Accy Characters
 

Uncle Dick, who had a stall at the fornt of Accy market.
Always a huge crowd round his stall.

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I'm sure most of you remember "Dancin' Billy"and co, who used to hang out round the front of the market hall, putting the world to rights over a bottle or two of cream sherry.

And Sid, Accringtons horseracing tipster who used to sell newspapers outside Redmans in the early 60s.

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Don't remember Dancing billy, but remember Sid.

For those who don't know, Redmans later became Motormania.

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What about the Rag & bone Man?

Used to come round every week, with his horse & cart and pick up old clothes and unwanted stuff. Could hear him shout from a couple of blocks away.

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[quote author=cazzer link=board=nostalgia;num=1059999017;start=0#3 date=08/05/03 at 11:26:54]What about the Rag & bone Man?

Used to come round every week, with his horse & cart and pick up old clothes and unwanted stuff. Could hear him shout from a couple of blocks away.[/quote]

They call 'em bailiffs now Cazzer!!

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Nice one Droo!! Like yer thinking  ;D ;D

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;D

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This is from Preston sorry
There was a man that used to deal in rags next door to springfield shoe co
in greenbank st .
he was dressed in rags as a lad i used to watch  him ,you got 2d for clean rags and 1d for dirty rags.
at the end of the day he would get changed into a fine suit get in HIS rolls royce and go home.
Talk about where there muck there is brass :o

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Hi This is my first visit, I was born and bred in Accy and wondered if anyone remembers my dad, a barber in Burnley Road his name is Cyril Whittaker and he is still fit and well at the age of almost 80 yrs. Did he cut your hair ????? 8)
Please mail me [email protected]    

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Hi there, I am glad you have joined, thanks for telling me about this site.
Grandma_Val   [smiley=wave.gif]

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Hi there, I am glad you have joined, thanks for telling me about this site.
Grandma_Val   [smiley=wave.gif]

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Re Rag and Bone man, Dad tells me there was a rag and bone man, his name Duckett Dean married three times and was still doing his rounds at the grand old age of 80yrs old and that was in the 1930's anyone here old enough to remember Duckett Dean   ???

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What about Paccy Ali, well known on the old market site for his saying ' Everyting 5 pounds'Now he was a laugh

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I remember the guy with the alarm clock hung from the inside of his overcoat. Can't remember his name. More often than not found in the Pickwick or Bees Knees.

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[quote author=Mik_Dickinson link=board=nostalgia;num=1059999017;start=0#12 date=09/02/03 at 22:13:26]What about Paccy Ali, well known on the old market site for his saying ' Everyting 5 pounds'Now he was a laugh[/quote]

I think i remember him , did he have the stall which went round the corner next to what was the electricity shop before it was a charity shop?

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[quote author=Karen link=board=nostalgia;num=1059999017;start=0#14 date=10/07/03 at 19:38:44]

I think i remember him , did he have the stall which went round the corner next to what was the electricity shop before it was a charity shop?
[/quote]
that will be the one

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[quote author=Lynne link=board=nostalgia;num=1059999017;start=0#13 date=10/05/03 at 18:09:29]I remember the guy with the alarm clock hung from the inside of his overcoat. Can't remember his name. More often than not found in the Pickwick or Bees Knees.[/quote]

He was known as Capt. Dove. Also used to wear a bandelero full of felt-tip pens. Sadly no longer with us.

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He reminds me of a guy from Preston. who used to do a lot of art work and wore felt tips like that. went about dressed has napoleon. Think he had a beard.  :-/

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Does anybody remember the old Polish or Ukrainian guy in the 60's who always wore wellies and a dirty raincoat (summer and winter), carried a black plastic bag, and walked on the sides of the pavements, and then would jump quickly into the road to face an oncoming car, and then just a quick jump back on the pavement.  He would then smile at the amazed and annoyed motorist, bow and say "Thank you".

He was really harmless, but would bow to people, or give them a Nazi salute if he thought they were formal.  he talked to himself a lot, as if he always had a companion.

