Tommy Sowter's loaf - A Wartime tale of Newton

This was a post from 2013, I'm using it again today as it came up in conversation today when I was asked if I'd ever found out anymore about it. I hadn't which is a shame but by showing it again today it might jog a memory of two.. hope so!

We just had to post this great local story from Newton in the war years, sent in by Jacqueline and Colin Ridgway !!

"Reading Roger V Chapman’s interesting memories of his boyhood in Hyde during WW2 reminded us of an aftermath of a Bombing Raid in Newton. The large ICI works in Talbot Road which produced leather-cloth known as “Rexine” in peacetime, was switched to Munitions during WW2. As a result it became a target for the Luftwaffe, and Bombers regularly flew over Hyde on raids. They would locate the Reservoir near the Werneth Pub in Gee Cross then aim for the Reservoir at Godley which put them on the Flight Path to the ICI Works.

The factory walls were heavily camouflaged as was the roof and must have been difficult for the German aircrews to spot from the air, although several “drops” of incendiary bombs had fallen on the works and hit houses opposite the Clarence Hotel on Talbot Road.

On one such raid a German bomber was hit by a Hurricane plane, possibly from RAF Calveley, and flew in over Newton very low and on fire. It came down in the fields behind St. Mary’s Church and the crew luckily escaped. My Husband Colin Ridgway and his friends (all very young), were playing football nearby and saw the Germans run into the wood near Saville’s Farm.

The boys ran home to get their toy guns in order to capture the airmen and on the way to the wood they were met by a friend Tommy Sowter who had been queuing at the bread shop for his Mother’s ration and had a loaf of bread in a bag, he joined them and they went into the wood only to be confronted by the Germans! Toy guns not being a Sitha, bravery soon evaporated and the boys fled, but not before a German had pinched Tommy’s loaf off him.

Er' Sithe, wurs ma bleedin loaf

In the flight the boys ran into Constable Jackson and the Newton “Dads Army” who were on their way to search for the downed Airmen. The boys told them where the Germans were and ran back home and safety. The airmen were soon apprehended and marched off down Talbot Road. A large crowd of Mothers had assembled near the Post office and as the column passed by much hissing and catcalling took place; by the women against the Germans as their husbands were away fighting in the war. However, one mother was more concerned in giving her errant son Tommy a “good hiding” for letting the Germans steal their loaf. Nothing for Tea tonight!!

Many Thanks for sending this in to us, Jacqueline and Colin !

It's always great hearing such stories. :)

Memories from Hallbottom Street

 By David Hamilton

I've attached some photos of my early years in Hallbottom Street.

We lived at number 37, long before the houses were built on the other side of the road. In fact our front window overlooked Dad's allotment where he kept poultry, and there was a small part of the reservoir fenced off for his ducks.
Also from our house we could see Newton Mill, and I always knew when it was getting near Christmas when the tree went up on the office roof with lights on it.
 
There were several other youngsters in the street, all around the same age, always someone to play out with !
We used to play on the allotment, and also on the tip, (can you imagine that now !) At the bottom of the street, I think that it hassince been grassed over and turned into a recreational area.

I went to St. Mary's Sunday School on Garden Street, and just behind that, number 45 Clarence Street was Marshall's shop. I was always going there on an errand for somebody or other.

Happy days !





At  front door with Grandma

 
Back Yard 

 
 Back Garden - Whitsun !

 
Backyard Sherriff and Deputy

 
Feeding dad's poultry 

 
Picnic at no.33 

 
There wasn't much traffic then. 



37, Hallbottom St


45 Clarence St - formerly Marshall's shop

Great photos and happy memories, David !
Many thanks :)

MEMORIES OF GROWING UP IN HYDE Part 7

 1939 – 1962

By Roger Chadwick

In September 1944, aged 5, with my mother, on the first day only , I walked down Mottram Road, up Grange Road, along Tinkers Ginnel and through the playground of LEIGH STREET SCHOOL to Miss Beaumont’s class in The Infants Building.    Clutching a small bag of cocoa and sugar, my first experience of education was making fudge sweeties!    The noise of other children was a bit frightening at first but the room, festooned with pictures and charts, was a fascinating experience.  Miss Beaumont was a tall lady with violent red lipstick and wore Lisle stockings with small tufts of red wool dotted about all over.  I could not take my eyes off this “fashion statement” and when I got home, my mother told me they were “clocks” – an ornamental design either woven in or embroidered on the side of a stocking.   Miss French was another tall teacher and noted for smacking unruly infants so I kept out of her way!   Miss Moore, a smiling, motherly and wonderful person, was the Head Teacher, who I came to know better in later years at church.  

