Happy Memories

A Memory of Weaverham.

I have so many happy memories of growing up in Weaverham. My young friends and I making our way through the woods off Northwich Road near Walnut Avenue. I think it was known as Beech Wood or Hazelwood. We would follow the path and the stream that ran through the wood, in those days the water was crystal clear, all day paddling and splashing, sitting on the embankment and enjoying our picnic. We could spend all day, eventually, tired and dirty, with soggy wet socks, we would make our way home. In the late spring the wood was covered in a complete eiderdown of bluebells - I spent hours on my own picking bouquets for my mum. Bluebells are still my favourite flower to this day, and I have them growing in my garden in the city. Memories of swimming in the River Weaver, waiting for the barges to come down and bobbing up and down on the swell as they went past. One of many favourite memories would be when we made jam butties and we would buy lemonade sachets from Worrall’s shop, making our own lemonade by adding it to water, and then tramp across the fields to the back of Weaverham and picnic in a field by the railway track and wave to the train drivers going past in their steam trains - they always waved back. The Rose fete was a special day. The Queen would be chosen and then her dress would be displayed in one or two of the shops. One shop would be Mrs Saunder's shop. I would go and admire it on my way home from school and then sneak back again in the evening just to have another look. To me it looked like a princess dress, very basic compared to todays. I think it moved on to be displayed in the shop next to the bicycle shop near the village. The houses would be decorated. I remember Russett Road & Lime Avenue always seemed to make a special effort and decorated their houses and gates with crepe roses. The fair would come to town, everything seemed carnival and exciting. I often return with my elderly mum and we watch the parade, although the atmosphere of those far off days has long gone in this day of sophistication. We still enjoy visiting and meeting a couple of old friends and it would still appear to be nice place to live. All seasons seem to bring back happy memories; Winter - sledging on cardboard boxes and old bits of wood - I remember a big hill by the entrance to near Well Lane and we used snow slide down at head long speed; visiting houses carol singing at Xmas, with a lady called Mrs Bodell providing hot drinks and cake afterwards; wheeling a guy or somebody dressed up as a guy in an old wheelbarrow before bonfire night bonfires; hot potatoes and chestnuts. I could go on and on - it was all so idyllic and always will be to me. I went to Forest St School. I have to say that apart from my school friends it does not bring back the best of memories - it was very strict school and I seemed to live in trepidation. They seemed to enjoy instilling fear into little people. There was one particular male teacher, that now I am older realise he had a sadistic streak in him. When I went on to Weaverham Secondary Modern School I was so happy - it was also a strict school but I was really happy and worked really hard there, although I do remember a boy being publicly humiliated by Mr Christian and given the slipper in front on the whole assembly. In those days that how it was, and running around the school (large) field in bare feet in the snow. I had a lovely friend named Yvonne who was Polish and we became good friends, but my parents for reasons of their own decided to return to city life and so we left it all behind and started a new life and new memories. My childhood memories are happy and I know I wouldn’t have wanted to grow up anywhere but in Weaverham.