Chorlton On Medlock Late 60s early 70s

[maggi]

Lovely memories
I think I also went to the Grosvenor cinema with my mam,
Remember going to the Regal on Oxford St
I went to The Holy Name until 1960 and lived on Lloyd St, next door to the Royal pub

[secondholiday]

Hi All, I lived at 19 Berwick st, chorlton on medlock in the late 50s early 60s, as a teenager my first taste of beer were at the All Saints Tavern, and the Wellington which were on opposite corners of our street, I went to St Augustines school and left school about 1958, Started work right away as apprentice upholsterer, at a family run firm called Bill Geddes.We used to go to the Grosvenor Picture house on the corner of Grosvenor St and Oxford Rd, Duncan and fosters bakery was at the top of our street and the smell of fresh baked bread was sometimes to tempting, so we would pinch a few mini hovis loaves from the waiting delivery vans.We used to go to High street Baths (I think its called Hathersage road now)for a swim and also a hot bath as we didn't have electricity when we first moved in, just gas lighting (mind you dont break the mantle!)I left to join the army in January 1961 and shortly after the houses were compulsary purchased by the council to make way for the universary and the Mancunian way flyover, so my Dad, Ninny (gran),Brother Peter and sisters all were moved to Chorlton [censored] Hardy. I used to love the Whit Walks, and remember the Scottish pipe and Drums bands also their leader strutting at the head of the band and throwing the mace so high and catching it without breaking step, also some years there was a small boy at his side dressed exactly the same in a kilt who was also able to match the pipe major and throw the mace in a spinning hoop and catch it, Wonderful!

[secondholiday]

Hi Tony. I guess you won't remember me.  I was Peters best friend in Berwick St.  We were very close and I have very fond memories of ninny.  We'd meet her at the end of the street and help her with her shopping bags up to the house.  She was a lovely lady.  We lived at No. 27. Me (Margaret) my brother Alan and mum and dad. Us kids both went to the Holy Family and then St. Augustines until - same as you - we were moved away for slum clearance.  We kept in touch with ninny for a number of years, often visiting  your house in Chorlton.  I was so upset to learn of Peters passing and went to his funeral mass at Southern.  I remember speaking to the girls but, I'm sorry, I can't quite remember you.  I think I might have been a bit of a squid then in Berwick St. time.  Nice to hear about those days.

[Tony]

Hi Margaret, just read  your post, my sister Sheila is sat next to
me and she is
 sure she knows you and that your maiden name was  Lawson, we remember your mum as being tall and slim. Good days 

[Jerseylin]

Another one from Berwick Street number 12 this time, Margeret emailed me and told me about this website and your message, so it was lovely to see. I don't know whether you remember me, like Margaret we were a bit younger than you more Peter's age, I remember Peter very very well and still think of him now, I think he was the original cheeky imp, when he organised cowboys and Indians why was I always an indian! My name is Linda Mitchell, Jean was my sister who you will probably remember more than me, and Joe and Louie were my mum and dad. I went to Cavendish until 1962/3 and the family left to live in Handforth, I left the UK in 1971 to come to Jersey where my sister Jean and her husband had moved to earlier, still miss Manchester and coincidently my niece's daughter is at Manchester University and knows the Oxford Road area very well. Hope to hear from you.

[Tony]

Hi Linda and Margaret, Really good to hear from some ex Berwick St neighbours. My memory of names and faces is not as good as I'd like it to be, but some names that I remember are, Tommy Hibbs, James Heaton,
Barry McAloon,Brenda Burns,Margaret Wilson,Carol Cooke
Freddie Walkden, Anne and John Cassin. Ninnie was a special person, I remember the Walkdens dog (I think it was Laddie)running around with half a brick in its mouth instead of a ball. When my Dad bought the house at No 19 we lived in the cellar,
as the previous owner (an old lady) had done so because of the blitz,we had the rest of the house as well, but no hot water,a belfast sink in the back room of the cellar,
lighting the fire and putting a coal shovel up with newspaper to draw the fire, (health and safety?)no bathroom, outside toilet, Wellies folded over and leaving a sore mark round my legs, but we were all in the same boat.All Saints Park was our local play area, and we played in the bombed out houses around the area.

[Jerseylin]

I can give you some info on James Heaton, his mum and dad Connie and Chris were friends with my mum and dad infact they moved to Handforth with us living in the next road, unfortunately when we left to come to \jersey they took it bad but we didn't know until my mum and dad visited them a couple of years later, unfortunately by this time Chris was really ill and died about a year later, I know James married and had a son but I think James wife and Connie didn't see eye to eye. Last I heard James had died and Connie followed soon after. Sorry my message is so miserable! I do remember Benda Burns and Carole Cooke rings a bell but again they were that bit older. Talking about living in the cellar do you remember Mr & Mrs Deary who also lived in the cellar ad all the kids used to be looking down the grid into their window! I bet Peter was one of them!

