Favorite Memories of Accrington
 

Many thanks to Accy Lass for the prompt, what is your favorite part of Accy and surrounding area???

Mine is sitting on the Peel Monument atop the coppice and looking over the town.:)

Also playing army on the coppice and jumping in and out the trenches.;)

That was nearly 30 years ago now, how time flies.:eek:

What's your best memory??

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Fav places I miss?.. the Bees Knees.. the Pickwick in the afternoons..Canine..Bold st club..Hope n Anchor.. Cock n Bull... and the off licence on Marsden street.

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mine has to be going on a bender round accy, when ALL the pubs where open even lar de dars, oh the fun memories:rolleyes:

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Lar De Dars, God that takes me back.:eek:

Bees Knee's too, has it still got the big bee over the door outside??;)

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You did it:)

My favourite place in Accy has to be the area I live now (Laneside)

So many nice people, we walk out of the door and before we even get to the shop
we have spoken to about 5 people, it's great:)

I don't suppose it's just round here, but I do like it:D

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My best memories of Accy (I haven't been out in town for years) was the Bridge Inn when Dave and Sue Johnson had it (Sues the present Mayoress) Used to go in most lunch times and few nights playing pool

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playing darts for the Queens pub when carl and julie
ran it in the early eighties

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Playing tennis in Rhyddings Park every day in school summer holidays.

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the old Accy baths when I was a youngster

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The parades on a sunday when i was a kid marching through ossy and the big drums..lol

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going to the old Accy baths.....coming out with hair dripping wet and going to the chippy across the road for a bag of chips if we had enough money or a bag of scraps if we were skint.
Spending the long (mostly sunny days) of the summer holidays in Bullough Park,,,,,buying a penny hovis loaf and a halfpenny spanish....making a drink of spanish water in a medicine bottle (glass) to take to the park so that I didn't have to come home for something to eat and drink.
Playing in the brook in Priestley clough........catching indeterminate fish and keeping them in Jam jars.

The 'pop' man coming on a Friday, drinking Stantons Dandelion and burdock out of a huge stone bottle...that or sarsaparilla.
Happy days...alas, now long gone.

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spending endless hours in the Grey horse when i was in my teens :D and just making a nuisance of myself :D

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Going to Rhyddings park during the summer holiday to some form of holiday club......... seems like an eternity ago but am sure it wasnt that long ago :rolleyes:

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I wonder if we ever played tennis at the same time, Margaret R. My friend, Betty, and I spent a lot of time on those courts in 1958/59. :D

In Accrington my memory place is the Wayside café (opposite Joe Mort's), playing Elvis, Buddy Holly and Lonnie Donegan on the juke-box, drinking frothy coffee and being gently guided by the fatherly hand of the owner, Stan Forber. I was introduced to my husband there, in January 1960 - 3 days before my 17th birthday. :)

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have too many good memories of accy (when it WAS a town) but heres a few, settin off early morning with a frozen jubbly or mambo, crisps, mars bar, n trekking over the coppice to gamblers caves, spending day playing japs n commandos, or cowboys n indians, then when knackered, coolin off in the adjacent lodge. returning home starving fer me tea.:D playing footie fer St Augustines, then graduating to bob bannisters boxing club on argyle street. then later the Australian, Horseshoe, Welcome,Colliers, ST,Leger, to name the regulars, bit disapointed to reach 18 but thats life.:D

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Bug Hut on Saturday afternoon as a kid, St. Pauls scouts, our first U14 youth football team "Pegasus", going up Stanley in the 50s, Knowlmere St and the Empire up Ossy. I,m prejudice but I think we grew up in the best era between 1950 and 1965.

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got to agree ossy kid the 50's & 60's was still the best era not seen one like it since.

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Id love to go back in time and see that era too mez, my mum always goes on how 'great' the 50's and 60's were:rolleyes:

especially the time me mum and dad met....see what they were really like;)

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The 50s and 60s seemed wonderful as a contrast to what went before in the 30s and 40s, which was world war, food rationing, social deprivation, and short life expectancy due to disease.

