The Canel/River/Pictures

A Memory of Stretford.

We lived on Chatsworth Road and used to walk to the Bridgewater, or on to the Mersey by the Bridge pub for a swim and to fish! Not that we ever caught anything in the Mersey. We used to also go to the Ship canel by the swing bridge at Eccles or for a dare we would go to the locks near the Red Lion (end of the 23 route) and then face the walk beyond to the Penny Ferry. At the locks, we would walk along towards the point where the Mersey joined the Canal, we would then throw stones at the ships going up stream to the docks, and if we were lucky, the sailors would throw oranges, lemons (or such fruit) at us. We would use the Penny Ferry and go to the Co-op margarine works to see if we could get some for our mums; we sometimes got butter. The Picturdrome (flea pit) or the Longford were our nights out and we would get someone to take one of us in, then just as the film started the one that got in would open one of the emergency exits so we could all get in. Mr MacAllister worked in the restaurant at the Longford and would always give us an ice lolly, knowing we had got in free.
Anyone remember Raws (chemists) or the Post Office on King Street?

---

---