Hi List,I have heard my Mum say that saying when she was alive. She lived in Middleton Junction, In fact I was born there. Moved when I was 4.Ethel and Alfred Kay were my aunt and uncle and they lived in Wood st. It was a bit of a hill wasn't it. Sandra Mike Morris <[email protected]> wrote:Angela, there was an old Middleton saying....... 'You can take the lad/lass out of Middleton, but you cannot take Middleton out of the lad/lass' I think it was an old Cotton mill saying and it applied to most of the small towns around the area . Oldham, Heywood, Rochdale and Bury etc. I know this is not genealogy and we would get our wrists slapped on the Lancs and Manchester list for bringing up these topics. But I have always found the Middleton List to be receptive to the odd little story about the small town and its folk. Ask your Mom if she remembers in the centre of Middleton, at the bottom of Wood street, there was a chap who sold a Saturday evening Football paper, it might have been called the 'Football Pink'. People can be so cruel, they use to call him 'daft Jimmy'. He was just one of the many characters that lived in Middleton in the 1950's. He was a lovable character. Best wishes Mike ----- Original Message ----- From: "Angela & Kostas Nicolaou" To: Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 1:41 AM Subject: Re: [ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON-L] A note of appreciation to a good friend to the list Hi Mike, I'm the daughter of a Middleton junction lass and I'm going to send mum your lovely walk down memory lane. She will enjoy this, thank you ! Angela Cyprus ==== ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON Mailing List ==== >==== ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON Mailing List ==== To search the archives of this list go to: http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/[email protected] --------------------------------- Want to chat instantly with your online friends? Get the FREE Yahoo!Messenger

Memories of Wood street Middleton 1952. It was a very steep hill leading to Langley estate, very narrow. Yet Manchester City Cooperation managed to drive double decker buses up and down, past each other on both sides of the street in all types of weather. At one point the sidewalk /pavement was about 18" lower than the road. Possibly they were trying to change the incline for the buses. The buses had no passenger doors, just an open platform with a hand pole in the middle so you could hang on to it for safety. While the Bus was still speeding but slow enough to beat the traffic lights, the bus conductor would get out of the way to allow some of the passengers from Langley to hop of the buses, just as it was rounding the corner from Wood street to enter the Middleton Garden area close to Tommy's supper bar. Some buses were classed as express buses which meant they were none stop to Manchester city centre. If you did not hop off quick enough, it meant you could finish up in Manchester. At the top of the old Wood street in a side street by the reservoir was a gents barber's shop called 'Joes'. Outside was parked Joe's large motor bike with a side car. The old section of Wood street ended at this area, there was a row of houses across the top section preventing entrance to Langley estate. Just behind the houses the new Wood street entered the new Langley estate. The windows in the barber shop would be streaming with condensation, the air was blue with thick pipe and cigarette smoke. The walls had a brown tinge from the years of smoke. Joe had been cutting hair in this place for years. I remember watching him early one Friday evening. The customers were very stylish, I joke, there was only one style after the war and it was 'short back and sides" in them days. The place was packed etc. Joe did not have time to stop and have a meal. The lads were waiting to get out and have a 'pint o beer'. Joe's wife came in with a cup of tea and a plate of Hovis sandwiches (Yep!! I can remember those small brown butties) I marvelled as he would swish his tea down, but the strangest sight was to see his hands thick with a men's hairdressing called 'Brylcream', it was a heavy white cream. The hair from the customers would be stuck all over his palms like fur gloves as he grabbed his sandwich and gulped it down with his tea.............hair an all.. With words like "ba gum lass, that wus grand' then he would wink and get on burning some chaps head with a very thin long candle I think they called a taper...................... Warm memories Mike Morris Toronto Canada

Mike You have not heard from me before, my name is Dave Singleton and i have just read your article memories of wood street. having been a moonraker for the past 50 years you stired up some old memories for myself, i left middleton in 1974 to live on the south coast Bournemouth to be excact. I was born in the prefabs in boarshaw and moved to Top street which was on the boarder of the Langley estate almost opposite the who'd a thow't it pub on wood street, i have some very fond memories of middleton and we do go back quite often as my inlaws still live on green lane boarshaw. Daft Jimmy i do remember him used to do a funny song and dance if you asked him, liked him harmless and funny, how i stumbled on your web site was i was reading an article in the middleton guardian about the coal mines of middleton and it was discontinued so i tried to research myself hence came across this web site with a whole load of ex pats researching their kinfolk. Alas middleton is not what it used to be the planners have gone mad destroying what was the best town to grow up in, Ihave worked in several mills in and around middleton, began my working life as an apprentise engineer in the junction mill left there and went working for a company right in the heart of middleton (texinra) which is now McBrides, then to the cromer cotton mill boarshaw (i think everybody worked