Staley Street

Your place to talk about your Bootle memories
georgewiliam
Posts: 116
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: Iver Bucks

Copied here is something that I wrote for input to the Knowhere Site. It may be of interest to the Forum

Staley Street----There was always something special about the street even when I was a kid and going by the long list of memories on ‘Knowhere‘, it continues to be the case. My name is George Fletcher (nicknamed Mexie----I can’t remember why). I have a brother named Robin and a sister named Vivien. Our parents were Jack and Winnie and we lived at 31 until 1952 when we moved up to Sterrix Lane where I had the dubious honour of being the estates first paper lad for Bill Brennand who then had his shop opposite Robert Bellarmine‘s. At 27 lived George and Renee Halliwell who moved to Provence Road. George subsequently became a councillor. At 29 were Mr and Mrs Miles, a nice old couple who were in their 80’s and obviously ancient to us. At 33 lived the Edwards family-Mrs Edwards and husband Jack who, my brother claims, was the best plasterer to have ever lived. They had four children as I recall---Margaret ,Davy, who was in the R N, Dylys and Rhona. I believe that Davy survived the war but did not return to Bootle on demob. At number 35 lived Miss Llewellyn for whom Mum did house cleaning. I well remember the day that Mum found her dead in the house, it was quite a shock for her. My compatriots were: Teddy Greenhalgh (Greeneye/Andy Clyde), Jim Daley, Derek Salisbury (Mudd) Georgie Barklay, Norman Smith, Alan Roache, Jimmy Green-----this was our gang. Other notables were Joyce Jones, Marjorie Barklay, Les and Eric Whiting, Paul Roache, John Green and a chap with the surname Cousins who moved in opposite us in the late forties. I particularly remember the street games---arrow tick, Lallyo, what’s the time, what’s the colour and my favourite--whip the can where the base was the manhole cover at the x-road of Staley St, Monfa and Mary Roads. The flattened crushed can was slung up one of the four roads and we would all run like hell, hide and hope to get back to the can, now retrieved by he who was ‘it’ before ‘it ‘got to the can before us. If ‘it’ made it, we were captured and put into a den. But, anyone getting to the can before ‘it’ could, released all prisoners------it was a great game. Thinking about it, the rules were similar to Lallyo. The shops on the bottom road were as I remember--Cullans: cobbler, Roberts: butcher, Ashcroft: hardware, Clark: barber and Jones Estate Office. After Humphrey Street came Scotts: Grocers, Whips; news and tobacco---I remember Whip The younger took over the shop on his return from the war--he also lived in the Street. I vaguely remember a laundry/dry cleaners with the name Bobby’s Valet Service. The fish and chip shop which, indeed, made the most marvellous ’spitfires’ There was a greengrocer and Spenselys sweet and tobacco. Other shops were Whites were the butter was battered into small blocks by old man White himself using two wooden paddle like objects--he also cut the whole cheese with a cheese wire but always seemed to manage to get rind on 2 sides of the cut piece--this was a big bone of contention amongst the womenfolk. I was always impressed by the candlestick phone which stood on the counter. Our street did have the best parties in the area---particularly 1951 for the Festival of Britain. Dad made a magnificent trellis affair around our front door that was covered with crepe paper leaves and roses. Everyone participated in most things and any excuse to get the bunting and flags out was never missed--VE Day, VJ Day. On one occasion with the bunting strung across the street, overnight or early in the morning, a Ribble bus driver took the lot down---we were not impressed. Reading other’s reminiscences I came across Peggy Davies who I think was the sister of Doreen Jones’s --Joyce’s mum. When I was in the RAF in Kuala Lumpur, I came across a Scotsman by the name of Jock Orr who claimed to be Peggy’s husband. I returned to the UK in 1960 and I understand that Jock passed away out there during that year.
Other memories: street singers trying to get a few pence, great horses and carts and the selling of salt blocks, ice block deliveries to (I think) the butcher, the first gaslighter man after the war, pig bins bin horses, milk cart and horses and the terrible devastation of Annie Road resulting from a landmine. At the back of the bowling green at the Walnut Tree Pub on Aspinall’s field was the remains of a lorry which provided much enjoyment--we drove it everywhere in our mind’s eyes. Just along the road from the Walnut, towards the cemetery on Watts Lane, was a wartime fire station manned by NFS (National Fire Service) firemen. I think that the building they occupied was the old Orrell Lodge. The demolition of the air raid shelters in Aspinall’s Field (who was Aspinall--anybody know?) was the first time I saw bulldozers and earthmovers in action. One memory, which still amuses me, is when I first saw a mechanical shovel doing its job when tidying up the mess in Annie Rd and preparing the ground for new house building, I thought it was a giant hammer flattening the earth---my child’s mind took ages to to understand that it was in fact a giant shovel. Oh happy days!
red ron
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Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2006 12:36 am
Location: Bootle