There was an atmosphere of optimism for the future (which you may now say was ill founded)

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I would have loved being around in the 50's and 60's, the dawn of Rock and Roll, then all that Soul.:cool:

People had more respect for there fellow man and respect for authority.

Asbo's are a mark of honour amongst today's youth, not shame.:mad:

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Not much change there then flashy:D

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I'm sure our paths must have crossed many years ago, used to have to book a court if you wanted a game in those days, the good old days:rolleyes:

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wheres the grey horse?, i cant think for the life of me:(

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Just further down than Accy Vic on the left as you go towards Clayton:p

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Thats why i didnt know where it was...too far away for me:rolleyes:

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post just got me remembering lol, knowlemere st (arts) joe morts, accy con, spring hill, mary mags, cavern, jazz club, bold st, sydney st, all accy dance halls that are no more, probably some i forgot also, have some great memories of all those weekly dances, what have the kids got now?

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I'm thinking it can't have cost more than 2/6 (half crown) / 13 pence to get into most of them places , bit more than the price of a pint . ;)

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St Johns school friday night dances
dancing to Rubber ball ..Poetry emotion..
wild days :thankya:

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I think you meant 'poetry in motion' :D
Reminds me of when I sang 'got busted' instead of 'ghostbusters'

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NO it used to make me emotional lol :tongueout

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thought ya would have said "Chaigley Manor" beechy.:D;)

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i was sent there from accy :rolleyes:
now theres some good memories best not wander though
never know what happens when you wander never know where
you end up :D:D

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You should have been at Accy Disco in '67 - one of the places where Northern Soul started.

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Northern Soul is supposed to be making a comeback, but don't here to much about it, will have to Google it and see what comes up:rolleyes:

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northern soul was a great period,most of which passed me by, due to just being wed, some great music, much of it though was stuff that never made it in the 60s n was resurrected.;)

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Northern Soul has a big following throughout the country, with some of the best nights being in the north west.:D

We've had some great nights in Bury, Burnley and Blackburn with the Spanish Room at Blackpool Winter Gardens being a Superb Night.:cool: (Not all the towns start with B though):eek:

The wife and I are keen Soulies and as the phrase goes "Keeping the Faith".;)

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I used to love going to Wigan Casino during the 70's - great sounds, great atmosphere. The Old Band Club and the British Legion in Accy put on some good nights as well. Like all types of good music (rhythm 'n' blues, rock 'n' roll etc), it never dies!

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Hi Wynonie Harris,


You got P.M.;)


Lee

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My other half comes from the Wgan area Wynonie, and I've been round to where the old Casino was, you stand there and is just a car park with a plack say the the casino was here, but still bings back happy memories of the all nighters:)

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Have you been to the Casino Cafe.

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I've still not been...must try and get over there this summer.

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Playing in Gatty Park is one of my favourite memories. Those were the days:D

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I used to go to those too Beechy, and remember dancing to the above numbers you mentioned ... you probably sat opposite me across the dance floor, chairs lined up down both sides ... :D Weren't they only once a month though ?

Wynonie: You would have enjoyed the play I went to see couple of weeks ago with three other members. Was based around Wigan casino .. plot was standard (boy meets girl, etc), but some lovely dancing, and they had a Northern Soul group which played constantly throughout the show. Sure it brought memories back to many people.

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Where was that kate

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Kate, I remember reading about that somewhere. As Jaysay says, please tell us more!

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It was at the Octagon Bolton, Wynonie. Forgot to get a programme (Garinda has one I think). The singer was great, as were the two girls in the band, one of them doing a solo number ... excellent stuff. Seven piece band .. all brilliant musicians.

