My early life in Accy 1946-68

[Margaret Pilkington]

Les, Sue died a couple of years ago now.
I still miss her posts... She had a very acerbic wit and called a spade a spade.

[dotti34]

Yes, Margaret, I miss her posts also. A real champion right to the very sad end.

[john conway]

I was born in Clayton-le-Moors in 44 but after living in Church then Oswaldtwistle my Dad went to Canada on the £10 assisted package, but after six months he didn’t like it, so we never emigrated. When he can back we moved to 157, Higher Antley St in Accy , there was Joe, my Dad, my Mum Monica, (she is still with us at 98) and my sister Maureen (little Kathleen came some 14 years later???) and there I stayed until 1972 when I moved up into the Yorkshire Dales. Like Susie123 I also remember all the little shops, there was nearly one on every corner on each street and far more if that corner was an intersection of a main street. Ours main street was Omerod St that ran down from Willows Lane passed Howard & Bullough (where I served my apprenticeship as a machinist/fitter and later a draughtsman), and under the railway bridge next to the pit. However I can’t remember the names of all these little shops, other than there was a chemist, a general store, a clothes shop or was it florist? and the same at the intersection of Richmond Hill St, where there was a well visited chippy and a betting shop for my Dad. I can see them all in my mind’s eye but their names allude me. And there were many more on Omerod St’, itself, namely the news agents where I was a newspaper boy for many years.
When I was too old to share a bed room with my sister, I was moved into the downstairs front room, its window fronted directly onto the street. Even now I can hear the factory hooters calling the workers and I can hear the boots and clogs of all the men and women hurrying past my bedroom window. I remember the busses and the smell of cigarette smoke, and damp oily clothing.
Like many of you I went to the Arcs on Knowlmere Street and as I got older the Majestic Ballroom (Con club) and the Meccas at Blackburn and Burnley, I used to go to the folk club at the Stanley Supporters Club where I remember seeing Pau Simon any many other famous singers and groups. By this time I was very much into caving and every Friday evening after work I would hitch hike up to Ingleton in the Dales.
When my Dad died in 84 my Mum moved down to Potter Heigham in Norfolk, on the same street as my sister who’d move down a few years earlier, and my trips to Accy came to an end, although I have been back a couple of time in recent years to look at the old place, but it’s just not the same. The new road, well new to me, has dissected the town, the loss of Howard & Bullough, the pit, the railway up the valley through the clough where I played as a lad, and the mills, it’s just not the same. I’m not saying it’s worse, who would want the smoke, the dirt, the river stink which regularly change colour and the pea soup fogs were you couldn’t see the other side of the street, it’s just not the Accy I remember and still dream about.

[ossy kid]

Hello John, remember you from somewhere, St Annes, St Pauls scouts? I lived on Plantation St in the late 50s early 60s, Arcs, Empire, lots of good memories, nice to see your still kicking. Regards, Bryan Pemberton.

[Margaret Pilkington]

John, I know that area well.
My grandma lived at 188 Higher Antley Street.
I can put some names to some of the shops....there was a bread and cake shop (probably across from where you lived..at a guess) that was Mona's.
The papershop where you were a paperboy..might that have belonged to Harry Littlefair?
He had a second one at the corner of Nuttall Street and wellington Street.
Thornbers Chemists was on the corner of Higher Antley St and Ormerod St.
There was Ducketts grocers....corner of Major St and Richmond Hill st.
at the other corner of Richmond Hill street was Frank Greenhalgh's grocers...he had a bit of green grocery too...Woodnook Inn, Old Band club.
There was a green grocers on the 'odd side of Higher Antley St and Major St...but I can't for life of me remember who that belonged to.
I used to beg onion sacks from this shop so that my grandma could make peg rugs with them.
Daniels Coal Yard was at the back of my grandma's house...and there was a selling out shop at that end of her street too(that name escaped me as well)
It was a real community way back then...and neighbours looked out for one another.
I have vivid memories of the rag and bone chap coming round, and the milk being delivered directly from the churn into a large pot jug(my grandma had a beaded crochet cover to keep the dust out) both these used to have horses and carts....and Birtwells ice cream on a Sunday afternoon...custard yellow with raspberry vinegar dripping down the cone.
Sweet, sweet memories..but as you say Accrington has changed and not for the better.

