Normanton memories
Here are memories of Normanton and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Normanton or a Normanton photo.
School Days And Friends-Normanton Girls High School
The Beta class was never a teacher's favourite, but we enjoyed being just that little bit riotous. I remember cycling to school and leaving the bicycle in the bicycle shed and it was always there at end of school. Friends like Frances Walmsley, Janet Codner, Sylvia Crewe, Jean Sargent, Janis Timms, Christine Friend, Lorraine Phelps, Doreen Brain and many more. Tennis in the park and the Saturday school tennis matches. I Know Frances moved to Australia, if anyone does know any contacts for her or any of the above old girls I would love to hear from you. Does anyone remember Beckbridge Estate prefabs. The estate social club, built by my dad and many of the other dads on the estate. Those were the days. Please contact me if possible on E-mail Sandrarikela@hotmail.co.uk.
Normanton
I grew up in Normanton and have many happy memories .... I went to the Church of England Primary school ... walked over the farm fields with my Dad under the old railway line and on to Loscoe Lane to the Bluebell wood .... all gone now I'm afraid ... a motorway and Industrial Estate .... played tennis in the park .... later went on to Normanton Girls High School ..also disappeared ... sad
I went back for a visit 2 weeks ago and it wasn't the Normanton I remembered
Normanton High Street
The shop (bottom left, with pram outside) was Babyland, the town's toy shop since at least the 1920's. My father bought his first bicycle there when he began work at the age of 14 in 1928.
Alice Bacon
Does anyone know anything about Alice Bacon who the Community Centre was named after?
I would be grateful for any information about her.
Thank you.
Was There A Dog Track in Normanton?
I've lived in Tyldesley, Lancs all my life but I remember working in Normanton in 1967, we used to travel all over the country erecting sectional buildings. When in Normanton we built an extension on to the clubhouse of a local dog track [does anyone remember it?]. I think the owner of the track was a Mr. Parker and when the job was finished he threw an opening night dance party. There were 4 of us worked there and he made a fuss of us with free beer and all that. During the night I saw this beautiful young 20 year old blonde, her name was Sheila M. She lived in Sharlston Common. We had a dance and a date and then the day after we had to leave for the next job down south somewhere. I never saw Sheila again but I still have a picture she gave me and I will never forget her. Memories...
The Grammar School
I remember climbing onto the roof of the Grammar School - I was in the fifth form, so this would be 1964 or 1965 - and scratching my name on the slates there, underneath my dad's name. He must have done it about 1932. And organising a Review when I was in the sixth form, with the money raised going towards building the original Leeds Playhouse, up by the University gym. Best of all was the rugby team; played 24, won 24 for the 1st XV, and winning the Public School Sevens at Roehampton.
Funnily enough, only a couple of weeks ago I met somebody who had seen our sevens team play at Ilkley and he said it was the most perfect exhibition of Sevens play he had ever seen.
Memories of West Yorkshire
My Childhood
I was born in Manygates hospital and lived at 13 Clarkson Street, Lawefield Lane with just a wall seperating my house from my school so I would jump over the wall at the last minute. The house is no longer there. I would roller skate all the way to the park and later when I got a bike I went all over on that. My grandparents lived at Lupset and when my brother was born when I was 9 we moved to Lupset and I went to Snapethorpe school and left at 15 and went to work at Tankards carpets. I have some fantastic memories of when I was a child and could go on and on. I will save them for another time.
Cheesecake Inn
I was born in 1952 and was raised in Cheesecake Inn. This was the original name for the farm next to the Church. When I was growing up there it was called Church Farm. I have many happy memories growing up in Kirkthorpe.
I spent many hours in Sycamore Cottage with the lady who lived there (Rose Richardson) and her 2 sons (John & David)and daughter (Margaret). Sycamore Cottage is now a listed building and has been restored beautifully.
David the youngest of the Richardsons, and I used to go fishing at the Half Moon and the pond on the other side of the railway line. I used to ride my horse through the fields which run alongside the weir.
Harvest time was great, we had such great fun helping dad. The older boys from the village used to come and help, everyone used to muck in.
My other friend lived in the old hospital opposite our farm. In the winter time we would sledge down the slope in... Read more
50 Years in Streethouse
I first moved into Streethouse in 1953 when I married a local girl (Iris Elliott), there were no houses for rent or to buy and all newly weds had to live in lodgings, we lodged with Iris's parents. I watched Netheroyd being built, hoping that we might be lucky enough to be allocated a new council house, but no such luck. In 1954 I was allocated a new Coal Board house at Featherstone on Girnhill Lane estate, the following year I exchanged my house at Featherstone for 126 Meadway, Streethouse, where we lived until 2006 when we moved back to Featherstone. Over the 50 odd years I lived in Streethouse I have seen many changes and in the early years not too many for the good. Streethouse was a suburb of Featherstone and we always said it was the village that God forgot. The first major disruption to the village was the dreaded outcrop, it started in the early 1960s and lasted for 30 years, the dust went all around the... Read more
Level Crossing
I was signalman at Streethouse in the late 1960s. I was not always popular with some of the residents or the drivers who were held up at the gates but all in all it was quite a good job. I remember Mal Kirk used to come over the crossing on his way to Sharlston pit before he took up wrestling. I made sure he got straight through without delay!
Summers
This summer was a hot one and I loved being around Streethouse, swimming in Sharlston dam, walking to Nostel Priory, mostly being a bit of a lad, Streethouse Club outings, just the best time as a kid, your parents need not worry as it always seemed safe as everyone knew each other. The pit gala was a great day, pity things changed so much with the pit closing. What about the characters, Lew Harrison, Bert Evans, Jeff Leake, Mal Kirk, my dad Jim, Lilly Taff, so many others, who would all end up in the club or top or middle house. I remember my uncle Ron always seemed to have soft spot for me even though I was a bit of rogue. Pity time moves on, being a kid in Streethouse used to be so much fun. My mate Terry Leake sharing sugar sarnies at his mams, Ali, Mel Daley, Wilsey, Ken, all thick as thieves together, much to the annoyance of our parents.
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