Manvers. Old Big Yard Housing

A Memory of Wath Upon Dearne.

My family and I lived in the old houses along the canal, there was a large archway leading into what we called the big yard, I was very small and can still remember the smell of the coal trains as we stood on the bridge and breathed in the dirty smoke from their chimneys. Bonfire night was a treat and we used to carve faces out of big turnips and put a candle inside.
Our house was dark and musty with only gas for lighting" if" you had a shilling to put in the meter. Many times old milk tins were cut into coins for the meter when money was short. No hot water on tap and bath's were in an old tin tub infront of the fire with a wooden clothes horse and sheets for privacy. I don't know how we survived the filth that we lived in with mould growing on the walls, we must of been tough to get through it.
The canal across the road had a huge spike over it to stop anyone from going across but we used to sit astride it and scuffle over then squeeze through the spikes to get to the field across the other side, many times to be chased by the farmer for building hide out's with the bales of straw.
Does anyone else remember the old Manvers houses on the road along the old canal.