Only four in the actual cast, but sure one of them could have been your goodself in those days ... :D One of the girls was supposed to have come from Burnley.:eek:

http://www.octagonbolton.co.uk/WiganLive.asp

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damn, completely forgot about that, n as it finished on sat 28th, thanks fer rubbing it in kate.:D;)

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Cheers, Kate, sounds great. Sorry I missed it now.

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Was it called Once Up on a Time in Wigan. Read something about it a while ago.

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There's also a CD to tie in with it.

http://www.acerecords.co.uk/content....9&release=1080

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Some great tracks on that CD Wynonie it cost £11.99p on Amazon
there are also another couple of discs for sale
The Twisted Wheel (which was the name of a soul club in Carlisle in the mid 70s) used copy at £4.98 and Northern Soul Connoisseurs used copy £2.98, ight just give them a whirl

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The Twisted Wheel which they're talking about was the one in Whitworth Street, Manchester which ran from 1963-1971. Was originally a blues/R&B club, then became a mainstream soul club and finally, one of the birthplaces of northern soul, towards the end of its life.

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spent many all nighter saturdays at the wheel
you had to go out and come back in again for
the night sessions if i remember correctly :theband:

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That's right, Beechy, there was the regular evening session, then the all-nighter session which started around midnight, with separate admission charges for both. Some great live acts appeared at the Wheel, both blues and soul - John Lee Hooker, Little Walter, T-Bone Walker, Ike & Tina Turner, Junior Walker, Ben E. King, Edwin Starr and many, many more.

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and the it was the first bus back to accrington
sunday morning shattered and elated
im shattered just thinking about em nowadays
but you were always cool and in if you went to the wheel :dflam:

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only did the wheel a couple of times, Heaven @ Hell a few more, talk about put yer lights out, no-way could do it now.:D

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You are getting older lads, some would even say wiser as well:D

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Definitely the former, Bernie, as for the latter...well, perhaps, perhaps not. One thing's for sure though, I'd do it all over again (and I reckon Cashy, Beechy, Al and Jaysay would agree!). :D

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yep haved lived me life with "No Regrets" had a ball mostly n when i didn't it sure as hell learnt me.

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one thing for sure lads they cant take our memories away
good times all round and wer still here to tell the tale :alright:

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Where abouts is Whitworth Street Wynonie, was it near where the Hacienda was, never much bothered about going into Manchester in those days, The club with the same name in Carlisle was a soul club, and I went in a lot in 1975 when I worked there for three months

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I have to agree there beechy, but the only problem I'm having is I'm showing the signs of wear and tear these days:D

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Very true nobody can take your memories away:)

Re: Favorite Memories of Accrington
 

.

Jaysay, the Hacienda was at the end of Whitworth Street West, near G-Mex/Central Station. The Wheel actually started life in 1963 on Brazennose Sreet, running down from Albert Square to Deansgate. Then, in 1965 it moved to Whitworth Street - if you walk up from Piccadilly Gardens towards Piccadilly Station, but instead of going up the station ramp, walk past it down London Road, Whitworth Street is one of the streets running off to your right. The Wheel is at the end of the first block on your right. It became Placemate, after the Wheel. It's actually still there, but it's a gay club now. They have regular Wheel revival nights sometimes - been to one or two of 'em.

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You guys are soooo lucky, i was born far too late.:mad:

What i would give to have danced at the Wheel, the Casino or any one of that era's top spots.

Have done so many soul nights from the mid 80's onwards but too experience that atmosphere would be the best buzz.:cool:

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never mind mate, least ya aint n old fart like me now.:D

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I'm making up for lost time, and as Terry Callier say's::cool:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW-gCKPw-l4

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Me too Cashy, went to the Wheel two or three times, came home nackered, slept all day, then fronted up for Burnley Mecca Sunday night. Dont know how I got up for work Monday mornings.