Hi George, That was great reading, good to make your acquaintance, welcome to the site. Regards, R R
peter davenport
Posts: 167
Joined: Wed Mar 22, 2006 2:30 pm

Hi George
Welcome aboard. Wow what a memory you have and what memories you conjure up!
I too delivered papers for Bill Brennan and that would have been around 1952/3.
Also if it is the George Halliwell I am thinking of, I used to work with him when I was an apprentice at the English Electric in Dunningsbridge Road.
I am sure that you will enjoy the site.
Peter Davenport
Kathy John Moorcroft
Posts: 3119
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 5:42 am
Location: New South Wales, Australia

:D Hiya George, Amazing Memory there Brother. Like other members, I would like to Welcome you aboard, Have Fun Friend.on this marvelous Friendly Forum. Kind Regards, from John
Ron King
Posts: 174
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:56 am
Location: All over Aust

Hi George
I also lived in Staley St for a short while. My mum & dad lived in No 28 for most of the war years and I was born when they lived there. We moved to Menai Rd in 1949 and stayed there for about 9 years before moving to Thackeray Gdns. I also worked for Brennans in the early 60's and spent a lot of time playing on "Azzies Field" as we knew it.
Of your "gang" the only one I remember is Bobby Greenhalgh, we went to school at Orrell together. I can also remember the Halliwells. There was a daughter called Sheila who was a year or so older than me. Used to see her at the youth club at St John & St James church.
I am still in touch with a couple of people from that neighbourhood though many have sadly moved on and not found this site yet.
Regards, ROn
georgewiliam
Posts: 116
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: Iver Bucks

Hello Ron
I was pleased to see your posting on the forum. You must have lived more or less opposite from us in the street but for the life of me, I don't remember you in particular. My old Mum and Dad were friends/acquaintances of your parents as I seem to remember that your Mum's name is Mabel. If you don't mind--how old are you? As kids, there was a sort of apartheid amongst children based on age even to fractions of a year eg a 6 and 3/4 was superior to 6 and a 1/2 and differing age groups rarely mixed---of course, we had to put up with our younger siblings but invariably that was under sufferance. My mob were born in 1937/8, brother Robin was born in 1941 and sister Vivien-1943. We all went to Orrell School which I left in 1949 to go to the grammar. Rob went on to Roberts Drive and St George of England for his secondary education but Viv went to Litherland Girl's School as we had moved to Sterrix Lane in 1952 (Coronation Year)
You say that you remember Bobby Greenhalgh---just to get this right--the Greenhalghs lived over the small parade of shop premises facing the Ribble Garage on Hawthorn Road. Entrance to the house was via their back gate which was situated in the back entry itself running the whole length of Staley Street emerging on to Monfa Road having dog-legged around the 'builder's yard. This yard contained spare chimney pots, bricks etc for any on-going maintenance of the Klondike properties for landlord Mr Jones. I think the chargehand/supervisor's name was Griff Williams--I understand that itis now a garden. In my days, the shops over which the Greenhalgh family lived were never opened per se, the one on the corner was a stationers--don't remember what the others were.
If we are talking about the same family, I beg to suggest that Bobby is Teddy who had two elder sister the eldest of whom was named Gerry but they were mysterious persons to us being that much older. I well remember Teddy doing the commentary/presentation of a puppet show given by Mr Scott's class (4B?)-so it must have been in 1949. The show was based on Charles Dickens Novel 'Great Expectations' and comprised the graveyard scene when young Pip first came across the escaped convict Magwitch. It was a super show-we were all very impressed.
Another memory comes to mind---in those days of little or no light pollution, the night sky was an overwhelming spectacle, Teddy, me and Alan Roache laying flat on our backs on the Greenhalgh outside privy roof would simply stare and comment on the whole shebang. I had forgotten how impressive the night sky can be until a couple of years ago when in Richmond, Tasmania, on holiday. You really felt that you could just reach out and grab a handful of stars from an ink-black sky.
I have just had a word with my sister Viv---she remembers you well so I will send you her husband's email address for you to make contact if you so wish---alternatively, you could swap tales via the forum
Ron King
Posts: 174
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:56 am
Location: All over Aust

