Knutsford memories
Here are memories of Knutsford and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Knutsford or a Knutsford photo.
It Will Always be 'Home'
I was born in Knutsford in 1947 at 114 King Street (the Tatton cottages), and moved to Manor Park in 1951. I started at Egerton School (the old one on Silkmill Street) and then moved to Crosstown. I have so many memories of my wonderful home town that 1000 words wouldn't begin to tell my story. The Maydays, (I was a bridesmaid in the village wedding, a dutch girl and several other characters). The freedom of running the fields in front of our house on Manor Park (no housing estate opposite in those days) - over to St. Helena's churchyard. Where in the summer we would take a picnic of jam sandwiches and a bottle of water, and use the gravestones as a table (oh boy, when I think of that now!) I remember the day my brother David came home from one of his and Tony's (my other brother) adventures, soaking wet. They had ridden over the fields to Booths Mere, and David decided he would ride... Read more
Childhood Memories
Knutsford holds a special place in my heart as I was born there in 1956 and spent nearly eight years of my childhood growing up in this then safe and close community. I have very strong memories of family, home, school and friends and the environment during these years up until late 1963 when we emigrated to Western Australia as "10 pound poms". Our family home was 65 Mobberley Rd., Crosstown right next door to the pub (Lee Arms?). My memories of my school days are especially vivid and the now demolished Crosstown school will always have a place in my heart. My elderly aunt still lives across the road from where the school used to be -in the family home built by my great grandfather. I have returned to Knutsford twice-1987 and 1999, but these visits have not overshadowed those powerful early memories that I hold so dear. Country walks across the fields and down the lanes, ( I'll never forget chasing after golfballs that Dad belted into the... Read more
Blackden Hall And The Laundry, Knutsford And Liverpool.
Hi Audrey, I think most of your info about Blackden Hall and Maria Stanley is correct. Simon Myatt (one census looks like Myall) and his family lived at Blackden Hall for quite a few decades and Maria Stanley was definately a Prison Wardress. I believe she worked at the Laundry you mentioned, in Knutsford, but I don't know anything about her owning or setting that one up. However, later she definately was a partner/co-owner in the Birchfield Laundry in Liverpool along with another relative who I believe was the more active partner. If you search for 'Birchfield Laundry' online you can still find some photographs of it. I understand that when she died it was announced on the local Radio Station as she was a very well respected lady in the area, having been a Prison Wardress and local business woman. I hope this helps.
First Day at School
I remember walking into the playground with my Mum and 2 older brothers, when Jeremy pointed out that I couldn't go to this schools because it was for 'boys' only. The main entrance to the imposing Victorian building was through the original boys' entrance - the girls' entrance was at the other end if the building! I was very upset!!!
Jane Bell nee Elsmore
Hot Toasted Teacakes
As a teenager I used to go the King's Coffee House with my neighbours, Penny and Harriet (before her family was moved to Brussels). We had such fun, pretending to be grown up and sophisticated; in truth the toasted teacakes were a real treat and absolutely delicious!! I till savour them today.
Knutsford Heath
Knusford Heath was our playground as children. We used to burrow tunnels in the sand pits, play hide and seek, Cowboys and Indians, or simply roll down the hills. I only lived across the road in Tabley Road. We'd be up at dawn and out all day, called in for dinner or tea by the sound of Mum ringing the bell. There were loads of us kids - first the elder 4 Elsmores, the Lynches, the younger Yellowlees and first Jamie, then Penny. If we didn't go across to the Heath, we would go cycling to the motorway bridge to wave to cars on the M6, stopping on the way back to fish for tiddlers in the pond. When we weren't doing that, we would play dare races across Tabley Road - not that there were many cars on the road in those days - play in each other gardens (going through holes in the hedges) or take part in the May Day Parades, play on the Grandstand, or go... Read more
The old Laundry
I have always heard that my gran's sister started the laundry. Prior to this she was a wardress at the prison. Her name was Maria Stanley. I know that family stories get distorted and maybe she just worked at the laundry. She was definitely a wardress in 1901 and I would be interested to know when the laundry came into being. Later in life my great aunt started a laundry in Liverpool which survived till after the second world war. Maybe someone could solve this little mystery for me.
