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I am very late on this, but I have read all these comments with great pleasure and nostalgia. It makes me realise that, as kids, we were all living in little worlds divided by just a few yards. With all the talk of Napier Street, Talbot Street etc I was irked that there was little or no mention of my own little world in Albion Street. I feel I should say a little bit so that the names and places in and around our street don’t “shuffle off” unrecorded. I was born in 1947 and lived on the corner of Albion Street and Campbell Street. Opposite was the gable end of the first block in Campbell Street. Every boy should have a wall like that. I threw, hit, kicked thousands of balls against that wall and never a word of complaint from the owner Mrs Jarvis who lived there with her husband and daughter Dorothy. On the next corner was the Sallywhite factory behind which was the semi circular “ghost entry” which we were all terrified to go down. Next door to Sallywhite was Mr Rimmers shoe repair shop. I had a good frien Alan Morrow who lived at 63 Campbell St with his NaN and Dad. In Albion Street the kids I remember were Billy Hale and Patty Green on my side of the street; on the other side there was a family with 4 brothers, the Seargeants...Colin, Melvin, Tommy and Billy. In the corner house by the entry there was a girl called Bernadette Seymour. As kids we used to go horse riding. She went on to Notre Dame while I went to Crowley (1959 - 1967). I still sometimes see a woman in town who I think might be Bernadette: I will have to say hallo next time I see her! I remember the little drinks shop on the corner of Kitchener Street that people have mentioned. I think the owner was Mr Clare; he used to wear a smock at work (this is all very Penny Lane ish). The bread shop opposite the baths was Greenalls. Their grandson, Gerald, was in my year at Cowley. Wainwrights took it over years ago. My Mum worked in Wainwright’s part time for years. Behind our house on Boundary Road was a barbers shop, “Billy Dunne’s”. Next door to him on the Campbell Street corner was old Bill Rigby, the father of young Bill Rigby who had the clothes shop in Kirkland Street. For me it was a brilliant place to grow up. The baths and Queens Rec 50 yards away. I remember all the kids coming down Campbell Street from all those other streets to play in the park after school. There were always four or five rugby games going on that you could join in. So sad to see the park unused except for dog walking. The old bowling greens are still there but gone to seed...quo modo sedet sola etc..On the corner of Boundary Road and Peter Street was Baggley’s off licence where I was sent to buy pints of beer in a bottle for my grand dad. He also used to send me up the entry between Albion Street and Bruce Street to put his bets on with Lew Willet who had a bookie’s that you entered through the back gat lol! Enough for now.

Taken from Billinge Lump 4 years ago

This is 96 Year Old Cyril Porter RN who died recently on the 5th November. He was cremated last Monday at St.Helens Crem. His family has put a notification out in the Star to ask could people attend, particularly veterans. I am pleased to say that that call did not go unanswered. Cyril was a veteran of the arctic. Note his Ushakov Medal which was personally presented to him at home in St.Helens. Cyril served from 1942-1945 on the Aircraft carrier HMS Indefatigable (R10) this included Operation Goodwood (Attack on the Tirpitz) and later in the Pacific theatre where Indefatigable was the first British ship to be Kamikaze attacked.

Supposed to finish closing by 2020 Arial view here may help https://youtu.be/BYLMYKqmqAU

Yes the car park is a short distance from the pub. You have to cross the railway line on foot to get to the pub And when you get to the Inn, you see this outside. Which reminds me of the old rhyme. Have you ever caught you d*** in a mangle and some daft bugger's turrned the handle. etc.

Very popular pub in the summer.

Me and a couple of mates called in the Ferry Inn early 70's. Ordered 3 pints of bitter and the barman says -'sorry sir, we only serve halves' My mate Alan said - 'Ok then, 6 Halves of bitter'. I think it was frequented by the yacht club set who wanted to keep the riff-raff out. Don't know if it's still the same now but it was still open a couple of years back when I was last down there.