Yes my mum was Mabel and my dad was Syd. He left the army in 1948 and became a tram conductor. As we left Staley St. when I was two in 1949 that probably explains why you don't remember me. I went to Orrell in 1952 and then the grammar school in 1957 or 58. At that time it was in Balliol Rd but moved to Netherton in my third year. I believe that, like Orrell, it's no longer there. Orrell was bulldozed early this year in case you hadn't heard. I don't ever remember going to the casa Greenhalgh but I know where you mean and remember all those shops. I had an email recently from Bill Thelwell who lived on Monfa Rd to tell me that the lady who used to run the hardware store on Hawthorn Rd., I believe her name was Alice, has just died.
I know what you mean about the stars. We only have to drive for ten minutes to be out of town (Adelaide) to see the most spectacular night skies without any street lights to blind us. Got some great beaches and wineries very close too.
georgewiliam
Posts: 116
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: Iver Bucks

Hi Ron---that's cleared up the mystery then--due to childhood ageism, you were below my radar; my sister Viv says she remembers you though. I know what you mean by the night skies in Oz where I have been on quite a number of ocassions---in fact, I've done the Great Ocean Road some four times now. I used to go to Oz on business trying to sell 'The Commonwealth' air traffic and air defence systems. After I took early retirement my late wife Margaret and I used to spend the UK Winter with my brother Rob on the Central Coast---have been twice when I remarried. Planned to go to Adelaide on one trip but only got as far as Mildura and near to Mount Gambier on another. Sadly, my travelling days are over due to a clapped out chest. I didn't relise that they had flattened the Klondyke and there's me asking for room layouts and dimensions off anybody living in Staley Street (or any of the adjoining when it comes to it) so I could sketch it all out for the grandchildren. The name Thelwell rings a bell but that's about it. The ironmonger in my day was a Mr Ashcroft and he was old--I seem to remember that he sold off the shop in the late 40s. During the war, his was the favourite place for 'pan-stops' to repair pots and pans---he used to sell putty by the pound also nails. The shop had that wonderful smell of warm oil and metal you could only get in such a place. When we moved down south to West Drayton back in 1963, there was such a shop, Smith and Haynes by name, the smell of which was totally evocative of Mr Ashcroft's den. So you went to the Grammar--I left there in1954. Do you get a copy of the school magazine? It contains quite a lot of articles about personalities, I have even contributed and if you like I could email you my contribution as it may cover some of the personalities from your day.
Ron King
Posts: 174
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:56 am
Location: All over Aust

Pity you didn't get to Adelaide, It's a beautiful city and quite compact. I knew the Central coast well at one time but now it's just a part of the Sydney urban sprawl and seems to have been absorbed. The Great Ocean Road is a terrific drive and we recomend it to any visitors who come here.
Sad to say my days at the Grammar School were not the happiest and I was glad to leave so haven't bothered to keep in touch.
georgewiliam
Posts: 116
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: Iver Bucks

Hi Ron again---just tell me who had a good time at the Grammar--I have to admit that I completely lost interest in acadamia in the last two years of being there--couldn't stand what I felt was a certain amount of arrogance from some. I was a natural socialist, a view I came to with the passage of time--didn't realise it then. The reason we didn't get to Adelaide on that trip was because it was just too hot. I think it was 1958/9, the year Victoria ran out of electrical power so air conditioning equipment was inoperable. There was a view at the time that Vic. was kept short of power exporting it to fulfill contractual supply requirements to NSW. I can't remember the town on the opposite bank of the Murray River to Mildura and therefore in Vic. but all power supply restrictions were in force in that place so for the sake of crossing the bridge, you could choose to enjoy the cooler interiors of NSW or suffer in Vic.
I will drop you an email with attachment for your perusal
Ron King
Posts: 174
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:56 am
Location: All over Aust