there at some time or other) from there it was back to middleton junction swan mill for my last couple of years working in middleton. When i go to stay with my inlaws i always walk the canal from boarshaw to middleton junction it is a fabulous place, i can remember some of the ols cottages on the side of the canal and a pub called i think the duke of lancaster the next pub was the rose of lancaster at mills hill, last year i was walking along the canal and i was met by a sight that i thought i would never see, barges using the canal agian, there is still some work to be done but there may be some life in middleton yet, I could go on for hours here Mike but i am sure you are a busy man so i will say goodbye for now and if i can be of any assistance in the future please fell free to contact me, once again thenk you for kick starting the old memory back into gear. [email protected] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Morris" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 8:22 PM Subject: [ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON-L] Middleton past: Wood street > Memories of Wood street Middleton 1952. > > It was a very steep hill leading to Langley estate, very narrow. Yet > Manchester City Cooperation managed to drive double decker buses up and > down, past each other on both sides of the street in all types of weather. > At one point the sidewalk /pavement was about 18" lower than the road. > Possibly they were trying to change the incline for the buses. The buses had > no passenger doors, just an open platform with a hand pole in the middle so > you could hang on to it for safety. While the Bus was still speeding but > slow enough to beat the traffic lights, the bus conductor would get out of > the way to allow some of the passengers from Langley to hop of the buses, > just as it was rounding the corner from Wood street to enter the Middleton > Garden area close to Tommy's supper bar. Some buses were classed as express > buses which meant they were none stop to Manchester city centre. If you did > not hop off quick enough, it meant you could finish up in Manchester. > > At the top of the old Wood street in a side street by the reservoir was a > gents barber's shop called 'Joes'. Outside was parked Joe's large motor bike > with a side car. The old section of Wood street ended at this area, there > was a row of houses across the top section preventing entrance to Langley > estate. Just behind the houses the new Wood street entered the new Langley > estate. > > The windows in the barber shop would be streaming with condensation, the air > was blue with thick pipe and cigarette smoke. The walls had a brown tinge > from the years of smoke. Joe had been cutting hair in this place for years. > I remember watching him early one Friday evening. The customers were very > stylish, I joke, there was only one style after the war and it was 'short > back and sides" in them days. The place was packed etc. Joe did not have > time to stop and have a meal. The lads were waiting to get out and have a > 'pint o beer'. Joe's wife came in with a cup of tea and a plate of Hovis > sandwiches (Yep!! I can remember those small brown butties) I marvelled as > he would swish his tea down, but the strangest sight was to see his hands > thick with a men's hairdressing called 'Brylcream', it was a heavy white > cream. The hair from the customers would be stuck all over his palms like > fur gloves as he grabbed his sandwich and gulped it down with his > tea.............hair an all.. With words like "ba gum lass, that wus grand' > then he would wink and get on burning some chaps head with a very thin long > candle I think they called a taper...................... > > Warm memories > > Mike Morris > Toronto Canada > > > ==== ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON Mailing List ==== > >==== ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON Mailing List ==== > To search the archives of this list go to: > http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl?surname=ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON [email protected] >

Hello Dave, thank you for sending your kind and interesting letter to the list. Please be aware I am not the List owner it belongs to a lady named Joan White. However, the list I am sure, is always pleased to see a new face and an old timer who might remember some family names or street locations in Old Middleton. I assume you read my 'Memory of Wood street' in the archives of the Middleton list? The archives are a great place to catch up on past queries from other List member's. The List was created to help people trace their family history (Genealogy) in the Middleton area. Actually, its not meant for us to digress with stories of Middleton unless it relates to Middleton's history. However, I like to remember past events, I have lots of fond memories of my time period in Middleton. My family are not from Middleton, they are from south Manchester, although I have found a great great great grandmother Margaret Beswick who was born in Oldham and possibly married my great great great grandfather Henry Parsonage around the 1820's in Oldham. I say possibly because they had a son name John born in 1823 in Oldham. Thank you for sharing your time period in Middleton, you have brought back a lot of good memories. Lets hope you stay a while and share your family names. It really is an enjoyable hobby and a great way to meet lots of nice people from around the world and Middleton. I lived on Fairfield road off Wood street on Langley estate which was not that far from the 'Who'd a thow't it' . You must have had your hair cut by Joe the Barber? his shop was not that far from this pub near the reservoir. Kind regards Mike Mike Morris Toronto Canada Ex Middleton, Hulme and Moss Side. ----- Original Message ----- From: Dave Singleton To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, September 22, 2003 