 

 Leigh Street School.


The war was on, everything in short supply. Even in the Junior Department we were told to write on the inside covers of exercise books and across the margins.  Any sheet of paper with a clean side had to be used.  Sugar bag paper was used for art work.  Those waxy cardboard milk bottle tops had to be brought to school for further use: raffia was worked around any available container to make “spell” boxes, those things we used at home with “spells” of wood to light the fire!  Nothing was wasted.   Old blotting paper lined precious jam jars for the beans and peas to grow on the window sills.  Tops of carrots were brought on saucers to grow foliage.  Woe betide any child who wasted anything!  The one third pint of milk had to be drunk even if it was frozen.  No child could leave anything on the plate of a school dinner.  “Get that down yer and stop messing about; the convoys brought that across the Atlantic”, warned my grandmother! 

I still do not leave a plate with any food on it!

My first teacher in the Juniors was Miss Taverner but she could not keep order and the classes were rowdy.   Believed to be quite bright I was “expressed” through Miss Halton/Haughton’s class and into Miss Emsley’s third year.  Miss Emsley became Mrs Andrew and was just lovely!  I well remember her as a younger teacher with a quick stride and a handbag.  Likewise Miss Lees,  who was always smiling but reputed to be a strict disciplinarian.  Mr Drewett, a quiet and lovely man and Mrs Gaunt were responsible for Year 4 pupils (present day year 6’s).  Then there was Mrs Shaw who cared for the youngest class of entrants, seeming to be always asleep on canvas beds in the afternoons!

I found myself under the tutelage of Mrs Gaunt for two years and she was certainly the moulding of my education.  Being “expressed” meant two years in what was then called “the scholarship” class.   In those days it was the one great aim to get as many children as possible into grammar schools via the 11+ and at our school to make sure that we always beat St George’s CE School, our nearest rival educational establishment.  From 9.00.a.m. to 4.00.p.m we were kept at the grindstone.  “First Aid” English text books were studied and relevant parts memorised.  “A verb is a doing word”, we had to chant - “An adverb modifies the verb”  “An adjective is a descriptive word” – chanted in class, these phrases were never forgotten.   Grammar training and correct sentence formation both on paper and in speech was repeated over and over again and again until we knew how to write, how to speak and how to communicate. 

Then of course, there were the tables – up to “twelve times” of course and for those who were expected to manage it – up to 13 and 14 times tables.  Highest / Lowest Common Denominators, Fractions, Percentages, Interest and Compound Interest, Mental Arithmetic both written and verbal had to be mastered. Imperial Measures, Rods, Bushels, Pecks, Acres, Pints, Jills, Quarts, Pounds, Stones, Quarters,  Hundredweights, Tons, 1760 yards to the mile 5280 feet to the mile, 4840 sq yds to the acres…… Yards, Feet, Inches, Eight Furlongs to the mile…  All these details were printed out on the backs of some exercise books and they had to be learnt. Most days we had cash sum to multiply like - £14.19s 4pence three farthings multiplied by 29.  Thence, in neat columns sums transferring farthings (960 to the £), halfpennies (480 to the £) pennies (240 to the £) sixpences “tanners” (40 to the £), threepenny bits(80 to the £), shillings “bobs”(20 to the £) half crowns(8 to the £) florins/2 shillings(10 to the £).   These sums had to be got right, especially when the Headmaster, Mr Walter Hugh Renwick entered the class at 3.40.p.m to set the homework for the “scholarship” children.  Children did not get much praise.  “You can do better….not good enough…poor work…untidy… write out the correct spelling 10 times.”. Et cetera!

Does this bring back memories to those born just before, during and just after the war?

