A Chilhood In Port Sunlight

A Memory of Port Sunlight.

have just spent a wonderful hour looking through the photographs of Port Sunlight, they have brought back so many memories that are as clear as day still to me. I first came to live in the village with an aunt and uncle in1939 ,so of course the war years were quite prevellent in my experience. I lived in Greendale Road, near the junction with Bolton Road (number 72). It was opposite the tie bridge in the railway embankment that runs the full length of the road. Air raids saw us going into the basement of the Lyceum for safety, and in one raid the original Mac Fisheries shop was hit by a landmine and demolished,and much damage done to houses in our area. The nearby bridge and the Dell was a great area for playing. In Winter we used to sledge almost the full length of it, I don't suppose that would be allowed nowadays. We would also bombard the factory girls with snowballs when they turned out - great fun! I attended the village primary school and remember the wonderful clubs we had in what is now the museum; there was a handcraft club and a 'keep fit' club - they were so well attended. Later I went to New Ferry Secondary Modern School (demolished when they altered the New Chester Road). I also worked at Lever Bros, in the Market Research Lab. Of course, at the time I did not realise what a very special place the village was, but looking back I now realise what a privilage it was to have been brought up in such a remarkable and wonderful place,