War Time

A Memory of Collyhurst.

I was born in Northern Ireland and lived in Belfast. One night the German Lufwaffa bombed
Belfast - there were 1000 or more were killed that night. I and my brothers and sisters were evacuated to my home town in Lurgan in Co Armagh. I was brought over to Manchester and went to live with my aunt, Margaret Brown in Alfred St Harperhay. Then my father and I got a house in Teighnmouth St, Collyhurst. I was 13 and a half. I was put to school at St Patricks School until I was 14, then started work in Avroes in Newton Heath where the Lancaster Bomber was produced. I worked day and night shift for 14 shillings a week. There used to be a little shop at the end of the street where i was sent to buy a few ounces of spam, the lady of the shop was kind and I was happy there. My brothers and sisters came over from Ireland bit by bit until we were all together. The house was over run with cockroaches and bugs which used to come out at night from behind the wall paper. While I was working at Averoes, a man said to me you come from where the people sleep with pigs. I was annoyed and told him our house had a bath room and we did not keep the coal in the bath, also I had never seen a cockroach until I came here.
If I had told my dad about him, who was a world war one veteran and who was wounded at the battle of the Sombe at age 16, he would have laid him out, as he was also an army boxing champ. He also served for some years in the present war at that time until he was discharged. It was he who got me into Averoes. When it was time to go to work in the early mornings to Newton heath, a knocker upper would come to your house with a long pole with wire at the top and tap your upstairs window.
When I first went to Teighnmouth St, a larger boy than me tackled me in the street and he fought me and of course he beat me. I did not understand at the time why he picked on me until later. It was because I was new and he was cock of the street, so that was the reason I had to fight him. I was very small and light at the time. One of my younger brothers was brought from Belfast, he was no more than a baby and when we had to go to school I carried him on my back and after my fight with the street guy no one ever touched me again. I had gained the respect of the street, although I did not know that at the time. The only one I remember was one fellow in the street was called Burke, I was not too keen on him. My family moved to Chorlton on Medlock, there were then 14 of us then. We lived in Pembroke Grove, Chorlton on Medlock, off Plymouth Grove for many happy years. Last year I travelled over to Manchester three times from my now home in Lurgan, co Armagh, to see my two brothers and my eldest sister buried, leaving 3 of us left out of 14. I could go on and on but I supose i am sure this is only about Collyhurst and Manchester which I have a good and lovely memory of the people of Manchester. So if anybody who are still alive who remember the little Irish boy who lived in their street, Teighnmouth St during the war, i think it was about 1941. I am now 83 .The Toland Family.