Old Cotton Mills Where I Live

A Memory of Ashton-Under-Lyne.

I have lived on cedar street in ashton under lyne from being born to getting married and moving on the street opposite cedar street , Alderley street , my mum being still on Cedar street now , I remember where my home is now 2016 there used to be a cotton mill I would sit on the mill wall with my friends ; slightly up the hill towards the pub that was Odd fellows arms there were garages and behind them there was a old coal mine shaft we used to slide down , back down the hill to the mill was a deep river where a young boy had drowned he had jumped in on a warm day to swim the reeds caught his feet and he could not get free and sadly drowned , this I will never forget Then up the slight hill to Cedar Park there were two schools one we called the Red School and one opposite was called the Black school , I went to both red 1st then the Black School but when I was at this school it was burnt to the ground supposedly a student in my class had been accused of this afence , we all had to move into a youth center at Broadoak smallshaw lane way , oh my gosh there was all way some reason we could not go usually the heating had broke down , but we didn't mind a day a week off school was great for a child . but back to Alderley street near the two schools over Queens Road there was a lovely little Library , it's still there now into a run down house that is a shame Back down to cedar street right opposite our house was another big Mill with a big tall chimney wirh ALDER MILL on it there were big railings with a big drop on the other side , a bit further down Cedar street was another mill this was a cigarette company I carnt remember the name of this , then a bit further down there used to be a old C o o p ; I carnt remember this but it does still say on the building what it used to be .so in such h a small area in fact two streets there were two schools two mills one factory and a store and a library how silly is that ha ha , but now all have houses on the land that used to be , when families didn't struggle as much , they had more jobs , but when the mills , factory's went so did a lot of jobs it was a nicer world then ... but for me the best thing about a nice area is the children I used to play with when I was young are back in the area like me and we know each other and can see our children grow and hopefully be safe and happy on our area ....