Childhood Memories Of Metal Bridge

A Memory of Metal Bridge.

Shirley Platts & Val Carradus nee Molloy, sisters.

It was 1956 when Shirley was 7 and I was 3 and a half when we moved to Ferryhill from Metal Bridge but we regularly visited our Aunt, Uncle and Granda who lived in Metal Bridge until the 1960’s. Our Mam was Irene Manns and Dad was an Irishman Patrick Molloy. Mams older sister was Jenny who married a miner Jimmy Finneren. Shirley and I never knew our maternal Grandmother as she died before we were born, however we knew and loved our Granda George Manns who was known as Danny Manns. Granda lived with Aunt Jen and Uncle Jim in a house on High blocks which I seem to remember was stone built, had only one entrance and a yard with a stone wall around it . Maureen described the none existent roads perfectly as muddy tracks leading to the different numbered blocks and in the winter when puddles had frozen over we loved jumping on them to break the ice. We were forever being told off for doing this because inevitably there was dirty muddy water underneath which splashed up on our long socks. Over the muddy track to the right of Aunt Jens and Uncle Jim’s house was a very long garden where leeks and other vegetables were grown and I clearly remember the ash path leading to the top of the garden which overlooked the derelict recreation ground where an old and rusty see saw and teapot lid stood neglected and unused for many years. At the top of the garden were glass jars in which Granda had caught bees. Shirley and me were always told not to go near these and one day after we removed the top from one and Shirley got stung we realised why we had been given the warning.

Granda would often take Shirley and me for walks which we loved and walking along the Tursdale road to the two ponds which Wilf writes about I became fascinated with the memorial of the Lone soldier with his gun at his side. On another walk back from Cornforth where Granda had been to the barbers (Shirley and me could never understand why we had to wait outside ) and despite Granda vehemently telling her not to, Shirley decided to leave the path and venture in the field where she got her feet stuck in the deep mud. We heard her shouting I’m stuck and sinking, but Granda told me to ignore her shouts as she had been told not to do it. Eventually she came back on to the path her shoes socks and her legs covered in mud. Needless to say Aunt Jen had to wash Shirley’s shoes and socks and dry them by the fire. I think Shirley got a telling off and Granda too for not stopping her from going into the field, which to me was a little unfair to Granda.

What about Sally’s shop in the back of her house with a sneck to open the wooden door, and the smell of fresh baked bread after the baker had delivered his goods. Also I can recall a slight paraffin smell and often wonder if there had been a paraffin lamp. During the summer I clearly recall the brown sticky fly paper which hung from the ceiling being covered in huge black flies. Shirley and me loved going into the shop to buy a couple of penny’s worth of sweets. When the property was demolished and Sally and her daughter Doreen moved to Thinford street and carried on with the business from there it was never the same. The smell had gone, the charm and character was lost and I recall feeling a little sad.

Shirley and me also remember Granda Homes and I could never understand why everyone called him this because how could he be everyone’s Granda. I remember going to the old Tin chapel to see Shirley say her piece at the Sunday School Anniversary and Mam and Aunt Jen remarking on her bruised legs. The old church was not used when we were children and we would play hide and seek around its perimeter.

Loads of memories have resurfaced today and I’m now feeling very nostalgic which is a good place to complete our childhood memories. Shirley would like to list the names of all the people she remembers, so here goes. Maureen & Barry Mitchinson, Isabelle & Frankie George, Beryl & Margaret Arkwright, Margaret Wall, Marjorie Dixon, & Wilf Moore.

Thanks for reading our memories and we hope that we’ve evoked lots of memories for Ex Metalbridgers. Shirley & Val

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