I cannot say whether this kind of education was right or wrong.  Suffice it to say that even though I am no mathematician, mental arithmetic has stood me in good stead throughout life as has the grounding in grammar.  Class 8 at Leigh Street School in 1949-50 had 53 pupils presided over by a teacher who knew what she had to do, brooked no nonsense or interference, gave favours to none and criticism to all and made sure that everyone in that class could read and write before they went into secondary or technical education.  She wasn’t there to be liked or loved: she had a job to do and did it magnificently!

It did me no harm at all and I owe everything to that school and its staff. 

 

 

Leigh Street 1949

 

Many thanks to Roger for sharing his memories and to the "Hyde Schoolday Memories" book that was sent to me by Joyce and Graham Sharp.

Oakfield Primary School 1963

The following photo and information was sent to us 
by David Hamilton.

"This photo was taken at Oakfield Primary School,  
Christmas 1963.
The children were performing fairy tales for the parents. The one that I was in was Sleeping Beauty, and the other was Hansel and Gretel, as you can tell by some of the costumes.
I am standing at the back, far right, and on the front row 3rd from the left is Graeme Green.
 
I wonder how many others can be named ?"

 
Very cute indeed !

Many thanks, David :)

Greenfield Secondary School 1953

 The following was sent to us by Colin Ridgway.



As the 60th Anniversary of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II  approaches I thought it most appropriate to look up a school photograph taken in the Spring of 1953 of Form 4R at Greenfield Street Secondary Modern School.
As I recall, all the Hyde schools had class photographs taken to commemorate the Coronation.
The country was still recovering from World War II and the Coronation was to be a big event, to be held as a great morale booster for all. So, perhaps the enclosed photo may serve as a reminder of this momentous event.
I have appended a list name of the pupils on the photo; however, after 60 years I cannot recall everyones name !
Hopefully many thereon are "still around" and can remember this happy time in our lives.




Back Row
Jack Fitton, ?, Clarence Hulme, Peter Ridgway (no relation!) Keith Brookes

Middle Row
John Shaw, ?,  Michael Lees, Me (Colin Ridgway) , John Saville, Melvin Jones, ?, Tony Hunt, Teacher ?

Front Row
John Bateman, George Swindells, Keith Rider, Ian Stone, Jimmy Foden, Joe Wilde, ?

Seated
Neville Hulme, George Robinson.

Many thanks for your time and trouble, Colin.
Much appreciated :)

A procession of May Queens

The following photos were sent to us via 

Graham and Joyce Sharpe.

Hyde Chapel May Queen circa 1935
Margaret Baddeley is 2nd from the left.


Miss Seddon's Dancing Class circa 1945
Joyce Baddeley Back row,third from right.


Hyde Chapel May Queen circa 1941-42
Hesba Craig
Joyce Baddeley First on left, centre row


Leigh Street School May Queen
Barbara Merrick circa 1942-43
Barbara was the daughter of Mr Merrick who had the bakers shop on Stockport Road in Gee Cross.
Margaret Baddeley, far left.

Many thanks Graham and Joyce. :)

Bennett Street Memories

We recently received these charming pictures from David Hamilton showing himself and his brother outside the house they lived in in Newton. What a pair of cheeky chappies !

Over to David.....

"We lived at 138 Bennett Street, I've enclosed some photos of myself and my younger brother taken there in the mid 60's.

It is on the corner of Bredbury Street, it was only 25 metres from our gate to the school gate at Flowery Field !

I found a photo of the same location, taken in 2012, on Daniel Demain's Flickr site".

 







In the same row as 75 Bennett Street, about half way along, I remember there used to be a sweet shop, and at the far end, next to the railway bridge, was a hardware shop called Braddocks, if I remember rightly.
I've just been looking on Google maps. and it's still there. It doesn't look to have changed in the last 40 plus years !
 

Braddocks today


It still has the pink paraffin stickers in the window !

Many thanks to David for sharing and also to Daniel Demain for his Flickr photo. :)

James "Jimmy Richie" Richardson

We recently received this message and photos from Bill Lancashire.

Over to Bill ..........

"A friend of mine from Romiley, Jean Murray, has asked me to let you have these two pictures of her dad, James Albert Richardson.

He is probably better known to lots of older Hydonians as 'Jimmy Richie', who was a star player for Hyde United in the late forties and fifties before he went on to captain Macclesfield.

