Ogden Street In Hulme

A Memory of Hulme.

The Carter family lived in Ogden Street the whole of the fifties. Went to Duke Street (Gaythorn Primary) where I was one of the ones who would on a regular basis be waiting outside Jacks office for whatever he had to offer. Beasley was alright, had a sense of humour and was active in organizing sports, football etc, One interesting thing about the school which when I relate, people don`t usually believe me, was our Playground in the upper 2 years was on the roof. It sound a bit more dramatic than it was. There was a high wall around and no chance of falling off, also it was flat. The playground in front of the school was where we played football and occasionally cricket, was one big slab of concrete. I can remember a few accidents where somebody would go skidding on there face with the resultant battle scars, I can never remember seeing any grass in Hulme, we did spot a sod (clump of grass) up Moss Lane somewhere once and I pinched it for our croft, hoping it would turn it into a decent football pitch. That never happened of course.
After Duke Street I went on to City Road the back end of 1959. I was only there a few weeks before we moved to Bramhall. So didn`t really get to know the teachers there. I did get a crack off one, for what I never knew. That used to happen in those days, but we`ve lived to tell the tale.
The families I remember on Ogden Street were the Smith`s, Marnie`s Butterworth`s Brown`s and Walsh`s, Mrs Walsh was known locally as the Angel of Hulme, for her kindness. Lil and Ronny Hill lived next door. My first love lived over the road. Geraldine Carson. My mate Eddie Slack lived in Lancaster Street. I later bumped into Eddie at Cattertick Camp, we were both in the Royal Signals, he was doing alright for himself.
I remember well the Pauldens fire. We were playing up near the Barracks when we spotted the pillar of smoke which was probably visible around the whole of Manchester, all of Hulme must have turned out to witness the fire brigade fighting the fire, It was still smoldering the following day when we left school. This was before most of us had T.V.s or even electric on Ogden Street, so our entertainment was what was happening on the streets. Other events where I remember there being a good crowd were the fights outside the Falstaff and the odd row usually between women in the streets. Where each would be goaded on by friends and neighbours to keep the entertainment alive.
Another event, this one a bit depressing. I remember when a family from Howard Street had been evicted for none payment of rent. The boys were taken away somewhere, the mother seemed to be living in the outside toilet for a while after and all the furniture, for what it was, was piled on the croft at the back on Bedford Street. The furniture seemed to disappear over time maybe for firewood and eventually the woman disappeared too.
I`d be interested to hear from anyone who remembers the families of Ogden Street. We first moved there in 1950 my parents were Arthur (a Geordie) and Josie. Dad died back in 1995 and mam just recently.
Hope you enjoyed reading these Memories of Mine.

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