Living In Collyhurst

A Memory of Collyhurst.

I remember when my mum, dad and myself moved to Collyhurst. My mum was delighted to be back as she and dad where both born in Collyhurst; she lived in Livsey Street and dad in Pilling Street. We moved from Hulme because dad had a bad chest, so we got a two bedroom flat in Dalton Court where we had great times. Dad use to like playing cards in the Robert Tinker on Dalton Street at dinner times, whilst mum got a job as a warden looking after elderly.Time quickly moved on and I left school which was Saint Margaret Clittherows on Osborne Street. Mum used to love to go out on a Saturday and Sunday night with her sister Vera and aunt Winnie to the Osborne House. The landlord was John Doyle, who kept a fantastic pub. Talent night was great; Tony Freeman, Stan Booth and Gerry (compere). Sadly, my dad passed away in 1976 so my mum used to take me with her although I was 17 at the time - I loved the buzz of the great nights.Then more years went by and we all started to go in Billy Greens, everyone new that Billys on a Whit Monday was a corker...you could not move for people old and new. There were quite a few landlords but none better than Pat and Marie McDonaugh; if you were not in for a certain time on a weekend you could not get through the door because it was soo crowded. Some more years went by and sadly neighbours began to dwindle; Annie Horner, Little Nellie, Old Kath but to name a few. My mum had a stroke and I divorced my husband, mum went to live with her sister and I remained at 2 Kinbury Walk for 26 years. Mum passed away in 1993 and I have never spoken to the rest of the family since. Then the worst thing that could have happened did, Collyhurst began to disappear from my very eyes. Everyone was moving away, the properties where being demolished and nearly every one I knew was gone. I have now moved to Matlock in Derby to be near my daughter, Kelly, and grandchildren. I miss Collyhurst but not for the way it is now, but the way it was when I was growing up as a child and as an adult. Collyhurst may not be the same but it will always be 'Collyhurst'.

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