Wartime Fleetwood

A Memory of Fleetwood.

My father was a police officer and we lived in Victoria Street, next door to the market. Our house, No 19, is now a cafe and sometimes I have a coffee there when I visit.
Fleetwood was buzzing during the war.  Seamen, sailors, soldiers and Americans. Lots of money was about and lots of drinking went on.  Plenty of work for policemen. I went to Chaucer Road School. My teacher was Dorothy Bennett. I was her star singer at concerts in the Marine Hall.  I went to chapel and Sunday School at Wesley, which has now been demolished. Then it was packed with young people. We came to Fleetwood from Kirkham. I went back there to Grammar School. In 1945 we moved to Poulton le Fylde and lived in the Police Station in the town square. I played rugby for Thornton Cleveleys and cricket for Fylde. I worked at Norbreck before joining the Tank Regiment in 1948 and ever since 1950 I was a teacher in Burnley. Moving to Fleetwood when I was 9 it seemed as if I was entering an endless life of holidays, the ships and the pier, and fishing with  a line from the shore; the freezing Lido , Biltons Marionettes, the crazy golf and the pitch and putt and even the slot machines seemed to be a magical world. The ferry to Knott End was as good as a modern cruise holiday and only cost a few pennies. When the waves were high it was a real thrill on the Wyresdale with the weather-beaten skipper at the helm and the black smoke flying. Ah, memories!  Long gone! Such times may never return.  
Alan Binns.