Its residents take pride in preserving their history so future generations can enjoy its beauty. Its strength lies in its picturesque landscapes and the bond it binds its residents together. There is a sense of unity in this corner of the world, making it a truly special place. 4. Modern-Day Charms and Amenities The can was filled half full with the lumps of cotton then lit with a match. We would then fill the can with more cotton and put the lid down. A piece of string was tied to the can so that it could be swung to and fro. The holes in the can allowed air into it to keep the cotton burning and your hands nice and warm. The local business united the community thrives on collaboration, promoting local commerce and strengthening the local economy. Citizens watch out for one another, ensuring a safe environment.

The ‘monkey run’ when I was a teenager was round the market hall - lads went one way, girls the other. We’d stop and talk to a gang of lads and then the police would come and move us on. We’d just meet them again further on! We’d meet up with lads after the second house at the Queens Cinema on Sunday nights. The Old Cross Street Mission people used to be there trying to show us the error of our ways! When my Mum and Dad were young, they used to parade up and down Stamford Street. My Dad said the lads always went for the girls that were fat. If a girl who was slender (as he always said) tried to get off with him, he’d say’ At lunchtime we all crowded into the Town Hall and were given a rather badly cooked roast dinner, but it was time to show off again and my brother and I took to the stage and started singing songs for everyone. It was a long cold day but one that I will not forget. A few years later we used the hall for school discos, and I was quite sad when the place burned down whilst we were still at school. The front of the Hall was saved but the rest converted to a garden. Years later I had met and old friend from school who was later to become my husband and when we were first going out we used to walk through the garden bemoaning the fact that we didn’t yet have our own place. And often when completely worse for wear we would turn round and say that the garden was ‘our house’. The town is home to a wealth of local artistic talent, from painters and sculptors to musicians and writers. They breathe life into the cultural landscape. With galleries, theaters, and local exhibitions, it’s a haven for artists and art enthusiasts alike. Walking to Hartshead pike from the Coalpit Hills on Lees Road/Smallshaw Lane up to the Knott Hill reservoir.Droylsden FC is more than a team; it’s a community. Engaging with local schools and charities fosters a sense of community. 8. Fascinating Facts of Intriguing Personalities I now reside in a tiny village just south of Bristol, it has no streetlights, no shop, and no pub, but it lies at the foot of the Mendip hills between two lakes and is very picturesque. A Droylsden native, Lieutenant Colonel John Henry Crowe, won the Victoria Cross for his exceptional bravery during World War I. which meant we could be a bit further from the action, or reaction if we had to run for it. So, true I have memories of the youth clubs, rugger club and the Cheshire A.C. I also played Lacrosse at Ashton, as well as all the walking I did with my Dad over the Isle of Sky (Greenfield) and the Peak National Park Hayfield, it fact an old friend of mine stilll lives in Tunstell Lane Green Field.

Just came across, by accident, the account of the snowball feuds which have gone on year after year between the 'Council Rats' and the 'Bull Dogs. I was a Bull Dog having been a pupil at Waterloo Christ Church (now Canon Burrows) from around the year 1937 until I left at the age of l2. As the pupils went to school until the age of 14 then some of the boys were pretty hefter throwers. I remember standing in the snow cheering our side on. Unfortunately, the snowballing and fighting often went on when school was finished and anyone who had to cross the 'boundary' to walk up to, say Oaken Clough, from the council school might have felt quite intimidated. It was interesting to hear of the continuation of this winter pastime well into the 1950's.

Tameside Memories

The Godwins, also one for Steve Petty, remained in the area for years. (Dave, Bobby etc) John Godwin lives in Abbey Hey, Gorton near the new ‘Wright Robinson’. Brian I have not heard of for 25 years. Kenny Barnes passed away around the age of 41-42 in Openshaw where he lived on the village. We were friends up until the time he died but I was working away and missed the funeral. I used to enjoy the trips into Manchester on the tram when Mum used to go to the various wholesalers The church’s architecture is a sight to behold. The stained glass windows and intricate stonework have earned it a spot on the town’s list of architectural treasures. Conclusion: In the heart of Droylsden lies a spiritual cornerstone that’s not just a place of worship but a symbol of the town’s deep-rooted history and community spirit. Behold, the Christ Methodist Church. Beyond its religious significance, the church plays a vital role in the community.

When the arms or legs fell off my dolls, they had to go to the Dolls' Hospital, which used to be on the market ground. Then I'd need to be consoled with a bag of boiled sweets and pear-drops from Podmore's sweet stall. I don’t think we used to get stuff from him; rather we gave him stuff, and I don’t think he gave us a stone at that time, but some little toy like a pipe for blowing bubbles and stuff like that. I have a question about them though. I understand the rag part of the name, since they basically collected rags, but where did the bone part come in? Why Rag and Bone? The pub on Katherine Street with the stone horses head at the top of the yard archway. this was just lower down from the corner of Warrington street Our friendship by correspondence has existed for about sixteen years now. He a widower and myself a married lady. My husband doesn't mind at all; Colin is 12,000 miles away, in Tasmania! (Damn!) Just to add to Meg's memories of 'The Pally', I remember all the early sixties groups like The Hollies, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J Kramer and everyone apart from the Beatles and the Stones playing there. But, when the Rolling Stones record 'Satisfaction ' was out, all the boys used to stamp their feet to the chorus and sing "I can't get no sex in Ashton'.The annual Music Festival attracts performers and music enthusiasts, making it a must-visit event for music lovers. The town has produced some incredible DJs who have made their mark in the music industry, setting records and delighting audiences worldwide. I’m not sure I have ever known a flushing dunny to freeze, but then it’s not likely to happen where I live, is it? (Australia). If the one we had in England ever froze, I can’t say I remember it. We lived in a cul-de-sac at the time and on the appointed night one of the neighbours would bring out into the road some steel sheets (I think they were left over Anderson shelters) and place then on the tarmac to protect it, then began the business of building the bonfire. Everything was heaped up and soon set alight with the help of coal from a neighbours fire. All the neighbours would bring out old chairs and sit in a circle around the fire. Potatoes were thrown in and chestnuts, they came out very dirty, but tasted like caviar. There was a wonderful community spirit that evening, watching the fireworks if anyone had enough money to buy them. They were pretty in those days, not like the ones we get nowadays with their extremely loud bangs, which frighten children and animals. Hi, Barry Lewis from Sydney, Australia. Expat Hyde boy, hoping you will publish this in your memories section.

I was a train bearer for the May Queen at St Marys Church. I think that the year would have been around 1944. I can still remember the names of the other children who were in attendance, these were as follows. I remember Manny Showman’s the gent’s tailors at the bottom of Penny meadow, a little Jewish fellow. I bought a crombie coat from there in the early 70s. Jones Music Shop was in a little side street that ran between Old Street and Bow Street, by the side of the George and Dragon. Tommy Sizer kept a pawn shop on Market St. There was a toy shop in the Avenue that used to have a Hornby train set running in the window. It had a coin slot where you had to put a penny (the old sort!) to keep it going round again. As a last resort was the use of Dads cat 'o' nine tails which was hung by the side of the fire place range in the house. I must say here that I do not ever remember it being used, but Dad did reach for it a couple of time only to be stopped my Mam.When I saw the words to 'We are the two Ashton Mashers', I could hear my Mum & Dad singing it. They are both gone now. Collecting the glass accumalators for Dads radio set from a small electrical shop on Warrington Street. The accumalators had to be recharged about every couple of weeks or so to keep the radio working.