Part of my history that pub, between 1963 and 1967 I worked at Polycell Tiles which was on the site of the former Penketh Tannery. It was normal towork Saturday mornings in those days and we all went to that pub for an end of shift pint or two

You can park at the pub and walk down the canal towpath towards Widnes to get to the south side of the power station site.

It is indeed unless something drastic happens over the winter. https://sse.com/newsandviews/allarticles/2019/06/sse-announces-proposed-closure-of-fiddlers-ferry-coal-fired-power-station/

My grandad died in Eccleston Hall in 1976 when it was still a hospital. He was there for about 4 days having been diagnosed with lung cancer. I distinctly remember him trying to sit up in the bed, he mumbled "Our Mary is waving to me" and slipped off. Mary was my mum who had predeceased him by 12 years.

Cooee, Mally

Thanks for the info. Only Phyll addresses my question which was 'what did they look like?' The one's I knew were heftier than those in her pic. - perhaps Devon Boy feels the same thing.

I had a feeling about this the other month if you remember when the sales was on,i did mention it. Millets closing down by Robbob2010, on Flickr Taken yesterday.

The former Fosters Diy on Higher Parr St has been made into 2 shops. A Tile shop and Prestige Carpets...has or is the carpet shop on Liverpool Rd closed or closing? Former Fosters on Fingerpost. by Robbob2010, on Flickr Former Fosters on Fingerpost. by Robbob2010, on Flickr

i dropped a friend off today at Thatto Heath Crusaders, i must say i am impressed with the development and the surrounds. after walking about i noticed 'the clegg' why wasnt this filled at the time of building the new estate? it is an eyesore to say the least... am i right in thinking a young lad lost his life here a few years back 🤔

A Lion found dead in the Clegg because i worked on the Council and it was brought into Hardshaw brook depot.

Possibly for a similar reason why they didn't fill in the 'pond' near the bottom of Ravenhead Road. Well, they did for a short time and then the road was flooding all the time. So they dug it out again and made it into a sort of feature. The nearby units probably could have done without that. It could have been more parking space, but nature said NO.

Hi Kenny and Phyll. Thanks for the photo. You can just see our house at the far left hand of the block. It was knocked down in the late 70s. Kenny, Joe Ball actually lived in Grant Street - first house on right going down from Campbell Street. McGills is my family and I am fairly certain we lived in the corner house (84) haha. The gable end I talked about is still there although they have taken down the Albion Street sign that I used to aim at. Poignantly you can see it from the gym at Boundary Road baths (on the rare occasions I venture there now!). I just live up the road in Denton’s Green now, so I am never far away from my childhood, but not too close. I am just about 100 yds from Cowley and those memories are kindled on a daily basis, but that’s another thread. Cheers.

Most times I have a walk around I can usually spot Fiddlers Ferry in the distance. Never been up close so yesterday I decided to go and have a look. Very impressive ,took this photo from Back Lane ,off Widnes Road. Couldn't find any way to get round the main site . Is there a path ,small road that goes round it ? Thought maybe Robbob might know .

The path from Fiddler's Ferry to Widnes was closed when the new bridge was built. I don't know when it will be reopened.

I used to drink in there When I lived in St helens ! it was a good pub

Flats apparently. Former Primrose pub on Park Rd. by Robbob2010, on Flickr Former Primrose pub on Park Rd. by Robbob2010, on Flickr

My friend taken me Billychris and he parked up at the pub carpark. Lots of wildlife there... If i had my big len on i could of got some close ups of Kingfishers.

Cheeky runt isn't he @FRANK😂 I had a pint in there with my mate when i did the pictures...Half? I would of drank the Mersey instead than half 😊

I don't want to interfere with your topic Billychris but i found this,taken 2015... https://www.sthelens-connect.net/forums/topic/79867-a-walk-along-the-trans-pennine-trail-at-fiddlers-ferry/?tab=comments#comment-531873

I heard it's closing too Billychris. I could cover that area in a few days to get my bearings right but its Widnes... I said that once to a woman. I said kiss me where it smells and taken her there 😉 It's a great outdoor area.

