Salford

Re Salford in the 1950s

I remember my childhood in Salford very well. We lived on Clarendon Road and I went to Liverpool Street Girls' School. The headmistress was a Mrs Chrighton and the music teacher was a Miss Jones. We used to walk to school and collect caterpillars off the wall that went round the park and took them to school and kept them in our desk all day. We played in the street all the time, quite safely. Those were the days when every house had its own bonfire outside the front door on Bonfire Night and I don't recall anyone being hurt. On every corner there was a corner shop. On our corner it was Mrs White's shop. This lady couldn't see too ...read more here
Contributed by Anne Atkin

Harry Street

My gran lived on Harry Street in the 1960's and early 70's. I remember playing near the trafford swing bridge and the excitement when it was opened.  Old terraced houses slums by then. Corner shops and the horrible smell from the canal. When Man Utd were at home people would park all over the place!! Burtons ice cream (tasted like brylcream), going up to the shops on Trafford Rd - busy busy.  My dad lived at Sunnyside Court in the flats in the 70's and 80's. Lots of redevelopment going on then including Harrys being knocked down. I loved to visit Ordsall Hall with him and walk along the canal paths. I like to visit the Lowry Centre now when I'm ...read more here
Contributed by debra edwards

Langdale House, Salford

I lived in Langdale House, Salford. It was a block of masonettes, there were two other blocks on the same road, Patterdale and Ennerdale. We lived on the 3rd floor, overlooking a small play park and a row of tiny one bedroomed bungalows. I went to Mount Carmel school, which was just near Boots The Chemist which was on a corner on Regent Road. We used to walk from Oldfield Road right up to the top of Regent Road to the market at Cross Lane. Regent Road was a very busy shopping area in the early 60's there was every type of shop. I can remember my mum buying loose butter at the butchers on ...read more here
Contributed by Ann McKibbin

Nursing at Salford Royal

I remember starting my nursing training at Salford Royal Hospital 1967 - 1970. from a nervous teenager to a confident nursing sister, I loved the people of Salford and the community. Now living in the US for many years, with a different name, my daughter is now in nursing school. I hope she has as much joy and fun in her chosen career as I did. So many wonderful people. So extraordinary that this hopsital is now a residence - so many ghosts walk those walls.
Contributed by hilda smith

Childhood in Salford

I was born Susan Cooke in no. 11 Quanton House, Amersham Street just of Liverpool Street , in my nana's flat. We lived with her until I was 3 from 1957 to 1960 when we moved to Trenham Street near to where the Salford Macdonalds is now.  I went to Salford Cathedral school, and made my first communion and walked in the Whit Walks from there.  My family used to have their own spot to watch the children in the walks outside Kendals on Deansgate. I have fond memories of my childhood, particularly one bonfire night, when I wasn't old enough to do penny for the guy, so stood across the road from my house with a very large golly.  Some ...read more here
Contributed by Susan Dardis

Salford childhood

I was born in and grew up in Salford. My dad had a pub "The Farriers Arms" off Bury Street, and before that my dad was caretaker of Ladywell flats. We lived in Flint House, the blocks were alphabetically named, Albion, Barry, Corby, Danby, Easton, Flint and Goole. Afacing the flats was a quarry where we used to play and a shop called Stories.
When we moved to the pub in the early 50s things were so different than today - we used to play out with no fear of harm, we used to roam the terraced streets and only came home when mam shouted us in, or it was tea time. We would go to Peel Park, Dean Road Park ...read more here
Contributed by moira edge

Salford in the war

As a child I lived in Earl St Hanky Park then moved to Cottrill St off Ellor St.   I attended John St school in the Ellor St area. I never really knew my dad.  He went in the army when I was 4 years old in 1939 and returned in 1946 when I was 9 years of age.  During the Blitz of Manchester and Salford in 1940, when the sirens sounded we all had to go to Unwin St shelters for the night but me and my brother Jack who was 5 years older used to watch the German bombers coming over dropping their bombs over Trafford Park, Salford Docks and Manchester.  It's a sight not to be fogotten.  When the ...read more here
Contributed by Albert Morris

Manchester blitz

'ROLL OUT THE BARREL'.  I REMEMBER BEING TAUGHT THAT SONG WHILE THE BLITZ WAS GOING ON BY MY GRAN.  WE LIVED IN ZEBRA STREET, HIGHER BROUGHTON.  WE WERE IN THE AIR RAID SHELTER IN OUR YARD WHEN ONE NIGHT WHEN THE SHELTER SHOOK AND THREW US ALL OVER.  WE FOUND OUT NEXT MORNING THAT WALNUT STREET JUST ROUND THE CORNER HAD BEEN FLATTENED BY A PARACHUTE MINE.  THE ONE HAPPY EVENT IN THE BLITZ WAS THE BIRTH OF MY SISTER MAVIS.
THERE WERE MANY THINGS HAPPENING IN THAT PERIOD.  BEING EVACUATED TO FLEETWOOD.  DAD COMING HOME FROM DUNKIRK.  MY UNCLE TOM BEING KILLED IN NORMANDY.  MY GREAT GRANDMA BEING BOMBED OUT IN GERALD ROAD, LOWER BROUGHTON AND SURVIVING,TO LIVE FOR MANY ...read more here
Contributed by albert dibley

