Re: Playing Out
 

That was my stamping ground when I was young, can actually remember when it was inhabited. The Gang that used to rule the roost in that area was Jack Johnson's, he lived in the second house from the left hand end of Spring Terrace, Alan Turner lived in the end one, Pat Stains also live on Spring Terrace and in fact she still does, in the same house. There were trout in Tinker brook, they used to find their way into the brook when the Res overflowed, the Top res was restricted to Accrington Anglers in those days who used to stock it with trout every year, the reason I know was that Father Smith, who was perish priest at St Mary's at the time and was a keen fisherman was a member of Accy Anglers

Re: Playing Out
 

not carp. only perch & roach in lodge.

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Playing out was all the rage in the 1950s. You couldn't wait to gobble your tea down and call for your friends. On Catlow Hall Street, Oswaldtwistle, a big group of us used to play out, children/young people aged from about 2 to 14 - skipping with the big rope, etc. When I was about 9 I used to play with a few girls - all sorts of games - "May I", "Mary, Mary, may I cross your golden water", "What time is it Mr. Wolf?" We used to play "Tracking" by chalking arrows on the pavement for others to follow. Of course you could go in Rhyddings Park and play on the swings, "death plank", roundabout, umbrella and slide. At Hippings Methodist School we used to play games in the school yard, e.g. "The big ship sails through the alley-alley-o". On May Day we used to dance round the May Pole in the school yard. Girls wore their best dresses - it always seemed to be nice weather. The younger children danced round to "Dancing round the May Pole, merrily we go". The older children did a more complicated dance to "Come lasses and lads" - somehow the ribbons ended up plaited, if you got it right! We used to play ball games in Hippings Methodist school yard, but woe betide you if the ball went over Mr. Whalley's back yard wall (school caretaker)! In the church yard we used to look at the "moving statue". There were always crazes for different games - yoyos, hula hoops, etc. Every year we had a bulb show and had to grow hyacinths or daffodils for an exhibition in Ossy Town Hall. At Christmas we had a great time - Monday was school concert, Tuesday was party (with green jelly), Wednesday was carol service in the old chapel - remember Mr. Chapman and Mr. Sanderson, the Methodist ministers? On 24th May we celebrated Empire Day. One of the "big girls" dressed as Britannia.

Re: Playing Out
 

I used to play on the swings on Spring hill terrace across from the Paddock House.
A crowd of us would go over to Pendleton Ave. to the clough there and play in the brook. I remember one of the lads made a rope swing it was great. We also used to go in the orchard of the big house off of Arncliffe Ave and steal apples until the owner came out with his gun and chased us away. I remember he had some horses at one time. I lived on Arncliffe and all the kids on the ave used to play with each other, it was great.
I'd go up to Holy family school and play tennis at night. there was always something to do, sometimes we'd go the the lodge up Fern Gore or follow the "Iron Brook".

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Happy days

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Bill Dash was the officially paid water bailiff and caretaker of several lodges,sluices and waterways around Church & Ozzy.....he lived at no1 Lodge House, with his wife Mary and( as mentioned.his grandson Harry 'muck' Sumner)..right beside the lodge that is now a housing estate.The other lodge on the other side of the railway is now a housing estate too.Dash could make anything....fix anything,particularly watches and loads of people would bring their broken watches or fobs and even 'clocks to him to be fixed.He could do tricks and was a real artful dodger at stacking a deck of cards!..the house stood on it's own beside the little stream that still runs ....opposite was rists cable factory,over the wall was the pickups pub bowling green and a couple of plots.Other side was the school and the drill hall club/house and barracks house...they had bonfires by the lodge and Bill Dash used to light rockets and let them go off in his hand !They flew the Union jack at half mast at the Church Con Club when he died on 28th janruary 1968 aged 70.

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Me thinks you knew Bill very well:rolleyes:

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ya aint related to me owd mate Harry? are ya shall bid?:confused:

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And now there is Playstation:eek: Sheesh ... kids have lost a lot.:mad:

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And now we have Playstation ... kids have lost a lot.:mad:

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There's almost an echo in here.:D

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There's almost an echo in here:D:rolleyes:

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Yep...his younger brother.......hes still alive and kicking and living in Church.

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I was raised and played out on Hornby St and Rhyddings Park.
Ken Hargreaves lived nearby on WatsonSt.
We kids felt sorry for him because his mum would never let him play out.
We did call for him sometimes but he never could.

PS when I met Anne Widdecombe she was very amused that I knew Ken when 'he was in short pants'

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Ya Margaret old May used to keep in tied to her apron strings, and its just the type of thing that would amuse the Widdows, JKH in short pants:D