My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Having been confined to bed for a bit, passed the time reading some of the threads on this site and thought it was about time to make a contribution.

I grew up in the 50s and 60s and lived at various times in Owen Street, Queens Road and Whalley Road. My earliest memory is of the Festival of Britain procession on Queens Road so that would have been 1951. My grandad had a stall on the fish market, a family business since the late 1800s, and I remember going down town with my cousin on Good Friday and taking him his lunch in a basket. That was when the fish market was still in a shed.

It's always struck me, looking back, how many small shops there were in the area where I lived. Starting at the Whalley Road end of Owen Street there was the off licence at the top of Milnshaw Lane (still there) and Thornber's chemists on the corner of Knowlmere Street. My second cousin worked there, very long hours, and I used to go behind the counter into the pharmacy area where they had all the little drawers and bottles on shelves. There were also some rooms behind the shop, in one of which was a fireplace with a real fire also a gas ring presumably to boil a kettle. That shop became Everitts supermarket. Ernie Everitt used to sell fruit and veg from an open sided van round that area before that.

Going along Owen Street, on the western corner with Haywood Road was Gregson's, grocers, pies and ?bread. I remember taking a jug there to get gravy. Next block along Owen Street, north side was Sagar's cake shop - wimberry pies oozing with juice, such a local thing, haven't seen one for years. Opposite was Mr Nicklin's, newsagent and sweets, no shop front, just a converted front room. Going up Haywood Road, on the west side about halfway to the hospital was Mr Chaffer's bakers, and opposite was Leighton's greengrocers and Thistlethwaite butchers. On the northeast corner of Haywood Road and Garden Street was a Co op though I don't know what it sold and I seem to remember it closing down.

On the next street Aitken Street about halfway up from Owen Street on the west side was Mrs Hogggarth's, grocer, again just a converted front room, and opposite was Miss Clarkson's sweetshop. Then on Marlborough Road north of Queens Road in the first block on the west side was Susie's chippy, just a range in her front room. Susie was a big blonde woman. I've just looked on Google maps and there is a Sue's chippy marked in the same spot! The last two shops I remember were Cameron's baker on the corner of Lime Road and Marlborough Road and a greengrocer next to it. Then another chippy on the corner of York Street opposite Mary Mag’sschool, still there, used to take a basin and get a mixture, chips and mushy peas. This is making me hungry! And I always remember the steamy smell of the Dot Laundry on back Owen Street by the railway embankment.

This seems to me quite a lot of shops, especially bakers, in a fairly small area. Were other areas of town similarly well serviced?

My first school was Central Prep aka Miss Caulfields – she lived a few doors along from us in Owen Street and had taught my dad when he was a lad. When I first went around 1950 the school was in the Oak Street Congregational Church buildings, then it moved to Hargreaves Street behind New Jerusalem Church. I used to go home for lunch which meant trekking from one end of town to the other in the middle of the day as well as at the beginning and end. Although several of us did it in a group I doubt it would be allowed now without supervision! I then went to the High School 1957-64 under Miss Horne's regime and remember all the teachers mentioned on the High School thread, mostly with affection.

I used to go to the Arcs on Knowlmere Street on a Saturday (that offy on Milnshaw Lane came in very handy for illicit drinking!) On Fridays it was Whalley Road Congregational Youth Club - we lived opposite it at the time. I remember getting ready to go there one Friday when we heard the news of JFK's assassination. I also remember going in a coach to the Cavern in Liverpool one afternoon to see a group from Accrington. Having checked the 60s group thread I guess that must have been the Scorchers. I also went to the Majestic ballroom (Con club) on occasion, used to love Lionel Morton and the Four Pennies, also saw the Merseybeats there. Also went to the Meccas at Blackburn and Burnley where I saw Freddie and the Dreamers. And I used to go to the folk club at the Stanley Supporters Club where they used to have some really big names. I still like folk music today and prefer to listen to those acts than any of the modern ones.

Looking back at all this I wonder how I had time to do any school work but I did get some A levels and in1964 went to college in the great metropolis of Preston leaving most of this heady social life behind. Then in 1968 I left Accy for good and have lived in all sorts of places since, from North Carolina to Morecambe, where I am now. I come back for the odd visit but to me the town ain't what it was and it makes me sad.

Sorry for rambling on but maybe some of this has stirred other folks' memories. I look forward to finding out.

All the best to whoever reads this

Sue

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

An interesting read.

Thank you.

:)

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

How lovely, welcome to Accyweb, enjoy

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

An excellent post!

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Very very interesting

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

How come women always remember the shops.I lived on t'other side o't tracks in William St.,and all I remember are steam trains.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

So you were one of the noisy little oiks, that used to run up, and down in the school yard shouting, and screaming, throwing things over the wall into our back yard. I lived in Hargreaves St, next to the school.:tongueout

Retlaw

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

No Retlaw that would have been his sister:D

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Susie. I was enjoying your walk around the streets of my young days, even though you missed out Booth's baker's shop near the Iron Bridge. I felt sure you were going to be a St John'ser. You are a few years younger than me, but those five years didn't seem to have made a deal of difference in the town of our early years. Recently I met Leonora Leighton whose dad kept the shop you mentioned. Ken Sagar was probably my very first school mate.Not only that, but I got a whiff of the trains Les mentioned - great.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

i also lived on owen st 1960/1970 i also remember most of these shops lived across the rd from miss caufield what was then called the poor side knowmere st with cliff & elenor 5 bob an hr private lesson with a guy called donald knight good days good fun & yes i had a couple of babychams unknown to my mum & dad violet

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Hello everyone and thanks for the warm welcome, glad you find my memories interesting. Bob, I thought there was a shop I'd missed, just about where you placed Booth's, yet another baker, but couldn't recall it. All the others I could picture vividly, and I recall the name Leonora Leighton, quite exotic sounding in those days.

