CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

[Whyperion]

Another memory is that even during the war the tall thin chocolate bar machines that took a penny were never taken off railway platforms. I always gave the slide a pull just in case!

Did that with a Green Polo machine once, it was faulty and kept dispensing, 20 of us cleared it out.

With the Red Chocolate ones, they were always Nestles, then they went to the multple 5 drawer dispense ones, Red Wrapped Nestles Milk Chocolate, Dairy Crisp in same size bar, a Plain Chocolate I think, probably a thick Milky Bar and another run of Nestles Chocolate.(or was one a fruit and nut or peanut brittle?) Nowdays they are the 'screw' type dispensers, why choice tends to be the large size Tunnocks Caramel Wafer.

[Stanley]

I only have a slight acquaintance with that area from when I was researching watermills but remember Jewel Mill.
Never heard of the monkey before...Our Easter treat was more commercial, a day at Belle Vue. Plenty of monkeys there in the zoo!

[Stanley]

Mention of Belle Vue reminds me of something. (Isn't it funny how some memories stick with you!)
We had a summer's day trip to Belle Vue for the day and I developed what we used to call a 'sick headache'. I never hear that term these days. There used to be a common saying; "You're worse than a sick headache!" It must have been bad because I can clearly remember how bad it was so It must have been pretty serious. I wonder what caused them?

[Stanley]

One of the abiding memories of any war child is the black-out. The funny thing about this is that hand held torches became necessary and I never remember there being a shortage of batteries. We had a lot of fun with the torches including variants of hide and seek played in the dark using torches. We had a version we called Gestapo! The seekers were the Gestapo and the hiders the good guys. The favourite night for this was after choir practice on Wednesdays and the shrubbery round the church was ideal for playing it!

[Marilyn]

Where would you be living at that time of your life, Stanley? And what church would it have been?

[Stanley]

Playing Gestapo after choir practice was in 1945 . It was St Paul's church on Heaton Moor as we had just moved up there from Norris Avenue to Napier Road.



We choirboys went on strike for better conditions at one time. We locked ourselves into the church and climbed the tower. I remember throwing pigeon muck at the choirmaster and the priest Alfie Jeff from the top. One thing I noticed was that there was still an Observer Corps sighting stand up there from the war. You had a good view all round from up there, Manchester to the North and Stockport to the south. We got our demands and no repercussions, I think they wanted to avoid adverse publicity!
That was where we had the dodgy choirmaster who used to inspect our genitals to 'assess when our voices would break'. It took me over twenty years to realise we were victims of Child Sexual Abuse! There's a notable childhood memory for you! I rather think they found him out because he quietly vanished shortly afterwards and was replaced by a bloke called Barber who was a good man and we all enjoyed singing for him. All part of life's rich tapestry!

[Stanley]

Under Geoff Barber the choir got really adventurous. We sang old music like Byrd, Tallis and Plain Song. If you think this sounds unfamiliar do a Youtube search and listen to some, I suspect you might find it is familiar.
We soon got a reputation and apart from the regular services we did special ones and as the Rector, Alfie Jeff, was a Mason we did some Masonic services.
I remember how fascinated we were by the regalia worn by the higher officials who of course sat on the front rows. I remember one service in particular, one official on the front row slowly allowed has head to fall forward and regurgitated beer started to flow out his mouth in what seemed like a never ending stream. He did it so quietly that his companions didn't notice until it was too late and as they helped him out the vomit was dripping from him. Someone had a job on cleaning the regalia let alone him. A young lad doesn't forget things like that!
Geoff was also music master for a very good choir in Stockport, the Maia Choir. If you look them up they are still singing.
I still love the music I learned then, in that way the choir has influenced the whole of my life. It was a sad day when my voice broke and I left.

[Marilyn]

Oh (gosh!) Don't....Stanley!
Reminds me of the time we were out having a lovely meal...when an old timer on the next table sneezed...covering his plate with an ENORMOUS mound of mucus. We couldn't evacuate fast enough. Who could eat after that?!
I don't wish to recall it, but it can not be forgotten....
Uggggghhhh

[Stanley]

"I don't wish to recall it, but it can not be forgotten...."
You're right Maz. I always remember being with a bloke at a steam rally who had the most extreme catarrh I have ever seen. My mate Paul suggested he should knit a pullover out of it!
I had a childhood friend Dennis Robinson who had permanent 'candlesticks'. (A very common ailment in those polluted times!) We were forever telling him to sniff! They were green..... (I know, too much information!)
One of my favourite mealtime memories is my mate Paul (He of the pullover!) attempting to dissect a whole lobster in a restaurant in Holland. Bits were flying all over the place and eventually we persuaded him to call for the waiter's help who showed him how to handle it. The adjoining tables were enjoying the fun as well!

[Stanley]

At one point during the war I was given a very large (as big as me!) stuffed penguin filled with sawdust. I know it was sawdust because it was very worn and was leaking which didn't make it the ideal companion in bed! Nevertheless I loved it and suspect it was quietly disposed of by my mother who was probably fed up with the trail a sawdust I left behind me. Remember, after father pinched her Hoover for war production she only had a Ewbank.

[Stanley]

In the days before Tinternetwebthingy one of the highlights of the week was the Saturday morning Children's matinee at the local cinema. I still remember Flash Gordon, The Perils of Pauline and cowboys like Tom Mix and Roy Rogers as the Lone Ranger with his horse Trigger and the faithful Native American (We don't use 'Indian' any more!) Tonto.
We had a joke.... "Why did the Lone Ranger shoot Tonto?" "Because he found out what Kimosabe meant!"
All the baddies wore black hats, the goodies wore white.

[Stanley]

Have a look at The Flatley Dryer for some nice memories in war time.....

[Cathy]

Bumped for MickBrett

[Stanley]

Good idea Cathy....