St Martins, The Canal c.1958

Photo ref: S677005

When I was two, I used to live at 21 Greenfilds, I think it was known as the the Bull ring. I can remember the kitchen having red pot tiles upon the floor which my gran used to regularly apply red cardinal. I can remember walking through a woods that was full of bluebells but cant recall the name of it. My dad worked down the pit and used to come home black with coal dust. One week we had no money ...see more

This the exact spot where I learned to swim, it was muddy, cold, and wonderful, it was also where I learned to use a canoe with the school, we actually had to turn it over...Yuk... My Mum would send us to Ushers shop on the canal a little way back, for bread..I can smell it now. Climbing up the steep hill home I would peal off bits of crust to eat, sit on the big stone that was halfway up ...see more