Once in the saloon bar of the Commercial Pub, he walked in, bowed to the assembled drinkers.  Asked the barman for "A Pint of Mild, Please"...the barman (who was new), pulled a pint, and put it on the bar.  Old "joe" or whatever he was called, simply bowed, said "Thank you" and promptly walked out ;D ;D

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Anybody remember "Bill Dash" the water baliff on the Antley Res.  He would chase the kids off the Res., and if he caught you he'd cuff you round the ear.  Terror of Ossy and Church

He would be sued up to the eyballs in this day and age.

Also anybody remember Ernie Snape.  He was the Doorman and chief "chucker-outerer at the Queens Hall in Church, later re-named the Tudor.  He kicked more kids out of the Flicks than anybody else I knew.

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To Darby, the Polish guy you mention, I am sure he is still around, but now, the wellies have gone, the hair is whitish and I am sure I have seen him around town on a push bike.  I am sure they used to call him "Joseph"

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I remember the Polish guy and I think your right Atarah he was called Joseph.  He used to sit infront of the Market Hall and very often with a very short man.

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What about modern day characters. Anyone know mad Pete "The Rockin Reverend" Rapson. He must be in his late fifties but still goes out round town usually wearing a striped suit with trainers and has his own unique progressive dancing style involving alot of side-to-side bouncing around and arm flailing  ???.

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Whats he on? Where can I get some of it?

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Hi
Yes I remember the Rag `n` Bone man coming around Ossy with his horse `n` cart shouting (RAG BONE, ANY RAG BONE).
Also their was a small guy in the 70s up Ossy who used to always be seen pushing a 2 wheeled cart around everywhere, can’t think of he’s name at the moment.
I remember in the early 80s down Accy seeing a man walking around town in full American (Viet-nam) period combat uniform, including the helmet. Not once but quit a few times.

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I remember the Rag and Bone man that always called up Church St with his horse and cart. We use to get a Gold fish for a pillow case full of old cloths. I also remember monthly visits by the door to door salesman who sold house hold cleaning products including little sample tins of floor polish that kept us occupied for hours. His suit case was always full of what to us where mystical things. Gone are those days, we don’t have the trust to open our doors that wide to day…….

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That would be the Bettawear man (sp?) Doug.

Are we allowed to say "Pacci Ali"?

Who was the guy on the market who had a flower stall selling everything at "Haa - aalf a crown a bunch" ? Towards the end of the day his bunches got larger as he tried to sell as much as possible. It was always a good idea to wait as long as you could and maybe get three bunches in one for the "haa-aalf a crown" Good Lord - that's only 12 1/2 pence! What can you get for that these days?

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I am well aware of Pete Rapson's antics. Remember him jumping off tables at Accy CC at a Heavy Metal gig - quite a character. Anyone know the asian guy (20's) who tries to convince people he is Michael Jackson - haven't seen him since the allegations.....

re: 'p*ccy ali' - Yeah....c'mon mods, if we are gonna have certain words we cant write then it needs to be across the board. Not just when thin-skinned lefties complain.

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Gosh yes I remember Uncle Dick and Ali's stall. I'd completely forgotten them. That's going back a bit.

That's a valid point too about the name. I don't think anyone objected in those days did they?

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Anyone remember Redmans across from the market hall, used to love the smell in there, coffee i think it was.

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Aye, Greenhowarth bus stop was just outside. Use to get mi bacon from there!

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used to meet the boyfriends there (girlfriend s if fellers) then go up to the derby for a pint or two then decide were to go he he he, redmans corner, very popular it was

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I remember the Michael Jackson impersonator, he used to moonwalk up Broadway, I saw him last year strutting his funky stuff in Blackburn. Does anybody remember the Spaghetti woman, she's dead now, but she walked with a stick and constantly swore at kids. My dad said she once refused to get off his bus, he ended up having to radio for another one and transferring his passengers onto it, we used to have so much fun irritating her.

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Ah yes I remember leaning on a lamp post at Redman's corner - just down from the library wasn't it?

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Oooh Grego, I remember Spaghetti woman. An extremely abusive old ??Italian lady who used to eff and blind at everybody.... :rolleyes:

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Does anyone remember Mr & Mrs Noddy? They used to wander the streets arm in arm, nodding away like two geriatric pigeons. They'd call into the pub and order a half to share.

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I remember a few of the above mentioned...

Ali's stall was actually kelly's stall, i remember him bellowing out ALL THINGS ON HERE CHEAPER AND CHEAPER ON HERE!