TubbyLes, the reason I remember the shops is that I ran errands to most of them! And I do remember the trains, standing on the Iron Bridge waiting to be enveloped in a cloud of steam as one passed underneath.

I've also been reading the old thread about the deck which brought back more memories. Someone asked about McKno's tailors on Blackburn Road. My family is related to the McKno family in some way, not sure how, but my great aunt trained there as a tailoress before WWI. I have a photo of her with the other apprentices.

As for the deck, I have arranged to meet many boyfriends there in my time, and yes there were railings in those days, on the corner of Broadway in front of the Town Hall. Also spent many an hour in the Blue Dahlia over a frothy coffee in glass cups and saucers. That was before I used to go in pubs, later when I did I remember the Blockade at the bottom of Edgar Street and the Derby.

Didn't go in the Melbo cafe though I've stared at it often enough. It was on Melbourne Steet opposite the Manchester bus stop which I used to stand at many times as we used to go to Manchester on Saturdays quite a lot. Finally the Astronaut pub on Union Street, didn't go in there myself as a rule but my parents organised my 21s tbirthday party there. That would have been in 1967 by which time I wasa student in Preston and only coming home at weekends.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Thanks for the memories. The deck, Knowlmere Street, mine was cherryB in the phone box on Knowlemere Street. Couldn't dare go to a pub as well as being underage my grandma had the Globe on Blackbutn Road. My dad used to have the garage in Edgar Street opposite the Princess and Empire.
I also knew Lenora Leighton, they were the only people that I knew with a telly and went to their place to watch the Coronation. Will have to talk to Bob later.
Oh some lovely memories came up. Spent hours in the Melbo drinking Vimto.
Thanks Susie.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Sirri Iriot. What the eck are ti on abeawt. :D:D

Retlaw

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Booths bakers susie, the daughter Pauline was in my class at St.Johns n still lives local, her younger brother David i think lives oer Anglesey, twas a very interesting post n glad yer feelin better.;):)

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Hello and Welcome Susie .

That was an interesting account of your area in your younger days .

As to your question , certainly my area was well served by small businesses . I think most of the town was in those days .

Violet mentions a Miss Caulfield . Does anyone know if she had anything to do with dancing classes ? I recall that my cousin , as a schoolgirl , went for dancing lessons , and the name Miss Caulfield rings a bell . We used to go to concerts which the dancing school put on , possibly somewhere near the New Jerusalem church off Sandy Lane .

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Good morning all.

JCB, I wonder how all those small businesses made a living but they must have done. Five bakers/confectioners in my area, we must have eaten a lot of cakes/pies! As far as I know Miss Caufield had nothing to do with dancing. She was the proprietor/headmistress of Central Preparatory School, a private school which must have been going sometime as I'm sure she taught my dad. She was like many headmistresses quite fearsome but fair. If I remember right she had short white hair, with a blue rinse. She lived on Owen Street and retired in the 60s I think. The school was quite academic - we read Macbeth in our final year! with a heavy emphasis on mental arithmetic and multiplication tables, probably like all schools in those days.

Retlaw, that's the first time anyone's called me an oik. Can't have been me throwing things over your wall, I was far too small and weedy in those days. Still am!

Littlepom your mention of drinking Vimto brings back other memories. Having lived down south for many years,they just don't get it, especially hot Vimto, nothing nicer on a cold day. Also Vimto lollies. For some time on my visits to Accy I would go to Trickett's cafe in the market hall and have pie and peas and a hot Vimto just to readjust to the north. Haven't been in the market hall since the refurb but I expect the cafe sare all poshed up now. At least being in Morecambe now, they know what Vimto is.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Having said in my first post that I find it sad coming to Accy these days, one thing that does strike me is its beautiful setting, surrounded by green hills and countryside. My cousin lives on the Milnshaw estate and I can stand in her front room and get a view right across town to Green Howarth and beyond, and see vehicles on a road to Burnley that wasn't there in my day.

Of course when we were young we never gave a thought to our surroundings apart from the odd trip up the Coppice, we were far too busy getting a life. But I do think the town has a lovely setting, plus the benefit of Pendle and the Ribble Valley and Bowland to the north.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Yes Susie you are right. I have come back home after living in Australia for 42 years. The countryside is beautiful. Lots I had forgotten about, but now I am seeing it in a different light. I have joined a painting class and we do all different scenes from around the the area. The Coppice of course has lots of memories. I used to take my children there to the park. Of course did go there myself in my younger days often with a boyfriend of the time. I am still enjoying seeing all the different scenes again and even went to the Illuminations recently. I think the time before that was about 1966 when my boys were younger. It was always a yearly trip before that. Hope you are feeling better and enjoying your Accy Web replies. I have lots of things to thank Accy Web for. My late brother Ian was an avid fan and he was the one who encouraged me to join. Of course I do not join in the arguments or discussions like he used to do.
Cheers. Littlepom.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