[john conway]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

I remember Birtwell's Ice Cream too....it was the butteriest yellow.
they used to come up Higher Antley St on a Sunday afternoon.....with the horse and cart.
We used to run out with a dish....and my Grandma liked an ice cream sandwich.
Lovely.........I am not a fan of ice cream, but that was gold medal stuff.
Does anyone remember Stanton's pop wagon? Sarsaparilla out of a brown jug like bottle....the kind they use in the US for moonshine.....Dandelion and Burdock....supposed to have tonic properties...we just drank it because it was good.

Yes, when I was a lad after I left school "St Oswalds" and did my GEC's at Accy Collage, I work during the six week holidays at Stanton.s based in Oswaldtwistle. Great pop. The following year I did six weeks at the NORI brick works at Altham.

[john conway]

Originally Posted by ossy kid

Hello John, remember you from somewhere, St Annes, St Pauls scouts? I lived on Plantation St in the late 50s early 60s, Arcs, Empire, lots of good memories, nice to see your still kicking. Regards, Bryan Pemberton.

Hi Bryan, your name rings a bell, I went to St Anne's school and was in the scouts when I went to St Oswald's, I think its was the Sacred Hart Group, yellow and white neckerchief. Went on a couple of great summer camps with them down to the New Forest and the Quantock Hill.

[john conway]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

John, I know that area well.
My grandma lived at 188 Higher Antley Street.
I can put some names to some of the shops....there was a bread and cake shop (probably across from where you lived..at a guess) that was Mona's.
.

I remember I think they had two kids Malcom and Margaret, they had a gang hut in their back yard where we use to play. When it was time to come in from playing their Dad would stand at the door and shout "Malcom Malcom Margareeeeeet" as loud as he could. All the mums and dads use to shout our names to come in at tea time or bed time.
There was a piece of spare ground in front of our hose next to what I think at the time was a Methodist Church where we had some wonderful bonfires and all the mums would make parkin and treacle/bonfire toffee.

[Margaret Pilkington]

I do not recall a Malcolm or a Margaret(well other than me, that is) I spent a lot of time at my grandma's...this would be 1950 ish...there was only my Auntie Phyllis at home then...my dad and his brother had both married and left home.
My Grandma was Sarah, and my Grandad was George...there was a police bobby lived on the same side as my grandparents...just a few doors along.
I remember the bonfires on the spare land(yes there was a little church on that side...I used to go to the Sunday school there...and the jumble sales too)...but I lived on Riley's Hill and we had our own bonfire...but the mums all did the baked spuds, the black peas and the Parkin and treacle toffee...they were hard times, but they were good times too

[Acceptable]

Hi Margaret
Reference Stantons pop bottles I have recently acquired on and I keep it in the garden as a feature it reminds me of home. They used to do sarsaparilla too those were the days.😀

[Mark2009]

After reading this thread through, I find myself yearning for simpler days without smart phones and computers. Where I used to spend my pocket money on the latest "single" record, (I struggle to find a cd these days) and the rest on sweets in the week. Family was all important, we as kids at the time could play out safely, and adults could find a pub to have a drink on a Saturday night.I could cross the road on my own at quite a young age as there were a lot fewer cars and actually walk on my own to school. (shock horror). Everybody knew everybody. We didn't have a lot but valued what we did have.
Mark

[Margaret Pilkington]

Yes, life was simpler then.
I walked all the way from Riley's Hill to Peel Park school every day.
I also remember getting the bus to Whalley, being in charge of my three younger brothers, playing on the banks of the river at the age of ten....taking a picnic...being out all day.
No adult supervision. My parents considered me sensible and responsible to look after my brothers.
Skimming stones and picking flowers, playing on a tree swing.
I feel sorry for the children of today who are not given those lovely times in which to have adventures.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

