1960 Onwards

"Oh Happy Days". My first view of Staining was the 9th June 1960.  I remember it well.  I seem to remember the Staining bus did NOT go into the village, but stopped across from the old Plough pub. My gran had bought a caravan there, just up Chain Lane, on Mrs Smiths caravan site. Mr and Mrs Smith lived in the farmhouse, their 4 daughters lived nearby in the two red brick semis which Nana Smith had had built. (Auntie Fred'a has now been altered beyond all recognition). I got to know them all over the years.  "Auntie Irene" Openshaw, with husband Norman and sons Charles, Dennis and Philip - their house was next to the caravan site and known as "Glentoo". Then there was Auntie Annie and Uncle Richard next door. Then Auntie Rosie and husband Joe who lived in the farmhouse, down the old lane, near the windmill (near a pig farm where Charles worked at one time). Then lovely lovely Auntie Freda and husband Fred Chadwick, with children Freddie, Sharon and Robin. Their house was called "Fremar". (I believe all the house names had to be changed and have a number, to help the services locate them i.e. fire and police etc.)  Uncle Fred owned the garage behind the old Plough Inn.  Robin was only six months old when I first went down there. I used to push him in his pram down Chain Lane into the village. I couldnt get enough of the place.  I used to go down every weekend and all the school holidays. The Openshaws laughed at me and called me a "townie" - they couldnt understand my fear of walking through a field of cows.  I remember Auntie Freda once took a whole "gang" of us for a picnic one day, down the lane by Houghtons shop to "Fairwood" - I remember we all had to run for our lives when we realised there was a bull in the field we were crossing to get to the woods. Loved it!  Many events happened over the years, the caravan site ended up belonging to Charles, who unfortunately burnt to death in his caravan in November 2004 (?) I forget the exact year, it was when the fire service was on strike and poor Charles was the first fatality in the Fylde area where the Green Goddess's were on duty.

So many memories of Staining - Aunty Irene working at the mushroom factory, me learning to fish. Me going down on a Friday night and Auntie Irene waiting for me to "blond" her hair for her. I remember we used to use an old tooth brush to apply the dye. Tony Taylor, one of Charles' friends. "Chip" a friend of Dennis, he lived in the flats at "Queenstown". Me, the "townie" learning to ride a bike down Chain Lane (Mrs Smiths old bike, think it had been a butchers bike, with a basket on the front). Then when I got "good" at it, I used to go down to Road End, to the butchers shop, and buy "cat lights" I think they called them, for Charles' tawny owl "Tony" to eat!   Oh to bring back those happy days!