She was head mistress of a private school, next to Barns furnishings at the bottom of Cannon Street JCB

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Wow Llittlepom coming back after 42 years in Australia must be a real culture shock. I never thought I'd end up back in Lancashire and we're only in Morecambe because my other half couldn't get any other job after being made redundant at 55 in 2004. He now looks after some equally ancient computers at the nuclear powerstation at Heysham. He is from Somerset and has never really understood the north, especially Lancashire culture. Funnily enough one of thefirst things I did on being back up here was go to the illuminations but it didn't quite have the same thrill. I just thought Richard had to see them but I don't think he was impressed. And Blackpool is so unbelievably tacky. I guess some things are better not revisited.

Thanks for your good wishes, yes I am feeling better but I'm afraid this Accyweb is getting a bit addictive! Anyway there's an extra hour to play with tonight.

Best wishes

Sue

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Jaysay, I went to Miss Caulfields school and it was never in Cannon Strret in my day. It was in Oak Street Cong church buildings in my early years and then moved to Hargreaves Street behind New Jerusalem church. See my first post on this thread.

Cheers

Sue

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Jaysay perhaps you are thinking of Miss Harker who had a dancing school in the area you mention.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Miss Harker had a dancing school in the old Bay Horse Buildings in Church St, that building collapsed one wednesday afternoon.
Retlaw

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

I also used to go to the Arcs on Knowlmere Street on a Saturday. Thats the first time I met Willie Hart. he used to rock and Roll with two gals at the same time.
Billy Baron and Jimmy Fielding used to do the one man stomp with a load of guys round them. Billy Athis used to try and join in but was about as good as me. Went up Whalley Road Congregational Youth Club few times with two school mates of mine. Eileen Stanton and Eileen Kenyon. Had a crush on both of them. I remember the Friday night I was in the Odean with my girl freind at the time Maureen Wallace when we heard the news of JFK's assassination. They put it on the screen. I also went to the Majestic ballroom (Con club) on a regular basis with my mates Bob Burnside and Jazz Moores. Spent most of the time in the bar. Lionel Morton was a regular in the bar. and I was there when the Merseybeats were there. Stood at the front with my girlfreind at the time Janet Kenyon.
I also left Accy in 68/69 and been away ever since. Live in Kent and now retiered.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Well I know there was a private school at the bottom of Cannon St near the junction with Church Street and it was still there in the 70s because they had a nursery there too, I used to take my partners little lad there

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Add my welcome to Susie, it was so interesting although I only remember the coffee in the Blue Dahlia!!.

Talking about dancing schools, does anyone remember Renee Cosgrove's dancing classes, first at Accy Con (downstairs if I remember correctly) and then in her house up Fern Gore.
There was just one boy dancer and I can't for the life in me remember his name. It must have been in about the late 50's

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

I remember both Eileen Stanton and Eileen Kenyon
Eileen Kenyon was and is still a good friend. Her and her husband (Steve Clarke) have just come back to live in England (Blackpool) after living abroad for a while.
I also grew up with Billy Baron, me on Lime Avenue and him on Cherry Crescent. What memories!!!

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Just seen the name Bob Burnside and talking about crushes, I had one on him! What a small world!

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Willies still knocking about Mog, (living down Clayton last time i spoke) :)

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Bob's mum and dad , Bob and May Burnside , were my next door neighbours .
Aye it's a small world :)

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

On Fairclough Road ?

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Mog some of the names you mention strike a chord with me but no more than that, but from what you say we must have been in the same place at the same time a fair bit. I certainly remember guys doing the one man stomp at the Arcs. I'm glad you mentioned seeing the Merseybeats at the Con as I wasn't a hundred per cent sure on that one.http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/i...ons/icon12.gif

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Yes Susie great shock, although did come out in 2007 to see my late brother Ian. I am gradually getting used to it now, but a completely different lifestyle. Don't know how long it will take to get used to the climate though. There are lots of things that I missed here when I lived in Ozz. I still think the night life is better here. The pubs and lunches, the building, I don't think I ever appreciated them when I was younger. I love the Spring with all the wild flowers. There is so much here, that you can turn a blind eye to some of the grotty stuff. I do hate to see all the boarded up houses and the litter around. Makes you wonder how some people live.
Glad you are enjoying your little chats. I have never been on so much before. It is lovely to chat with someone who remembers the same things. Accy web and my sister-in-law Bernie brought me back together with the love of my life, so I have lots to be thankful for.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

I have been remembering more shops from the 50s and 60s for anyone that’s interested. These are on Whalley Road starting of course with the Clock Garage which occupied all the space between the top of Milnshaw Lane and the railway bridge. Then going under the bridge, on the other side was Mr Watts barber where my brother used to get his hair cut when he was little, with brilliantine and a quiff! In the block before the Castle pub was Stanton’s, may have been a café, they sold ice cream, Whitewells I think. We used to go there on a Sunday afternoon for ice lollies (suck all the Vimto out!) and ice cream sodas. Then Milton Holgate, butcher, he used to slice bacon for you off a big roll. Our order was always for smoked streaky on number four (that was the thickness he set on the bacon slicer). There was also a newsagent in that block and I think the last shop before the pub was called Hoyle’s, they always had basins of brawn on a marble slab in the window but I’ve no idea what else they sold as we never went in there.

