Company Row, George Street, Low Valley 1960's

A Memory of Low Valley.

I was born in 1954 at home in George Street, Low Valley, in what was known as Company Row, presumably as it was built my mine-owners to house their workers.
It was a two up two down terrace next to the "entry" where people could gain entry to the shared backyard. We had an outside toilet, no running hot water, no electricity, gas lights and coal fires.
Hardly the good old days in retrospect, but we knew no better then.
Streets in't Valley were, I think, named after Mineowners children - George, James and Henry with Hope and Providence Street for good measure.
We played on Darfield Main muck stack, sliding down the grey slag on pieces of old rubber pit belting. We paddled and made dams in the Valley Dyke (River Dove). We played football and cricket in the Corner Field (which belonged to the Corner pub or George Hotel to give it it's proper name).
Some of George Street was demolished in the early 60's and the families moved "up top i'Darfield - mainly around cover drive I think.
Our house was demolished about 1965 and we "flitted" to the new Council estate off Snape Hill on part of what we called Charlie Coward's field. New house, indoor plumbing, hot water and electricity.