Huyton memories
Here are memories of Huyton and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Huyton or a Huyton photo.
Alamein Barracks
These barracks were used as the recruit training centre for the Territorial Army and all volunteers serving with the 33rd (Lancashire and Cheshire) Signal Regiment completed basic training here in the 1960's before passing out to "trade training" with the Royal Signals. I completed my initial training here and quickly went on to train in Germany at RAF Geilenkirchen with the 42nd Signal Squadron. Altough the official MOD records show RAF Geilenkirchen closing in January 1968, it continued in service as a training location for the Territorial Army. I served there in November 1968 with 33rd (Lancashire and Cheshire) Signal Regiment on exercises for my annual camp. I recall US servicemen were also based there so it would have been used as a NATO base (AFCENT, Allied Forces Central Europe). As a German speaker I had more than my fair share of guard duty on the main gate interpreting for the GI's, as it seemed the US Army posted mainly black soldiers on the gate and they needed language... Read more
Huyton Village
I can remember Huyton when it was a village, in the 1950s. The Police Station was at the end of Derby Rd. not far from St Micheal's Church. At the other end was Richardson's , a grocery shop which often had a ginger cat on the steps. My mother would buy her groceries here and I can remember sugar being weighed out into blue bags.
About half way down Derby Rd. was the council offices with a War Memorial outside and close by was a small track which took you to an open space with swings and a sandpit.
No supermarkets in those days!
The NHS clinic was close to the underway pass to the station but on ths opposite side of the road, the library was in the road behind.
The Mayfair Picture House
I left Huyton to go in the army in 1956 and met my lovely wife and stayed in Wiltshire but never forgot The Mayfair picture house. It was Joey Dutton and me who started calling it 'The Ranch' because of all the cowboy pictures.
Alamein Barracks at Huyton
I had never even heard of Huyton, much less been there until I joined the Territorial Army in 1967. I had enlisted at a recruiting office in Manchester and attended the Alamein Barracks for my basic training in 1967.
In those far off days we wore our uniform instead of civvies when leaving the barracks and I have happy memories of a bunch of us "squaddies" riding on the top of a double decker bus into Liverpool city centre for an evening's entertainment!
The trouble with this was that the beery evening always seemed to be followed by an early start the next morning! Believe me Corporal Stewart's drill was not the best cure for a hangover. Sometimes instead of drill we would pile into the back of a "three-tonner" and drive out to the nearest firing ranges at Altcar.
I passed out successfully and was posted to the 42 East Lancashire Squadron of the Lancs Yeomanry - soon to become 33rd Signal Regiment. ... Read more
Memories of Merseyside
Historic Roby
All my life I have lived minutes away from the famous Liverpool and Manchester railroad, opened 1830 by the Duke of Wellington, Prime Minister, fifteen years after Waterloo, and have daily heard the trains travelling along the Roby embankment, north of historic Bowring Park in Roby, which was gifted in 1906 by William Benjamin Bowring, first elected Lord Mayor of Liverpool. I cannot recall them ever not running! Decades of uninterrupted train service, from wonderful steam locomotives to present day diesel. Unbelievably to be electrified in the near future. How awful to have pylons attached to that famous line. I would support any endeavours to have it listed as a World Heritage Site, being the first of its type in the world. Thank you for reading this. Friends of Bowring Park are organising a heritage project this year, if anyone is interested in taking part. Tel: 0151 482 1116
Helping A Well-Known Comedian
Being brought up in Knotty Ash I lived quite close to Liverpool's famous comedian Ken Dodd. In those days Ken had a large van, and used to come around the area selling pots and pans and many other household items. I used to go round knocking on doors to help sell the wares. About ten years ago I was at a private show in nearby Prescot in a hotel where Ken was performing. When the show was over I waited for Ken to come back into the room for photographs. I said to him "The last time I spoke to you, you were sending me up garden paths knocking on doors." Immediately he replied "Do you remember Alan Shields who was one of our 'gang'?" and he went off with quite a long funny story about Alan. I was amazed at his memory, to remember an event which happened in the 1940s and which he could so easily bring to mind. Ken had an uncle called 'Little Bill', he was only about three... Read more
Knowsley Park
Approximately 1955 to 1959. I remember going to Knowsley Park for the Sunday School 'treat'. We would walk round the town in procession in our best clothes behind our banners. The procession would end in Knowsley Park and we would have tea in a marquee - sandwiches, cakes, jelly and cups of tea in white cups and saucers. After tea we would have races - for example the egg and spoon race. Does anyone else remember this? My maiden name was Lamb.
Beaconsfield St Was my Childhood.
I was born in number 11 in 1932. My family name was Clough. MY dad was known to most people as Sammy Clough. We moved to number 28 a few years later. My Grandparents lived at 24. My great aunt at 22. I went to primary school and Sunday School in the Street . We used the shop at the top of the street known as Ginny Woodward's.
Most of my memories were of 1940s, of air raids when my sister and I slept under the stairs during the Liverpool blitz. I recall evacuees coming to the school. I lived in Beaconsfield St. all my early life I left Central School in Whiston at 14 years and 2 months old. I left school on the Friday and started work at Stephenson's Printers in Market Place on the Monday.I was married from the street at Prescot Parish Church. My first child was born in Beaconsfield street. It truly was my life for so... Read more
Beaconsfield Street
I went to primary school in Beacoonsfield Street from 1952-1959. I have a very hazy memory of a street party in the street for the coronation. I remember white cups and saucers, a large teapot with an extra handle on the front, sandwiches and cakes. I remember tables down the street and me sitting on a bench at the table. I remember bunting in the windows. Does anyone else remember this? My best friend was Jean Finney who lived at the bottom of the street parallel with Beaconsfield Street. Her back gate opened out into Albert Street where I lived. My grandparents were Eva and Bill Harrison and my mum was Annie Harrison.
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