HAPPY DAYS 1950s And 60s.

I was born and brought up in Weaverham until I left to move to Altrincham with my new wife (and job). Over that 20 year period I have so many happy memories; too many to record in 1000 words. Lived in Lime Avenue all that time with brother, John, and sister, Liz until I married Sandra Doran (from Farm Road) in 1968.

Best friends during my childhood were my brother John, then David Rattray, Paul Beech, Michael Vaughan, John Egerton, Michael Crisp, Brian Atkinson and many others who I knew from the village and the schools I went to. Cycling, running, football and generally hanging out around the village, the woods or if cold weather anyones house whose parents were daft enough to let us stay inside (latterly to play music via Radio Caroline on a dansette radio).

I had a paper round at John Bills newsagents for several years and would often be seen leaping hedges and gates as I delivered the MEN and LE in my record time of 7.5 minutes around Lime Ave and Russett Rd area: many is the time a gang of us would do laps around the island in front of Lime Avenue shops (traffic was much quieter then!); all this proved good grounding for my later cross-country days (winning Cheshire Schools senior Championships at Lyme Park in 1964). Also in fact, you could always tell when Wimbledon had been on by the chalked out tennis court we drew on Lime Avenue outside our house....and the Test Matches, well they would help us to oil our bats ready for our own "test matches" on the green opposite the shops.

We would think nothing of cycling to Overton Hills past Hatchmere lake and similar. On one occasion John and I cycled to Rhyl for our caravan holiday, then on trips out as far as Bangor. During one ride out with Sandra we both crashed going down Soot Hill, near ICI (our first trip to hospital together!)

As younger kids we thought nothing of going down to Beech Wood or Owley wood for some adventure (e.g. racing our "boats" downstream or searching for bullet cases in the old practice ranges near the river). We would often be seen sledging down the limebeds sides, trying to avoid the sheep as we went.

We could go scrumping for apples and pears out towards Acton Bridge, though the farmer's wife at Moretons farm would always see us right with a few apples as we went home from Forest Street school.

Look.....theres loads more stuff I can remember; I'll call this part one...watch out soon for part two ;-)