5:40 AM Subject: Re: [ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON-L] Middleton past: Wood street Mike You have not heard from me before, my name is Dave Singleton and i have just read your article memories of wood street. having been a moonraker for the past 50 years you stired up some old memories for myself, i left middleton in 1974 to live on the south coast Bournemouth to be excact. I was born in the prefabs in boarshaw and moved to Top street which was on the boarder of the Langley estate almost opposite the who'd a thow't it pub on wood street, i have some very fond memories of middleton and we do go back quite often as my inlaws still live on green lane boarshaw. Daft Jimmy i do remember him used to do a funny song and dance if you asked him, liked him harmless and funny, how i stumbled on your web site was i was reading an article in the middleton guardian about the coal mines of middleton and it was discontinued so i tried to research myself hence came across this web site with a whole load of ex pats researching their kinfolk. Alas middleton is not what it used to be the planners have gone mad destroying what was the best town to grow up in, Ihave worked in several mills in and around middleton, began my working life as an apprentise engineer in the junction mill left there and went working for a company right in the heart of middleton (texinra) which is now McBrides, then to the cromer cotton mill boarshaw (i think everybody worked there at some time or other) from there it was back to middleton junction swan mill for my last couple of years working in middleton. When i go to stay with my inlaws i always walk the canal from boarshaw to middleton junction it is a fabulous place, i can remember some of the ols cottages on the side of the canal and a pub called i think the duke of lancaster the next pub was the rose of lancaster at mills hill, last year i was walking along the canal and i was met by a sight that i thought i would never see, barges using the canal agian, there is still some work to be done but there may be some life in middleton yet, I could go on for hours here Mike but i am sure you are a busy man so i will say goodbye for now and if i can be of any assistance in the future please fell free to contact me, once again thenk you for kick starting the old memory back into gear. [email protected] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Morris" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 8:22 PM Subject: [ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON-L] Middleton past: Wood street > Memories of Wood street Middleton 1952. > > It was a very steep hill leading to Langley estate, very narrow. Yet > Manchester City Cooperation managed to drive double decker buses up and > down, past each other on both sides of the street in all types of weather. > At one point the sidewalk /pavement was about 18" lower than the road. > Possibly they were trying to change the incline for the buses. The buses had > no passenger doors, just an open platform with a hand pole in the middle so > you could hang on to it for safety. While the Bus was still speeding but > slow enough to beat the traffic lights, the bus conductor would get out of > the way to allow some of the passengers from Langley to hop of the buses, > just as it was rounding the corner from Wood street to enter the Middleton > Garden area close to Tommy's supper bar. Some buses were classed as express > buses which meant they were none stop to Manchester city centre. If you did > not hop off quick enough, it meant you could finish up in Manchester. > > At the top of the old Wood street in a side street by the reservoir was a > gents barber's shop called 'Joes'. Outside was parked Joe's large motor bike > with a side car. The old section of Wood street ended at this area, there > was a row of houses across the top section preventing entrance to Langley > estate. Just behind the houses the new Wood street entered the new Langley > estate. > > The windows in the barber shop would be streaming with condensation, the air > was blue with thick pipe and cigarette smoke. The walls had a brown tinge > from the years of smoke. Joe had been cutting hair in this place for years. > I remember watching him early one Friday evening. The customers were very > stylish, I joke, there was only one style after the war and it was 'short > back and sides" in them days. The place was packed etc. Joe did not have > time to stop and have a meal. The lads were waiting to get out and have a > 'pint o beer'. Joe's wife came in with a cup of tea and a plate of Hovis > sandwiches (Yep!! I can remember those small brown butties) I marvelled as > he would swish his tea down, but the strangest sight was to see his hands > thick with a men's hairdressing called 'Brylcream', it was a heavy white > cream. The hair from the customers would be stuck all over his palms like > fur gloves as he grabbed his sandwich and gulped it down with his > tea.............hair an all.. With words like "ba gum lass, that wus grand' > then he would wink and get on burning some chaps head with a very thin long > candle I think they called a taper...................... > > Warm memories > > Mike Morris > Toronto Canada > > > ==== ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON Mailing List ==== > >==== ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON Mailing List ==== > To search the archives of this list go to: > http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl?surname=ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON [email protected] > ==== ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe, you should send the command "unsubscribe" to [email protected] (if in mail mode) or [email protected] (if in digest mode.) To switch from one mode to the other, you should unsubscribe from one and then subscribe to the other. If you want messages to stop, you should simply unsubscribe.