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Soulee, you can! Alone amongst all the great clubs, the Wheel is still there! And they have Wheel revival nights.

http://www.twistedwheel.net/

The amazing thing is that the place has changed very little in 40 years. Apart from the addition of a licensed bar along one wall and a couple of other alterations, it's largely like it was back in the day. OK, you can never completely recreate the heady atmosphere of the 60's, but on a Wheel revival night when the place is packed with dancers grooving to a playlist exclusively comprising soul/rhythm & blues records which were played back then, it's the nearest you're going to get to a time machine!

Well worth a visit next time you're up!

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Thanks Wynonie,;)

We had planned a trip up with some of the guys, but unfortunatly they all cried off.:mad:

Me and the wife are planning to visit family soon so i will try and merge the two.:D

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The building which housed the Hacienda club was a boat showroom before Anthony Wilson and his friends opened the club, its right on the corner of Whitworth Street, just couldn't remember the name in my earlier post. I actually worked there in the mid 70s we fitted a shop out that they had for sailing accessories, some of the boats they had for sale cost in the region of £250,000, it was very strange these large boats in a showroom near Manchest City centre

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Near the Ship Canal though Jaysay .. :D

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Do you know kate never thought of that, shows your thinking:D

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going back a bit there my mother who is now 94 years of age has a stone stantons bottle she uses as a hot water bottle how about that

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Do you remember the preston gang that used to come up joe morts and they fetched a routine dance with them it was great wish i could remember it now it would be good enough for strickly come dancing.

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what amazed me,was people from manchester,blackpool, as well as preston used to come oer little "Accy" fer the Morts.:)

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biggest youth club in the world
at the time Cashy

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Well you certainly learned how to box and tumble down stairs beechy:D

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one of my favorite times riding on the old accy busses trying to keep my balance on the bit that was slightly raised at the front downstaires used to pretened i was suffing, liked it that much my mum said when i was three i jumped on a bus to blackburn on my own it got to church before the inspectors stopped the driver and my fun tight gits:)

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i can still manage one of those
:hehetable

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Take it your talking about the stairs bit beechy:D

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just had a flashback, who remembers the "Cavern" on Castle Street? think it opened mid 60s, saw Long John Baldry there, also seem to remember vaguely Rod Stewart?? or was i tripping?:rolleyes: shame it only lasted a few years was a good nightspot.

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your memory serves you well... cashy
the cavern early sixties was it not were the old lodging house was
at bottom of milnshaw lane .. castle street
think rod stewart was in the steam packet then
:theband:

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No your not tripping mate I saw them to, I think they called themselves steampacket. Kiki Dee was with them too. It was a great little club but didnt last to long.

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I remember the Cavern too, was a pity it didn't keep open longer than it did

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I have spent a lot of time recently thinking about favourite memories. I have been interviewed by email by Radio Lancashire who have just put some of my thoughts onto:(www)

b bbc.co.uk/lancashire/content/articles/2008/12/11
_places_accrington_bob_dobson_feature_shtml

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yer link aint working Bob.:confused:

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I remember the cafe across from Joe Morts. I met my husband in there in 1956 and when I was just a child! My favorite place in Accrington was the coppice, followed by Oak Hill Park and walks round Broadoak. I lived in the Fire Station houses in Manchester Road

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was it "Ciros" then joan? think long ago it was "Wayside" or summat.:confused: ciro was n italian guy who ran it n his daughter used to work behind the counter also, nice people.

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It was The Wayside, owned and run by Stan and Marjorie Forber. I first met my husband there (well, was introduced to him, briefly) in 1960. :)

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when did it become ciros then? must have been only a couple of years after 1960, was ciro's when "Drew" was killed under the railway arch, n think that was july 64/65.:confused:

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I don't know, Cashy. I think it was still Stan's place up until I got married (1962) but I had stopped going to coffee bars by then. :D

Who was Drew and who/what killed him?

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have pmd ya.cashy.

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Let me on the story to Mr C, suspence is killing me.

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Alan , its probably another story about a local murder like Mrs Barker (Gt Harwood late 60s/early 70s ) which locals know who dun-it , but the police have no evidence ;) ;)

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Thats another I cant remember.