Warrington memories
Here are memories of Warrington and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Warrington or a Warrington photo.
Childhood
My friend and I would await the arrival of American ships on their way to Manchester. We would shout "got any gum chum?!" to the crews. We would occasionally be rewarded by a packet of sweets being thrown from the ship. Far tastier than the English equivalent!
WHERE IS THIS??
Marshall Gardens looks beautiful...where was it?? and why was it named Marshall Gardens....only ask because a lot of my ancestors were named Marshall!!!
Toft Bakery
As a child I remember having family gatherings in my grandfather's bakery, Tofts Bakery, where he lived above.
Buckley St
Dear Francis Frith, We are, 10 Buckley St, mum & dad. Elsie & Billy Connor.
Millings Shop
I also remember going in Millings as a little girl, I was fascinated by the money being carried in the metal tube going up in the roof, I always went in every week with my parents.
St. Mary's Church
I used to be an Altar Boy at St. Mary's and went to St. Mary's School. I did not realize that the church was that old.
Queen's Visit to Warrington
I was stationed at the Burtonwood army depot near Warrington in 1967 through to 1969. I remember taking pictures of the Queen's vehicle as they drove past me. I have four wonderful pictures of the vehicle the Queen was riding in and of the people on the street watching as the Queen drove by. You can see the advertisements on the bill boards ... a tea advertisment. I currently live in Florence, Kentucky in the USA.
The Queen's Visit.
I remember as a youngster my mum and dad talking of the Queen's forthcoming visit to Warrington and how the statue of Oliver Cromwell was to be covered so as not to upset her. They eventually moved the statue to a less visible place and the side of the Academy.
Sad Demise
Sadly we see very few ships passing down the Manchester Ship Canal these days. When I was a kid I lived in Latchford not far from the locks. We used to spend many hours watching the ships pass through the locks on there way to Liverpool or Manchester. We were occasionally rewarded by a pack of cigarettes or sweets thrown by the crew to us kids. Happy days.
Happy Times
The building at the top of the picture with the advert on was a grocers called Hendrey Millings. I worked there as a young man and had my first encounter with the opposite sex!!!
Ike Smith''s Hardware And Bicycle Store
My grandfather, Isaac Smith, had a hardware and bicycle shop on these premises, known universally as the 'Tudor Cottages', from some time towards the close of WW1 to the late 1930s. The premises were owned by Rylands Bros, the nearby wire works, at which Ike (also Ikey) had worked at one time (I infer from census records), and at which his oldest son Arthur later worked until 1955. He set up his business, my father told me, with the compensation he received from being temporarily blinded (for about 6 months), while working on top secret poison gas research while he was a foreman at Warrington Gas Works, sometime around 1916. The whole family, including the children, were apparently required to sign the Official Secrets Act, and my father (also Stan) only told me this story just before he himself died in 1980. At some time in the later 1930s, Rylands Bros persuaded my granddad to move out of the shop while they redecorated it, I understand, with the promise of... Read more
I Was Born And Raised in Collins Green Nar Warrington.my
My maiden name was Iris Potter, I went to school and church in Burtonwood. I live in America now. I have lots of very good memories of my friends in Collins Green. I get so homesick, I will always be a British citizen.
Victoria Park, Latchford.
I remember when there used to be a place in Victoria Park, Latchford, called `The Pavillion'. It had a row of bushes beside it - dividing it from a sunken paddling pond that had rather ornate brick walls around it and steps leading down to it from the north, south, east and west. Just north of this area there were bowling greens and a place where they sold ice-cream cones. We had lovely times playing in Victoria Park. I was so sorry the last time I visited Warrington to see that the pond and all the lovely brick walls had been taken down! I have often searched for pictures of when this lovely area was built (I think they appeared in The Guardian about 1944 or 1945), but I have never managed to find one I could buy. If anyone has pictures of the area I describe, I would love to swap pics of Warrington - or buy copies. I remember also going shopping at the Warrington Market.... Read more
Latchford Locks
I used to stay with my Aunt at Brian Avenue during the late 1940s early 1950s and whilst there my daily activity was to cycle to Latchford and watch the boats passing through the locks. As a previous person has stated, the favourite boats were the American ones who not only threw packets of sweets onto the lock side but also bundles of comics for the children.