Thanks for quick reply Rob , I had a walk up and down Widnes Road. There's an Indian restaurant overlooks the site. Anything that looked like a path or road had no entry signs on. I walked backed down the lane and ended up by Sportsmans Pub . Got bus back to Widnes then 17 to St Helens. Will study OS map and give it another go early next year. I read that Fiddlers Ferry will be closing down in March.

I have a partial tree on Ancestry marked as private and also have had no problems, I have stuff that nobody else would know entered and its not turned up yet on anyone else's tree. I use the software FamilyTreeMaker for recording my master tree, it is kept in my own files and is totally private but shareable. I don't even use the feature to link in to ancestry to find hints with it

Reckon I am becoming paranoid about the general security of data on the net so I was looking at alternatives. A big black book sounds as good as anything, all I need to do is remember where I put it lol

New council waste disposal dept offices?

The council should buy them and open them for the rough sleepers in town.

Following on-going contact with the CWGC, the headstones of two of our fallen sons have been erected in St.Helens Cemetery. Private 240425 Mathew Russell, South Lancashire Regiment. http://www.sthelensrollsofhonour.co.uk/casualty-1096-Matthew_Russell.html Gunner 5406 Francis Clisham, Royal Field Artillery http://www.sthelensrollsofhonour.co.uk/casualty-370-Francis_Clisham.html Well done to Marlene Downey and the Friends of St.Helens Cemetery. St Helens Star article,- 30th October 2019

Not sure where this photo was taken, but as I lived in Harris Street as a child I presume it was a hall quite near. Thanks Margie

It would be interesting to get identification of the costs.Some may argue its paying for the publicity?

Copied from an old thread. "Elephant Lane. How did Elephant Lane get it’s name? Some would say it was due to travelling circuses visiting Donkey Common. But according to past lore of ‘Old Uns’, at one time there was a Holy Well in the area. It went by the name of the “Holy Font”, and in true Lank dialect, as spoke by the ‘Old Uns’, it was called “The ‘Olly Funt”, and so, the following poem: In days of ‘owd’ so we are towd, Saint Ellen was a holy place An’t land around Thatto Heath, Were lark a moorland space. Thah noes in’t middle o this land, There wus a Holy Well, All’t locals cawd it “T’holy Font”, Abart it “Thowd Uns” could tell. The Holy Font was “Olly Funt”, To folk as lived quite near, Ant Lane to this fountain went, Ant water was bright and clear. T’was “Olly Funt Lane” to thowd folk, In gradely lanky spent, So when maps come by learned men, And spoke to thowd folk then. “Olly Funt” to them was Elephant, A corruption they would say, But neow it’s cawd Elephant to this very day, Not “Olly Funt” but Elephant iff tha’ asked the way." https://www.sthelens-connect.net/forums/topic/77551-elephant-lane/

Eccleston Hall hospital was famous amongst the older generation, I believe it was a TB hospital, and fresh air was considered good for you, hence the phrase that was common amongst the older generation when someone left a door open, "OI, where d'you think you are, Eccleston Hall? You don't hear it said much now, as most of that generation have died, however, it's funny because sometimes I'll say it when it's cold and somebody leaves the door open, they usually look at me like I've gone mad!

Enjoying it Rob, don't forget the duck decoy, right by the trail

When I worked At FF power station we had to frequently visit the river water pump-house that fed Fiddlers with cooling water,spent many an hour skiving off walking along the canal.

We were given a goose at Christmas, but the wife refused to raost it. We had an agument about whose job it was. I did not know whether to cook the goose, or goose the cook.

Thank you Sam! A reminder, too, that people had to know how to write in those days Now, children learn to text.