Got your attacment but could not open it. Thanks anyway.
Ron
Liverpoollady
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Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2008 10:08 pm

Hi George, yes it was a lovely street, there from the 1950s.-1971 always someone to talk to. there was nine of us in the two up two down, Going to the shops on hawthorn rd for mum and the neigbours , the smell of the chandlers, scots, the chippy,Azzies park, The Dairy,taking the sterry bottles back n gettin a penny,the red wall shop, the pics of a saturday, the Broadway stores,the outside pool in north park,The christmas party at the YMCA, the girls brigade,Orrell school,...oooo such memories. ttfn. Lesley Culshaw nee Selby
Lesley Culshaw nee Selby Born Stayley street Bootle 1960 Grandad Bert Selby YMCA Bootle
tine
Posts: 229
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:47 pm

Hi George, Ron K and Lesley

Loved reading your posts. I was brought up in Edith Rd and went to St Elizabeths in the 6o's. So sad to see the majority of houses boarded up at the moment, but I suppose that 's regeneration for you. It was a brilliant place to live and holds a lot of happy memories.
tine
Campbell, Duffy, Davies, Melia, Gibson , O'Donnell, Owen and Evans Families.
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Glenys
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Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 5:43 pm
Location: North Merseyside

I went to school with a girl, Sandra Halewood, who lived Edith Rd.!
Lived Linacre Lane, Trinity Road & Knowsley Road.
tine
Posts: 229
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:47 pm

Hi Glenys

I don't recall her name, but I have two older sisters who might remember her. I'll ask and let you know.

Tine
Campbell, Duffy, Davies, Melia, Gibson , O'Donnell, Owen and Evans Families.
Peter W
Posts: 303
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:11 pm

Hi! George, Welcome to this great site. I am afraid my memory is not as good as yours, (Its an age thing). To help me remember I write books on local history. The last one I had published,in 2004 "BOOTLE & ORRELL" contains photographs of Staley Street, Willard Street, Spensleys, Hawthorne Road, Harris Drive, Melville Road, Watt's Lane, St. John and St. James.
If I can find the original I will post the one of staley Street, on this site.

Cheers Peter W. Woolley
georgewiliam
Posts: 116
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: Iver Bucks

Hi Gang----good grief, it has been some 7 months or so since I last looked at the Site and am delighted to find a job lot of posts to which I must respond but please hang loose until I feel a little netter-----clapped out chest!
georgewiliam
Posts: 116
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: Iver Bucks

Liverpoollady---- Sadly, we moved up to Sterrix Lane in 1952/3, and I am sorry to say that I don't remember your family but that does not detract from our sharing the many happy memories of the street. Did I spot one of your posts on another forum stating that you too moved up to the Sterrix estate. If so, its probable that you have quaffed in the Stand Park and will have come across Mike and Viv Maguire. Stephen, their #1 son is a singer with the Viz Johnson group, The Stand Park pub spent it's early days as the Strand Park which was apparently, a spelling mistake. It was always meant to be Stand Park being named after the area which subsequently became Bootle Golf Course.

Tine----So you lived in one of the posher roads in the Klondyke, did you know that most of those roads were named after the children of William Jones (Klondyke Bill)--take a look at:-

http://www.anglesey.info/LlwydiarthFawr.htm

I managed to make a pilgrimage to the old place last year--staying with my Sister Viv (the last ime I tried it was 3 years ago and I finished up in Aintree Hospital for my efforts). Viv and I had our foto taken outside 31 for old time's sake.

Peter W-----better still Peter, please advise how I can get hold your 2004 publication
tine
Posts: 229
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:47 pm

Hi George,
Had a look at that web link. Didn't he do well from small beginings! Wasn't there a Jones still in ownership of the properties in the 60's? I vaguely remember the rent offices. Had a schoolfriend lived in Staley St so always walked that way to school. And...we didn't become posh in Edith Road until the extentions were built and the loo came indoors :lol:
Campbell, Duffy, Davies, Melia, Gibson , O'Donnell, Owen and Evans Families.
lily8
Posts: 10062
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 8:57 am
Location: Far North Queensland Australia