Dancing billy was a legend of the town centre, even after a drink or five he could spell any word you asked for 10p.

The ravin rev p. rapson is syill around and about. Seen him in the castle a month ago.

Does anyone remember the little chinaman from aveue parede chippy who constantly spat up and down the streets of accie?

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I don't understand that. Do you mean that Ali didn't actually own the stall but worked for someone else called Kelly?

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O.K....Ali's stall was adjoined to the old concrete market structure and with a canvas roof went onto broadway.

Kelly's stall went around the side of the old electric showrooms (or was it gas), and to where the concrete ramp led to the market cellar.

Both of the market traders were asian(kelly was his name). I know this as i used to work there when i was eleven years old.

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How long ago was this? I can't relate my memory of Ali's stall location to this description.

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crica 1989-92, he also had a store upstairs of abbystreet shoppinc centre, ray lindens.

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I clearly remember Ray Linden.

I wonder if we are thinking of two different Ali's stalls because the one I recall was long before this, early 1960s?

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sorry kelly had the store above abby st s.c.

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and for the record Ali is still trading on accy market.

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Wasn't Ray Linden in the indoor market?

Now I'm certain we are talking about a different Ali.

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Ray Linden started off in the church st arcade (didnt he sell baby clothes) then he kept the shop and opened a market stall, my mum knew Ray I think he used to go to Bowdens cafe for his dinner.

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Ray Lindens was on the corner of Peel St and Abbey St, the big building near the Post Office. I think that was the location of the store in the 80's from what I remember. I don't know where it was prior to that..:)

Ali's market stall was roughly opposite Peels Chemist on Broadway. I worked on there to cover for a mate in about 1982 ish..

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I thought I remembered Ali's stall being much earlier than that and down the side of the market hall opposite what is now Wilkinsons. That is why I presumed we were talking about a different Ali. It's not such an uncommon name after all.

Mind you, with my brain cells being the way they are I can easily be wrong. I did begin to doubt the existence of Elephant St until other people remembered it too.

Accy Characters
 

The building which Ray Lindon used to use was of course the old Palace Cinema

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That's right Atarah, but didn't Ray Linden start off in the shed (old Market stalls) on corner of Infant Street and Peel Street. He did move up to what was the Palace. But he had a stall before the Palace closed, and I think it was in that shed place.

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I can remember fruit stalls in there but I think you may be right Darby. I somehow think there were other stalls there too but it's all very vague in the back of my mind.

Was the fish market in there? I can see the building in my mind (painted green for some reason) and it did cover quite a large area. A sort of in-between outdoor and indoor market.

Accy Characters
 

In here? The second view shows it in the background. Sorry they are small and poor quality, but they are all I have.

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Aye..that's it...and the second piccy has lots of rain..making it very authentic.

Thanks Atarah....where you get them from I'll never know...great stuff!! :) :)

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Ray Linden was as said in the Arcade, and outside market as I used to work for him as a lass(how old) then he moved up to the old Palace building and still had the stalls for a bit, went bust again!? Peel Enterprises was his too, above the Shop on Abbey Street and his (step )son Steven is the Shiek with the meat wagon that used to come to the Sunday market.Moved to Blackpool ,I think after, used to live in Gt. Harwood, not sure if he is still around.

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The Ali that is now trading inside( new stall ,used to be Doug's) and outside corner nr front of Market hall (New market development) is the Original Ali's son.

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Thanks for that clarification Wizardess.

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Your welcome, Do any members remember the small stocky man wiht the bob hat who was the cleaner in the gents loo on Peel street a few years ago? before the new development.

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What about Redmans custards. they were the best in town

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My sisters used to work in Redmans on Sat's.Any one remember Jones's toffee shop on Nuttall Street ? and Mrs Fells Dress shop, Marshalls clothes shop on Nuttall street too.

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I remember "Ali ". You could get some good bargins from him, especially the Marks and Spencer seconds. Uncle "Dick" and his wife Sadie, she always wore a lot of makeup, well it seemed that way to me. I think they lived in Blackpool.

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Correct Karen he was always shout in 'everyting 5 pounds'

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Who remembers Arthur Mort. He had an allotment at the top of Plantation Street where he used to keep his horse. I guess he would be one of the last characters in Accy to use an horse and cart for his buisness, a type of removel man and very well known he was to. We used to help him cut grass in Accy cemetary for his horse Blossom and then ride on the cart back to his allotment. Mort died last year 2004, I guess he would have been in his 80s
Ha well, Another character gone forever.

