Holidays In Gorton

A Memory of Gorton.

I am Kenneth Overend Edwards from LLandudno, north Wales, and my story about Gorton is surprising because from an early age I was sent by my mother Ellen Edwards (nee Overend) to stay with my grandad, Eric Theodore Overend, who lived on Sutton Road in Gorton. From the mountains, sea, and fresh air of Wales to the smokey city of Manchester! I loved it! I continued to do so for many years; for a start there were hundreds of other kids to play withand many more playgrounds to enjoy. As an older boy in teenage years there were bright lights and lovely girls to enjoy! They all liked my Welsh lilt and they all wanted me to say something in Welsh which made them laugh when I did so.
I remember Mellons flats and the nearby playing fields with many football matches going on each Sunday. My grandad had a second family after his first wife died so the  sons and daughters of that marriage were almost the same age as me, Allan and Maureen and Pat, an uncle and two aunties not three years older than me! They introduced me to Belle Vue and I was soon up dancing rock and roll, something which kept me fit for years and years. Grandad worked on Mount Street in the Corporation's rubbish collecting centre (a bin man). I have fond memories of him bringing lots of good stuff home and then on to Wales when he visited us. Brass in particular made their way to our mantlepiece in Wales via the tip in Mount Street! His great ambition was to retire and live with us in the countryside where we were then (the Wrexham area) but he never made it past 62 - just 3 years short. How proud he must be looking down on where I now live, it was his dream. A lovely man but hard, and he only had to reach for his belt to get us all into line or worse, take his teeth out and chase us with the teeth snapping in his hand! On my holidays there I would, in younger days, be taken on the trams through Piccadilly and around town. I remember the strong stale smell of Grandad's breath as he had stopped by for a quick beer and left me outside the pub while he did so! The Mount was his local, obviously on Mount Street. The family were Roman Catholics and sometimes actually attended church but not much. I went to church more than they did but I really went to enjoy the singing  at our local C of E at home. As I grew up and reached 16 I used to ride my push bike to Grandad's, I would roll my suit up and tie it to the saddle and ride 70 miles each way just to enjoy a weekend there - Belle View called me! That was something else which kept me fit! I courted a girl from Levenshulme for a while and she came to stay with my parents for a few weekends - Mary was her name - my real first girlfriend - I worked in a solicitor's office in Wrexham (later became an academic lawyer writing and lecturing the subject), oh how proud Grandad would have been! Anyway back to Mary; well sorry, but I never saw her again, I wonder what happened to her? Then there were the baths, my mother always talked about the free ticket she had to swim at the baths because she had passed her examinations in life saving. Levenshulme baths was nearest to Gorton, I think we walked there. Given that the sea was not far from where I lived I'm surprised I went there, but I loved being with so many other kids. Then there were the wash houses; I remember seeing women pushing their washing in prams to the wash house and all standing in long rows washing the family clothes and wringing them through mangles, and none stop talking to each other - I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
The cinema on Mount Street (Odeon?) was also an attraction. Also the speedway (why does no one stand on the corner there I asked - soon found out!) and later the dog racing. Oh so much fun and excitement. Fifty years on and I still go to Manchester, only these days I say in the good hotels in town and shop in the wonderful shopping centres with my wife who also loves the city. Thank you Gorton and Manchester and the Overend family for wonderful times and for all the memories.