Reading stories about Miles Platting families takes me
back to the thirties, my childhood was spent in Ravald St. I remember the local
Midwife, Nurse Ainsworth, if she spotted you whilst riding her bike on her rounds
she would shout “I remember you, you’re one of mine!” She must
have had a regular booking at our house as I was the youngest of ten children!
Then there was Doctor Reynolds on Oldham Road. If you went
for a visit which was rare because in those days most ailments were treated
with home remedies (Cow-Heel Stew was a good home-made cure!) With no National
Health Service father had to pay the Doctors bill 6d per week. (21/2 pence).
Doctor Reynolds would get out his book of cures, whatever was in that book,
it did the trick he’d then send you to Dilkes Chemist’ for one of
his bottles.
I started school with Louis Jones (Issue 9 Corpus Christi
Fife Band) or Louie as I remember him. We both started in Miss Philippson’s
class age five. I remember the little pillow we had to take which our mothers’
had made so we were able to have a sleep at our desks in the afternoon. They
were happy school days even though we got a caning off Mr. Phillips the headmaster
for playing black rabbit.
We went right through our school days as mates and I
recall Louis joining Corpus Christi Fife Band. We were only young kids and he
got me to go along and join but the only job left was the bass drum. Well I
could hardly take the big drum home for practice! So I was given the drum sticks
and told to practise on the back door at home. This didn’t go down well
with my dad but he did promise me a new white shirt if I got in the band. I
never did get that shirt.
Wilf Lowry
