Piano Lessons and Satchels
 

At the bottom of Avenue Parade, on the corner opposite the Post office, there used to be a Saddlery. It was run in the seventies by an old couple. The wife also taught the Piano in a house also at the bottom of Avenue Parade, and she also ran the little church on Charter Street/Crossland Street that was later taken over by the Savation Army.

Any one know anything about them?

Re: Piano Lessons and Satchels
 

Ask Lettie, I'm sure she will have answers to your questions.

Re: Piano Lessons and Satchels
 

Was the piano teacher called Mrs Bridge, I had piano lessons by a lady of that name who lived at the bottom of Avenue Parade. This was late seventies.

Re: Piano Lessons and Satchels
 

Right on the bottom block of Avenue parade was an old lady, I think she was called Mrs Sergeant. She was a brilliant piano teacher, very kind good with children and taught me in the mid 70's. Sadly she was run over by a car in about 1977/8 ish, literally right outside her front door. her house was near the junction of Ave Pde and Abbey St/Whalley Rd. She was killed in that accident and I was really upset. My mum had taken me for my lesson and the police were all outside the house and had closed the road to traffic. I was about 9 at the time.
My dad arranged for us to go to Mrs Bridge further up the road and she was totally horrible. Unsuitable to teach children she used to slam your hands down on the piano keys to break your fingernails if they were too long. She would probably be in prison now for child abuse, but she was an old lady at the time and has probably passed away by now. I didn't go there for very long, she put me off ever attempting to learn another musical instrument.

Re: Piano Lessons and Satchels
 

For two years my mother paid for me to be taught to play the piano twice a week, under the insane delusion that I would always be invited to parties if I could play the piano. Mrs. Serjeant soon sussed out that I had no interest or ability whatsoever, and so we spent our two hours, often a lot longer, per week just talking. I learned so much! My mother, disappointed with my lack of progress at becoming the party circuit favorite of the future, decided that I should be taught by Mrs Bridge. What a snooty, stuck up harridan! I hated her on sight, and I have the feeling that the loathing was mutual. During the second lesson she managed to reduce me to tears, ME! The cow!

So I had to put my foot down, and point blankly refused to have anything more to do with my mother's half-baked fantasies.

Your post really made me sad, Lettie. What a terrible way for such a lovely lady to die.

Re: Piano Lessons and Satchels
 

Sorry AB, I loved my lessons with her, and although I was never a brilliant pianist she always praised and gave you a toffee before you left her house. It made you want to do well. I remember being really upset at the time.

Re: Piano Lessons and Satchels
 

Do you remember the Bottles of Airwick she had scattered about the place?

Re: Piano Lessons and Satchels
 

I have very vague memories of my lessons there. I'd only started going for lessons a couple of months before the accident. My dad always thought that at least one of us would have some sort of talent that would make us a living and keep him in his old age.:) On top of the piano lessons we also had ballet, tap dancing, tennis, elocution. Unfortunately he soon discovered that none of us had any kind of ability what-so-ever in the stage/sports departments. We were therefore urged to get 'proper' jobs.:D

Re: Piano Lessons and Satchels
 

I went to Mr Addison on Blackburn Road. He used to give me his old Gallahers tobacco tins - he thought it was to keep bits & bobs in, I wanted them because I loved the smell! - Still do.

Re: Piano Lessons and Satchels
 

pakis now run the salavtion army they took over it

Re: Piano Lessons and Satchels
 

What a delightful mix of political and grammatical incorrectness.

Re: Piano Lessons and Satchels
 

Hi all, Evelyn Sergeant was my great grandmother! If this thread is still alive, does anyone know anything else about her, her family, or their saddlery shop? Me and my mum are so happy to hear that she was well-liked and a lovely lady :)
Cheers!
Rebecca