Formby memories
Here are memories of Formby and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Formby or a Formby photo.
Happy Days
I was looking for a Holmwood Old Boys site when I found this one. I spent the years between 1951 and 1958 at Netherby and Holmwood, and they were the happiest school days ever.
Having followed my father's footsteps to Holmwood, I had to achieve the same level in sport. Each afternoon we either played soccer, rugby or cricket and the advice from the teachers was invaluable. 'Slogger' Hilditch was great, and is still alive. Strange to say that my daughter is very friendly with his daughter!
The team matches against other schools were always exciting, but the fathers' match was the one to win.
I always remember playing wicket keeper, and, after shouting ''Mine''', ran about fifty yards to take the catch which sent my father to the pavilion.
The dicipline was strict, and David Glass was pretty handy with the cane. But it did us no harm and we did learn right from wrong. Having said that, receiving four on the bottom for failing... Read more
EVERY SUNDAY!
Yes! every Sunday for years during the summer holidays this is where you would find me, my mam, dad, 3 brothers, 2 sisters, aunties, uncles, cousins, nanny and grandad. We would park the car what seemed like miles away and we would trek over the sand dunes to the 'beach' - I use the term loosely as when we used to go in the 1960s ,we would have to dodge oil slicks, broken glass, burnt mattress springs and then the jelly fish before we could paddle in the murky waters! Who knows what pollution there was, we just took it for granted that this is what a beach looked like, years on we would think back with horror!
The sand dunes were great though, we would spend hours jumping off them!
Holmwood School Pupil.
I have many memories of my time at Holmwood School. I joined as a day boy in 1968, when the Headmaster was David Glass and I left around 1973 when the Headmaster was Johnny Clegg.
I remember the trips we had in the old school bus to Formby sands and Freshfield woods to see the red squirrels.
My days at Holmwood were happy times in the late 60's, with friends and teachers that are now all but distant memories.
Holmwood was a relatively small community by today's standards, but the lessons I learnt then as a small boy have stood the test of time.
It was a sad day when Holmwood ceased to be a seat of learning.
Our Ladys
The names of the 2 male teachers were Walter Rogan and Peter Dolan.
There are still plenty of people who went to Our Ladys still living in Formby a couple of whom I still socialise with. There were quite a few of us who went on to St Wilfrids and it would be nice to see who is still about.
School Days
I still have good memories of my head teacher at Our Lady's School in Formby, her name was Sister Mary Joseph. Every first Friday of the month we used to go to mass then have breakfast at school. Who can remember Miss Dun? Can anybody remember the names of the 2 male teachers? I left the school in 1963, at 15. Hope to hear from sombody who went to Our Lady's around that time. I wonder if Pamela Hatfield and Angela Bradshaw are still in Formby?
Our Lady's School
I remember Our Lady's School very well. My teacher was Miss Kinseller, there were 2 nuns, one being the head but I can't remember her name. I especially remember the outside toilets for the boys and the constant smell of disinfectant ... ummm.
Attendance at the church next door was constant, with confessions and benediction. I had a friend at school called James Kershaw - where are you now James?
In our frst year in infants our first school book was made of slate, there was no paper - does anybody remember that, and the gas lights in the hall? Also 'games' consisted of throwing bean bags around the playground - good old days, hey!
Our Lady's, Church Road
I attended Our Lady's School but at a later time than Mr Aindow. I started in September 1961, a day I remember quite well! My most abiding memories of those times were of the nuns who ran the school and who were very strict and also how antiquated it was. The school still had gas lights which were lit on dark winter afternoons and emitted an eerie green glow. The refectory was like something out of Tom Brown's schooldays with long wooden tables and benches. The outside loos were something to behold as well! We used to be taken to benediction once a week at the church, which was next door and had to sing in Latin. The kids these days don't know how easy they have it!
Our Lady`s(Church Road)boys Side!Formby.Knocked Down Many Years Ago
Hello friends! I am very interested to find out as much as I can about the former Our Lady's school which used to be on Church Road in Formby. I'm interested more about the boys side as apparently boys and girls were seperated then. My Father went to that school (not sure on the year?) and he has no memory keepsake whatsoever! So for Fathers Day I would love to change that with a nice surprise. Some information will be lovely and if any photos are available or you know the whereabouts of any that would be wonderful, many,many thanks! My Father's name is Noel Aindow and he'll be 67 in Dec if any old classmates are out there. Patricia.