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Who remembers Arthur Mort. He had an allotment at the top of Plantation Street where he used to keep his horse. I guess he would be one of the last characters in Accy to use an horse and cart for his buisness, a type of removel man and very well known he was to. We used to help him cut grass in Accy cemetary for his horse Blossom and then ride on the cart back to his allotment. Mort died last year 2004, I guess he would have been in his 80s
Ha well, Another character gone forever.

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Not so much an Accy character as a Church character - I think he may have come up before - anybody remember Black Prince? He lived in Henry Street in Church, sold toothpaste on the markets around Lancashire wearing a pink & white striped blazer and a boater. His slogan was "Ladies and gentlemen, these are my own teef"! For many years he was the only black man anyone had seen - he was reported to be an African Prince, which is quite possible. He was a charming man, always polite and well spoken, lovely deep voice.

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( arthur mortimer),my mate an i was once in the copper kettle (edge of market) early morning when in came a local women of the night who we knew(not phsically) she told us she was goin to preston sessions as a witness for summat or other an was waiting for her lift,we expected a taxi or summat,20mins later arthur pulled up-she left an got on the cart an off they went-one of the funniest things i ever saw in my life an that is gospel.

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Bert Seery was his name,when you talked to him every sentence he said began with the word stuttin,such as (stuttin hell fire).
Sadly Bert died a couple of years ago.

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who remembers the guy who used to be in the observor every xmas-used to pinch the candlesticks from sacred heart an other churches,then walk into the police station an give his self up so he would have a xmas dinner in clink,the magisrates knew him well and always obliged,can't remember his name,who does?

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I remember Prince from when I was very small (pre-school, i.e. pre-1947). He was, I believe, a West Indian and his christian name was Prince. He was the only black man I knew and I used to stare at the poor man whenever I saw him on the bus. He, in return, used to wink at me, much to my delight.

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There used to be a guy who tried to convince everyone he was Michael Jackson. He'd easily be in his early 40's now because it was about 20 years ago that I remember him from - around about the Thriller period.

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Disc 'n tape - and what was the other little record shop called, I think it was a woman's name?

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Good god yeah I remember him purple lass !!!!!!!!!!! wonder if he is still trying to convince people???;)

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Anyone remember the really tall bloke who used to eat lit cigarettes? Don't ask me why but I think it was his party trick.

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used to be a guy i knew well ate and chewed up a pint glass in the long gone black bull,he was from haslingden,probably explains it.

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I think I know the guy you are talking about. He used to eat cigarettes for a free pint. His name is Tony Dullard, nickname Twiggy. He went to liive in Fleetwood and I have'nt seen him since.

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sure your correct but his name is Dillard,use to know the dipstick slightly.

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So is he still alive? Wonder if he's still eating cigarettes.

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was still alive last summer,saw him from a distance.fortunatly

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Your Michael Jackson impersonator is still alive and well too! he lives in Blackburn which is why we see a lot less of him now,and thankfully he doesn't know where I work now.He was a right pain when he kept coming into Our Price;though the novelty value was entertaining for a while!

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Does anyone remember the little old lady(she seemed it then) who had the chippy accross from the old Accy baths? she always had a smile.
Then there was May who lived at the bottom of Stanley St with her dolls & pram who if you knocked on her door would chase you wearing swimming goggles & pushing the pram (much to my shame)
Another Character was "Parky" who used to go through the bins on market days along with Rumple

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Remember the little old lady at the chippy.The other ones are news to me .

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dancing billy,knew him from late 60s when he came back from america,was some sort of electrician,but never knew him work here,apprently took to drink after a family bereavment,always putting the world to rights,but never harmed a fly.he died a few years ago 4/5,the vicar was amazed that somebody of his nature should get over 100 mourners,which i doubt if i will !

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what about the Michael Jackson Impersonator 15 years ago. Used to moonwalk in front of the Market Hall, now oining folk in Blackburn

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Remember Joe Morts near the railway arch? dance place , he always had his alsation dog at the top of the stairs, you had to climb the stsirs to pay and enter the dance place, it was very dark lol but there were lots of Characters who went up Morts.

