Ryeground Lane c1965, Freshfield
Ryeground Lane c1965, Freshfield Ref: F117001
Memories of Ryeground Lane c1965, Freshfield
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
Freshfield & local memories
Read and share memories of Freshfield and Merseyside inspired by Frith photos.
Formby
St Joseph's Home, Patricroft We Had our holidays at Formby beach. William Bamford I have tried to contact you through this site my emails have not been opened. Can you respond? maureen (Noble) Malone
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.
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
