How about adding some memories

[Gay J Oliver]

Our Family History might be about researching our great greats and finding out how they lived and got through their daily lives, but we are making history for our grandchildren and should be writing it down.

• The games we played as children
  
• Our favourite foods
  
• Schooldays
  
• Starting Work
  
• Holidays
  

How about starting to reminisce here.

[scottfree]

Hi Gaye, Just recieved a slide show from the vicar of New St Georges, of the Whit Walks. When I was young, if you were chosen to carry the banner, you had to wear a white dress, & carry a bunch of flowers. In the procession, all the children had new clothes for the walk,(even the poorest of our parents would scrimp & save to buy these) Onlookers would dash out to us & give us pennies for our new clothes.We couldnt wait to finish the Walks & count our coppers.The afternoon would be the church sports Day held at the top of Ridge Hill, which then was allcountryside.
It was interesting to see on the slides, Faircloughs ice cream van. Elsie Fairclough was my great aunt, & they had an open fronted shop opposite the Market Hall. Theirs was the best ice cream ever! I wonder who owns it now. It was great to see the name has survived all these years. I,ll see if I can look up some photos of the waljs. Regards Hilda.

[davesmum]

Hi ,I'm not sure if this is the sort of memory you mean ,but here goes .When I used to stay at my nans in Stalybridge in the early 60's ,I can always remember one of the things that I had used to do and enjoyed doing for her was donkey stoning the step ! She would give me a bowl of water, a cloth, and the yellow stone thing .It was one of the back to back houses ,and the front door was the only way into and out of the house ,.so your front step had to look just so !

Although we moved from Stalybridge many years ago ,I have very fond memories of the area .

davesmum

[dora67]

Wow I dont know where to start with my childhood memorys of Tameside.

Stamford Park as a very little girl, paddling in the paddle pool there.Going into the old victorian hot house with the tropical flowers,so many memorys.

Walking to Hartstead pike and then down round the old reservoir....Across the golf course and down to Hirst cross,with my granny.

Stamford Street Ashton and the old arcadia COOP, going to see father christmas there....Just to many to jot down.

[slightlyfoxed]

I loved going to see father Christmas at Arcadia too. They had a "ride" you went on before meeing the gret man himself. It was fantastic. If I remember correctly we actualy stayed still in seats and the sides either moved or had a projection on them.

I also remember very occaisionly being allowed an orange juice and a toast in the cafe there with my Mum and My Gran. It must have been relatively expensive for them as it was a huge treat.

[Ann]

Arcadia. It was posh for us! I loved the 'whooshing' tubes that explosions assistants sent your money to the accounts office in. Back came any change and a receipt the same way. Very exciting.
I think we had the odd treat of a snack in the cafe, too!

Does anyone remember Hugh & Fay's in Droylsden? Just thinking about the shop brings to mind the aroma as I walked into the shop with my mother. Loose coffee & tea, and the butter they cut up into pats for you. The man who served in the shop was always so pleasant, too.

In the playground, in the 60's, we had a ball tied into the toe of a leg of my mum's old tights (American Tan). You stood with your back to the wall, and whacked the ball madly against the wall around your body. I have no idea why... I suppose we were easily entertained then!

[scottfree]

Hi Gaye, I'm glad the memories page is coming to life. I think it is interesting for the younger generation to know what life was like for us 'oldies' in the old days, & the memories of Stalybridge we treasure. Ive lived abroad for 25 years now but Stalybridge is still 'home', even though I probably wouldnt recognise it now! Regards Hilda

[artmak]

I was interested to read Hilda's post about faircloughs ice cream because we live in Faircloughs old house in Stalybridge, we bought it in 1981 off Mrs Fairclough.
As for who owns Faicloughs now, I remember talking to an Italian man who now owns the Fairclough name and used to be a partner of Mr Fairclough in the old days. He operates several vans and regularly has one in Stamford Park.

Artmak

[Gay J Oliver]

We were trying to remember the names of the Italian Ice Cream firms in Tameside:

Meschias,
Levaggis
Sivoris,
Suscas

And where their Coffee Bars used to be.

[sandra]

~~Smiling at the names Gay has posted~~

My husband grew up with them in Ancoats in the 30's - he knew the Savori's well

He speaks of them often, especially "Old Man Savori" everyone called him that, Bob doesn't know his first name

He says please don't forget Ben Scapatici (Bens famous Ices)


TTFN

Sandra

[scottfree]

Hi Artmark,I presume you mean Elsie Faircloughs house in Ridge Hill Lane. I think she had one son. I have a postcard my dad sent from the front in France to his brothers sending love to our Elsie. At the bottom of Ridge Hill my 2 uncles Joseph & Thomas lived. They had plaques on both their house walls indicating they were "funeral Furnishers" Uncle Joe was very knockkneed, & I remember being told his clothes were handed down to my eldest brother.He cried & refused to wear them as they had taken the shape of Joes legs & he appeared knock-kneed himself! Also there was Carrs Bakery on Ridge Hill. The best custard tarts ever! Round the corner was Thwaites confectioners.To my shame, I remember pinching some sweets from the window display when no one was looking! Hilda

[Gerard Lodge]

www.nwfa.mmu.ac.uk/

If you look at the above link you will see a reference to three films made by Karen Gabay. I believe that they may be more screenings of these films at Gorton Monastery. I think that they are being screened once a month. I appear (very) briefly in the films about Belle Vue and the Ice Scream Families.

Gerard

[Gay J Oliver]

Thanks Gerard,

Not the same subject, but I checked the programme for the next filming and it's just down the road from me at St Paul's church, Stalybridge:

Film Screening Evening, St Paul's Church, Stalybridge

Tickets £5.00 including Potato Pie Supper. Contact Viv Dawson 0161 303 9662

Doesn't say what the topic will be - I'll try and find out.

[artmak]

Hi Hilda, thanks for your reply, I think there must be another mrs fairclough, because our house is on Darnton Road, round the corner from Ridge Hill lane. Mrs Fairclough had a son living with her when we bought the house, but I cant remember either of their first names. Carr's bakery is still here by the way and they have another shop on Mossley Road in Ashton.
Their custard tarts are still as good. There has been a blue plaque erected at the bottom of Springs Lane, regarding the local dialect poet Samuel Laythingy who you may remember.
Regards Artmak.

[artmak]

Sorry hilda, Samuel Laythingy,lal.
Regards Artmak