Memories of the 1950s

Remembering the neighbours

Reading the page on this website brought back many memories of my childhood, and the time when I lived in Halland Road. We lived at no 38; my mum and dad, sisters Stella and Marilyn and my brother Roy. We moved in in 1949, before that the house was occupied by my Uncle Stan Silsby and family. Other people who lived in the area were:- No.40 the Scivyiers, No.42 the Ballards and when they moved out came the Martins. At No.44 were the Emerys, No 83 were my grandparents Mr.and Mrs Silsby. Opposite were the Mastersons, Mrs Field and next door to her lived the Dawes. The last house on the odd numbered side at the bottom of Halland Road lived the Lewis’. In the first house in Ashhurst Road lived the Huggets, and a few doors up lived the Bolingbrokes.

Playing games in the road

Before the parade of shops was built in Moulsecoomb Way, there were two small shops, one at the top of Halland Road, and one in Shortgate Road. I remember playing in the field at the top of Ashurst Road, particularly using old bits of tin to toboggan down the hill in summer and also playing in the woods in Ashhurst Road. As there was very little traffic we could also play games in the road.

Telling the time by the trains

We used to go blackberrying in the summer over at the Wild Park. Mum would bottle some for the winter, and also make blackberry and apple puddings or pies. As well as telling the time by the trains we also could tell it by the hooters from Allen West in the morning, lunchtime and evening. There was very little crime and we could leave our doors open or unlocked during the day – mind you in those days most people had very little of value to steal – not like now.