Hello Georgewilliam just found our long lost gt grandad lived at number 32 (long before your time) in 1916 Albert and Emily Ann bennett and sons albert and harold. Really lovely to hear of the road and wonderful people who lived there puts some meat on the little bones we have of the family. My grandson will be delighted to see this 14 year old Aussie Alex.
Thanks for the post
all best
Lily
georgewiliam
Posts: 116
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: Iver Bucks

Hello Tine-----don't tell me that you weren't posh in Edith Road-----didn't you have a front garden? I have sent a couple of old fotos to the forum taken in 1939 and 1944 of me, Mum and siblings

Lily----As I remember, Mr and Mrs Bibby lived in 32 in my day----I can never forget that when Mr Bibby died (about 1947) his wife donated his body for medical research----maybe she wanted to get her own back for some perceived bad form. I think he worked for the 'Corpy' but I may have that wrong----what is a fact is the lenses of his glasses were like jam jar bottoms so he must have been very short-sighted.
I too am into genealogy and find it time consuming but fascinating---using computerised records only, I have managed to get back to 1796----trouble with being housebound, I can't get to the parish registers for my Cumbrian and Northumbrian ancestry. Sadly, the arm of the family left up there don't seem to be interested
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Mack
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From georgewiliam---foto taken 1944 in the back jigger----Mum, me, Viv and Rob

Image

From Georgewiliam---foto of Mum outside number 31---with me peeping around the door age 3

Image
tine
Posts: 229
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:47 pm

Hi George,
The photo's are great! And the front step gleaming from the donkey-stone...I used to pester my mum to let me do our step.
Tine
Campbell, Duffy, Davies, Melia, Gibson , O'Donnell, Owen and Evans Families.
lily8
Posts: 10062
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 8:57 am
Location: Far North Queensland Australia

Hi Georgewilliam and thanks so much for the photos they are lovely, have you tried the online parish clerks for the areas you are interested in?. They are usually very helpful and offer free look ups etc, know how difficult it can be not being able to do physical research (bit hard from Cairns Australia!). Also the local history socities are a good source have had great help from the members of the Devon society.
I gather that the Staley road houses were two up and two down is that right? can you descibe them for us?
all best
Lily
georgewiliam
Posts: 116
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: Iver Bucks

Hello Lily-----yes, the houses were 2 up-2 down. The footprint of the house was about 10ftx20ft (3mx6m) with the front room marginally larger than the back. Originally, front rooms were the living room/kitchen containing a cast iron cooking range. The next door neighbour had their's in full commission when I was a kid; ours was screened off behind a large metal panel finished to look like wood. According to Dad, ours was so disguised because the range was little more than a job lot of rust.
Access to the bedrooms was via a narrow, steep staicase leading off the back room. At the top of the stairs was a small square landing measuring about 2ft 6in x 2ft 6in (70cmx70cm). The doors to the bedrooms opened directly off the landing.
All windows were slidimg sashes (not casement) and could be removed to enable the importation of larger items of bedroom furniture----hauled up by rope and many willing hands.
During the war blackout blinds made of heavy black paper were fitted . These blinds developed minute holes which, in the bright Summer sunshine, produced narrow light beams. If such a beam fell onto a flat surface, you got an upside-down picture of the outside world-----in short we had our own pinhole camera.
Our house had a 'kitchenette'. This was a wooden structure finished in tarred felt for weatherproofing----it was little more than a shed attached to the house. Therein resided a very shallow brown ceramic sink along with a coldwater tap, a gas washboiler and the grandfather of all cooking stoves. This stove was constructed out of cast iron parts all bolted/fitted together. The only heat control on the oven itself was the oven gas tap---no thermostatics, no nothing. Poor old Mum used to curse it but she had learned how to work it by the time I was born.
All hot water for tea, personal washing etc had to be boiled in a kettle but once a week, the gasboiler was fired up for the bath.
The bath, a tin coffin affair, was brought in from the back yard, placed in front of the fire in the back room and filled by bucket with the hot water from the boiler .
We kids were first to be scrubbed and sent off to bed. A top-up of hot water followed then Mum carried out her ablutions followed by Dad. On completion, the dog was thrown in for good measure. At the end, Dad dragged the bath to the back door, the water (soup) was tipped into the back yard where it was used for a scrub down with a yard broom. Not much in the way of waste there then!
The back yard was surrounded by a high wall with a door in the back wall to access the back entry (jigger). In the yard was also the outside lavatory----an amazing affair employing a scrubbed, bleached wooden bench seat whilst the round bowl was flushed by an overhead cistern and loads of lead pipework which had great 'blisters' from plumbing repairs. There was no heating in the lavvy so frozen pipes were fairly frequent affairs when really freezing weather overcame the hurricane lamp's inadequate efforts to keep Jack Frost away.
There was only a gas service to the house which as well as being dangerous gives a miserable light. Ironing was accomplished by various sizes of cast iron flat irons heated up on the rings of the gas stove. Determining whether or not the iron was hot enough was a bit of a game using techniques like spitting on the sole plate and watching its behaviour or moistening a finger and giving the sole plate a quick dab----this latter method often lead to a heat blister when the dab period was 1 or 2 milliseconds too long. If it all went wrong, the ironing got scorched.
marielou
Posts: 971
Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2006 2:45 pm
Location: Spain

