Lynn Street

A Memory of Gorton.

I've just read John Holmes' account of the early days in West Gorton. I went to St Marks from 1955 to 1960. I remember Mr Platt in the same way as most. I remember being smacked across the head for passing my 11 plus. I must admit it was a surprise to me as well. There are two names I remember of people who were in my class, a girl called Susan Yarwood, I think she lived on Margaret Street and Peter Frost who lived on Thomas Street. I remember Hornby's chippy, Jones paper shop, Vernons Shop and a little photographers on Hyde Road. I remember the Latham's but I don't think they were in my class. I lived at number 7 Lynn Street until we moved to Hattersley in 1963. What a sad day that was.
There was a back street bookies behind one of the houses on Henry Street when I was a kid. My dad used to be a bookies runner to earn extra money, as he worked in the cotton mill and they worked one week and laid off the next. Whit week was the time I looked forward to because we all got new clothes. Jacket, short pants (grey), white shirt and shoes (pumps bought from the little shoe shop on Hyde Road). The summers seemed a lot better back then. Nice and hot. As a kid, I burst pitch bubbles with a stick. Got covered in the stuff and my mum got it off with butter. We had a lot of respect for people then. One day I was taken home by the local bobbie for being on the back of a lorry. I'd already had a crack off him, got one off my mum - then got another one off my dad. Those were the days.
We had gas lamps in our street. My uncle was the gas man who came round each night to wind up the clocks, replace the mantles and light the lamps if they had gone out. Those lamps were useful for swinging round on a rope tied to the arm. Bonfire nights were good. Each street had their own fire. Each one tried to outdo the other. Wood that we collected was always being nicked by other collectors. I blame the Ashmore Street mob. I've forgiven you now. Does anyone remember Leonardo's bakery in Birch Street. He served you through the window. The pies were great. If you wanted a pudding, you had to take your own dish and gravy was put into the pies by using a pot funnel that he put into the hole in the middle. I remember the street party for the Coronation in Lynn Street. I was about 3 at the time and it was a beautiful summers day. I got new clothes for that too. All in all we had nowt but we had more than most kids have today. We had neighbours who'd knock on your door to see if you were ok. We had a respect for each other. We had the Bobbie on the beat that everyone knew.