On the corner opposite the pub where the vet’s car park is now was Mr Faulkner’s off licence and stores. This was a long narrow shop extending down Whalley Road. Inside was dark and rather chaotic and we only went in there occasionally. I don’t know if there was a Mrs Faulkner but my cousin told me recently he had a reputation as a dirty old man. I think this shop was next to the Whalley Road Methodist Church. On the opposite side of Whalley Road was Percy’s chippy on the corner which I think is still there in the guise of a Chinese. A bit further down was a hairdressers called Maison Martin where my mum used to go for a shampoo and set and a pink rinse (she had white hair). When I used to go there at first to have my hair cut they had individual cubicles then they ripped them out and went all modern and open plan. I have photos of me as a 15yr old bridesmaid in 1962 with my hair backcombed into a cottage loaf style (I’m sure you can imagine it).

Crossing back over Whalley road, before the Hope & Anchor pub was a grocer called Joinson’s with a proper counter, chairs to sit on and sugar in blue paper bags. My mum used to have an order book where she wrote down what she wanted and they would deliver it. On the corner of Broadway there was a sweetshop and tobacconist, I think it was called Calverley’s. On the other side of Broadway next to where Catlow’s fruit and veg market used to be on the corner, there was a music shop with a grand piano in the window, Howarth’s I think. Also somewhere near there was an army surplus type shop where I got the kit for my first guide camp about 1958 – sleeping bag, kit bag, tin mug and plate and folding cutlery. I know there is/was a similar shop further up Whalley Road but it wasn’t that one.

Can I just mention one or two stalls that I remember in the market hall –Johnny Nolan’s with his wonderful sculptures Winston Churchill bust in white marble and a wooden eagle with spread wings, among others. They used to sell home cooked ham on the bone. Also Len’s cooked meats which was still there last time I looked but that was before the revamp. Two others are Greenwood’s cheese stall (tasty Lancashire in a great big block with lots of crumbs) and Fairbrother’s biscuits with all the tins laid out to choose from. Outside was Wilson’s who sold chickens, a treat in those days. They were hanging up and when you chose one they would cut its head off and draw out its guts for you. There was also a seafood stall which I see from another thread was called Molly’s. We often used to have crab or prawns or winkles for Saturday tea. I love shellfish and it’s ironic that now I live by the sea in Morecambe it’s virtually unobtainable unless you like potted shrimps, which I hate, whereas then there were all sorts to choose from.

The last shop I remember is Saul’s in Black Abbey Street, though only very vaguely. I just recall the name and where it was. I used to go there with my great aunt, that would have been in the fifties when I was at Central Prep School which was at that end of town and she would have met me from school. Until I read some of the other threads on here I had no idea what kind of shop it was, couldn’t remember at all, but it seems to have been a bit of everything.

Well another ramble comes to an end. Happy memories!

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Across from percys chippy on the other corner was Walter Olletts Butchers, his daughter was in me class at St.Johns, n in the middle of that row was a Polish Guy who had a grocers a really nice guy he was.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Cheers Cashy I remember the name Walter Ollett but couldn't have told you where the shop was. Don't remember the Polish guy though.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

That definitely rings a bell

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

The music shop was Haworths they had i think 3 or 4 cubicles where you could choose 3 records take them into the cubicles and play them,but when you took the records back to the counter it was expected that you bought one. A good way to spend part of Saturday afternoon.
I bought my first long playing record there 1957 the sound track of High Society still have it but no turntable now as all my music is on the laptop. Good memories.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

His shop was right across road from Percys on the corner at top of the pleck,:)

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

I remember Stanton's mainly because the son was Barry Stanton the only boy I knew who had ballet lessons. The last time I saw him was when I was back in the UK on holiday I think it was in the early 90's and he was in an ad on the telly playing Henry 8th.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

nearly susie,the off licence was top corner Whalley Rd n Castle St, then there was 4/5 houses, me mate Tony Smith lived in one, also a decorater everyone called Mad Bob from Gotham City, a weirdo that lived wi his elderly mum, then there was a little back alley,across the alley was the Whalley Rd Methodist Church.;)

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Groove was'nt born till 75.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

I wasn't a great record buyer but I remember getting them at Woolies mainly.

That name Haworth - it's a good local name but i'm never quite sure how to spell it - Haworth or Howarth? It must b ea pain if that is your surname and people keep getting it wrong. And to confuse the issue even further I came across someone the other day who spelt her surname HOWORTH!

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Sorry you've lost me, what is top of the pleck?http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/i...cons/icon5.gif

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Yes they did have a son called Barry who was arty. There is an actor called Barry Stanton who according to the www was born in 1940. I have often wondered if this was him.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Claytonx your a star, I've been trying to remember the name of that record shop for ages now, couldn't for the life in me remember that name:mosher:

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

The pleck was what everyone called the road/path that ran from whalley rd right across from percys chippy, down to Bull Bridge, the Australian Inn was at the bottom right hand side, top right by whalley rd was the methodist church, hope that explains it?:)

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

You/ve got me interested now as I've never heardt that name before. I've been doing some digging in earlier threads and also got out my Accrington OS map of 1912 which has street names on it.