Memories of Merseyside
The Walk to School - Ryeground Lane
Having walked up the hawthorn-lined path from Graburn Road to Church Road, I would turn towards the Embassy Cinema and The Grapes Hotel (pictured) and turn into Ryeground Lane on the way to St Peter's Infants School in Paradise Lane. In autumn I would shuffle through the almost knee-high drifts of tobacco-coloured chestnut and sycamore leaves from the arching overhead branches, blown aside by the crimson double-decker Ribble buses. Somehow I don't remember the wet days or even the really snowy days of 1947, just the autumn leaves and possibly conkers. Strange, as I made the same journey from 1944 until 1947. Memories of the Grapes are limited to Charlie Bostock, whose mum worked there, say 1949 to ?1954. He had an underground hideout in the grounds, and Kensitas cigarettes suddenly come to mind. Across from the Grapes was a corner group of shops, all clad if I remember correctly in white tiles. Mrs Knight ran the grocers. Her potted meat was a dream, and butter came in small wooden kegs. The next... Read more
St. Joseph's Home, Holidays
The children of St. Joseph's Patricroft, Eccles, spent their summer holidays at Freshfield. The girls would stay at "Vaughan House" on Victoria Rd the boys at a priest training college nearby. When the weather was suitable we would walk down to the beach passing by the pine tree woods. At the weekend the older girls were allowed to attend a dance in a local hall in Formby.
I did not know at the time that my father had been born at a big house called "Lawnswood" next to Vaughan House in Victoria Rd. The house has since been demolished and replaced with apartments. My father's brother born 1901 was born in Freshfield Rd, the house was called "San Antonio" with no house No stated I have not been able to trace it, the title I take it would have changed over the years. My grandfather Wharton Rye Collinge died in WW1 and is listed on the Formby war memorial. These facts I discovered four years ago, having never knowing... Read more
St Joseph's Nursing Home
My memory is of working on nights at St Joseph's nursing home for people with learning disabilities. I co-ordinated the nursing assistants. At first it was an old building and then three new units were built after the children were moved out and it became an adult home. It was in the middle of the pine woods and in the morning before individuals were awakened, washed and dressed we watched red squirrels and rabbits playing outside the home and the convent, as this home was set up by the Poor Servants of the Mother of God. I remember at times having disputes with some of the nuns (usually about staffing levels) however usually these ended amicably and I really enjoyed and learnt a lot from them.
The Army Firing Ranges at Little Altcar
In 1967 I enlisted with the Territorial Army and served five years with the Royal Corps of Signals. My basic training included learning to shoot with the 762 self loading rifle on the ranges near Hightown. My unit was the 42nd East Lancashire Squadron of the Lancashire and Cheshire Yeomanry which became part of 33rd Signal Regiment under the Army reorganisations about that time. I remember very well my surprise at the weight of the rifle and the powerful recoil which bruised my shoulder!
The firing ranges at that time had both grass and shingle with distances to fire of up to 1000 yards although in order to complete my basic training and subsequent annual range day qualifying it was only necessary to fire up to 300 yards. One of the exercises involved "advance to target" which meant carrying the rifle towards the butts and shooting from a prone position at 200 and 100 yards. If you got any closer it was possible to throw stones at... Read more
Our History in Brief
Although I had visited Hightown on many many occasions before this date to visit my Grandparents etc I particularly remember the days when myself and friends from Waterloo would visit Altcar Rifle Range to mark the targets after the rounds had hit, this was mainly for local gentry and clubs and received about two shillings each for the day.
We would raise our triangular wooden marking poles and point at the holes made by the bullets.
I was later in 1961 to visit this same range as a T A soldier prior to my enlistment to the Regular Army.(Liverpool Scottish T A to 1st Bn Queens Own Highlanders )
There I cut my teeth on weapons such as The Bren ( Light Machine Gun ) The Sten and the .303 Rifle.
I am now back in Hightown with my wife(Agnes and son John)
Our family history goes on.
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