[Tony]

 Hi Linda, The Dearys lived next door to us, but I thought we were the only cellar dwellers. To be fair I cant remember much about James or the others, I left the area in Jan 1961 to go in the army and only came home every so often up to our move to Chorlton-[censored]-Hardy. I've still got three sisters who you may remember, Sheila,Rosa and Angela, They are better at remembering people than me

[secondholiday]

Oh yes.  I remember looking down at the Deary's in the cellar.  Theirs was a very posh room compared to what the rest of us had.
Do you remember going to The Old Garrett every year for the Christmas party organised by Dr Vallance and the garage [censored] scrap yard down the end of the street near your house Linda?  All us kids used to get inside somehow, climb onto the roofs of the buildings and dare each other to jump from one roof to the another over about a four foot wide gap and about 12 feet high.  Health & Safety would have had a field day with us bunch of scallies.

[Jerseylin]

You've read my mind, I was only thinking about that scrap yard the other day, we used to jump from one corner of a roof to the other corner and I remember I was hesitant then, now when I think about it my hair stands on end, I think that was the one and only time I was a bit of a daredevil . Yes the Deary's house was nice a bit better than ours with the mice in the cupboard and newspaper squares in the toilet (if my sister was reading this she'd faint at my disclosures!!!) The other thing about the scrap yard was we used to lie on the roof looking down into Hill Street, it must have been about 40ft high

I loved the Old Garrett Christmas Parties they were just magical. I think about all the things kids get these days and no matter how much money is thrown at them they will never enjoy a Christmas like we did I remember one Christmas morning you knocked on my door and when I opened it we were wearing identical cowgirl costumes although I think our guns were different! Happy days

[secondholiday]

Ha Ha.  I remember my cowgirl outfit.  I loved it.  I also remember you getting a casino game one year with a roulette wheel.  I was soooo jealous.  It was the height of sophistication!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jerseylin]

So that was the cause of my love of horse racing!


I'm at work will think of other stories I'm sure.

[mancity1984]

Hi Tony my name is Anthony Lillis from 1959-1972 we lived in the All Saints Tavern until it was demolished.  Remember your sisters well and your younger brother Peter was in my brother Vincent's class at St Augustine's.   I can still smell Dunks bakery we too as kids used to raid the night delivery van for cakes!! You may remember my elder cousin Joey Howard from St Augustine's all our family went to gussy's.Fantastic memories of the area still class as it as home!!You will know Eddie Deary from the cellar as you referred to think it was next door to your house??   

Hi Linda, The Dearys lived next door to us, but I thought we were the only cellar dwellers. To be fair I cant remember much about James or the others, I left the area in Jan 1961 to go in the army and only came home every so often up to our move to Chorlton-[censored]-Hardy. I've still got three sisters who you may remember, Sheila,Rosa and Angela, They are better at remembering people than me

[Tony]

Hi Anthony, sorry for the delay, I don't know if it was your family or the landlord before, but they had an English Bulldog, as kids we would climb up the drain pipe so that we could look throuigh the window to the lounge room to see the singers and Jimmy the Brilliant pianist that appeared at weekends. I The scrapyard roofs were  a great play area, On one occasion I jumped from  one to another and went straight through into a painters storage unit. Have you seen the pictures of thue Tavern and the Wellington on the Manchester website?
Good to hear from another fellow all saints area dweller. Tony

[mancity1984]

Hi Tony thanks for getting back, yes it was us with the Bulldog Butch!The pianist you are referring to was a Mr Quinn who lived on Hill Street.The Scrap Yard was Jimmy Pollit's who lived at bottom of Berwick Street facing the Scrap yard more or less.How are your sisters getting on and Peter doing hope all is well?Kind regards Anthony.

Hi Anthony, sorry for the delay, I don't know if it was your family or the landlord before, but they had an English Bulldog, as kids we would climb up the drain pipe so that we could look throuigh the window to the lounge room to see the singers and Jimmy the Brilliant pianist that appeared at weekends. I The scrapyard roofs were  a great play area, On one occasion I jumped from  one to another and went straight through into a painters storage unit. Have you seen the pictures of thue Tavern and the Wellington on the Manchester website?
Good to hear from another fellow all saints area dweller. Tony