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Widnes
Widnes maps
Historic maps of Widnes and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Widnes maps
Widnes area books
Displaying 1 of 13 books about Widnes and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Widnes
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Widnes.
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WHERE'S OUR SUSAN!
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I saw this photo and the year it was taken. I was born in 1960 and my mam already had my two older brothers to look after, one was 3 and the other 1. She took us all to the shops one day, this would have only been a short walk from South Street, which was at the back of the shops, my two brothers had her mithered all round the shops, she says, so she just got a few things from the shop next door to the Co-op, called Maypole and headed back home. A few hours later my dad came home from work, looked around and asked "Where's our Susan?" - me mam says she went sick! She'd only gone and left me outside the shop!! They ran back round to the shop - yes, I was still there in my posh Silvercross pram, 3 hours later! I love reminding her of that! So that's why I'm ordering this... Read more
Simms Cross
I was born at 9 Frederick Street, in 1941, and my earliest memory is of flags, streamers and buntings strung across the street every time a soldier came home 'from the war'. I don't know why, but the Union Jack flag absolutely terrified me, and still does....I will walk blocks to avoid one flying...but I always go to the cenotaph in Victoria Park on Remembrance Sunday...still terrified of the flags, and yet I am sure, not as terrified as those we remember were. Does anyone remember my grandad? He was Bob Houghton, known as Long Bob because he was well over six feet tall. He was a Bookies Runner, and took bets for the Bookmaker (illegally then, of course) in Gerard Street, and he used to give me a threepenny Joey, to take the bag of bets and money to the bookmaker's sweet shop, and another to pick up the 'winnings'. It was 'our secret', I think my grandmother would have killed him had she known. My grandmother was Fanny Houghton,... Read more
The Baths
I used to get dragged here for swimming lessons once a week when I was at Wade Deacon. Mr Learmouth (I think) the P.E. master always used to call me "Price" for some unknown reason, anyway I never learned to swim!
Hough Green
This is just as I remember it when I used to go to Hough Green station (the entrance is on the extreme left of the photo) train-spotting. All steam in those days of course. The scene is very little changed today except for the cars and the lack of a petrol station. Ditchfield Road, on the extreme right of the picture, was a quiet leafy lane then, leading down towards St Michaels and the new housing estates of Coronation Drive and Philip Road. Indeed all the street names had a Coronation theme, it being newly built in 1953.
The Flats
This is the new flats in Thirlmere Way, the top end near Royal Avenue, and you can see the Labour Club too on the left of the flats. The GUS ( Great Universal Stores) offices was built on the field as well but I don't remember the date. I can remember more of the GUS being built because the dumper trucks moving earth from the building site used to go up and down Philip Road where I lived. I think they where using the material to fill in the pond at Meads Farm which was directly at the bottom of our road.The Turners Asbestos factory was built on the farm land.
Widnes Road c1960
This takes me back. I had a Friday night/Saturday job there when I was 14 in the Tesco store. Great fun, and all that money - £1 5s!! My dad was greengrocery buyer for Tesco in those days and we went all over the north to visit the different stores. I remember that our shopping trolley would be overflowing with items, and still come to under £5 for a familyof 5!! Used to love the hot buttered toast from the Rendezvous cafe next door to Tesco, really thick and dripping with proper butter. Mmmm!
Widnes Baths
How brilliant to find this website. I am a Widnesian born and bred and loved this photo of the baths. I lived across the road in Princes Street and used to go every night after school, I went to Kingsway School.
RE. Where's Our Susan?
I was looking at the old Co-op photo of Widnes. I was amazed when I read about Susan. I too lived in South Street. I lived at number 4. It's been many years but I'm almost certain I know you all! Lol! By the way my name is Charlie I was 6 in 1960.
