Tottington memories
Here are memories of Tottington and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Tottington or a Tottington photo.
Brookhouse
I used to live at Brookhouse with my parents, great aunt and maternal grand mother. Brookhouse was split into 3 houses at the time (131, 133, 135 Holcolme Road). My grandfather (Thomas Lomax) visited at Christmases and holidays. My parents were Pat (Lomax)and Andrew Martyn-Clark. My aunt who worked at the local Tech (Bury) was Mrs Irene Cosgrove (nee Lomax). My grandmother was Jane Lomax (nee Dunn). She was known as Jennie Dunn in the village. My great-grandfather was Frank Lomax. He was one of several Lomax siblings. They were related to the majority of the Lomaxes at this end of Tottington. He was very active until his late eighties. I can recall the houses being built in the field at the bottom of the hill. There was also an electricity sub-station there. I think it still is. The first house on the right was owned by a Mr Jones, Ernest I think - not sure. I do recall he had a Wolsey or Riley 1500 saloon that he drove... Read more
Platt Family
My grandfather was born at Horncliffe Lodge, Tottington Higher End on Nov 15 1882. His name was Arthur Owens. His mother was Mary Platt whose family I believe were a prominent family in the village. His father was Richard Owens. Arthur, a cabinet maker, left England around 1910 and settled in Australia.
Tottington, Market Street c1955
I remember this view of market street. At this time Tottington was an Urban District with its own council of 14 members. The gates and building on the right of the picture were Tottington Town Hall and council offices.The building also housed the public Library. I was a member of that council in that year. I am now 80 years old and take no further part in politics.Denis Wood.
Memories of Lancashire
Education And Health
By the 1940s the Grammar School had been rebuilt in Tenterden Street. The building in the photograph became The Wylde Clinic which was the centre for mothers and babies and of course housed the 'dreaded' school dentist. My younger brother went to the Wylde Clinic for 'sunray treatment' where all the children had to wear goggles to protect their eyes.
The Wylde Clinic was still operating in the 1960s for mothers and babies, ante-natal care and school health referrals.
The Rock in The 1950s
The awnings on the left of this picture show the location of Woolworths, whilst Marks and Spencers was a little further up on the right hand side. The building immediately before Woolworths was a bank and over the top was Joseph, Thompson and Marsdens Acountants.
A Focal Point
Kay Gardens was the terminus for all bus services from surrounding districts and towns. On this photograph, the large building at the back of the picture was the Co-op, which was at that time a department store, but also housed a restaurant on the first floor, widely used by office workers at lunch times, and of course for funeral parties. At the far right of the picture is the dome for the old indoor market. Kay Gardens was a popular place for local workers to sit at lunchtime to eat packed lunches.
Childhood
Walmersley Road Recreation ground was later renamed Clarence Park. This is the bandstand where on summer Sunday afternoons there would be a band concert and deck chairs (strictly for the older generation of course). The house in the distance was the park keeper's residence, and woe betide any child who was caught walking on the flower beds. There was a large rock near the park entrance which carried a metal plaque. The plaque said that the rock had been carried down by glaciers from the ice age. Was that true? As children, we used the rock as a miniature slide. The park was our playground throughout the 1940s and 50s.
The Best Market in Lancashire
Bury market was famous and its modern version, though not as interesting, still is. We used to go to the market and buy one of Thompson's black puddings, piping hot in a grease-proof paper, The man would split it and put plenty of mustard on. There was the roast potato man, vegetable stalls, fish stalls and the famous Cheap Jack. He used to gather crowds round his stall with his patter and his household goods at 'knockdown prices'. He must have done well - he retired to St. Annes on Sea - a sure mark of success. In the late sixties a fire destroyed the old market hall and the market was relocated. Everyone agreed that the atmosphere was never the same, but the new market today still brings people in from miles around.
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