Church Street, Eccles

A Memory of Eccles.

Just at the top of the photo, and out of camera, was a pub called the Railway Tavern. Locally it was known as the 'Top House'. Around the back lurked a bookies runner, and I was sent by my grandad on many occasions, to 'put a bet on' for him. I was always told to watch out for policemen, before going down the ally. The runner was a spiv of a man, who would disappear once I had handed over the bet money, wrapped in paper. Any winnings would be collected from the bar later, by my grandad, and probably ended up in the pub till!