Georgewilliam,you forgot to mention the toilet paper,news paper cut into squares and hung on a piece of wire,also the mangle in the back yard and the pully line.I dont know why it was called the back yard because we did'ent have a front one, the kitchen was also called the back kitchen

Lovely memories,

Marielou
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We lose dignity if we tolerate the intolerable.
lily8
Posts: 10062
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 8:57 am
Location: Far North Queensland Australia

Hi Georgewilliam and very many thanks for your recollections, how about doing some more? they make a lovely read and it is real history. I can see the makings of a nice little book well done.
Reagrds
Lily
Brenda M
Posts: 92
Joined: Wed May 23, 2007 12:16 am
Location: Salt Lake City USA

Hi Georgewilliam: Enjoyed the great nostalgia of Staley Street!! I thought I'd replied but I think I must have sent a p.m. by mistake. Did you get it?

Brenda M
margaret willee
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Location: denmark

Thank you Georgewilliam , my first though was all that hard work no dishwasher , no washing machince , no micro-oven, hoover ,just to mention a few modern day appliances , work for early morning , till late at night ...
The kids off today change there clothes at a drop of a hat ...
margaret ,,,,, :D :D
have a great day .......
georgewiliam
Posts: 116
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: Iver Bucks

Marielou-- you are quite right about the so-called toilet paper. We did not bother to cut the newspaper into squares and became very adept at ripping off the right shape and right amount to do the job (no pun intended). We mustn't forget the generous transfer of newsprint (the words and pictures) which took place during the wiping exercise-----Dad maintained we all finished up with black eyes.
The back yard mangle-ours was an enormous affair with great wooden rollers. I swear it was not far short of being 6ft tall. At the great age of 7 me and a couple of chums were messing around with the great beast with yours truly standing on the water-catching trough. The job of the trough, situated beneath the rollers, was to collect and direct the water squeezed from the mangled clothes into a bucket or somesuch. For some reason (for the life of me I can't remember why) we attached a rope to the lavvy door and fed it through the rollers. As the mangle handle was turned, the mangle gently tipped from the vertical-----cobs of fun----then catstrophe----one turn too many, the monster fell towards the lavvy. In slow motion, a wide-eyed George grimly hanging on, swiftly contemplated the possibility of a serious mischief to his person. As luck had it, I fell into the lavvy through its door whilst the descent of the mangle was brought up short by the lavvy wall. My right arm got crushed during the performance which put it into a sling for a couple of weeks so I had to use my left arm for writing----got quiite adept in the end------actually, I was really lucky to have no bones broken or a serious injury----praise be for lavvy walls. The above reminds of the story of the police called to the laundry to investigate a badly mangled body found there......
Clothes Pole---for ages we had the tallest one on our side of the street until one night it was snapped off in a severe gale . Yes the clothes were hoist aloft on a line and pulley and it worked very well. Another aspect was the wireless (radio) aerial which above the clothes line, was slung from pole to house using egg insulators------a copper rod was driven into the ground to provide an 'earth' for the wireless. The wireless contained a 90 volt 'dry' battery to provide the high tension (HT) for the radio valves; it was no more than a big bank of 1.5volt batteries but lasted for ages. Low tension (LT) for the radio valve heaters was provided by an 2volt accumulator'. This was a re-chargeable lead-acid battery which lasted about one week so, once a week, it was off to a shop where for tuppence (less than 1p), you swapped it for a re-charged one. The shop we used was up in Orrell Park near the cinema. As time went by after we had electric installed in the house (about 1949), we got a 'battery eliminator' which did just what it was named---ie it eliminated the need for batteries.
Margaret----you are quite right, most people these days do have it so easy----life was tough but we very happy and all had a ball. I truly believe that my generation understand how to survive in an emergency and how to make do and mend. My workshop is full of come-in-handies all, if not most, of which will probably finish up in a skip when I fall into the re-cycling bin.
Lily-----have a look at my post on Dr Flanagan and the mystery of my balloon
whacker66
Posts: 468
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:55 pm
Location: south wales

