Leave Things Alone

A Memory of Blackley.

I lived on Frenchbarn Lane just across from St Peters church from 1960 to 1972, I was 5yrs old when I moved there. Coming from Salford docks area it was like moving into one of Enid Blytons books. A real farm just up the road had me and my brothers amazed. I became great friends with Paul Hodgkinson who was the grandson of the owner (Gaffer). I found my first True Love in Blackley, a beautiful girl called Angela Spencer and was never short of things to do or get into trouble Ha Ha.
I visited Blackley not to long ago and it broke my heart. Old Market Street was a continuous line of shops which sold everything. Christmas time was wonderful, every shop window was lit up with decorations or a Nativity scene. Everybody knew everybody and I truthfully can't remember any trouble from the younger generation ie. my age group. We used to sit on one of the benches in the churchyard listening to a small radio on a Sunday evening, playing the top 20.
I now looked at a line of brick boxes they call homes. Every shop had disappeared, bulldozed down so the council could make a few bob. I wondered where all these new residents did their shopping, all that was left was one shop that could charge what they liked. No competition.
I went to Pike Fold school and then Plant Hill school. Pike Fold has now been demolished and a glass monstrosity has been erected on the side of Old Market Street, well done planners!!.
Thank God for memories.

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