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Castleton
Castleton maps
Historic maps of Castleton and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Castleton maps
Castleton area books
Displaying 1 of 4 books about Castleton and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Castleton
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Castleton.
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Castleton of Old
I moved to Melville Street, Castleton in 1956 at the age of 9. I went to Cassie council school, learnt to swim at Castleton baths taught by Ted Murphy, taken there from school by Pop Wright. Castleton was a nice place to live then, not like today with its drug and yob culture. Spent many happy hours playing on the rec and horse riding at Schofields stables. Fell in love with Angela Carter from no 33 when I was 14 (she didn't know it). Left Castleton in 1965 when got wed, it would be nice to be able to go back to those happy days.
Growing up in Castleton
I was born in 1947 at Birch Haill Hospital and lived in Castleton, first on Manchester Road and later Alder Road until I got married at St. Gabriel's Church. My maiden name was Jackson. I attended Castleton Council School before Rochdale Technical School, and attended St. Martin's Church where I was a member of the Church Girls Brigade and St. Martin's Amateur Dramatic Society. I appeared in many pantomimes and have very fond memories of my childhood in Castleton. My family attended the socials where we learnt to dance with the help of Mrs Gamble's dancing classes for tap, ballet and modern dancing. we have had many reunions from Castleton County Primary School. I learnt to swim at Castleton baths. I also spent many hours at Castleton Library. Does anyone remember going swimming at the Riviera outdoor pool in Norden? We must have had better summers in the "olden days" because we used to take a picnic and stay all... Read more
Childhood Freedom
Born in the highest house in High Crompton next to the butchers, I spent much of my childhood exploring the hills above the village. My memories of the Gypsy Blood stream, Coal Pit Lane, Gravel Hole meant little at the time other than wild places. Now I can relate them all to my own family in the area. Like another comment, I worked at Osram in my long school holidays and my mum worked at Joe Cleggs mill.
Lancashire memories
A Rochdale Childhood
My first memory of Rochdale town hall was seeing the King and Queen on the balcony in 1937 when they were on their coronation tour. Another visitor seen there was Gracie Fields. During my childhood, (1930-1945) I remember seeing the Pace Egging play in the Town Hall, a fascinating and traditional event. Later I took part in meetings there of the Youth Council. Only recently did I discover that my Great-grandfather moved to Rochdale from Nottingham in order to work on the staircase when the Town Hall was being built in the 1860s- 1870s. I would love to know more about him. His name was John Knighton, but he disappeared from the 1881 Census and I cannot trace him. Perhaps he went off to work on other buildings. He was a carpenter.
I was married at St. Chad's Parish Church in 1952, which overlooks the... Read more
Drake Street
I was born in Rochdale in 1934. I attended Champness Hall Sunday School, 1940 -52, which was situated just below the Rochdale Observer offices (on the left of the photo). It was a large Methodist Central Hall with offices used by local people, a large auditorium used for concerts (eg Halle Orchestra) and public occasions (eg local speech days, visiting choirs etc). In the 1950s Drake Street was still home to a number of large shops (eg Co-op; Ivesons etc), but it began to decline in the 1960s, I think, with the building of new retail centres. I gained a scholarship to Oxford University in 1952 from the local grammar school which was situated just off Drake Street.
My Mum's GRAMMER SCHOOL!
Sadly Mum died 3 years ago - MARGARET MALKIN, nee HALL - but I always remember her saying "Green gym knickers" was what they had to wear. No doubt she hated them.
Rochdale Technical School
My grandparents were teachers at the school from 1895-1909. John Frederick Wiilkinson and his wife Lydie Wilkinson, who was French. He taught Maths and she taught French and German. I am told all records of the school were destroyed. I am trying to find any photos of them with pupils and staff of the school, any Registry books at that time. John had lost an arm in his youth and Lydie also played piano and taught at a Baptist Chapel where Gracie Fields went. Lydie taught her to sing and to whistle. In 1949 Gracie Fields visited her in a Nursing Home and gave her a signed photo (which I have). Does anyone remember them or have any school photographs? I would love to hear from any one with any information. Thanks.
