Author Topic: Cheetham/Hill 1950s/60s?  (Read 752750 times)

St Chads Lad

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Re: Cheetham/Hill 1950s/60s?
« Reply #1680 on: 16:53:27, 01/11/21 »
I have similar memories, was at Chads early to mid sixties, Keely was the head when I first arrived, face like a bulldog chewing a wasp  ;D  went to Sharp st by bus for dinner but a school kitchen was built a little way down the street behind the school later on, played football on Bent st shale pitch, Mr Saunders used to take us once a week.

Plumduff

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Re: Cheetham/Hill 1950s/60s?
« Reply #1681 on: 19:13:16, 01/11/21 »
I was at St Chads 1947 to 55 upon passing 11 plus went to St Gregory's so never had chance to taste St Chads senior boys and follow my older brother,I remember him telling me stories about his teacher in the seniors Mr Cox the boys nicknamed him slasher Cox but I never found out why.He was great friends with the Kilroy brothers and the Jacobs boys.My best mate at Chads was mickey Martin who's dad had a barrow stall selling fruit and veg in Cannon Street at least that's where I think it was.Does any one remember Maggie Nolan who lived in a terrace near the church the older boys used to go round there because she used to sell single Woodbine cigarettes for a penny then they would smoke them down near where the river Irk went under the tunnel beneath Victoria Station.Reckon I will have to rack my brains for more memories,so glad I found this forum.

taffyboynow

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Re: Cheetham/Hill 1950s/60s?
« Reply #1682 on: 20:49:02, 02/01/22 »
Hello Forum and thanks for having me....  Bit nostalgic as I approach my 75th b'day so decided to search for my roots, so to speak.  Born 'into' Fountain St, Cheetham Hill and have a few vague memories - we moved to Hall (now Hallworth Rd off Crescent Rd) in around 1950 before making the one-way journey to South Wales in 1953.  I do recall living next door to a pub (was it at the 'top' of Fountain St and was the St on a slope?) and riding down the hill on a scooter with my old mum.  Also visiting relatives in George St/Rd? across what seemed like a very busy and wide Cheetham Hill.  Better recollection of attending Crumpsall Lane Infants school for a short period (still have a class photo c. 1952 if anyone interested), playing in the park and poking around the dye works (with older lads!).  Would I have been at St Thomas Didymus nursery school or am I making that up?  Also the Whit Week church marches.  Took my wife to show her where I entered this world in about 1971 but Fountain St was just a big hole - is that where the Tesco is now?  If anyone can point me towards relevant archive photos/maps or have info, that would be great.  Thanks, regards and best wishes for 2022.  Mike 

Steven

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Re: Cheetham/Hill 1950s/60s?
« Reply #1683 on: 15:37:20, 14/02/22 »