Bob Dobson says the Pleck was Kenyon Street and you said in another thread that you thought it was Weir Street because that'where the Australian was (I remember it well). My map shows Kenyon Street starting from Whalley Road on the south side of the Methodist church and opposite the end of Maudsley Street as you say the corner where
Percy's chippy was.

Weir Street isn't named on the map but I think that's because it was too short. I seem to remember it was just the bit where the Australian was, opposite the weir at Bull Bridge. Most of that area was redeveloped while I was a long way from Accy and I still find it hard to find my way around it now. Whalley Road is a shadow of its former self, so scruffy, used to feel quite different.

Looking at the map there are a couple of street names I had never heard of. Mole Street starts on Whalley Road at the north side of the methodist church and seems to run in to the back of the Australian, and Mary Ann Street ran off Castle Street behind the Castle pub towards the viaduct. Both news to me.

This photo shows the part of Whalley Road we are talking about. The building on the bottom left behind the boys must be the church and the house just before it must be on the corner of Mole Street. Kenyon Street would be just off the picture on the other side of the church. Sadly my OS map does not go any further north than the railway arch but this photo shows the view through the arch. The house I lived in in the 60s is on the right hand side just about where the tram car is.

WHALLEY ROAD. - Accrington Gallery

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Cashman, was Percys chip shop the one that opened late saturday night and had a cafe upstairs?

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Had a cafe in the back claytonx, can never remember one upstairs. was on corner of Maudsley St, were yon chinese is now. was also a side door on Maudsley which took yeh straight in the cafe, though yeh could enter through the chippy.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Been doing yet more digging and dug out a book published in 1975, Accrington as it was by Brian Ashman, containing photos from the local history collection of Accrington library. One photo shows the Australian Inn on a corner with Castle Street going off to the left and the parapet of Bull Bridge to the right. There is a road in the centre and the caption reads: The old road to Huncoat went via Weir Street (in the centre of the photograph) Kenyon Street and up what is now Maudsley Street. There is a distinct curve in the street once it passes the pub. Another photo shows Kenyon Street from the top with the side of the methodist church on the right. As the street goes downhill once again it curves and I reckon the Australian is just round the bend. So I reckon Weir Street was the bottom bit of Kenyon Street.

A vague memory swam into my head as I was doing this research. In the fifties my dad had a lockup garage and I'm pretty certain the address of that was Weir Street. There were several of them, rather ramshackle stone and timber buildings on some waste ground. I guess that must have been behind or next to the Australian.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

There was some owd wooden garages susie, on the left going down,behind what was a wall.:)twas weir at the bottom, but twas always all the pleck to us.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Know what you mean, bud ... I can remember lots of stores; but their exact location and names:confused: Guess it wasn't all that important ... it was just where you lived. I remeber how good the pies tasted, and where I got my hair cut ... but who made the pies, I don't know. Remeber lots of the trains and the barges on the cut, tho'. First namer I saw was "Bahamas", Jubilee Class.

Great post Susie.:alright:

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

That would be the same Barry. Won't say when I was born though!!!

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Have just looked out some old photos which I will be putting in the gallery. Here's one for starters. These are the prefects at the High School when I was in my final year, 1964. I remember quite a lot of the names:

Front row, Margaret Ratcliffe, Marion Coates, Maureen Chew, Carolyn Walker (head girl), Sandra Bibby, ? (games captain), Joan Tomkins

Second row, ?, ?. Janice Brown, Kathleen Stephenson, Suzanne Bradley, Lynn Irving, Marilyn Waring, me (always the shortass on the end)

Third row, Caroline Wray, Katherine Edge, Jennifer Moyle, Beryl Chadwick, ?, Janice Proctor, ?

Back Row, Katherine Eccles, ?, Barbara Robinson, ?, ?, ?, Christine Cookson

more to followhttp://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/w...hp/photo/11376

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

http://http://www.accringtonweb.com/...hp/photo/11378

Here’s another blast from the past. This is the Young Liberals at Bowness on Windermere Good Friday 1964. That was the year I left the high school and most of the YLs were a year or two older so would have been at college or university by this time. Hence the display of college scarves! I was never a YL but some of my friends were which is how I came to tag along on this trip.

All the names are on the folder containing the photo together with a key which I can’t reproduce here but if anyone wants to put a name to a face let me know.

They are:

Me and my school friends Janice Brown, Sandra Bibby and Vivian Harrison, and my then boyfriend John Serjeant
Margaret Virtue, older sister of the painter John Virtue, and John Davies. They later married and went to live in America but now live in York
Derek Palk and Stephanie Sames who later married
Alan Hodkinson, Barrie Crook, Arthur Stuttard, David Merigold, Gordon Wrigley, Albert Wilkinson, Jim Wilson, Michael Oglesby, Alan Spencer, Bill Lever
Pat Dalton, Sheila?, Maureen ?

Think that’s all!

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Sorry don't know what happened to the photo, tried to upload it from the gallery but it wasn't playing. If you're interested you'll have to go to my album to see it:http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/i...cons/icon8.gif

Message - Accrington Gallery

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Know a few of those on the Liberal 'photo, Susie, including Albert Wilkinson who I will see at the History Society lecture tonight.

One of them includes a member on here ...maybe more .. you never know what with pseudonyms.

