Collyhurst Flats

A Memory of Collyhurst.

I was born Heather Pickering in 1952 and lived from there on in Collyhurst Flats. I also remember playing on Barnies tip and getting into trouble from my mother for doing so. I went to St James primary school and left there and went on to Harpurhey High. My mother also went to Osborne Street wash house, but she used to go on a Wednesday and on this day during the winter we would have home made ham and pea soup. I used to love Bonfire Night when bonfires would be feet away from the flats. I loved collecting wood and old furniture weeks before and stealing spoils from rival gangs. On Bonfire Night my dad would buy fireworks - there was little Health & Safety then as he allowed us to light them ourselves on occasions. I remember going to buy my dads 'fags' every night, trotting off to the herbalist on Rochdale Road and the reward for doing this chore was a few penny sweets. I used to love the 'Whit Walks' as my mother would always buy me new clothes and a lovely dress to walk in on Whit Monday. It used to be a busy time on Whit Monday in Collyhurst flats - this was the day for the protestants who would have one too many to drink and cause problems with the Catholics. Did anyone go to St James school? I wwould love to hear from you. I remember "Old Joe's" in Collyhurst Street - he had a shop selling cooked meats. My mother would send me to buy 6ozs of pork, and when Joe took it out of the oven he would give us kids some crackling - gorgeous. I remember the very old flats on Collyhurst Road - The Dwellings. They were unbelievably poor, even by Collyhurst Flats standard. These dwellings backed on to the dirty and rat ridden River Irk and were too close to the Bone Factory. The smell from this factory was so nauseating that I can almost still smell it. I remember the little terraced houses on the other side of Collyhurst Street, at the back of the cotton mill - I think the mill was called Smarts? On walking past the mill I used to peek inside and see the woman working, wearing clogs and covered in cotton fluff. My grandmother worked in a mill in Miles Platting. We lived with my grandmother - she was a bit of a tyrant who liked to have a glass of mild or two with her cronies in the pub in Collyhurst Street whose name I cannot remember. I have very fond memories of Collyhurst, times were very hard for some but I look back on my childhood and think I was quite lucky. I was the youngest of three children and both my parents worked, however there were some who lived in the flats who had very hard times, little money, poor living conditions and a poor diet. I had friends who had a very different live to me. When I went to high school outside of the area, it was quite a culture shock to make friends who lived in more up-market areas such as Moston and Blackley, who lived in semi-detached houses with gardens! I also remember the 'Knocker Up' who came round every morning with a massive long stick, knocking on people's windows to make sure they got up for work. My parents never used him as they had an alarm clock! As a child my parents would ensure that we were always taken on holiday, and trips to the seaside such as Blackpool and Southport on Bank Holidays. When I was about 10-11 my parents ventured more afield and we holidayed in Margate and Torquay - this was like the other side of the world to me at that time. Does anyone else share my memories? Heather Pickering (maiden name)