It is a few years since I last looked at this forum. I am amazed by all the fond memories people have of Cheetham. My memories date back to the 1959-67/8 period. For some of this time we lived in Oakfield Street. I have not been in this area since with perhaps the exception of a visit to the Temple Cinema in the mid-70s. [/font]
Someone wrote that they remember being told that inhaling tar was healthy for the lungs. I was also told this when I was a kid and remember standing by a road works off Woodlands Road and inhaling the smell. I actually quite liked the smell and thought digging up the road would be a nice job to do - looked so cosy to sit in that little hut with the fire burning in a metal bin in front of the hut. [/font]
I also remember the saying, "find a piece of coal and pick it up and all the day you will have good luck." Kids today would not recognize a piece of coal but 60 years ago that is how we heated our home,[/font]
I see on Google that Oakfield Street, Huxley and Faraday Avenues are still standing while all the terraced housing round about has gone. I am curious why they were left. From what I remember this housing was also of poor quality. We had an outside toilet and a tiny scullery – maybe 3 feet wide and 8 feet long. It was a challenge to keep basic hygiene. There were also problems with damp, and rodents. Perhaps that was all you could expect for the 21 shillings a week we paid to the company that owned the Oakfield Street houses. [/font]
While the properties were poor quality, it is true the neighbourhood was very friendly. I seem to remember front doors did not need to be locked. Also, the streets were safer, not least because there were few cars, not to mention the dangerous electric scooters you see today. I think there was only one car regularly parked on Oakfield Street, an Austin van. [/font]
In a post years ago someone mentioned they lived in Esmond Road, next to Ike Goldstone, the fruit, vegetable and fish dealer. I can well recall his horse and cart and the metal weights he put on the scales. By the way, the horse was a grey and named Dolly. I remember being given a sugar lump to feed it. A house or two away from the Goldstones lived a chap called Clifford. I was told in the mid-60s he still used gas light in his house, but I did not see this. A few houses further up towards Cheetham Road was a grocery where I went to buy a lucky bag for 6d.[/font]
Do not remember many people in the area after all these years. Do recall going to the Cohen's grocery shop on Huxley Avenue and noticed how their bungalow across the road was such a big contrast from the rest of the housing. I also recall being fascinated as a kid by the red coloured jars in the window of the chemist shop on the corner of Huxley and Cheetham Hill. Then I remember going to buy jelly babies from Lorenzo shop just past the Cheetham Baths.[/font]
In Oakfield Street I recall a Mrs. Bloch who might have lived in no. 5 or 7. I do not recall her personally but her house had polished and painted wooden window frames which stood out from the peeling paint on other window frames in the street. There was also a lady called Brenda whom we were friendly with – she had a few kids. In number 2 or 4 Oakfield street lived Bobby – guess he would be in his 70s today.[/font]
I also remember visiting a relative in Faraday Avenue and banging away on their piano in the front room. I was just a little kid and didn't know how to play but just make a racket. At the side of the stairs, I noticed what looked like a wooden voodoo face mask that was quite frightening. The kitchen was at the back. You had to go down a step or two and there were stone floor slabs -no lino. Guess there was an old cooking range but I don't have an image of this. Do remember the washing mangle whose handle I enjoyed turning.[/font]

cheethamgirl

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Re: Cheetham/Hill 1950s/60s?
« Reply #1684 on: 17:50:35, 27/02/22 »
Hi Foxy.  I remember a shop called Bookbinders in the late 30's early 40's. My Uncle used to buy his Woodbine cigarettes there so it probably was not a bakery at that time.  It was located on Huxley Ave, about halfway between Cheetham Hill Road and Heywood Street.  That must have been close to where you lived, Cheethamgirl, but much later.  Was it still there?
LAgal:

I've recently been doing some more research on Bookbinders on Huxley Ave. Apols if I've already posted this elsewhere. In April 1951, Sam Bookbinder was running a grocery shop on Huxley and he paid 3 chaps to burn down the rival grocery shop belonging to Leslie Cohen, also situated on Huxley. He gave them £25 each and 16 gallons of petrol. They did the job but managed to set themselves on fire in the process. They were badly burned but couldn't go to hospital so sent a friend to Bookbinder to ask for assistance. He sent them a loaf of bread and a packet of butter! The 3 got 7 years in prison and gave evidence against Bookbinder. Unfortunately, the Manchester Evening News reports, as held in the British Newspaper Archive, run out at that point. I'm assuming Bookbinder was found guilty and gaoled. I knew Leslie Cohen and his family but in later years. Their daughter Anette and I were pals. I had no idea about the arson attack. Leslie still had a grocery shop on Huxley, opposite which was his bungalow - the newest house on Huxley Ave - when we moved away in early 1970s.     
Author:  'Odd Man Out - A Motiveless Murder?' & 'The Cheetham Hill Murder'

Matthew Waddell

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Re: Cheetham/Hill 1950s/60s?
« Reply #1685 on: 18:22:57, 13/04/22 »
Hello all. I know this is about the 60s but hoping some of you could help with this issue I have from the 1990s in cheetham.[/size]For many months I have been looking for a child my biological grandfather had around 1996 1997.He was born in 1935 and lived in Cheetham hill from around 1975 until he died in 1997.We were not in contact with him during his life so all information I have in based on my own research.His name was Patrick John McConnell. He went by John and Johnny. He was short, Irish (donegal) and a chronic alcoholic.John lived at three Narbuth Drive, Cheetham Hill. He would often be spotted on Halliwell Lane, Waterloo Road and outside Shopping Giant and The Crumpsall Hotel drinking.He was short 5ft with dark brown hair and the sideburns, balding on top. I have attached a photo, hopefully renders for you to see. It's from the 60s so he would have aged considerably. Told he dressed like the old school irish but his clothes would be musty and stained.Before he passed in 1997 he had a child with a young woman in her 20s or 30 and he was around 60 at this time. The exact date we have no idea.She sadly died in labour not long before John passed too at the North Manchester General Hospital. Sadly despite much asking around locally I am yet to find a name for her.This means it is impossible to search for the child they had. We have been told the child was taken into care given what happened and possibly adopted.I have contacted social services, the salvation army, catholic children's rescue, the hospital and his relations in the area from whom he was estranged and know nothing. Every single adoption agency too have no way to without his partners.I have talked to over 200 people from crumpsall and cheetham hill related facebook groups. Folks recall them together but not her name.The only clues I have is that she spent time in Park House.If anyone recalls them please get in touch.