Playing Out In Salford's Streets

I was born and bred at home, 19 Newall Street Salford 5, in 1960. A small street just off Eccles New Road near to Cross Lane. I often sit and remember the tight, cobbled streets where we played Rallyheaveho, Football and Kick Ball Hide. All the kids, all the time, we just loved playing......Robbers Knock, a game that would get us a clip round the lughole if we got caught!..'The Purse Trick' was our favourite. An old purse would have cotton tied round the clasp and placed outside the door of the corner shop at night. We would hide and be in stitches watching people bend down and have it tugged away when they were within an inch of grabbing it!..Some ...read more here
Contributed by Wilf Veevers

Mount Carmel Salford 1952

I was born on Cavendish Street opposit St.Clements church,and moved to Ordsall flats in 1949 brand new they were ! We lived in Everard House near the Globe pub.
We went to Mount Carmel infants school when Mr Glynn was the head teacher,I guess most of my childhood in Salford was centered around the church which was on Oldfield road.It was Father Kavanagh at the time.
I too remember Salford with its rows and rows of terraced houses but I also remember the closeness of the community,people were so friendly and helpfull we never locked a door,no need we had nowt lol.
In the "entry" as it was called then there used to be a bookies !!! all very illegal at ...read more here
Contributed by catherine conley

My memories of Salford

I was born in the upstairs back room of my maternal Gran's house at 20 John Street, Pendleton. I was told there was an air raid going on at the time. My first school was John Street where there was a play ground on the roof, but that was only for older kids. I remember playing the part of the wolf in Red Riding Hood and also Joseph in the Nativity when I was about 4 or 5.
I lived with my parents at 9 Gold Street (next to John Street) but spent a lot of time with my gran Alice Goodier, who minded me when my mam and dad were at work.
My gran used to take me to the ...read more here
Contributed by Mal Woods

Regent Road

I grew up just off Regent Road and Oldfield Road in the Langdale House flats.
We lived in D17 and had many memorable neighbours who we shared many happy times with.
I remember the Bergens ice cream cart that was pulled by a white horse, the trains shunting in the coal yard and going shopping on Regent Road with my mum. If I was good we would visit little Smith's toy shop and my mum would buy me plastic cowboys and indians - they were really detailed and for a special treat we would go to big Smith's and I would get a corgi or matchbox car - usually for birthdays or if I'd saved up ! Big Smith's always had ...read more here
Contributed by stephen broadhurst

American School Penpals from Salford

My dad had a penpal in Salford during the late 30s or early 40s, named John (or James?) Milner. My dad, an American, lived in a town called Salford; this school adopted Salford in England as a twin city, and my dad's schoolclass wrote to the children of Salford. I'm here for a class until August 5 and wondered if anyone in Salford by that name still lives there. My dad's name is Leon Moyer, and he's kept the letters that his English penpal sent him, all those years ago. Feel free to email me if you have any information.
Contributed by First name Last name

Old Salford, Regent Road

I was born in Old Ordsall Lane, Salford in 1957. What I can remember was good. Then I moved to Regent Road what a road that was - lots of shops and good pubs selling good beer. You could have a good time back in 1960 or so. Salford was good place to live, and still is but without any good pubs thanks to the council. I think Salford now is like a yuppy town, I remember the chippy called Bamfords. What a good chippy that was!
Contributed by anthony brennan

Street games etc

I remember playing football, hockey on skates, whip & too, home-made bogies [pram wheels], there were not many cars then. The bomber that crashed  Irlams oth' height about '47,  collecting books for salvage during the war, doodle bugs, rallivo. Later on Salford Hipp', the Palace Theatre, all on Cross Lane. St Luke's School, Mr Heally, Miss Wright, Mr Walters & the dreaded Mr  Wolfe.  To be continued ...

My early years in Salford

I was born in Salford, at 15 School Street in 1951. My first school was Stowells Memorial, I think the headmistress was a Miss Dent. There was a butchers shop one the corner with the same name as our family, but I don't think we were related. The little boy who lived there was called David Burgess. I remember rows and rows of terraced houses, all cobbled streets. Our street was a designated Play Street. Pity we don't have them now! There was a bomb site in what had been the next street to ours, we just called it the croft. We had access to a small patch of macadammed road to practice on our skates, otherwise we went to ...read more here
Contributed by JACQUELINE TIMPERLEY