1950s And 60s

A Memory of Hyde.

I was born in 1950 and lived first in Parsonage St and then, from 1956, in Woodend Lane. I attended St George's Primary and Junior School and was an active member of St George's Church. My earliest memories include two shops. My maternal grandparents owned the shop (general grocers) on Sydall St and my neighbours, the Leighs, ran the Cycle and Tobacconists on Market St (it became the Ron Hill Sports Shop).
I remember sledging in the snow on Fawley's Field and canoeing on the canal with ? Norgrove.
My friends at St George's included Paul Richardson (now sadly passed away), Wendy Thompson (my first love) and Linda Baguley(?), in Mrs Drewett's class in 1960.
My parents decided Hyde Grammar School, which they both attended, had gone downhill and sent me to King's School in Macclesfield, which became my school until 1968.
One of my strongest memories of my adolescence was the Brady/Hindley case, The Moors Murderers. I remember old ladies queueing for the first indictment at the Town Hall. They reminded me of the tricoteuses at the guillotine! Of course, many years later, another serial killer, the infamous Dr Shipman, practiced in Hyde. Is there an evil ley line running thru the town? In fact I remember lots of this pschocopath's victims, including my neighbour, Carrie Leigh (see above), and the ex-mayor of Hyde, Mrs Grundy, with whom I worked on Town Twinning (Colmar, oh Colmar) in the late 1960s.
I must concentrate on Hyde and not just my autobiography and remember the other places in Hyde.
My first summer job was at Ashton Bros in 1966. They became Courtaulds and have now virtually disappeared.
The pubs of Hyde. My local was The George, run by a Mr Charlton. Ah, Robinson's Bitter, and Lager being 'invented' circa 1968. The Cheshire Cheese on Market St and The Bush farther up. The Jolly Carter, near the market, where I worked for a while, whilst working at Brunnschweillers (cloth printing, batiks (?)). And, of course, The Lamb, up Gee Cross, my first pint at the tender age of 16.
There's so much more but anyone who remembers any of the above can contact me. My e-mail is ian.buckley207@ntlworld.com.