Ed

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Re: Cheetham/Hill 1950s/60s?
« Reply #1686 on: 13:19:44, 02/06/22 »
Well hello everyone, another Cheetham Hill ex-pat here slowly reading through the list (now up to pg 40) and will try and avoid reintroducing old topics. Like many here I am now retired and getting curious about the sights and places of my earlier life.

More of an import than a native Manc, I was part of a dirt poor single parent family and my (Polish, came to the UK at the end of the war) mother struggled to bring up 2 kids, one mentally handicapped (mongoloid they called it then) and me, in the slums and near slums of Manchester. She succeeded beyond her wildest expectations with me and thanks to the enlightened attitudes of the day I went to University on a full grant and didn't really return for 40-odd years. I had a reasonable career in the computer industry and now have a decentish pension and live in Scotland.

Very little of what I knew still exists and I spent some time looking for maps to jog my memory (annoyingly I left Manchester in 1972 with a then current street map but that is now stashed away in a box somewhere and I have yet to dig it out). What I did find (and I think this appears to be new to this forum) was in the John Rylands map collection. During WW2, in 1940, they produced a map of all bomb damage by marking up the 1930 ordnance survey maps of the city. Obviously there were changes by the 50s/60s/70s. (Oh, I can't post external links so look at John Rylands online map collection and look for the bomb damage maps). Strangeways is on the map called 104 pt 6. The maps are a bit murky but you can zoom in to quite high levels of magnification using the little control in the lower centre of the map (there is also a little map at bottom right for moving around as well). The very murky index sheet shows the position of each map in roman numerals, so CIV 6 is 104 pt 6, if you zoom in high it is surprisingly useful. Broughton/Cheetham is towards top left

I'll provide more detail later but for an overview, we lived in rooms around the Moss Side/Cheetham/Broughton areas and near Strangeways prison, also in Kennet House (s*it hole), the deck access flats in Hulme (utter, complete, s*it hole); then I left. As a kid I practically lived in what I thought was called Cheetham Hill Library (apparently it was called Crumpsall Library), that was what led me to Uni. My secondary school was St Gregory's Technical High (later, Grammar) in Ardwick and had early experiences of s*x, dr*gs and rock and roll at the UMIST, Poly and Uni student Unions.

Sorry this has been a bit rambling and disjointed but wanted to say something relevant without getting bogged down in detail as a first post.

Ed

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Re: Cheetham/Hill 1950s/60s?
« Reply #1687 on: 20:40:35, 03/06/22 »
And now read through to the end (well skimmed quite a lot of it). The 1940 bomb damage maps have been mentioned a couple of times. I will post my memories in as chronological an order as I can remember.

Rat_ Catcher

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Re: Cheetham/Hill 1950s/60s?
« Reply #1688 on: 16:37:29, 07/06/22 »
Welcome Ed ,
I too spent many happy hours in the Crumpsall Library on Cheetham Hill Road - gave me my access to books my parents could never afford and started my love of reading . What a great building it was in as well .
Can't remember the exact date it closed down - probably around the time the Library in the Abraham Moss Centre opened I guess . Those yellow Library cards !

Flem1966

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Re: Cheetham/Hill 1950s/60s?
« Reply #1689 on: 11:59:13, 25/06/22 »
Hi
We lived on Ballater st
Gary and Margaret fleming are my mum and dad
I'm Mark
We lived there in late sixties early seventies and were then forced to move to moss side.
My gran and grandad (Elsie and Don) lived on Halliwell street behind the chippy
Anyone remember us?

