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Blackburn, Salford Bridge 1899
Blackburn, Salford Bridge 1899 Ref: 43476
Memories of Blackburn, Salford Bridge
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Blackburn & local memories
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Year: 1940s
Childhood Memories In Blackburn
My first school was St Michaels and All Angels in Whalley New Road. We all had to have our gas masks over our shoulders and hang them up on our own little peg. I can remember we all had school dinners, I don't think we paid, we had no money. Also all the very young children had a sleep for a couple of hours in canvas beds so we had to creep around. My father Harold buck and his friend Edmund kept pigs, so they came after dinner to collect the food that was left over to feed the pigs, they called it pig swill. I used to hide when they came. There was a wall at the bottom of the playground with a big drop on the other side down into the brook(Blackwater), we would climb down sometimes, cross the brook and go up the other side to the Tizer where soft drinks were made. Also on the same land was a big lake we called Granny Green Teeth, it was bluey green in colour. We also went through the tunnel under the Tizer and came out at the paper mill and then on to Boyle Street, we had to climb over big wood type sleepers to get out of the brook. Just near the paper mill on Freme Street was a builders yard, we called it the vinegar yard. We would climb over the wall, about ten of us. Inside was a cement mixer, we would climb in the mixer bowl one at a time and see who could stand the most turns. I remember I won, but I can't remember how many I did. In the summer holidays we used to have our own olympic games on Boyle Street. We had found some tiles with a torch on blue and white so we had all sorts of games - running, high jump, long jump etc. Also about this time the American Army were billeted on the other side of the brook, they used to throw chewing gum and cigs out of the windows. One night I got a right telling off for going home late, I had been trying to get some fags to take home to my dad from the yanks. When the yanks were being marched through the streets all the woman would shout at the sergeant to stop shouting at the men. We lived on Whalley Range, 145, just near Calder Street. My dad had an allotment at the top of Calder Street, he grew all sorts of vegetables. He would get a sack of seed potatoes to plant and they would be in the house till planting time, but by the time came it would be half empty they would have been used up. Across the road from were we lived there was some shops, one was Rices. I had to take the battery from the wireless to be charged and borrow another till it was done. Also a bakers called Bleasdales where when things were getting better I was sent for 24 hot cross buns, they were lovely, all shiny tops. On Saturday my dad, or fa as we would call him, worked. He worked at Richmond Hill paper mill. Ma would make him a spud pie in a basin so I had to take it for his dinner. Ma would say "ask him for a bob"(shilling). When I was there I would have a great time in all the bales of paper, it was all scrap paper, sometimes I would find comics and books. Sometimes fa would bring home wallpaper that had a light flaw in it (rejects from a wallpaper makers in town). We trimmed the edges but it turned out very nice. Sometimes on Saturday I went with a mate of mine, Fred Crudge, to get coke from the coke work on Harwood Street. We had to cart it all the way back on a barrow. Fred was a refugee from London, we still meet up now and again. We all went to Bangor Street School, Fred, Bill Walsh, Roy Ludden and many more. Later on when in our teens we went the rounds of the dance halls, KENSITAS, FRED SKINNERS, JOE MORTS, ACCRINGTON, ACCCY CON where I met my wife, this was in the sixtys. I had two sisters, Jean and Maureen. When we were young we would go with our mates to the China Woods up near Wilpture where the road and lanes had names like Paris and the Isle of Man. We took a bottle of water and a few sarnies and spent the day larking about. Bill Walsh's dad was a coalman, he had a lovely great horse that pulled his cart. When he brought our coal he would shout "coaly", come down the backyard and dump six bags under the stairs next to the kitchen. Talking about stairs, when the Germans were over on a air raid we would all go in Mrs Dandy's next door but one and sit under the stairs till we got the all clear, but I don't know what good it would have been. Some of my happiest times were at Bangor Street School where Tommy Fairclough would stand at the top of the stairs first thing in the morning tapping with his cane on a cupboard as we came in, keeping a eye on the cane. I also remember Miss Duckworth who we called ma duck, and Mr Crompton who had a real good hand with a slipper. One of my favorite places was Ribchester. All the family would go and then walk on to Sailwheel Woods. Fa would lead the way and if a car was coming he would shout "Tuck in!". When we got there we would have a picnic and swim or paddle then walk back to Ribchester and have an ice cream before we got the bus home. Another place we went was Corporation Park. At the top was a stone building we called the tank which we would climb up. Oh happy days, love to all. Bye. Bill Buck. Last edited: 25/02/2008 10:04 by William Buck |
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 Balderstone, Commons Lane c1955 (ref: B852004) |
Year: 1940s
