Dear Team
My name is Michael Conroy. I was born in Duke Street, which was facing Corpus Christi Church.
I was in the fife band; I knew Ralph Wilkinson and I remember John Connell and Norbert Hynes and many others. I was also an altar boy at Corpus Christi.

I served 31 years in the fire service at New Street and Philips Park. In issue 12 Pat Duncan talks about the gas works fire. If it was the explosion on a late Friday night early hours Saturday morning the week before Christmas, I was first in attendance on that fire from Philips Park Fire Station.
Michael Conroy.

Dear Have Your Say,
Thanks again for my magazine. It was nice reading that the ‘Osborne’ is still standing, I wondered about the ‘Empress’, another cinema almost next door on Oldham Road. I can remember going to Heaton and Prussia Parks. Happy memories bring a tear to my eyes, and when I read about Nurse Ainsworth Midwife, she brought me into the world on 23/5/1924! Another tear.

I wonder does anyone remember the ‘Barbers’ on the corner of Lowe Street? No. 46 that was my grandfather’s Walter Rimmer. I can remember he used to cut men’s hair in the front room, also shave them. I can see him now sharpening the cutthroat razor on the strap hanging behind the door. My uncle Walter (his son) was the knocker-up, lamplighter and chimney sweep! Anything to earn a bob or two I think.

Thanks again for brightening up my days.
Elsie Chamberlain.

Dear Sir
In reply to Neville Ball’s question about ‘The Roll of Honour’ of St. Edmund’s Church Monsall. A few years ago Father Dennehey of Christ the King Church Newton Heath took the complete altar and many coloured windows from St. Edmund’s. He had them cleaned, renovated and erected in Christ the King. He may be able to tell you something about the Roll of Honour.
T. Lowry.

Dear Have Your Say
In answer to a letter from Agnes Aston in issue number 11, yes I remember Thomas Cloran. Please see photograph (Front Cover) of the people outside the Hope Tavern, or Annie Lees as it was known locally. Thomas is on the photograph with his piano accordion!

Do any other readers still recognise anyone?
Yours
John Thompson.

Dear Sir
Could you send “Have Your Say “ magazine to me, I have a husband who bowls, and another bowler who I have never met lends it to me (via my husband) and come what may I return it.

I myself was born in Cheetham Hill, and have many connections with Miles Platting and surrounding areas.

My niece lived for a long time in Miles Platting, her father was James Oldham, he was my brother in law, and though Jim died a few years ago, I would send these magazines out to Sandra and her brother. Sandra was a Salvation Officer as was her father- she lives in Canada and her brother Michael lives in South Africa.
James (Jim) was a great cornet player as is Michael. I am sure they would be delighted to show their families “Have Your Say”
Thank you
Mrs Edith Whitworth

Dear Team
Re the letter from Neville Ball about the ‘Roll of Honour’ at St. Edmunds School.

This brought back memories of the Topping Family who lived in Lilley Street, Harpurhey. I am sure one of the Topping’s was a professional footballer, who won an International Cap.

Where the Roll of Honour went to, I do not know. But most areas had their own local Roll of Honour. There was one outside the British Legion Club on the terraced row where the Topping’s lived. I wonder if Neville is a relation to Balls who had a shop on Conran Street.
Yours and Neighbour
Les and Flo Kane

Dear Have Your Say
I have just been reading your website again, and I got the surprise of my life, my sister Barbara (who lives in Manchester) has got a mention in your magazine, you had forgotten to put her letter in one of your previous magazines and you apologised to her, not much to shout about I know but when you are all this way from home in a small town in Australia to see her name was lovely.

You really are a great magazine. The pictures, the letters only say one thing to me, though we were pretty poor after the years that followed the war, we were happy, they were good days we could play all day in the streets safely, sayings like stranger danger were never heard of.
Best regards
Freda Hulse.

Dear Have Your Say
I love all the old photos’, so it was lovely to see my sister-in-law Eileen on the front cover (Issue 13) She played the flute in St. Patrick’s Girls Band. I will pass my copy on to her.
Please could you add to your mailing list two St. Patrick’s old girls?

Thank you and keep up the good work
Evelyn Cregg.

Dear Have Your Say Team
I must say I really enjoy reading all the good news etc of Ancoats in Have Your Say. Re-Kathleen O’Dowd nee Newman in “Your Shout”. We, meaning my sister-in-law Hilda-John Aston were great friends we used to visit them in their pub so that brought many happy memories back to me. Sadly both John and Hilda are no longer with us, but that’s how it goes, and my husband Eddy sadly.

Anyway keep up the good work with your magazine, good wishes to you all.
Cheerio for now.
Agnes Aston.

Dear Mag.
In answer to the letter fro m Neville Ball (Issue 13) regarding the Roll of Honour in St Edmunds Church, I fear that this monument, like many similar ones in the area was destroyed with the building.
In enquiring about it for the National Inventory of War Memorials, I was told ‘It was so big that nobody would give it a home.’ The same fate befell many other rolls nearby, in Churches and streets, including several which were supposedly put into storage for safety. None of these have ever been seen again.
All is not completely lost however, as a list and description of many of them, compiled for the national inventory, can be seen at Manchester Central Library Local Studies Department. The library also has photos of some of them.

Yours faithfully
Stephen Lowe, N.I.W.M, North West Organiser

Dear Have Your Say
I was delighted to receive a couple of back copies of your magazine, after a friend put my name on your mailing list. I had never heard of it until a friend in Australia rang and told me about it, she is from Ancoats and gets it passed on from friends in Australia with relatives in Manchester. She then passes it on to more Mancunians. Some of the names in the magazine I recognised and the memories are wonderful. I felt as though I knew every one of your writers. Those Were The Days!
Rita Lake.

Dear Have Your Say
Having just discovered your magazine on the web. I read all the various parts and travelled back into a dirty, noisy, infested world that thankfully vanished many years ago. Almost everyone who has written to you talk about Ancoats, Miles Platting and Collyhurst as though they were all attractive picturesque villages. Nothing of the sort! The streets were narrow, cobbled and ugly, as were the terraced houses and small shops that lined them. The houses were old and dilapidated with crumbling brickwork and rotting window frames. They house mice, spiders, bugs and cockroaches, they were lit by gas, heated by coke fireplaces, had no hot water systems and the toilet was outside in the yard. There was nothing romantic about living in it-at any time! Just in case anyone wonders if I know of what I speak, I got my first experience first-hand. I lived with my grandmother for five years in a dilapidated crumbling house in Garret Street.
Alan Jay, Vancouver Island.