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we always went everyWednesday because it was free if you got there before 7pm

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Yes, I remember trying to get there before 7pm. You'd get a "stamp" on the back of you're hand, if you wanted to go out again.
If my memory serves me correctly, when I first went there (1959?) there was no men's toilets, they had to go across the road to public ones. I was there the night they announced that Big Bopper etc had died in a plane crash.

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Sadly, I never made it to Joe Morts...though all my friends went.....Knowlemere Street too. My mother had these places down as Dens of Iniquity,and I was left in no doubt as to what would happen to me if my mother ever found out I had been to either of those haunts.
Her dislike of those places made them seem all the more intriguing. Made me want to go more than ever.....but I was always sure that she would find out some way if I ever went...so I never did.

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I think that this lady could have been Katarina Azzapardi (Maltese). I know her name because of my job (as was).
I once stopped my car in a side street to allow her to cross -she slammed her furled umbrella on my bonnet as 'thanks'.
The scene was a bit like the famous 'Granny and the air bag' on YouTube, except that I stopped voluntarily and didn't pip my horn, and air bags hadnt been invented then.

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Joe the Pole was like that Margaret, he used to step out in the road, he wouldn't get away with it today. He used to sit in the bus shelter at the as was Grammar School on Blackburn Road.

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Was the one on Knowlemere street called the `arts`. I remember going there when I was about 12/13. As I walked throught the door `Out of Time` by Chris Farlow was playing and the atmosphere was electric. It was the first time Id ever been anywhere like it. Also the Disco over the top of Catlows fruit and veg, you got a stamp on the back of your hand there. Also if you hadnt rinced out all the soap out of your tights, it would show up all patchy, and white because of the blue lights they had :Banane10:on there.

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He was still jumping in front of cars on Blackburn Road nr the Sacred Heart and shooting them with his walking stick in the mid 80's

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think he died in the 80s.

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Also the Disco over the top of Catlows fruit and veg, you got a stamp on the back of your hand there. Also if you hadnt rinced out all the soap out of your tights, it would show up all patchy, and white because of the blue lights they had :Banane10:on there.[/quote]

My sister used to forge the tatoos on people's hands in return for the odd drink.;)

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My sister used to forge the tatoos on people's hands in return for the odd drink.;)[/quote]

Catlow's fruit and veg on the corner of Roegreave Road, that is now Buy-the-House? I can't remember that.:confused:

Being older than me (:D) do you remember Gobbinlander's Disco that my Dad used to own/run with Ossy butcher Tony Perkins? It was on the corner block up from the old Co-op, and used to be the old Co-op shoe shop, and was open from 1971-75.

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Doh, just realised you meant Accy, not Ossy.:D

Ignore me.:o

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How could I do that Rindy? (especially when you are thumping me in GT this month)

I'm getting closer to knowing who you are at least. I knew your Dad's shop, & Clive & Stephen who worked for him part time during the late 70's early 80's.
I remember the Big D disco on harvey street was he connected to that too?

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Anyone remember Tommy Ent the old tramp in Accy around the late 50s and 60s, also no one mentioned Reta, she lived just down from the Church and Ossy station. She once chased us into the boys lavs at the Tech. Did anybody else get chased off the lodges at the top of Plantation St by the old bloke with a cane? I think his name was Bowker.

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i remember being told of reta
she was a lady of the night if i recall correctly

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I used to see Retta Garrity on my way home from school when I was at Paddock House. She always said hello to me, which was embarrassing to say the least, and I daren't ignore her because she had a violent temper if she was crossed, I heard her screaming and swearing at the top of her voice many a time. She was a scary woman. :D

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I remember her too West Ender as you describe .. that's all really, sorry, not trolling. The 'talk' was that she was a lady of the night, but only knew the gossip .. gosh, she was 'rough' though.

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:rofl38: he still scares me LOL, he's still about singing elvis & gatecrashing kareokee venues round accy, i used to babysit next door long way before the groovy madness kicked off & bible bashing was the only sermon he preached till his breakdown then all went pin striped & trainers oh & other humerous behaviour, but as in hall of local character fame suppose brought a new lease of life & bop the dance floor & out sing the young uns ..............wonder if he'll go on X factor or Britains got talent soon:D:rofl38: