The Castle 1900, Halton
The Castle 1900, Halton Ref: 45440
Memories of The Castle 1900, Halton
Yesteryear
If you ever wondered what it was like before the shopping city, this picture says it all. This was it before the overspill. If you was to stand and take the same picture you would be somewhere around Castle Rise/Boston Avenue, a view lost forever.
Halton & local memories
Read and share memories of Halton and Cheshire inspired by Frith photos.
Halton Gorse Cottages And Castle Road
I too spent my school holidays in Halton village, my grandparents were Lillian and Benjamin Atkinson, they lived in Gorse Cottages, you had to go up the steps from the underpass to get to it, or down the steps from Castle Road. My aunt and uncle lived at 16 Castle Road, Ted and Mildred Appleton. I spent many happy days there from around 1955 till I was married in 1969. I remember all the times I had round the castle and playing in the fields and Dicky Done's shop and also Gamons the food shop where everything was on the book and you paid at the end of the week. Happy days that I will always treasure.
It is so Nice
It is so nice to see my family-run shop from before the time I was even born. I spent much time visiting my grandparents there, and then grew up there. The shop has now been in retirement since the end of 2007.
The Under Road
The space between the houses and shed was the beginning or the end of the Under Road, it went round to the other side of the village, and finished opposite the chapel on Main Street, a nice walk or bike ride in the summer, or a short cut to the common, or the steps that went up to the castle. The old smithy was on the right if you went from this end, I suppose it was named the Under Road because the castle loomed over the top of you as you walked along, a nice quiet road in those days.
Going to School
This path was a lifeline to me when I was going to school on my bike. As you look at this picture there was houses to the left and Halton Brow and corn fields to the right. I came down this path on my bike and up Boston Avenue to Grange Sec Mod. The downside was going back up it, it was very steep in those days, the opening in the village was easily missed if you didn't know it, a very small entry between to buildings, a well kept secret to the villagers in those days.
Summer Home
The house behind the telephone pole is number 73, my grandparents, Jim and Annie McQuillan lived there from the 30s until the late 60s or early 70s. I used to spend all summer there travelling from Middlesbrough on the bus via Warrington, on my own from age 6. Can you imagine the reaction these days to such an adventure? The shop on the left was Dicky Dones newsagents - the local bookie before betting shops were legalised. I was known as "that kid from Yorkshire". This was before the shopping city and the conversion of Halton to a Liverpool overspill. Happy days.
