My Memories Of The Red Lion Area

A Memory of Flixton.

Roger... After reading your recollections of the Woodsend Road I hope you don't mind me adding to your list of memories. It fair to say before I start to write we do know one another and by now we both have a lot of grey hair, or maybe no hair. I cannot help but remember a time when the 23 bus stop was alongside the field of Dutton's farm and the bus shelter was a cast iron and glass structure built on treed island in the middle of the road, this island many years later became a small traffic roundabout. The worst thing those days was the fact the 23 bus did not have a heater and neither did it have doors that closed, come to think of it the old North Western number 3 and number 5 bus's running from the Mile Road area were even worst as they had bench seats upstairs, no closing door and no heaters. Only the posh people from Partington using the number 222 buses had heaters and closing doors. I also remember the Police Telephone box with its blue light on top (much like Dr Who's) on the eastern side of the Irlam Road and the Woodsend Road junction. Like you I recall the Red Arrow shop and I recall the little light blue Hillman Imp cars they used. They also used to give away little plastic north American Indian statues as well as offer free batteries for life with one of their radios... wonder if that offer still stands today? The grocers on the east side of Woodsend was run Mr. and Mrs. Hughes and I went there every week and made my choice of biscuits from the large glass topped bins placed in front of the counter. The green grocers changed names a few times but I do remember when it was changed to Charmans (or near that spelling) and we young men at that time were impressed that the new owners moved in with their family of 6 girls. (At this point I should say hi to Angela) I also remember if you were walking back from the Red Lion you first came across an empty store than a small tea shop where I used to go in the mornings for tea and toast while helping the local milk man... don't remember delivering your milk Roger but I do remember delivering milk to the house on the left of you. Then you walked pass what was then the Urmston bus stop then past a field full of stinging nettles and weeds and finally the Co-op Butchers and the Co-op grocers. On the other side of the road was an allotment then two large Victorian Houses of the left (ours was the first one) Next door lived Mr and Mrs Tate and their 3 children... Sorry I can only remember the names of the two eldest children these being Billy and Jean, (Hi guys) but of all strange things I do remember is their dads cars number plate, It was OTC 30 and was on a Black Morris Minor 1000 and was parked most times on Woodsend Road in front of their house. I also remember the newspaper shop (sweet shop to me those days) at the junction of Irlam Road I remember they used to sell KP peanuts from a heated display unit on top of the counter, I still heat up my salted peanuts to this day. I also remember the Rolling Stones coming to perform at Davyhulme Baths and the Beatles performing in the "dog tent" at Urmston Show and of course Pete Noone (Only later becoming Hermans Hermits) performing for the very first time. My brother Bob met up with Pete Noone not that long ago at a show taking place in Unionville, Ontario and I understand they talked about Flixton. Well I'm sure I could go on and on but better stop or now. These recollections were wrote by Barry Jones formally of Woodsend Road but now living 60 miles east of the Rocky Mountains and 40 miles north of Montana. Bob lives in Ontario and Ann lives in Devon. Best regards to all that remember myself and my family.