Thirty Bob a week

In 1958 I married a Newton Heath girl, Kathleen Rooney and came to live at Nelson Street, Miles Platting. I had moved from the green fields and countryside of Wythenshawe to the cobbled streets and terraced houses of Miles Platting. I found the people warm, friendly, kind and generous, and it was a special time in my life.

Our terraced house in Nelson Street cost £300 and my weekly payment was 30/- a week and no interest to pay! With two bedrooms, kitchen and front room it came complete with outside loo and back yard. I remember the “knocker up” who would bang on the bedroom window with a long pole with umbrella stays on the end. I would shout “right okay” and then get my head down again! The Knocker up service cost 2/- per week. I often wondered who got the “knocker up” up!

Although money was scarce in those days, if you had a T.V.. and a Flatly drier you were doing okay. We had a good choice of picture houses on Oldham Road. There was The Playhouse, The Empress and The Osborne. Also there was a good choice of pubs and clubs. Our food for the week would cost £5 so beer must have been 1/- a pint. You could go and see Manchester United for 2/- per adult and 1/- for boys.

The first car I ever bought cost me £5. It was a 1940 Austin Lichfield complete with running boards, sunroof and huge chrome headlights. Petrol cost 6/- a gallon.

So there you are, some of my happy memories of late. Harold McMillan used to say “You’ve never had it so good.” And for some of us it was true. People cared about each other and the “I’m alright Jack” days had not yet arrived.

Thank you for your lovely magazine. The photos are lovely.
Mr & Mrs Gorman

PS. When I got married we had a big row about the photos. The wife wanted to be on them!!!