The Salford Girl

A Memory of Salford.

I was born in 1947 and lived at 52 West St, Lower Broughton, Salford 7. I attended St. John's School for girls, just off Chapel St. My parents were Annie and David Johnson. I had an older sister, Jean, and a younger brother, David. My Gran Johnson and her daughter, my Aunty Nell, lived at 39 Princess St. My Uncle Bill and Aunty Rose lived on Havelock St, and my Gran Russell and Uncle Frank lived at 4 Errington St. Aunty Agnes and Uncle Charlie lived just off Silk St, with my cousins Norma, Beryl, and Brenda. I remember growing up in a terraced house, dealing with mice in the coal hole, bugs in the bedrooms, awful food due to rationing, flooded streets from the River Irwell, and the lack of money and coal after the war. Steps had to be cleaned weekly, and washing was done on Saturday mornings using an old gas boiler and a mangle, with huge rollers.
I also remember the hearty joviality of relatives and neighbours—people were cheerful, perhaps because the war was over. Cleanliness in one's home was of great importance. Both of my parents worked full-time in factories, so when I came home from school, I looked after my little brother, washed the dishes, and made the fire. I had to use newspaper and a shovel to "blow it up," but the newspaper often caught fire.
I remember the strictness of our headteacher, Mother Bernadette. I was caned once for talking in class. Our lovely teacher in the final year of school, Miss Henderson, was very strict but fair. We had only a schoolyard to play in during breaks. Each morning, we had an hour of religious instruction. My friends were Elaine Burton and Barbara Simpson.
For cookery lessons, we had to go to Mount Carmel Mixed School. The awful boys would line the walls of the stone steps leading to the classroom, grabbing at our breasts as we passed. At lunchtime, we had to walk to a building at Bexley Square for our meals and wait outside in the cold until it was our turn to go in. The dinners were nice, though.
As a child, I played in the streets. I remember Bonfire Night and the enormous bonfire on the cobbled road outside our house. I could go on, but must stop for lack of space.

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