Earlestown memories

[nannycar]

HI, dennis 09,I was born in 1928 [82 on 3rd of march, ]in Larch Ave, i love this site,ive found out so mutch, about my home town,I am sure u will enjoy every min u spend on here, you will get addicted to it like i am,so wellcome and enjoy it . cheers, Jean,

[mike59]

Hello Mike
Yes, He would be going to the signal box side, the NCB Office was on the Fairclough St side. The lampost would be at the bottom of Fairclough St. as per the line of Horridge's buildings, Horridge's was between Fairclough St. and Houghton St. with the entrance in Houghton St. The original roadway of Houghton St. is still there, opposite the Off Licence. Also don't forget there were two railway lines that crossed the road, one that swung around the back of Wilf Hughes Pet Shop and one that went straight across to the Curve Station on the Warrington side passed the signal box, hence the little bridge over the footpath from Earlestown Station to the Curve.

Hi Terry
I just about remember the gates still been in use, in about 1967/8, but didn't realize there were two lines crossing the road. Also Wilf Hughes pet shop rings a bell, where abouts would those premises have stood.
Mike

[dennis 09]

Hi nannycar iv'e been having problems with this site the last few days every time i try to do anything i get a message telling me i don't have the authority to view thing all that seems to be ok now ( i hope ). I realy have become addicted to this site and visit most days and have spent hours going through the postings all the way back to the start. I have been suprised at how much i have found out about my home town since i left over 40 years ago. I still need reminding about some of the places i used to frequent as a youngster, one place i remember going to but can't find on the local maps was learning to swim in the vanny pit or sandy bottom, which was along the canal past emmets and the common, perhaps someone out there might remember just where it was. another place for swiming was out on highfield moss but that was allways very cold and deep and supposedly had an arch submerged between the two halves of the ponds. love to hear from any ex patterson street lads from the 50s. cheers dennis

[Podstar66]

Vanny Pits could be 'Vanny Flash', or Havannah Flash, in full. These could be described as 'along the canal and past the common' as they are located further along the canal heading to St Helens. Could these be where you learned to swim ?
The Engine pub on Newton Road, is alongside Havannah Lane, this leads straight down to the canal, and the flash.

Pod

[dennis 09]

Thank you podstar you are right it was a long time ago and i do remember that it was a long walk to get there but a great place on long summer holiday days i think it had been something to do with havana collieries but can't find any reference to that either, thanks for confirming that my memory is still working.

[jbmack]

were'nt there tips near the flashes possibly spoil from glass works where you could find marbles ?
jbmack

[terry687]

Hello Mike / Dennis
Havannah Flashes (Sandy Bottoms) were in an area of Parr where the Engine Pub now is and known according to the maps I have as Havannah, the colliery named Havannah according to Google, has a Haydock link although I have not yet been able to pinpoint whereabouts in Haydock it was.
The spoil heaps near the Flashes came from two close by Coal Pits both under the name of Parr Colliery, these were served by a mineral line that was called the Havannah branch and linked to the many other coal pits in St. Helens and Haydock area and serviced with Pit Props and other consumables by Haydock Central Wagon Works at Grange Valley where Tesco's now stands.
Wilf Hughes pet shop was pre Photoramas, a photo exists on the forum taken from the Curzon Balcony under the heading -Wargrave Road mineral line crossing - it's on page 13, it shows a coal train rounding the shop on Wargrave Road, the other line crossed at the side of the little signal box, you can just make out the bridge that the footpath to the Curve went under.
To answer another query re the railway lines from collierys being known as mineral lines (Dictionary definition of a mineral is anything gained by mining, coal is a mineral).

[dennis 09]

Hi Terry 687 thanks for all the information as i remember it was a long way from the trees estate when i was about 10 or 11 but a great place for messing about and eventualy learning to swim, much apreciate your input and must look further afield to find it on the map thanks again dennis

[terry687]

Hi Dennis
The flashes are at the bottom of Havannah Lane, turn right by the Engine, Google - Parr Flash Collins Green Angling Club - there are videos of the water on their site via YouTube, an excellent place for fishing, I remember ice skating on there in the winter of 62/63 the ice was about a foot thick. I lived on Fairbrothers then but now live on Trees.

[Podstar66]

HI, dennis 09,I was born in 1928 [82 on 3rd of march, ]in Larch Ave, i love this site,ive found out so mutch, about my home town,I am sure u will enjoy every min u spend on here, you will get addicted to it like i am,so wellcome and enjoy it . cheers, Jean,

"Happy (a little belated) Birthday"
Jean
Hope you had an enjoyable one

Pod

[nannycar]

hi Pod, thanks for the birthday wish, do i qualify for Earlestown, History,[ hope Steve will let me off lol ] Jean, x

[greenlane]

I remember the railway crossing just past King St where a lady was killed in the early 50's This nice lady used to make dresses etc and lived in Acorn St. I had many a school dress made for me in her front room. Her name as far as I recall, for it was many moons ago, was Mrs Goodban or Goodbine. I don't know the circumstances properly but my mother told me she stepped forward before she should have done and was consequently killed. I remember queuing at the crossing quite clearly, when a train was expected to go through. It was just part of going out for a days shopping 'up't' street. By the way I only came on site to spend one happy hour trawling through my memories but have been on for absolute ages! What a wonderful site. Thanks Steve Dowd.