Gorstage

The Old Becoming New!

I arrived in Weaverham in one of its transition periods. ICI had built many houses to house its workers in all the surrounding villages including Weaverham. So Weaverham had already transformed in a way when I got there, but of course for me coming from a city like Liverpool it was a quaint, peaceful village, there just happened to be the old Weaverham and the new!

Several farms still survived and I was fortunate to work on one at weekends for a few shillings. But the days of the big farms had long gone. The one that I worked on had one milking cow and a dozen hens and that was it!

But Weaverham despite its Liverpool influx remained a peaceful village with very little crime or social disorder. Seems a far cry from today. There were still orchards to 'scrump' in and ancient country lanes to ride to school on. I rode from Weaverham to Winsford everyday for several years come rain, hail or snow. Computers and... Read more

Happy Memories

I have so many happy memories of growing up in Weaverham. My young friends and I making our way through the woods off Northwich Road near Walnut Avenue. I think it was known as Beech Wood or Hazelwood. We would follow the path and the stream that ran through the wood, in those days the water was crystal clear, all day paddling and splashing, sitting on the embankment and enjoying our picnic. We could spend all day, eventually, tired and dirty, with soggy wet socks, we would make our way home. In the late spring the wood was covered in a complete eiderdown of bluebells - I spent hours on my own picking bouquets for my mum. Bluebells are still my favourite flower to this day, and I have them growing in my garden in the city. Memories of swimming in the River Weaver, waiting for the barges to come down and bobbing up and down on the swell as they went past. One of many favourite... Read more

Weaverham Secondary Modern

High Street c1955
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Harry Christian was the headmaster when I started at Weaverham Secondary Modern school in Lime Avenue in 1956. He was the first headmaster of the new school which by then had I think been open one or two years.  

Assembly was the big event of the day! I recall that the few Catholic children we had in the school were excused attending and went off for an hours rest and relaxation before lessons started. One or two assemblies stick in my mind. One was at the time of the Cuban crisis when Harry Christian asked us to recall who had backed down and to give thanks for our deliverance (my words). Another was when a poor girl who had been caught stealing was metaphorically put in the stocks up on the stage and publically humiliated and expelled from the school!

Games played a big part in life at Weaverham Sec Mod and we were encouraged to participate. I wasn't much good at football - though I recall... Read more

Grange Wood

Northwich Road c1965
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Many happy years playing in Grange Wood and surrounding fields and walking through the fields up to Acton Bridge.
Picnics with jam butties and water.

Bike rides up to Cuddington and Hartford. Long summer holidays when the tar melted on the roads and scraping the top of my big toes with those rubber flipflops they used to sell in Woolies.

McNeals sweet shop at the bottom of Forest Street and the old Co-op with really high counters.

It's so sad how things are now

We moved to Weaverham in 1958, at that time it was a good place to bring up children, and a good place for children to grow up in. The village was surrounded by fields and woods, where we played. There was of course the usual childish mischief, knocking on doors, and swiftly running away for one. I left Weaverham in 1968 and only ever went back there to visit my folks. I have now retired, and am enjoying it, but I don't live in Weaverham and I think most of my generation have left the place now.

Old Memory Road

Weaverham was a quite place to live and even bring up a family. I don't live there any more but some of my family do, Maddock and Moreton. When I was growing up there we lived on St Mary's Avenue, just off Farm Road. A few months ago now I did a walk down the road, I even saw a few old faces, but Weaverham is not the same any more. Years ago there were not many police cars driving around the place but now there are. But like I say. Weaverham is not the same any more.

Living in Lime Avenue

My family moved from 11 The Crescent to Lime Avenue where I attended Weaverham High School. I enjoyed Weaverham and had many friends there, I now live in Canada but have been back many times and will continue to visit whenever I can. Weaverham is a great place to live and I have missed being there.