Fay Hocking

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Re: Cheetham/Hill 1950s/60s?
« Reply #1690 on: 16:59:52, 20/07/22 »
I remember the Gadian family well. Nesta was my best friend and I remember her Mum her dad Maurice,  brothers Monty, Norman and Myron. I lived at No 4 Thirlmere St. 
We played in each others houses.

lozflan

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Re: Cheetham/Hill 1950s/60s?
« Reply #1691 on: 09:47:59, 21/07/22 »
I know a Doris,different branch?. Doctor Gadian was my Doc.
Politicians and nappies must be changed often,and for the same reason

craigcarpenter2

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Re: Cheetham/Hill 1950s/60s?
« Reply #1692 on: 12:37:25, 24/08/22 »
Wasn't there another pub at the top of Tyson Street? The Joiners was on the left but on the right (or maybe just around the corner??) was a little pub called The Rising Sun. I seem to remember it was a John Willy Lees house. As teenagers, we went in and were always served. Being tall, I was always pushed to the front to buy the beer. There was always good stuff on the juke box. Later, we would go to The Egerton (sometimes incorrectly called The Egerton Arms) and then into Chilterns dance hall. I don't think I could stick the pace now.... but it was fun.


My grandmother's (Kathleen Woodall) parents operated The Rising Sun ~1950. She was a jazz dancer and later married an American airman, moving to the United States. Does anyone have any memories they'd be willing to share?

Phil Wainhouse

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Re: Cheetham/Hill 1950s/60s?
« Reply #1693 on: 17:47:15, 26/08/22 »
Like the other recent 'new start' Ed. I also live in Scotland, Biggar. Born in Withington, moved to Cheetham late 70's. Top of Cardinal. Now please feel free to correct me if I get anything wrong. But bear(sic) in mind I am not using an interGoogle to fact check


Ed. Temple County Primary School. Head, Mr Hayton. My teacher, Mrs Fox.
Ed2. The Moss. Alan Clegg form tutor.
Temple Cinema. My mum was an usherete then went on to Manageress. There were two shops either side. R/H newsagents and sweeties. L/H barbers.
Babies Heads with chips and gravy. Hollands.
The Woodies. Sat nights with Chris Smith and Eugene Goan. Chris, who was mentioned in an earlier post was BM at my wedding in !982 and lives in Burlington, Ontario.I have no idea where the ex wife is and don't frankly care.
SELNEC Busses. 4p got you most places as a kid in the late 70's.
Waggin' It. City. Lewis' Kendals and Debenhams
Work. Paperboy for Lenords at the bottom of Cardinal St. Lennons Supermarket.


113 Pages took some getting through albeit flash reading.

Rat_ Catcher

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Re: Cheetham/Hill 1950s/60s?
« Reply #1694 on: 17:44:37, 20/09/22 »
Ed. Temple County Primary School. Head, Mr Hayton. My teacher, Mrs Fox.
Ed2. The Moss. Alan Clegg form tutor.
Temple Cinema. My mum was an usherete then went on to Manageress. There were two shops either side. R/H newsagents and sweeties. L/H barbers.
Babies Heads with chips and gravy. Hollands.
The Woodies. Sat nights with Chris Smith and Eugene Goan. Chris, who was mentioned in an earlier post was BM at my wedding in !982 and lives in Burlington, Ontario.I have no idea where the ex wife is and don't frankly care.
SELNEC Busses. 4p got you most places as a kid in the late 70's.
Waggin' It. City. Lewis' Kendals and Debenhams
Work. Paperboy for Lenords at the bottom of Cardinal St. Lennons Supermarket.


Hello Phil ,
At various stages our paths have crossed :


I also attended Abraham Moss FE College and remember you from Phil Butlers group ( what a nice fella and good teacher he was ) . Also remember Margaret Isherwood on the teaching staff - again she was a nice lady .
I remember Leonards Newsagents - seem to remember they never had much in !
I also had a Sat job at Lennons on Cheetham Hill Rd  - Glen Mayoh was manager , Dorothy ( Dot ) one of the staff member who I remember as always being pleasant .  Happy Times in the main