Living There A memory of Balderstone, Lancashire As a young boy I used to stay at my aunt's house in Commons Lane. It may well be the house pictured? During summer school hols my brother Ken and I were often taken by our 'mam' on the Ribble bus to Mellor Brook, from where we had to walk to get to auntie's house, probably about 3 to 4 miles. The whole outing was someting of an adventure as often we were accompanied by mam's friend(s) and their offspring. In good weather we could run ahead and play in a small wood until the grown ups caught up. If we were only going for the day the time sped by and the reverse journey could be tiring, and we were glad to reach the Millstone pub to wait for the bus. Lemonade outside for us kids and stronger stuff, inside, for the grownups. If Ken and I were to stay for a few days this was great, there were some lads, the Kelsalls, and they showed us much of the surrounding district incl. the Horseshoe Bend and lots of other intersting places. Our cousins Barbara and Pauline Smith were friends of the Kelsalls and we went around as a group. Later in life I used to cycle from Blackburn to spend happy days at Balderstone. My aunt and uncle are long gone, cousin Pauline lives at Mellor, Barbara is at Blackburn, Ken is also at Blackburn, I live near Wigan. Last edited: 05/06/2008 12:32 by First Name Last Name |
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Year: 1890s
Coopers And Booths A memory of Clayton Le Moors, Lancashire My Great, Great Great Grandfather, William Booth, used to push a cart up and down the streets of Clayton le Moors with his son John Booth, selling shellfish. He was known as 'Muscle Bill' and his son, 'Oyster Jack'. (This is actually a memory passed down from my ancestors to my 3rd cousin.) They lived at 'Old Sparth House' from around 1895 onwards. William died in 1900 age 79. Most of the family married and brought their children up in Clayton le Moors. A few emigrated abroad. Robert Booth to Australia, Ellen Booth married Charles Battersby and moved to Canada. John Booth's daughter Luciana Booth married William Cooper from Great Harwood at All Saints, and my Grandfather, Robert Cooper was born in Lower Barnes St, Clayton le Moors. Luciana used to stand outside the 'Forts Arms', as a young girl, with a tambourine, handing out hymns. Last edited: 22/02/2008 14:42 by Donna Cooper |
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 Accrington, Market and Bus Station 2004 (ref: A19706k) |
Year: 1941
Accrington As I Recall A memory of Accrington, Lancashire We moved to Accrington fom Whalley 10th December 1941. I remember it because Syd Ashmeed and his band was broadcasting that day and Ronnie Brooks was the drummer and I wanted to listen to the broadcast but as we were moving I missed it. I started work at Howard & Bulloughs in April 1941 as an apprentice mechanic in the milling room, but after a year I asked for a transfer to the tool room. George Crawshaw was the foreman. I was in Bulloughs Home Guard and did our guard duty in Fountain St. We lived in Buxton St and one Saturday night a shop window was broken on Charter St, I believe that happened for three Saturday nights, when they caught the culprit he said 'that he liked the sound of tinkling glass'. We used to go dancing on Saturday night up the Con, sometimes to Madam Buts, then when Bulloughs opened the Social Club we went there, that is where I met my wife. A friend of mine, Joe Chappel, was a very good pianist but couldn't read music, he had a good ear for it and he performed many times in the Princess Theatre on Sunday nights when Bulloughs used to put on shows. My friends were a little older than me and we used to go to what we knew as the little boys pub (I believe it was the Hynburn Inn), we were all underaged, I remember going dancing in the Catholic Church Hall a few times on a Sunday night and the Catholic Monsiegnor stood in the middle of the dance floor so we had to dance round him. We used to go to the pictures and saw a picture, news reel, cartoon, and the big picture for 1 shilling & 6 pence. The Hippodrome had live shows and I believe there were 6 Cinemas in Accrington, Kings Hall, Palace, Empire, Princess, Regal, & the Ritz. We enjoyed Oakhill Park on a Sunday afternoon or walking up to the Shoulder of Mutton and around the 5 arches. Another enjoyable walk was up the Coppice. Although the war was on we made the best of it and had good times. When I was 21, having completed my apprenticeship, I became a tool maker and started to earn journeymans pay. I was conscripted and joined the REME in June 1946. After I came out of the Army we moved to North East Yorkshire. We came to Canada in 1957 but my wife having sisters in Accrington we have been back many times. I enjoyed working at H&B and I have looked for pictures of it but have not found any and I believe that a lot of it has been demolished Last edited: 02/04/2008 11:07 by Trevor Williams |
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(ref: AFA93610TR) |
Year: 1962
Mrs Kilshaw A memory of Accrington, Lancashire I remember the creaky stairs and stodgy atmosphere of Central Preparatory so well, even though it's now 44 years since I last heard the sterling tones of Mrs Kilshaw resounding through the classroom. Miss Backhouse was my personal favourite: a gentle, caring teacher who had the patience others seemed to lack. I still live locally (Ossy) and occasionally wander round the area where the noble old building that began my experiences of the world of British education once stood. So much has changed of the Accrington I knew then and having moved back after 35 years away - in Scotland and Cheshire - it's nice to know that others have soothing and happy memories of Central Prep. Posted: 29/07/2007 17:33 by Karol Gajewski |
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