Just been reading the posts...the bobbys the cleaners mentioned was owned by Mrs Lizzie Blakeman, she was my great aunt...she had a son called David
Peter
georgewiliam
Posts: 116
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: Iver Bucks

Whacker-----all I remember was a tall gaunt man who served at the counter and a very pale young girl who used to spend her time sat in the back of the shop. Although I also remember Mum having a heated discussion with a woman when something went wrong with the service. As compensation she was only given something like five times the cost of the cleaning service which bore no resemblance to the value of the ruined garment. This was common practise in the late 40's but made illegal in later years --- compensation now has to reflect the value of the article not a formula based on the cost of it's cleaning.
georgewiliam
Posts: 116
Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: Iver Bucks

Lily8----more detail comes to mind as I think about it. The front door was a heavy affair with a cast iron knocker and a big central doorknob; there was no letterbox--all post, newspapers etc were slid under the generous gap at the bottom. On entering you came into a small vestibule with an ornately tiled floor then through the vestibule door into the front room. The vestibule door contained panels in the upper part which were a riot of stained and patterned glass. They would be worth a small fortune now.
Directly ahead was the door to the back room through which could only be seen the backside of the staircase.
Parallel to the staicase was a clothes airing rack that was raised/lowered by rope and pulley. The free end of the rope was made good to a cleat screwed into the door jamb On 'duck apple night', apples were strung from the lowered rack with us kids, hands behind backs, desperately trying to get our teeth into our prizes.
During the blitz, an angle iron (taken from a bed) was used used to form a triangle between the door jamb and the staircase. It was deployed during air raids the idea being that should the house get hit, then the staircase would remain propped up. For extra measure, the sofa was placed to provide some protection from flying debris enhancing the protection of the space under the stairs. It wasn't until it was all over that my parents realised that the front, vestibule and back room doors had provided scant protection from a bomb outside in the street, indeed, the blast and flying debris would have been channelled onto me and my heavily pregnant Mum by the shape of the staircase itself. Dad was doing his duties in the Home Guard so very rarely joined us in our den.
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Mack
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Received earlier by email from George

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Me and Viv outside number 31 late 2007 some 63 years on from the pic of me, Mum, Rob and Viv taken in the back jigger. For those who may wonder, the object by my sister's feet and tubing up my front are part of my mobile oxygen kit.

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Brenda M
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Joined: Wed May 23, 2007 12:16 am
Location: Salt Lake City USA

Hi Georgewilliam - Really enjoyed reading your old memories of Staley Street. Brought back a lot of old memories for me also. I remember the Edwards family, the Greeenhalgh family, Valerie and Gerry. Also a family named Dodd or Dodson who lived at the lower end. I lived on the end block of Monfa Road between Annie Road and Harris Drive. Always walked down Staley Street to shop at Scotts, the Chip Shop, Whipps and Spensleys. Yes, I too played all those games you mentioned also top and whip and roller skating (if you were fortunate enough to have skates!!) There was always one neighbour who would come out and chase us for making too much noise - one of those in every street!!! You mentioned working for Bill Brennand, I think every young lad worked for Bill in those days including my brother. I remember the Handley family who owned the dairy on Humphrey Street. Also the Savage family.

I still have fond memories of playing rounders on Aspinalls field until dark and stopping at Levers for toffee. Great memories. It's been over 50 years since I lived there but always enjoyed visiting down through the years. Thanks for the great trip down Memory Lane!!!

Brenda M
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