Don't know anyone in the prefects .. you came after me. :)

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Well at least I struck a chord with someone. I saw Albert a few years ago at a reunion organised by Margaret Virtue at Sparth Manor. Didn't think he had changed a bit. Once again I was tagging along, Margaret is in touch with my friend Janice (in the photo) who now lives in Canada. She comes over every few years and we usually meet up, that's how I came to be there.

As you say with pseudonyms anyone could be anyone and I guess the more you reveal about yourself the easier it is to work out who's who...

I must say I'm finding all this a bit addictive, got a few more photos to upload some time. As I haven't been well and am not really fit enough to do much else at the moment I've got a lot of time to kill.

Thanks Katehttp://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/i...cons/icon7.gif

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

I certainly recognise a lot of those names susie, maybe because I had a girlfriend at the high school around that time and quit a lot of them attended the Jazz Club at Peel Park on a Sunday night

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Cashy, I am confused ... I always thought Percy's was as above... then you asked on another thread was it in Plantation Street .. which someone confirmed in another thread !! :confused:

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Was a percys on Plantation street also kate. the whalley rd one became Bills in early 60s;)

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Went to school with Suzanne Bradley and Christine Cookson at All Saints.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

So you would be from Clayton then Eric? I'm always amazed at how manyof these names we can remember from way back when.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Yup .... that's me .... Clayton, bottom end. But sometimes "way back when" doesn't seem to be all that way back.:D

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Was that then a junior school and if so where did pupils go afterwards

When I went to Mount Pleasant it was a council school and pupils came from All Saints after junior school

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

All Saints was a junior school, and in those days where you went after depended on the eleven plus exam.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

True, Eric, especially when you start on this nostalgia thing.

Ah, the good old 11 plus. Wonder where we'd be today if we still had it?

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Eric would you know the Howson family then and the Hague's ,Tripplets.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

"Howson" seems to ring a tiny bell ... but for the life of me I can't remember any triplets.:confused:

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Ciao Susie -just saw this and enjoyed reading it, especially as you mention my Grand-parent's Bakers shop -Mr Chaffer on Haywood road -it's always nice when someone remembers them. It's a sad sign of the times that all the small shops are disappearing -squashed by the Supermarkets of course. In fact when our family shop was up for sale, back in the mid 80's, although there were a few interested non could get a loan from the bank to buy the business as they could see the way things were going!

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Great to hear from someone whose family had one of the shops I mentioned. I haven't walked round that area for a while but I bet all those shops are gone - except the chippies! It still beats me how they all managed to make a living but then of course there were no supermarkets.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

I dont believe there were any triplets with that surname. There were the Whelan trips from Clayton

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Sorry it was how i had done the post it should have read Howsons, Nab & Harry Hague & the Tripplets as you say the Whelans.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

This was later re-named De Lacey House school and nursery, my son went there from 1980 - 1982. The head at the time was a man called Mr Norcross/Norbert?? He was later (around 1986) accused of interfering with some boys at the school, I don't know if he was convicted or not. The school moved to Rishton shortly after this. I don't know if it is still going now.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

It's also amazing how the memory, once triggered, shifts into high gear. I hadn't thought about those two in a coon's age (sorry about the colonial imagery;)) ... but when I was eleven I hated Suzanne ... she was the teacher's pet in the top form. Miss Pilkington:mad: Suzanne came top of the class, but only because Miss Pilkington marked me low for conduct. And Christine was always so perfect ... so plastic ... so Barbie. Of course, it's all childish and all in the distant past ... but it did bring to mind Ernest Musgrave ... he was picked on because he was dumb and ugly (brutal terms, I know, but kids are cruel) ... but now, as I think back, he was a great kid ... friendly and generous ... I'm starting to remember with greater clarity ... all I have to do is to start to put names to faces. Raymond Pye ... Jack Dewar ... Terrence Gibbons ....

Oh, and that was a great pic of the prefects by the way ... and you were the cutest of the bunch;):D

!
 

Aaaaaaaawwwwwwwwww thanks Eric! Know what you mean about Christine - she was just the same at the high school. Hope she isn't reading this. And Suzanne was always clever.

I think all this memory work is good for us, keeps the grey cells going. Accyweb is addictive and time consuming, but fun!

Cheers
Sue

PS if you think I was cute in that pic, wait till you see the next lot I post!

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Today, three more photos for you to laugh at. This time it’s my class at Central Prep school. The first with all the sellotape marks was the year I left, dated 8 July 1957, and most of my class mates had signed it on the back.

Here goes with names:

Back row, John Duckworth (Harwood), Michael Patton (?Ossy), John Livesey (lived up Willows Lane), Keith Mimnagh (was a choirboy at All Saints Clayton, I had a real crush on him, used to go all weak at the knees when I saw him in his choirboy gear on the annual walking day. Had an older brother Ian), John Stott, Adrian Hessey (Harwood), Dennis Smith (Haslingden), Ian Wright, Barry Jefferson, Roger McIntyre, Christopher McKiernan (lived on Lime Road or thereabouts, his father was plumber or electrician or perhaps both), David Foster (?Fern Gore), John Beard

Third row, Gladys ?, Kathleen Adamson, ?, Jennifer Jones, Diane Goulbourn, Pat Martin, Angela Cooper (lived first house, north side of Queens Road West. She died of cancer when she was about 15 or 16, I went to her funeral just before Christmas, very emotional. Her boyfriend was Richard Oldroyd who lived on Whalley Road just below the hospital with twin brother Geoff), Rona Rushton, ?, Jacqueline ?

