Lots Of Past Memories

A Memory of Eccles.

I grew up in Eccles, descended from two of the original families to first come into the village when Eccles Row was built. Everyone knew everyone in Eccles in the 1950s and 60s. The local school, St Marks, had two rooms - one for the first years and the second larger for the 2nd year and also for assembly, PE (if raining) and dinner time. My parents, Benny Collins (who only passed away in Jan 2012) and Mary Jenner were born next door to each other in Eccles Row, the first two little 'brickies' huts that were next to the infants school, they had one bedroom, on main room, a kitchen area, wash outhouse where the copper and mangle were kept and an outside toilet. In both there were two adults and three children. Saturday nights they used to go the the Working Mens' Club, or Stoot as my gran Jenner called it, where there were dances and in the 1970s they even had discos there. During the summer, Andrews fair used to come to the rec and there was the Eccles Arts and Craft Show in June with carnival and the Cottage Gardeners Show in August. I remember seeing all the vegetables on show and my uncle Jesse (Springett) won quite a few, he even won the Kent Potato Shield on more than one occasion for the best grown potatoes. Eccles has changed so much over the years but I still have memories of how it was.

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