Jimmy is the second from right on the back row of the St George's Class 1 in 1931 and is also the young lad with the bow and arrow on the left of the middle row on the pageant picture.  We have no idea where the pageant was, probably in the school yard judging by the stone wall in the background, or what it was commemorating.  Could it be St George's Day?  Maybe someone who was there could tell us and maybe identify some of Jimmy's classmates."

Many thanks to Jean Murray and Bill for sharing these great photos with us

James Richardson Macclesfield Town FC   1950-51 to  1954-55   Centre-half

League 158 Apps 12 Goals   Cups 35 Apps 4 Goals Debut 4 November 1950  -  Runcorn (Away) Moved from Hyde United and was soon appointed captain. He was the linchpin of the  Freer-Richardson-Shepherd half-back (centre-back) line and the team's penalty taker. Featured regularly  throughout his time at the Moss Rose, gaining a Cheshire Senior Cup winners' medal in 1952 and 1954 and was an important member of the team which were Cheshire League champions in 1952.

Oakfield Primary 1963

 The following was sent to us by David Hamilton.

Over to David...


"This photo was taken at Oakfield Primary School,  Christmas 1963.
The children were performing fairy tales for the parents. The one that
I was in was Sleeping Beauty, and the other was Hansel and Gretel, as
you can tell by some of the costumes.

I am standing at the back,far right, and on the front row 3rd from the
left is Graeme Green.
I wonder how many others can be named "?

  Many Thanks, David !

Hyde Grammar School 1973

The following was sent to us by Derek Chappell who taught at Hyde Grammar School.
Over to Derek....

"I was searching through some old photos and came across the enclosed photos of the old Form 1x in 1973!

I hope they will bring back some happy memories to some of the boys in the photos."

 Derek Chappell as moustache !

Hard at work

(with Andrew and Mark)

Many thanks for sharing, Derek !

Much appreciated. :)

More memories of Hyde by Roger Chadwick.(part 3)

MEMORIES OF GROWING UP IN HYDE  1945 -1950 (3)

Just before the railway bridge over Brookfield Lane, there was, at that time, a narrow cinder path running parallel with the embankment that led to Godley Station. In those early post war years, this was a busy junction with a complete set of “Midland Region” buildings.  The main line, formerly The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, provided passengers with a stopping suburban service from Manchester to Hadfield and Glossop and an express service form Manchester to Sheffield, Parkeston Quay and London Marylebone along the old Great Central line to the Capital. 

But to catch these express trains you had to go to Guide Bridge!   

The other line was the old Cheshire Lines Committee and a purely goods line, mainly for coal trains from the Yorkshire coalfield to Fiddlers Ferry Power station.  Occasional excursion trains might stop at Godley for signal checks.  There was no passenger service.  Godley had marshalling yards, a turntable and two signal boxes.

Godley Junction was a good train spotting place.  Express passenger trains headed by Thompson B1 4-6-0 engines called “Springbok” or “Gazelle” or named after directors of the old pre nationalised LNER railway, would thunder through Godley, all the buildings shaking as they did so.  Once a day at about 8.55p.m. there would an express “fish” from Grimsby, leaving its powerful aroma as it sped through.  The twice hourly suburban trains to Glossop were hauled mainly by C14 Gorton Tank Engines and very sprightly they were too!  Many nights, coming home from school, I would wait for 5.18 “Godley Flyer” from Manchester London Road, an antiquated formation of two coaches, an engine and a lead coach from which the driver operated the train.  I would use this train  because it was  very fast  with its first stop at Godley some 20  minutes after leaving the city.  Many hours were spent taking engine numbers, especially the Robinson Gorton “O4” 2-8-0 goods engines that ferried coal and empties to and from Manchester and the Yorkshire coalfield.  The express trains were mainly composed of what are now known as “Gresley Teak” coaches and very fine they looked as we wistfully imagined travelling on them.  Some had restaurant cars, especially the London trains.

When I was not playing at The Oaklands, I was on that station.  I came to know the stationmaster very well as he was a Lay Reader at Godley Church where I was a choirboy.  Reginald Walter Bellaers  was a tall man and looked very fine in his gold braided uniform which he wore from time to time.  He had come from a post at Northenden and was the last of the old railwaymen.  In his retirement he was ordained and became Perpetual Curate of St Mary Broadbottom.  I visited him until his death – a lovely man in every way.

