I remember the rag and boneman’s horse eating from its nose bag standing outside our house at the bottom of Turner Lane (just before you went under the railway subway). We used to give Reuben some old clothes and, in return, we'd get a balloon or a pipe for blowing bubbles. I used to love those- my Mum would give me a little enamel bowl with some sudsy water (Rinso powder?) and I'd spend hours blowing bubbles that Susie, the dog next door, would jump to try and catch.

Other shops in Ashton included: Rose Wallwork’s hat shop inside the market; Bailey’s Hardware; Rowell’s furniture shop; Harrop’s the herbalist on Old Street near the Pit and Nelson (my Nanny used to buy belladonna for poultices from there); Shirley’s Hairdressers facing the War Memorial; Nellie Gorman the hairdresser (what a name- not very glamorous!); Mary Ellen Wild the pawnbroker. ‘Sew and Sew’s which was on Fletcher Street sold yards of cotton to make dirndl skirts which everybody wore in the late 50’s usually with a stiff net petticoat underneath. Although the cotton industry eventually waned, Droylsden’s textile legacy lives on. Today, you can still find remnants of this era, from preserved mills to the town’s rich textile history. 11. Artistic Flair: Vibrant Arts Scene Sadly Dad died in 1991 but my Mum. (now aged 91) is living happily at a retirement home in Ashton. My partner Elaine and i now live in Turkey and visit the UK a couple of times a year. I shall be going over for just three days next month to see her. Does anyone remember the shop in the Avenue that sold fresh ground coffee- you could smell it all the way up the Avenue?From traditional British fare to international cuisine, Droylsden has a variety of dining options to tantalize your taste buds. The town has seven beautiful parks and plenty of green spaces for leisurely walks, picnics, and relaxation.

well everyone who reads this sorr if ive gon on and on but got loads to say this is just the tip of the iceburg and my grammer is much to be desired. I remember that rat in the outside loo, I remember the tippler too, and I remember that after you found the rat, you wouldn’t let me go to the toilet anymore... well I had to go, but you weren’t happy about it... come to think of it neither was I, I never did like that toilet! I wasn’t really scared of the rat though, I was used to the rats that David and Ethel next door used to keep, and his ferrets... so rats and things have never bothered me that much. What I do remember vividly in the summer months was the ‘red clouds’ released from the ‘Clayton Aniline’. (Usually at dusk but never in the day) Toxic by design but unbeknown to us, the chemical plant would send clouds of swifts or swallows crazy in summer over George St Park as its sinister ‘red dust’ presence disoriented them. They flew in circles for many a long hour as the sun set behind them. My father knew then what was messing with there sense of direction but i was to young to understand the poisons he spoke of. I often wonder how much of it was released into the atmosphere and came to rest over the good people of the area? I remember waking up to my mams ‘pink stained’ washing, left overnight on the line, stained by the same cloud, as I made my way to the outside toilet. Other over the counter medicines that I remember are "Doctor Williams pink pills for pale poorly people" this was apparently a cure all medicine ??

Tameside Memories

The club has a remarkable history, including memorable FA Cup runs and FA Trophy wins. FA Cup first round proper was reached by the club in 2008, a historic achievement for a non-league club. All my immediate family have now passed away, Dad in 1986, Mam in 1993, Eldest Brother Sid in 1976. Brother Ron in November 2007 and Brother Eddy in January 2008. To lose two brothers so close together was a very sad time. The Etihad Stadium and training facility is where Bradford Pit and the Clayton Aniline once stood. Even United fans have to admit City have been good for some Openshaw folk and the area in general.

I won't write any more now, we will have plenty of time to get into detail, hopefully. I am going to copy this and send it to Colin so that he's in the picture. It comes alive with creativity during its annual arts festivals. Take a stroll through town, and you’ll encounter captivating public art installations. They tell stories, spark conversations, and add color to everyday life. my teens I still went to the wakes with my friends, but it wasn’t the rides that attracted me, it was the

My first job in 1953 was as a trainee sugar boiler but no not at Podmores in Ashton but at G.W.Laws at 135a Union street. This was a small 3 story factory stituated down the ginnel by the side of 135 Union street. School rivalry in the 1950s between Waterloo Primary School and Christ Church (now Cannon Burrows) culminated in epic snowball fights between the two. The Ridings family (Steve Petty will remember) lived in Vincent St, then on the ‘Village’. The father, Jim, passed away in the early 2000s’. The mum, Norma, passed away seven years past. The children, Lenny, Jimmy, David and Christine are mostly local. I don’t know when the school closed, but in the 70’s the school was refurbished and became THE SCHOOLHOUSE RESTAURANT. I just had to go when it opened. The church is a testament to Droylsden’s history, bearing witness to the town’s growth and evolution. Its stained-glass windows and ornate interior tell a story of faith and tradition.

Another famous ice lolly maker in the town was at a shop called Joe's on Katherine Street near the junction of Warrington Street. Joe's Vimto Lolly's were famous. The large size looked as though they used a large dome shaped cup to form them. I have the feeling that Joes was primarily a fish and chip. Can anyone help with this ? I remember Manny Showman’s the gent’s tailors at the bottom of Penny meadow, a little Jewish fellow. I bought a crombie coat from there in the early 70s. Jones Music Shop was in a little side street that ran between Old Street and Bow Street, by the side of the George and Dragon. Tommy Sizer kept a pawn shop on Market St. There was a toy shop in the Avenue that used to have a Hornby train set running in the window. It had a coin slot where you had to put a penny (the old sort!) to keep it going round again. Collecting the glass accumalators for Dads radio set from a small electrical shop on Warrington Street. The accumalators had to be recharged about every couple of weeks or so to keep the radio working. I remember that inside the Market Hall, the floor was not flat or even but had slopes of various degrees between the stall "Islands" and then flattening off higher into the center of the hall.

I remember Henry Moon’s at the bottom of Penny Meadow. I think it was a stationer’s. I loved the name! ‘Burgess and Dyson’s in the Avenue was where we could choose the books for out Sunday School prize. The tripe stalls inside the Market Hall. The tripe was all different colours –some looked like old window leathers. ‘Queenie’s sold Marks and Spencer’s seconds from her stall in the Market. I bought my first make-up from Woolworth’s which used to be on Stamford Street until the late 60s. The shop had wooden floors which made a satisfying noise under your stiletto heels. On the Market Ground we used to get our summer sandals (Clark’s brown sandals with crepe rubber soles and a T bar) from Harry who was still coming to the market until fairly recently. We got our salads from John Kelly who kept a market garden on Ashton Moss. His Coz lettuce and large juicy tomatoes were delicious. We bought sweets from Podmore’s who had a factory somewhere down Cotton Street or one of the streets that ran down behind the offices of the ‘Ashton Reporter’. When I graduated to ‘nylons’ I bought them at Howard’s on the corner of Warrington St and Stamford St (next door to Woolworth’s). They were a fetching shade of American Tan! all the lights, music and the crowds appeared to be put on just for me. In later years when I had reached I served an apprenticeship as a Plumber and one of our jobs was to look after some tippler lavatories owned by my uncle. When it rained the tippler used to work like mad and was prone to shearing the hinge pins, it was our job to replace them and as I remember it wasn't a very savoury job, they smelled a bit and were very slimey due to the sink waste running into them. In 1945 the family was put into isolation at 145 Union Street while we were all tested for Diptheria. My Mam was diagnosed as positive, to be followed by me a couple of days later and my brother Ron two days after me. All three of us were sent to an isolation hospital in Hyde. My Mam was in for four weeks, Ron was in for five weeks and I was in for six weeks. I was diagnosed as being the germ carrier.