Smells of 1950s St Helens

[Alan]

Following is a memory of the 1950 No. 6 trolley-bus trip from the Lingholme corner to St Helens Junction.

Strange thing about the bus journey is that I can still vividly remember the smells that permeated the cigarette smoke-laden air on the upper deck.  In fact I’m sure that in those days you could navigate the route by smell alone. As the bus made its way up Duke Street you got the warm comforting smell of Bowley’s bakery on your right closely followed by the cooked meat smell of Whittle’s pie shop on the left. When you turned into Baldwin Street you caught the herbal smell of Beecham’s Pill factory off to your right in Westfield Street. Progressing along Church Street, you got the smell of hops from Greenhall and Whitley brewery. Next up was the more unpleasant smell of coal gas and tar from the Gas Works at Peasley Cross and the producer-gas from the UGB works behind it. Then as you passed the two hospitals, you got the traditional hospital whiff of disinfectant and chloroform. The real winner was however after you’d turned left into Robins Lane when you hit the unspeakable rotten egg smell of the Sidac Works. If you survived that pong which seemed to originate from a small multi-coloured pool fed by an equally multi-coloured stream that in my child’s mind’s eye came from the bowels of the factory, you were almost home and dry with just the welcoming smells of Royle’s Bakery awaiting as you closed in on your destination. If you were lucky, the destination would be marked by the hot oil and smoke smell of a steam-engine at the Junction Station.

[kizzy]

I recall them all except the first one - Bowleys bakery. I agree with you about Sidac being disgusting but there was another one I strongly remember from visiting family in Parr, the Stinky brook just past the old fire station was really bad - had to hold my nose against the toxic pong. Great recollection though

[Bert]

For me smells are the best of the senses to evoke nostalgia. The smell of a privet hedge takes me back, as an infant, walking to Rivington Road Infants via the Rec. This stirring of nostalgia doesn't always work. The smell of urine does not always remind me of the air raid shelter in Lingholme Road that I passed also on the way to school.

[Alan]

1 hour ago, Bert said:

The smell of a privet hedge takes me back, as an infant, walking to Rivington Road Infants via the Rec.

Me too and also to Knowsley Road School through the same park. The smell of chlorine takles me back to Boundary Road Baths and the smell of Vick ointment takes me back to my maternal grandmother who used it lavishly whenever anyone had a cold

Edited August 3 by Alan

[kizzy]

2 hours ago, Bert said:

For me smells are the best of the senses to evoke nostalgia

Couldn't agree more, Bert. The smell of Hawthorn hedges or shoe polish takes me right back. As does the smell of cigarette smoke and snuff my grandfather used. I also loved the smell of baking bread and marzipan (though I wouldn't eat Marzipan

[wobblybob]

Was in Church earlier this year and someone must have left his suit with mothballs in the pocket. Unmistakable.

[gangad]

The smell of Wintergreen when the players came out of the tunnel

[Alan]

11 minutes ago, gangad said:

players came out of the tunnel

............to the sound of "The entry of the gladiators"

[HORT]

I remember the smells from my grandad. A pipe smoker. He always bought his baccy from Dewars and always insisted on dark shags.

I do not think you can buy it anymore.

There used to be tobaccos called Light shags, Medium shags and Dark shags on sale in Dewars.

 

 

[Alan]

My grandad smoked something called Battle Axe. It came in a sort of solid block, about 3" x 1.5" x1" and he used to pare pieces off with a penknife for his pipe. Smelled OK

[Bert]

Back then politicians had to smoke a pipe to be taken seriously. I tried St Bruno; thin slices of tobacco that you rolled and teased out the fibres between your palms before stuffing it into a pipe. Still nobody took me seriously.

[Dig]

The smell of paraffin oil and sawdust ln the chandelier’s.