Snatches of Childhood Memories

On warm summer days the neighbours would sit outside having a good natter... Kids used to share a paddling pool, with Mrs Polarski organising their paper chases, sometimes as far as the Playhouse or New Cross. Mr Sivori and his big scoops of lovely ice-cream.... He’d sometimes give broken ice lollies to kids with no money to buy ice-creams. Mrs Musgrove... her toffee shop was near Broadhaven Road. Harry Allen with his huge toffee apples.... Collecting wood for bonfire night.... Teasing Nelson Street School Kids when Corpus Christi had a day off school for a Holy Day. Paddling in the shallowed canal... The water was clean after it had been landscaped. We used to pretend we were at the seaside. Courtaulds Mill fire in Lower Vickers Street, with kids salvaging cushion covers for their mams. Whit Week and going to Silvana’s to buy new clothes... There was always that lovely smell of crisp new material in Silvana’s. “Roll on 4 o’clock,” a film made in Holland Street School with local kids as extras. Val the downs syndrome boy, walking down the streets banging on a biscuit tin as if playing a drum. He was always happy. We all laughed with him, never at him. Memories of the parks, “The Witches Hat” near Every Street, “Prussia Park” near Butler Street.

The tragic time that Lesley Ann Downey went missing we all prayed for her. It could have happened to any one of us attracted to the fairground. It was a very sad time.

Memories, some sad.....very many of them happy, in Miles Platting.
Janis Catalano (nee Connor)