Queen's Rd..

A Memory of Collyhurst.

Hi, I was born in 1953 in Beech Mount Hosptal. I had two sisters, Carolyn and Deborah and three brothers, Billy, Gary and Wayne. We lived on Queen's Rd and went to St Malachy's. I had my last year at St Edmund's, then onto Blessed Margaret Clithero's. I lived opposite The Alex's pub, I knew Ged and Julie Ironmonge. Also on Queen's Rd lived Michael and Ged Walsh, also the Robin Hood pub with Phillip Hynman, not sure of the spelling for that. My mum went to Osborn Bath's with the pram piled high for washing, we went too. Also remember the herbalist on Rochdale Rd, were you could sit and have Dandelion and Burdock with icecream, and loved going to Queen's Park too. I had friends who lived in the flats, called Carol Beaumont and Marie Tarpey and Ann Mcllenon. My brother Billy was in St Malachy's pipe band, he also worked in the Rubber Work's. Loved the Whit Walks, dressed up and got money from people you met, a lovely time. People didn't have a lot back then but everyone helped each other. Our key was on a piece of string on the back of the door, you didn't bother because you had nothing to steal - salt of the earth. I remember the sweet shop on Rochdale Rd, her name was Mrs Hill, my sister worked there for a while. Loved going to the hardware shop to get coal bricks, loved the smell. I remember the man who stood on the corner of Queen's Rd who had a big boot - think it was a club foot back then. Loved bonfire night - had it on the croft behind our house, everyone joined in, not just the children, and standing outside the pubs asking penny for the guy...The Good Old Day's...Thank You...