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Nostalgic memories of Oldham's local history

Share your own memories of Oldham and read what others have said

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.

Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.

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Displaying Memories 1 - 10 of 37 in total

Hollinwood Sec Modern School, incline Road was a fabulous school in many ways: I started there circa 1955 from Freehold Juniors. The headmaster was Archer Tate a well known baritone singer in the N.W. He was a friendly, very pleasant man. The school had great success on the sports field … I played netball and Bill Dearden (later a pro footballer) was football captain. I was head girl in my last year there. ...see more
I was born in 1950 at my grandparents house on Quebec Street, in the Werneth/Westwood area. I lived in Limeside at 86, Pine Tree Road and attended Limehurst junior school and then went on to Hollins Secondary school. Saturday always saw me going off to the Roxy cinema in Hollinwood, for the afternoon matinee with my friends. At one time we had the Mayor (and his wife) of Oldham living next door to us at number 88, Mr ...see more
I was wondering if anyone recalls my grandparents shop; Roxy Wallpaper. It was owned by my paternal great grandparents; Elsie & James John, and after his death in 1972, not long after i was born, it was run by Elsie and her daughter in law Lillian John. Sadly it was compulsory purchased by Manchester City Council to make way for the new M60 motorway in the late 70's / early 80's, (that didn't materialise ...see more
I lived in Bourne Street (Born 1943) near the Help The Poor Struggler pub made famous when the landlord was the national hangman, Albert Pierpoint. I went to the Roxy cinema, Queens Cinema, Roxy Milk Bar. I attended Freehold Juniors in Werneth then Hollinwood Sec mod Incline Road, Hollinwood (left in 1959). Our Head Master was Archer Tate a famous northern baratone.He would sing Flanders & Swan “Gloriois Mud” ...see more
I was born in 1947 in boundary park hospital, as it was then. My mum and dad lived in Holt Lane in Failsworth. I can remember the Argyll Mill as a working cotton mill which was just down the lane. My mum was a housewife and my dad worked for George Dews in Oldham who were a construction company. I can remember him working on the building of Barton Bridge. My mother ran in shop from around 1952 for a couple of ...see more
Yes two big girls showed me how to get to school and then able to accompany my sister Veronica walking past demolished rows of houses. We lived at 603 I thought, I recall the singing games in the school yard such The big ship sailed on the Ally Ally O, and games like British Bulldogs which Hendrick Sincovic always won. I recall walking home past the mill at bottom of Chamber Road and loved the pink Rosebay Willow ...see more
My aunt has a letter written by Ada Balshaw to her parents from "British School" Patricroft in 1882 - when she would have been about 10 yrs old. Does anyone know more about this school, does it still exist? And I would be grateful to hear if anyone knows more about Ada
I WAS BROUGHT UP ON DICKINSON STREET IN 1958 I WENT TO WATERSHEDING SCHOOL AND THAN TO BEVER SCHOOL I WOULD TO SEE ANY WHO WENT. TO THESE SCHOOL ALSO I WORK AT THE MAPLE MILL WHEN I WAS 17 I LOVE WORKING THERE I MISS ALL OF THIS AS NOW I AM IN MY 60 AND SADLY THESE TIMES WON'T BE THE SAME
Hi Eileen I do remember all your family and you didn't look poor to me always looked well dressed I am Sheila smiths sister so am a lot older than you I'm kathleen I'm more your Elsie's age we had a very flat ave. good for games like rounders x
I was born at no 3 Sussex Street off West Street, Oldham. Our house had one room downstairs one upstairs. No back door you had to go up the street and down an alleyway to use the tippler toilet. The downstairs had a large black fireplace with a oven that was heated by the fire, my mother used to make bread in it. It had a brass fender round it that was always kept shiny. We had a 2 ring gas hob and the lights were ...see more