John, I know that area well.
My grandma lived at 188 Higher Antley Street.
I can put some names to some of the shops....there was a bread and cake shop (probably across from where you lived..at a guess) that was Mona's.
The papershop where you were a paperboy..might that have belonged to Harry Littlefair?
He had a second one at the corner of Nuttall Street and wellington Street.
Thornbers Chemists was on the corner of Higher Antley St and Ormerod St.
There was Ducketts grocers....corner of Major St and Richmond Hill st.
at the other corner of Richmond Hill street was Frank Greenhalgh's grocers...he had a bit of green grocery too...Woodnook Inn, Old Band club.
There was a green grocers on the 'odd side of Higher Antley St and Major St...but I can't for life of me remember who that belonged to.
I used to beg onion sacks from this shop so that my grandma could make peg rugs with them.
Daniels Coal Yard was at the back of my grandma's house...and there was a selling out shop at that end of her street too(that name escaped me as well)
It was a real community way back then...and neighbours looked out for one another.
I have vivid memories of the rag and bone chap coming round, and the milk being delivered directly from the churn into a large pot jug(my grandma had a beaded crochet cover to keep the dust out) both these used to have horses and carts....and Birtwells ice cream on a Sunday afternoon...custard yellow with raspberry vinegar dripping down the cone.
Sweet, sweet memories..but as you say Accrington has changed and not for the better.

Ecky thump Margaret, tha dusn'd ayf bring back memories, my grandad Fenwick lived on Higher Antley St, only a door or two away from thi Grandma, Daniel's coyle, think he moved to Lee St an took oer a pub, cake shop at top end of Major St, facing back Higher Antley St, they med some right gradely Parkin, A thowt ice cream man were Clemson, delivered in a horse drawn milk float.
I used to do me Grandads shpping for him during last war, armed wit basket, ration books, an money, you could get every thin you ever needed in shops in Woodnook, last stop were for his tobacco, fromt shop on Nuttall St, he always gave me a brand new penny, aypenny for that, and I was too watch closely as grandads baccy was cut off a large coil of black twist, an balanced the penny, aypenny. Dusnd thowts like thad start you ramblin thro time, ell fire near 75 years since. And tha geet punced eyut o skoo wen tha wur 14 an all.

[maxthecollie]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

John, I know that area well.
My grandma lived at 188 Higher Antley Street.
I can put some names to some of the shops....there was a bread and cake shop (probably across from where you lived..at a guess) that was Mona's.
The papershop where you were a paperboy..might that have belonged to Harry Littlefair?
He had a second one at the corner of Nuttall Street and wellington Street.
Thornbers Chemists was on the corner of Higher Antley St and Ormerod St.
There was Ducketts grocers....corner of Major St and Richmond Hill st.
at the other corner of Richmond Hill street was Frank Greenhalgh's grocers...he had a bit of green grocery too...Woodnook Inn, Old Band club.
There was a green grocers on the 'odd side of Higher Antley St and Major St...but I can't for life of me remember who that belonged to.
I used to beg onion sacks from this shop so that my grandma could make peg rugs with them.
Daniels Coal Yard was at the back of my grandma's house...and there was a selling out shop at that end of her street too(that name escaped me as well)
It was a real community way back then...and neighbours looked out for one another.
I have vivid memories of the rag and bone chap coming round, and the milk being delivered directly from the churn into a large pot jug(my grandma had a beaded crochet cover to keep the dust out) both these used to have horses and carts....and Birtwells ice cream on a Sunday afternoon...custard yellow with raspberry vinegar dripping down the cone.
Sweet, sweet memories..but as you say Accrington has changed and not for the better.

My Auntie Mary had the greengrocers at the corner of Major Street and Higher Antley Street in the 50's

[maxthecollie]

Originally Posted by john conway

I remember I think they had two kids Malcom and Margaret, they had a gang hut in their back yard where we use to play. When it was time to come in from playing their Dad would stand at the door and shout "Malcom Malcom Margareeeeeet" as loud as he could. All the mums and dads use to shout our names to come in at tea time or bed time.
There was a piece of spare ground in front of our hose next to what I think at the time was a Methodist Church where we had some wonderful bonfires and all the mums would make parkin and treacle/bonfire toffee.

The church was linked to Oak Street Congregational Church