Second row, Susan Sagar (lived in Cedar Street), Carol Riley, Christine Cowell, Sandra Adamson, Hilary Camp, Marilyn Waring, Kathleen Hornby, Carol Pickup, ?, Barbara Hartley, Jean Stafford (Haslingden)

Front row, Me, Marion Long, Kirsten Ecroyd, Eric Blunstone (lived in Park Street, two older brothers Colin and Geoff), Susan Ayre (father a minister, older sister Maeve, lived Whalley Road Clayton), Bernice Jacques (?lived on Owen Street), Ruth Aldred

Also signed on the back are Ann Browne and Roger Nuttall who are not in the photo, plus Valerie Evans and Catherine Goldsmith who probably are but I can’t put faces to the names.

Funny isn’t it how I can remember all the boys’ names but not the girls!

The other two photos would be from earlier years, 1956 and 1955 I guess. Don’t know which is which! I will add the names as some are the same, some different from the later one.

So for the second photo (without teacher):

Back row, David Foster, Christopher McKiernan, Adrian Hessey, Roger McIntyre, John Stott, Barry Jefferson, Roger Baldwin, Keith Mimnagh, John Livesey

Third row, Michael Patton, Pat Seville, Kathleen Hornby, Angela Cooper, Pat Martin, ?, Ann Browne, Kathleen Adamson, Maria Allen, John Duckworth

Second row, Marion Long, ?, Sandra Adamson, Ruth Aldred, Bernice Jacques, Carol Howarth, Susan Ayre, Kirsten Ecroyd, Carol Pickup, Jean Stafford, Me

Front row, Hilary Camp, Barbara Hartley, Eric Blunstone, John Beard

For the third photo, with teacher:

Back row, David Foster, Gordon Whittaker, Peter Bentley, Christopher McKiernan, Adrian Hessey, John Stott, John Livesey, Keith Mimnagh, Bernard Howarth, John Beard, John Duckworth

Third row, Eric Blunstone, Pat Seville, Kathleen Hornby, Ann Browne, Jennifer Jones, Pat Martin, ?, Kathleen Adamson, ?, Pamela Ingham, Michael Patton

Second row, Me, Marion Long, Susan Ayre, Ruth Aldred, Kirsten Ecroyd, Carol Riley, Barbara Hartley, Carol Howarth, Susan Sagar, Carol Pickup, Jean Stafford, Sandra Adamson, Bernice Jacques, Norma Hodgkinson

Front, Mary Madden, Maria Allen

I think this one must be the earliest photo as I’m so small my feet don’t quite touch the ground and I’m still wearing a hair ribbon, gone the following year. I think the teacher was Mrs Ward, though I don’t ever remember her being our class teacher. I only remember Miss Caulfield and Mrs Backhouse.

Jaysay I think on an earlier thread you were asking if anyone knew the name Barry Jefferson in connection with St Christophers. Well there is a Barry Jefferson in two of these photos, look on the back row. Haven’t heard of him since, however.

Enjoy!

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Was at school with John Whelan at St Mary's Clayton through the 70's - possibly a son of one of these Whelans? They were a good Catholic family and had a child in every class!

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Worked wi john fer years, bumped into him a few week ago, is living oer rishton now, was a good mate of mine,:);)

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

I think there first names were Herbert, James, and Robert

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Would that be the same John? -he's my age...if so do say hello from me when you see him - we share the same birthday and i always think of him that day every year!

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Was Christine Cooksons John Cooksons Sister Eric, he went on to become a brewer at Lion Brewery at Little Harwood

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Ya thats right jelly baby De Lacey, remember the chap being accused, but can't remember if he was convicted

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

I would assume it is,hes still only a young un like you.:) quite a big family.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Can't remember if she had a brother but her father had the dentists on the corner of Queens Road and Whalley Road.

Jaysay the last sentence in my last post, number 78, was for you, don't know if you've seen it.

Cheers
Sue

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Ya its the same lad, I though he would have joined his father in the dentists, but I lost touch with John when me went to Uni as I say the next time I saw him was at Lion Brewery in the late 70s

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Just looked at your post 78 Sue It was the Barry Jefferson I knew, I grew up with him, he lived in Ossy then moved to Park Road, before going to Blackpool where his parents took the Norbreck News agency behind the hotel, he eventually moved to sussex and became a director of his own high quality printing business (he served his time as a printer on the Blackpool Gazette, I haven't herd from him for over ten years since his parents died, two more on the picks one was Dave Foster founder member of the Warriors rock band and another was Peter Bentley who had his own hairdressing salon next to the black dog Ossy from about 1963 until he retired a few years ago, he now lives in the Trough of Bowland

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Thanks for the update Jaysay, I remember Barry living on Park Road.

To think I trawled all the way through the 60s pop group thread when I first found this site (don't ask me why!) and never picked up on Dave Foster!

Am I totally wrong in thinking that Peter Bentley's father had a hairdresser's too?

Thanks again
Sue

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Three more pics, from my days at Whalley Road Congregational Youth Club. The date on the back of the football team photo is 22 April 1961 and fortunately all the names are on the back so I can tell you who they all are.

