Ellard. It was briefly Cellar Wines (when the blue plaque was unveiled) and then the Ceramic Café.
