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I lived in Ryden Avenue...
#1
My folks moved to Leyland from Coppull when I was three in 1935 and we lived at #27 Ryden Avenue from then until 1947. I went to the Methodist School near the gas workd at age 5 and then to St. Mary's Catholic School off Golden Hill Lane, before going to Preston Chatolic College. Since I am writing a memoir for my grandchildren, I have thought a lot about the places I used to go as a kid; Whittle Hills, the fields, Brownie brook. And the people I knew; Dinky Duffy who lived on Bent Lane, Bernard Warren, Sheila Haydock, Shjeila O'Donnell from off Watergate with whom I was smitten, Joyce Bell, Vincent Waterhouse, Jack Southworth, Harold Challenor... I have not lived in England for more than 40 years (my mother lives in Whalley still)and on one trip back, I went to Leyland and found Ryden Avenue quite changed! Why did they ruin the area near the Cross? Where did Brownie brook go and the other houses? #27 is still there, but an exception!
If anyone recalls those far off days; the flea pit Palace, the grandiose Regent, Fox Lane Youth Club.... Drop me an email, plz
BillR
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#2
Welcome to the forum, Bill. If you browse through old threads, you'll find lots of Leyland reminiscences.
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#3
Thanks, was just looking through, but I guess I'm a little long in the tooth to expect anyone to recognize names from so long ago...
BillR
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#4
There must be quite a few people in Leyland who remember those times Bill. If you keep posting, you will probably jog some memories.
Martin ~
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#5
Yes welcome Bill, for a moment I thought you were my physics teacher at Balshaw's who carried the same name as you. Any memories gratefully received.
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#6
Hello, Bill, and welcome,. Have you tried typing the relevant words into ' search' ?
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#7
Were there some prefabs in Ryden Avenue? I had a friend Barry Chilton who lived in one, was in same class at Balshaws. He lived somewhere around there.
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#8
Prefabs, Noel, in Ryden Avenue, I should knopw but I can`t help in that, age you know!! Cheers, Bill.
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#9
Yes indeed ,there was a whole estate of prefabs, I used to deliver newspapers every morning for the news agent on Bent Lane, was it Roberts? The pay for five mornings was 5 shillings. I always dreaded magazine day, the weight was terrific for puny little me.
John
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#10
Thanks you all for your welcome. Two sets of prefabs were built at two different times. The first were built for the scientific and technical staff transferred to Chorley ROF from Woolwich Arsenal. I am a little vague on the dates, but I was still at school and had a friend named Henry Vaughan who live in one. To build these, a very old cottage just below Turpin Green Bridge was demolished. It was said the cottage was used as a hideout by Dick Turpin, the famous highwayman. As a boy, I went in the cottage after it had been abandoned by a family with three little girls prior to destruction; two rood beams at each end formed the basic support of the structure and the walls were wattle and daub; this dates it to the 15th C. at the latest. Anyone recall this?

The second prefabs were built in the field at the foot of which ran Brownie brook. This was circa late 1944, because the roads and foundations were built by German POWs who arrived every week day in trucks. None of themn confessed to being German; they were variously Hungarian, Rumanian and, occasionally, Austrian! One team was Italian POWs in brown uniforms.

The guards were lax and before long we traded with the POWs who made quite good aluminum lighters and rings, etc... they sought cigarettes in exchange as a rule, but fags were hard to get. A brand called "Hills" could be found, but even POWs were less than enthusiastic about them!

As I write, I recall some of the names of that time, the Ashurst brothers who originally came from Wigan and taught us how to play "Rollo"; Sidney Pennington, Jim Aspinall, Roy Bullen, Freddie McDade, Charley Smalley, Dinah Smalley, his sister... (gee! I thought I had forgotten them!) On Young Avenue, I recall Brian Broadbent, who became a high school principal (we used to call him "Prof"), Arthur Ball on bent Lane with whome I correspond still - we first met when I was 4 yrs old - and his brother Norman who still lives on Bent Lane. Anyone remember Calvert's shop on Bent Lane in the row of old terraced houses, built 1888?

I had better quit....

Someone mentioned parched peas on a post. I recall a store in Turpin Green Lane that used to put a white enamel bowl heaped with parched peas in the window - there was nowt else! - but I have always wondered what the heck parched peas are! Like 'liquorice' twigs, they disappeared after the war and have never been heard of since!

The paper shop on Bent Lane changed hands several times but I think one owner was Thacker.
BillR
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