Growing Up In Newton

A Memory of Newton-le-Willows.

I was born in the old cottage on the left, 175 High Street, in 1948, as June Glencross, my parents squatted there after the war, my dad became the local builder. In 1956 we moved up the road to the old congregational church manse, next-door to the headmaster of the grammar school, I think we called him the Gaffer when I was at the school. I used to get into trouble for going to school over the playing fields behind the house, sometimes the dog would come to school looking for me! My dad eventually built new bungalows down the Dingle in Earlestown. There was a toy/model shop just up from the market square owned by Alan Twist, he went to Cornwall on holiday and told us all about the beach with steps down to it, we followed after him and spent several years camping all the summer holidays, and eventually moved down here when I was 16. I remember the dances at the town hall, with local groups, I'm pretty sure the Beatles played there before they were famous. I used to keep a lot of animals in the back garden and sold rabbits and mice to local kids, getting myself in the local paper when I retired to concentrate on my 'O' levels. I wonder if anyone remembers me? I left all my school friends behind when we left and would love to know if any are still there. I know David Hughes grew up to captain the Lancashire cricket team, he used to take me to school when I was 5. My Nan lived in Chandos Street in the railway houses, with an outside loo, I remember cutting up newspaper to use as toilet paper and stringing it for her. My grandad worked at the Viaduct all his life, and my uncle at the. Vulcan, and lived in the Vulcan village workers' houses.