Back: Ian Ormerod, Anthony Neild, John Clegg, Renwick Richardson (had such a crush on him but he just wasn’t interested), Eric Steedman (lived on Queens Road West), Peter Osbaldeston

Front: Keith Topham, Richard Oldroyd (lived on Whalley Road just below the hospital), Terry Crowther (my first boyfriend!), Michael Blackburn (think his dad may have had Sudders butchers at Oakleigh), John Eastwood

The second photo is a May Morning Breakfast, for Young People’s Weekend, 6 May 1962. I seem to remember getting up very early!

Seated at table, from left: Marjorie Walsh, Bronwyn Rowbottom (she lived at Altham West, had brother John, their dad had Len Rowbottom bike shop on Blackburn Road), me (with freshly done cottage loaf hairstyle), John Eastwood, ?, Christine ?

Serving, Mrs Hurst (she had a daughter Verena), walking behind, Sandra Staples, in background, Bill Crawshaw, youth club leader

Wonder what we did for the rest of the weekend?

The third photo is the annual walking day. I am on the extreme left, it w Jaeger ould have been 1965 as I had that dress for my parents’ silver wedding party in May of that year, bought from in Manchester at enormous expense!

You can see the pipe band in the background. We are just passing the hospital at the top of Haywood Road, crossing over Queens Road. I’m assuming that this type of event no longer takes place but I may be wrong. I can remember taking part in walking days with various churches from the age of about three.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

I think the Dentist was called Horsfield.
Cheers Littlepom

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

That was my Dentist late60s early 70s was Horsfield then.:)

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Peter Bentley's Father had the Chemist shop on Avenue Parade, in fact it was called Bentley's Chemists

Just a point on Barry sue, when he was young he had jet black hair, it is now as white as snow, his fathers hair was exactly the same

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

That's right, I remember now, it was a chemist.

Yes, I can remember Barry having very dark hair. Can just picture it now!

Cheers
Sue

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

now does anyone recognise thesetwo reprobates? the one on the left isjohnSerjeant who wasmy boyfrriend in the early sixties. I think I methim at knowlmere Street and we went outfor peobably acouple of yearstill I left the high school in 1964 to go to colege.

Ithink he may have been adopted though he never said so. he lived with hisnparents at the bottom of Avenue Parade and they also hadfarmery/ leather shop justroundthe corner on Abbey Streetoppositethe Post Office. His mother was a piano teacher and I didn't know till I read on this site that she had been kiiled on theroad outside her house in the70s. How awful.

I would probably havegot better A level results if i hadn't been going out wiyhsargebut I have to say thateven though e left school at16 and was workingg at Howard andBullough he opened my eyeseandbroadened my horizonsto a lot of culture such asclassical and folk musicand films. thatsounds patronising, it isn't meant to be. We usedto go to manchestera lot at weekeds to places like freetrade Hallfor concerts, manchester sports guild for folk music, films atthe Odeon on OxfordRoad, and shopping!

the other person in thepicture is stuarthartley who lived on tremellen Streetandhad a glass eye. He started a branch of CND andaccording to another thread on here organised aCuban missile crisis at the Grammarschool.

I think my mum told me a few years later hewas in the papers as he hadgoneto universty, spent hisgrant on booze and ended up in thegutter, literally. I think later e may havegoneto japan to teach English.

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Now does anyone recognise these two reprobates? The one on the left is John Serjeant who was my boyfriend in the early sixties. I think I met him at Knowlmere Street and we went out for probably a couple of years till I left the high school in 1964 to go to college.

I think he may have been adopted though he never said so. He lived with his parents at the bottom of Avenue Parade and they also had Farmery's leather shop just round the corner on Abbey Street opposite the Post Office. His mother was a piano teacher and I didn't know till I read on this site that she had been kiiled on the road outside her house in the70s. How awful.

I would probably have got better A level results if I hadn't been going out with Sarge but I have to say that even though he left school at 16, maybe 15, and was working at Howard and Bullough he opened my eyes and broadened my horizons to a lot of culture such as classical and folk music and films. That sounds patronising, it isn't meant to be. We used to go to Manchester a lot at weekends to places like Free Trade Hall for concerts, Manchester Sports Guild for folk music, films at the Odeon on Oxford Road, and shopping!

The other person in the picture is Stuart Hartley who lived on Tremellen Street and had a glass eye. He started a branch of CND and according to another thread on here organised a Cuban missile crisis protest at the Grammar school.

I think my mum told me a few years later he was in the papers as he had goneto university, spent his grant on booze and ended up in the gutter, literally. I think later he may have gone to Japan to teach English.

We aspired to be beatniks in those days, hence the protests and the endless hours in the Blue Dahlia drinking coffee and putting the world to rights!

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Please ignore my post 95. Some gremlin sent it too early. I am working on a keyboard with dodgy space bar and shift key so a fair bit of editing is required on each post.

Apologies
Sue

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Ask Neil to remove the post for you Susie -he's very good at helping out in these matters!

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Same here Cashy -was terrified of him I remember. Mr Cookson who took over from him was much nicer...:)

Re: My early life in Accy 1946-68
 

Mr Cookson was a nice bloke, but seemed to be terrified of me, after my behaviour once when coming round from the gas, so rather embarrassed i left the practice.:o:D