Rochdale, Town Centre c.1955

Photo ref: R42006

I was born in Catley Lanehead in 1955 and lived in the back of the shop at the top of Smallshaw Road with my mum and dad. My nan Agnes lived across the road from the Chapel further down and not long after we moved a few doors down from her next to The Black Dog pub. I remember open doors in the street and freely going in to play. One day when my mum was having a chat and a brew with the lady in Brown Hill farm I went up ...see more

i was born in ings ave spotland in 46,all my side of the family were italian immigrants the came over late 1800s and lived on what was locally known as the mount ie rope st.my dad and grandad worked as a street organ player and ice cream vendor in the summer months and in winter sold hot spuds n chestnuts on lord st in the winter.unfortunatly all my family apart from dad had passed away through tb etc before i was born i would ...see more

Hi there born 16/02/1951 lived at 7 Barton street back to back no longer (there). Had gas lighting and electric lighting and a gas lamp outside my bedroom. Townhead cotton mill was at the bottom of our street and knocker upper use tap the windows to wake the mill workers for 6 Am shift. Did not have a TV until 1960 a Rediffusion 19" wired. Went to Saint Pats infant sch. Than moved to a Council estate at Newbold nicked ...see more

When I started at Cronkeyshaw School I went straight into the second class as I had missed out on the baby class. In those days some children attended from the age of 3 years and the little ones went to sleep on mats in the afternoon for a short period. The classrooms were far removed from the ones in the present day. In my first class we had an open coal fire with a fireguard. I can ...see more