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Ironbridge
Ironbridge maps
Historic maps of Ironbridge and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Ironbridge maps
Ironbridge area books
Displaying 1 of 4 books about Ironbridge and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Ironbridge
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Ironbridge.
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River Side Living
As a child who was born in 1924 I lived with my family (name of Rogers) just down stream of the bridge I attended the "Blue School"and St.Lukes Church as did all my Brothers and Sisters climbing the 100 or more steps past the chuch to go to school twice a day belting home at midday down the steps three at a time home for something to eat. I would say that we had a happy childhood although we were very poor I remember Rector Roberts and Mr Wragg Headmaster at the school with great affection. Every year we all attended church anniversary all the girls dressed in frilly dresses made by my Mother who was a skilled dressmaker white socks ,black patent shoes,Straw bonnets (can you imagine kids today dressing like this)and in the summer we all entered the Carnival in which we won lots of prizes every year, I still have some of the Photo`s and one of the carnival King and... Read more
Childhood in Boweryard
I have just read the article written by Ethel Jones in 2008. It brought so many happy memories back for me. When I moved to Ironbridge I went to live at 79 Waterfall Cottage, Boweryard. It was 1946 and I was 10 months old. I lived there until I was 6 in 1952. I attended the Blue School. My, those steps hurt my tiny legs. I played with Pauline Lonton in the big white house next to mine. I always felt like a princess when I went in there. I remember Janet Oakes who lived in a house at the side under the bridge. Mr Rodgers had to take the coracle out one day as I had dropped a ten shilling note in the river. I have been back twice, the first time they had altered the front of the house, that upset me. But we went back last I had taken a picture with me me of the original house and what greeted me when I walked down the... Read more
Shropshire memories
Cherished Memories
I was born 1937 in the big house at the bottom of Leggs Hill. My earliest memories relate to living in Kings Street and starting school at Leggs Hill, I did not like school, it was a far cry from my loving home life. I remember looking through the wooden railings for my mom, waiting for her to wave to tell me to come back home as I was crying and so upset. Mrs Pardoe was the head and was very strict. We were often marched up the top of the hill and into the air raid shelter which was underground and had a dank smell. During the Second World War I once remember a group of us kids running over to Benthall when a plane crashed into the hill by Percy Parr's (the coal man) house, the pilot was killed or so we were told although no one ever said if it was ours or a German. Broseley was a wonderful place, children had freedom without fear. As boys we spent... Read more
Cherished Memories Continued
How well I remember having to march down to the rectory for our school dinners, the chatter was mind boggling, my granma used to say !I can hear you boys coming as soon as you get by RA's shop", that was Instones the butchers at Church Street. My gran's house or perhaps I should say houses as they were the row on the right hand side just past Wedges shop and my great-grandad's was the old pub on the end, although I doubt anyone can remember it as a pub as it was also before my time. My great-grandad was the local chimney sweep, known as Jaunty Plant, and when he passed away his son followed on as the sweep, and for all the soot and pipe smoke my great-grandad inhaled he lived to the ripe old age of 98.
Madeley - as it Was
I was born in 1949 in Victoria Road, Madeley and have many memories of life as it was in the 1950's onwards. I remember Jones' buses, Pooles the cobblers, Carters, Stodd's the Drapers, Shums the chemist, and most memorable of all, Nellie Oakes' shop in Park Avenue. It was always a delight to visit there to purchase four chews for a penny and sherbert and liquorice. The small shedlike store was packed with boxes of stock but Nellie knew every item she had. Vinegar was kept in a wooden barrell outside.
My Grandfather, the late William (Billy) Jones and his mates used to sit on the wall down the gully, (a narrow lane, which is now the road which runs along side Elcocks Coaches) just smoking Woodbines and sharing their stories of life down the pit. Although Grandad enjoyed a pint of beer he would never sit in a pub instead he would send us down to the Barley Mow in Court... Read more
Dawley
My father was born In Dawley, John Leslie Millward, his brothers were Charles, and Leslie, and they were brought up by their grandad who was the village blacksmith, and Minister, in Dawley. I myself am John Leslie Millward Jnr, I live in Canada now. I just wondered if anyone from Dawley remembers them or their children's whereabouts.
MANY MEMORIES
I was born in Madeley in 1951. My father was a coach driver for A.L.Jones of Victoria Road. I spent a lot of my early years sitting on the front seat of the coach, and sometimes on the engine cover next to Dad. I'm sure Health and Safety would have had a field day if they had been around then. I remember the winter of 1963 and the fact that I used to get into a lot of trouble with the other children at school. Dad used to drive the Coalport school bus and we used to catch it from the Wimpey's to the Madeley Modern. In all the bad snow and frost we used to say that the bus would not get through. Every day we used to say it, but guess what, it still managed to arrive with mostly Dad driving. This to the disgust of some of my friends, who thought we could get a day off. In all that time I don't remember school closures, things... Read more
