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Farsley memories

Here are memories of Farsley and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Farsley or a Farsley photo.

Where I Grew up

play field at the top of Westway. The fun and games we had as kids up to 1946, helping those friendly German prisoners build fairfield housing estate. We moved to 43 Westway in about 1948, My farther Horace, Waterhouse. Mother Lucy, Brothers Barry and Eric, I think Keith was borne there, In winter we would go sledging down Land street down to the Pump Well. Is it Still there.?

I remember when the snow melted the water would burst through the front gardens and flood the street.  School days were excellent, we had real Teachers, I remember Miss Eric dropping my pants when I was 4 year old and giving me several hard slaps on my bare bottom for not paying attention. That was at we called the little school, the smaller building of the two on Francis street.I purposely failed my 11plus exam at the big school, because they taught Latin at Pudsey Grammer, but did gardening at Wesley Street. The penny loaves from the bakery on the... Read more

Memories of Farsley

Grew up in Land Street, slept with my first girlfriend Wendy Gill until the pram got too small, that would be 1940, where are you now Wendy?. I still remember the Messershmitt and pilot who landed in the play field at the top of Westway. The fun and games we had as kids up to 1946, helping those friendly German prisoners build Fairfield housing estate. We moved to 43 Westway in about 1948, my father Horace, Waterhouse, mother Lucy, brothers Barry and Eric, I think Keith was born there. In winter we would go sledging down Land Street down to the Pump Well. Is it still there? I remember when the snow melted the water would burst through the front gardens and flood the street. School days were excellent, we had real teachers, I remember Miss Eric dropping my pants when I was 4 year old and giving me several hard slaps on my bare bottom for not paying attention. That was at we called the little school, the smaller... Read more

Mrs Porrit's

Mrs Porrit's dance hall!  That's a name to stir memories.  Saturday nights at Mrs Porrit's, strict tempo dancing with just a spot of rock and roll, no drinking in the coverted chapel and an old black and white telly in a back room where the lads disappeared to watch wrestling.
What happened to the IN-CROWD who quickstepped, foxtrotted and waltzed until a minute to midnight, then back home to bed to think about the girl you should have chatted-up but didn't have the bottle?
Regards to all
Pete.

Pattern Weaving at Reuben Gaunts Mill

My dad got me a job as a trainee pattern weaver at Gaunts mill in the main street of Farsley. I was 16/17 at the time. I learned a lot in that 18 months or so and I also met a beautiful girl called Doreen Pankhurst, pity is I let her go... The smell of the mouse urine in the shed first thing in the morning made me feel SO sick, in the end I found another pattern weaving job and got my first motor bike, this allowed me to pick and choose any job I fancied until I came to Australia in 1964.  My Father aged 54 collapsed and died at the bus stop at RODLEY on his way home from Gaunts mill in Oct 1963.  He received the great sum of 300 pounds compensation PLUS 3/4 weeks wage.  These are my memories of FARSLEY.

Memories of West Yorkshire

Growing up in Pudsey

Dont live in Pudsey any more but was born and brought up there. I lived on Laurel Mount off Richardshaw Lane. across from Farsley omnibus depot. I think there is an office block there now. There used to be Harold's fish shop, a grocery shop, a cobblers shop where we always used to buy our fireworks and then a timber yard. Where the by pass goes under Rikky Lane there used to be another grocers shop on the left and on the right was an old barn and all fields. Before the Grangefield Ind Estate was completed there were two dams in the fields ...one belonged to the big mill which was fenced in and then there was the small one where we used to go tadpoling. I also notice on passing that my old infants school is now made into flats - Richardshaw Lane Infants. Moving on to the sixties brought different interests. Saturdays at Ma Porritts dancing school in Farsley, Saturday nights at Pudsey... Read more

My Estate

I was born on Roker Crescent, Pudsey and lived there until I married in 1968. Does anyone have any info on who live on the Crescent from 1940 to 1970? As I would like to find out who lived at number 43 from 1940 to 1968, this would be a great help to me for my family tree. The Roker Crescent was pulled down and replaced with new houses.

Pudsey

I was brought up in Larkfield Road, Pudsey, I went to Primrose Hill School and then to Crawshaw Sec, these were the best days, playing in Pudsey Park. My nanny lived on Ratcliff Terrace, I wonder if the houses are still there? I used to call for my best friend Margaret Farrand who lived at Owlcoates. I remember the fire station was on the corner in the market square and a big siren sounded when there was a fire call. Te swimming baths were a must on a Saturday morning. Bev Beck (nee Kelk)

Childhood Memories

I was born in Calverley in 1948. I lived with my mother, father and brother (Ernest). I attended Calverley Church School. I played down in the woods most of the time, with my brother and our friends. My brother was a bully with everyone that he came across, especially me. He used to tell me to climb down the Quarry to help him collect birds eggs, I was only 5 or 6 at the time. I have lovely memories of playing in the park, going to the town wells to collect frog spawn and trimming my bicycle up at Whitsuntide with crepe paper. There were several shops in Calverley, Grimshaws butchers, Drakes off-licence, Roberts groceries, a small fruit shop, opposite where the library now is. Christmas was a wonderful time. My mother and grandma asked me to write a list to put up the chimney to send to Santa Claus. Also I was told 'Jack Frost' had printed patterns on the windows, especially for me to look at. There... Read more

Dancing

I remember going to dances at the Calverley Mechanics Institute during the war years or just after, I am now 82. G Lilley.

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