My cousin was born at Old Warps home in 1931. Has anyone got any information relating to this place - does it still exist?
Memories of Cheshire
Willow Crescent
The next turning on the right is Willow Crescent (I think it's a cul-de-sac now) if that's how you spell it. Yep, this is where I grew up, we had 1 bus, the 81 Dam Lane. If I remember right it used to turn up every hour (with no digital display as well). I had some good times and some bad, but more good. If only we could turn the clocks back, eh. I remember the local bobby dragging me home by the ear because I was riding my bike on the footpath. What a vandal I was, ha! We used to jump over the brook which was at the bottom of our garden and sneak into the L.C.C. Depot, shhhh don't tell my dad. Them were the days. Anyway I think that will do me for now. It was nice seeing Green Lane as it was even though it ain't changed that much. If you can find any photos of Padgate walking day or St Oswald's that would be... Read more
Yesterday
Seeing this picture braught back memories of 3rd January 1951, when I, and around fifty others, ambled down this lane from the rail station to RAF Padgate, to start an 'adventure' which would remain with us for the rest of our life.
Bill.
My Memory
I remember walking down Green Lane from my home in Eric Avenue, Padgate to Woolston with my new girlfriend in the snow just by the Cottage Homes. We cuddled together to keep warm, she was 16 and I was 17 and had only met a few weeks earlier. We married in 1958 and had two children. In 1966 we came to live in Australia where we have lived ever since. She died in 2005 and I have returned to Woolston every year since then to stay with her family in Long Barn Lane and my cousin in Fearnhaed. I am now planning on returning to live locally to be with them. Whenever I am there I travel every day between Fearnhead and Woolston down Green Lane and it has never changed. I look forward to being back there very soon.
Padgate Cottage Homes
The opening on the left of the photo is the entrance to Padgate Cottage Homes. I first went in there in 1948 as a 6 year old and finally left in 1953 as a 12 year old. The events that happened in there over those years were to shape the rest of my life. Although life in there was quite tough, you have to remember that it was tough for most folk at that time. The good memories vastly outweigh the bad memories. Good memories, including the annual 4 week camp at Knott-End-on-Sea, trips out to places like the Lakes and even as far as London to the Festival of Britain. But Christmas times were fantastic, apart from the in-house celebrations, we were invited to parties given by the RAF and also the Americans at Burtonwood. The thing is, when you live in a home with upwards of 130 children there is always someone to play with. The house straight across from the gates was my first call on bob-a-job... Read more
An American Boy in Stockton Heath, England
I was a 13 year old boy from Wilmington, North Carolina, USA. My father was a Sergeant in the US Air Force, assigned to Burtonwood RAF Station. We rented a flat at 35 London Rd, Stockton Heath. It was over Mr. Alfred Ward's Butcher Shop. His wife operated the Sweet Shop on the opposite side of the road. Their son was named Terrance.
London Road was lined with small shops; several butchers, bakery, candy shops, the post office, a shoe shop and others. This was a big change for an American boy. I enjoyed following my mother when she shopped at the different shops.
I would watch Mr. Ward in his shop serving customers just the right amount of meat or eggs, to serve their family for one day. I would also watch him in his kitchen, where he prepared boiled hams, hoghead cheese, blood pudding, and spotted dick, just to name a few of the things I had never heard of. I remember that his boiled... Read more
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Places this week
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- Kempsey, Worcestershire
- Braunston, Northamptonshire
- Chedworth, Gloucestershire
- Wrexham, Clwyd
- Mollington, Oxfordshire
- Croydon, Surrey
- Hornsey, Greater London
- Knockentiber, Ayrshire
- Taxal, Derbyshire
- Great Holland, Essex
- Upton, Cambridgeshire
- Helsby, Cheshire
- East Dean, East Sussex
- Boxley, Kent
- Mile Oak, East Sussex
- Carlisle, Cumbria
- Great Haywood, Staffordshire
- Delamere, Cheshire
- Stadhampton, Oxfordshire
- Strood, Kent
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