 

In the early ‘50’s, the rot set in.  All the station buildings were demolished and a hideous and uncomfortable bus shelter replaced the waiting rooms.  A temporary prefabricated office outside the curtilage of the station was all that was left.  We could see that the Cheshire Lines business was on the wane.   The main line was axed beyond Hadfield but there were to be some benefits.    A smart electric 30 minute train service replaced the old steamers and eventually a new station was built adjoining Godley Arches at the A57 trunk road.   The old Godley Junction station was never very busy as it was too far for people to walk up that long drag from the main road.   In the early 50’s we would be seen carrying heavy cases en route for Bournemouth every August because Gran had a privilege ticket and travelled free!!  Grandad was a railwayman and this perhaps explains a lot about me because from childhood, railways have fascinated me.

Going back to that  friendly engine crew of my second article -  the driver would prime his boiler when we were messing about and we were covered in soot and water: the smoke and steam and paraffin oil was  a pure delight – until we got home and mother had other ideas!!!

Thanks to Joe for the photos and of course Roger for the great account !

Arranging a Class Reunion ?

Below is an appeal from Marlese Savage (Klein) who wonders whether a school classmates reunion is possible.....

"We left school 50 years ago in 1963 which should be enough reason to meet up again.   Is there anyone out there who could try to arrange a meeting from our class?

  

 My name is Marlese Savage (Klein) I went to Flowery Field Secondary School in Hyde from 1959 to 1963.   I've Lived in Germany since 1968 and my only contact to our class was Lesley Turner (Morton) who died over 10 years ago and John Howarth who lives in the USA.

I enclose a photograph of our class taken just before Christmas 1962.  I am the one with the cross on.I will be in Hyde from 14-18 th April, incase any one is interested please contact me by my Email address 
w-klein2@unitybox.de  we could meet and arrange something for the late summer."

Marlese Savage (Klein)

Unknown Pantomime

Here is a great photo sent in by Graham Sharp.

It shows an unknown Leigh Street School Pantomime or Play in 1948 or 1949.

I think it could possibly be Dick Turpin looking at the Highwayman.
Maybe one of our readers is on the photo that can remember what it was and let us know?



Thanks Graham !
Much appreciated. :)

June 3rd 1953 Street Party

Here is a great photo and description from Trish...
The children look like they are having a lot of fun !!

 I have come across this photo,and dad had written on the back "June 3rd 1953 Street Party" Although the party was not actually held in the street, but at the Union Street Church schoolroom. I can actually remember this photo being taken, I am on the 2nd row, 2nd from the left Patricia Garbett with my friend Jennifer Booth (Booths Taxi's) Jenny is looking round at the big lads stood at the back, she did have two older brothers John & Geoffrey though not sure they are there! My younger brother John is just in front of me. The streets included in the party were Brooks Ave, Coronation Ave, Auburn Ave & King George Rd Hyde (where Jenny & I lived).




Thumbnail for a larger view

 List of people I can remember on photo:- Back row lads standing, I can only recall Richard Green on the right. 3rd row from left:-   ?,  ?, Rhona,  Michael Green ( it helps that hes dressed just like his brother!) ?,  Philip,  Brian Swann, Michael Barber, ?,  ?, 2nd row:- Jenny Booth, me, Patricia Garbett ?,  ?,  Stuart Bowers, Granville Bradbury( Granville lived next door to us on King George Rd and let us have his old Beano & Dandy comics) lady unknown, Janet & Ian Carter. Front row:- my brother John Garbett, Jill Barber, can't remember the rest at the moment!

Many thanks, Trish !! :)

Enfield Street School

Today we have a class photo from Enfield Street School from 1947, along with the following message...

"Hi,
Attached is a photograph with names (where my 75 year memory allows) of the Enfield St Primary Class of 1947 for your collection. I am number 16.
Eddie Grist (mechanical engineer, PhD)"







As always, if you are able to fill in the missing names, please let us know.

Many Thanks, Eddie.
Appreciated as always :)