I would like to thank the person who sent Kevin Murphy the summer issue of the magazine, I got a call from Kevin who now lives in Kent, but he left me the wrong phone number. I'd like him to know, that I did try to call on the Sunday as promised! If there is anybody who can pass on this little note to Kevin my address is A. Reid. 39 Rushbrook Way, Thornlie 6108, Perth, Western Australia. Phone Number 94590905.

Alma Reid
Kevin Murphy isn’t in our database so readers Alma needs your help!

I have just been reading the Summer Edition on the internet here in Australia. I think the editor is correct and that the Mansion is the rectory of St John's Church which was further down Oldham Road towards the city (on the opposite side of the road and equidistant from the Empress and Osborne cinemas). The shop shown next to the Mansion was Victoria Wine Store (the off licence) next to that was a Chemist, an electrical shop, Munton the greengrocer, a chip shop (run at one time by the Ricci family) and next door to that on the corner of Albion St. was Edwards Butchers.

The block between Varley St and Nelson St comprised among other shops the Post Office, fishmonger, hardware store, cobblers, Gillibrand barbers, Booths cake shop, and picture framer as well as the Doctors house. In the 50s the Doctor was Indian and was called Mennon.

Hope this information is helpful. I lived at 27 Albion St from 1944 until moving to Handforth when the houses were demolished because of mining subsidence. Although I have been in Perth Western Australia since 1978 I retain the fondest memories of Corpus Christi and Miles Platting generally and the work which you do in perpetuating people's memories is invaluable and greatly appreciated

Bernard Kerwin, bkerwin@iinet.net.au

Hi,

I have just reopened your site after being in hospital a month with a broken femur. It was on the same side as my artificial leg hence the long stay.

The Doctor who practiced at the mansion on Oldham Road near Collyhurst Street and Lowe St. was a Doctor Anand. He was an East Indian person and was very nice, although he was a little testy at times. He once told my younger sister to rub lard on her face when she asked for remedy for a case of acne. He said it was as good as the muck they sold over the counter at chemists shops. Needless to say this did not go down with her and she never went to see him again.

Eric Brennan

I remember so much of the simple games we played that kept us entertained, no modern gadgets needed, just a can, a ball a rope or a whip and top. Hopscotch, you only needed chalk and a stone or an old shoe polish tin.

The lads all used their jumpers or coats as goal posts and got upset if one had to go in for tea and took the 'goalposts' home.

Remember that call all Mothers had to call you in? Their voices went up an octave in the middle.

But my best memories when I was young were of Whitsuntide week.

For the Churches it was the big day, they all marched in processions in their local areas. All the churches; be it Methodist, Church of England, Roman Catholic and Baptist spent ages planning this day.

I never knew that it was such a 'Northern' tradition and was not known or celebrated by many outside of Lancashire. But Manchester loved the Whit Week walks. I never got to walk in the 'big' walks into Manchester; our church was too far away. But Whit Monday and Whit Friday was a sight to behold in the City and I never missed them.

Mam and Dad would debate who had the best walks, that was because they were from 2 different faiths.

All the “outer area” churches walked on Whit Sunday and this was my day. All the kids that went to Sunday School (the scholars) walked in procession with the boys brigade, brass band's, Mothers Union, Church leaders, Choirs and then the Rose Queen. We all had great bouquets of flowers.

I did get to be a trainbearer for the Rose Queen one year and we were all dressed in gold...Then it rained cats and dogs and us little ones all sheltered under the Queen's train. I loved this time, I got new clothes from top to toe, and my Mother made me beautiful dresses to wear for the processions. We belonged to St Anne's Church, Newton Heath.

Years later I had my two girls walk in the Sunday School walks in Failsworth and that was the last time I saw scholars, as we left to live in Canada the same year.

I wrote this so I can try and describe to my grandkids and my friends here just what it was all about, and now this goes into my scrapbook with pictures forever.

Thanks for listening. I was put in touch with you by a fellow volunteer that I met here in Canada whose name is often in your magazine Sylvia Pelham-small world.

Thank you, Joyce Barker (nee Aspinall) gyfork@rogers.com