[claytonx]

I lived in Clayton as a youngster but had no sisters or brothers so i spent a lot of weekends and holidays at a friend's house of my mothers, were there was three children two girls and one boy all older than me but only by about one or two years.Me and the son Harry went all over Accrington Gatty Park The Coppice, Peel Park ,Oakhill Park,We spent a lot of time fishing stood on the concrete jetty on Ewbank Lodge catching gudgen putting them in a bucket taking them home where they all died(now we know short of oxygen)
These friends lived in the last house under the railway arch in Bull Bridge which was behind a tall wall with a lot of steps (all the row as since been pulled down for the new roundabouts) we could climb up the shale side which was at the back of the house up on to the railway line which we did often to walk to Burnley rd. we would also play on the building site which now is Broadway. There way green painted boards at both sides with the river going under in a tunnel which again we made use of going back home.
In the evenings we would play with some of there friends from school in there house at murder (no tele) and going to bed it was 4 in a bed 2 up and 2 down waking up with some ones toes under your nose.
When i stayed in Clayton it was football in the school yard until Bob Simmons chased us that is Jack Simmonds dad Jack played cricket for Lancashire and finished as Chairman I taut him all he knows! spent a lot of time in the ruins of the old mill at the bottom of Mill st playing in large pools of water sailing home made boats Good days but always missed and still do brothers and sisters.