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Hightown
Hightown maps
Historic maps of Hightown and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Hightown maps
Hightown photos
We have no photos of Hightown, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Formby| Blundellsands| Crosby| Freshfield| Sefton| Lydiate| Ainsdale| Halsall| Walton| Scarisbrick
Hightown area books
Displaying 1 of 5 books about Hightown and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Hightown
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Hightown.
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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.
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
Merseyside memories
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.
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!
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
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.
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!