Audrey Frost
The Sycamores
My grandfather, Gerard Murgatroyd, was born in a house in Knutsford called "The Sycamores" in 1879. I live in Montreal and my father died in 1949 when I was two. My grandfather died before my parents met and there was no love lost between my mother and her mother-in-law. As a result I had virtually no information about my father's side of the family. A cousin on my mother's side is the family genaeologist and told me that my grandfather was born in Knutsford. I had the most wonderful experience of travelling to Knutsford in 1989 to see what I could discover. I went to the town hall and explained why I was there. The very kind man there said, "Oh, you need to talk to Kath Goodchild, our local historian!" Luckily, Kath was at home and came directly over, carrying a census from 1881.
We had a lovely time looking it over and found my grandfather AND his parents AND five siblings, Henry, Eleanor, Emily, Theodore and Dorothy, living... Read more
An Exotic World, For Young Canadians
We arrived in Knutsford in September 1955: two bewildered parents and four children, the youngest only 10 months old.
My father, a major, had been sent by the Canadian Army to take a year-long course in Manchester. Why he ever sought or consented to this is unknown -- but I suspect he was keen to return to England, since he had so enjoyed his four years there 1942-46.
It was a little less jolly for my longsuffering mother, encumbered with four of the most precocious, heedless children ever born -- of which I was surely the worst.
We settled into a rented house ("Beech House, Toft Road, Knutsford, Cheshire, England" as we were taught to recite to a policeman if we ever got lost). At the age of three, I was sent to nearby Glebelands School -- my older sister and brother went to town schools.
Having been so young, I have few direct memories of Knutsford -- though I do remember seeing my first... Read more
Memories of Cheshire
US Army 167th Signal Photo Company
The US Army 167th Signal Photo Company was stationed in Mobberley in Nissen huts from August 1st to Sptember 1st 1944. Among other activities they used to go in the pub "Bird in Hand" which still exist today.
They embarked from Southampton on September 4th 1944 to debark at Omaha Beach the next day. From then, they toured the ETO front to photograph and film the war. Their work was labeled "Signal Corps Photos" making all individual behind the lens anonymous. Let's not forget about them as they helped to document the events of WWII for future generations.
Anyone having memories of those fine men are welcome to contact me to complete my research at olivierherlin@hotmail.com
Mobberley Boys Schhol
Mobberley Boys School was a bit of a misnomer as it was way outside Mobberley (at Knolls Green) and was a junior boys approved school. I was sent there for pinching a box of chocolates! Nowadays I would have probably got a medal for initiative. Mind you we was always hungry, but 3 years? Well, really. The punishment worked though, I was never in trouble again. Now back to Mobberley: We used to attend St Wilfrid's Church, which because of the longer walk meant we were out of school longer. If we didn't fancy the long walk we would change creed and go to the Methodist Church. Before I left I became a "trustee" and was allowed to work in Bradleys Pottery for about 7 shillings and sixpence a week. The School took half. Also working at Bradleys was an eccentric old lady called Nancy with her dog Bimbo.She also had a pony and trap and once or twice took my mate Fred and I out for a trot. On Sundays,... Read more
Halford Family
My memories are the Halford family, James, Hannah Halford, and their children Michael, Beverley and Gaynot Halford, we lived at 34 Moorcroft, Plumley, my mum died in 1970, resting in Lower Peover Church. We grew up most of childhood in Plumley, with mum dying, part was in Manchester, but we moved back there, it was a good villiage, where everyone helped each other, sadly me, Beverley, am the only one left, my father died July 28th 1990, my brother died March 2003, my sister died 26 October 2009, the best momories are when we were altogether.
Lower Peover School
I was a pupil at Lower Peover primary school from 1980 to 1986 and have many great memories. Mrs Wraith taught the reception class and we all had pictures so we knew which our pegs and draws were and mine was always a cow. Mrs Wraith also took us all to her house to cook bread. Further up the class I remember the first computer I had ever seen. We had to book a slot to use it and there was a great scrum of children around wanting to watch us use it. I am now involved in the 300 year celebrations of the school in 2010 and we are collating many memories to make a book up about the history of the school, plus memories and old photos. Please get in touch if you would like to add to this. peovereye@btinternet.com
The Cobbles - Lower Peover
I had two great-aunts who lived in the a house called the Yew Trees, the big house opposite the pub. My two aunts were Martha and Harriet (aka Cissy) Wilkinson. I remember going to see them in the 1950s with my mum. The house seemed huge to me and I have very vivid memories of their garden and playing in the huge Yew Tree. The sisters were born at Moss Bank Farm in Toft and George Bell, who I suppose named the Bells of Peover pub, was my great-great-uncle. I am descended from his brother - James Bell.
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