As the lockdown continues, it’s more important than ever to stay connected with your loved ones, whilst observing the government led social distancing guidelines. We hope Archives+ can help you to do this by publishing our popular memory boxes online which can be used as a starting point in discovering your family history, find out what their childhood was like, look back at the area where they grew up, discover their fondest childhood memories and maybe uncover some hidden gems in your family’s story.
Whilst children are off school and many adults are at home, why not take this opportunity to find out about those important stories thus ensuring this history is passed on to the next generation which can often get lost or put off for another day as we lead our busy lives. Sharing memories of days gone by can bring families closer together, listening to elderly relatives can be a comfort for families as they gain an insight into their life stories.
Each week Archives+ will publish a memory box for an area in Manchester, this week our archive collections cover Levenshulme. Below you will find a collection of images from Levenshulme, alongside 6 worksheets. The worksheets are set around 6 themes: Industry, Place, Health and Living Conditions, Pastimes, Notable Levenshulme, and Communities. Using the worksheets as prompts to start up a conversation, write down your findings on a piece of paper, or if you prefer type into a tablet or PC.
In addition to this blog, the online memory box will be published on the Archives+ Facebook page. Dig out your old photos too, these can also be a brilliant resource to trigger fond memories of family times.We encourage you to share your findings on social media, either as comments on our Facebook page or on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #ArchivesPlusMemorybox
Instagram manclib_archives
Twitter @archivesplus
Facebook @archivesplus
If you are unable to share your photos and stories online, when the libraries reopen bring copies of your family memories into your local library. In the coming year we will produce an exhibition in your local library of selected submissions, shared both online and in person.
Please make sure that if you share any information with us that the person you have spoken to is happy for you to share it with Archives+. When sharing your findings try to avoid sharing too much personal information such as surnames and date of birth as these details can identify your loved ones.
Resources:
Unlocking Your Sound Archive have produced a blog about conducting oral history interviews with family members. The audio clips included in this online memory box have been kindly supplied by Unlocking Your Sound Archive.
Manchester Local Image Collection
Archives+ Flickr
NSPCC Staying safe online guide for children.
Age UK Staying safe online guide for older people
PICC/660
Copyright Piccadilly Radio
no longer with us today! “Baths? We never had baths, only if we went to the public baths…”
We hope you have enjoyed looking back at the photographs of Levenshulme. More areas will be covered each week and if you would like to see more images, don’t forget to check out the photograph albums on Flickr and the Manchester Local Image Collection .
manchesterarchiveplus.wordpress.com 
Thank you for this … Levy Lad … Henderson Street … one of your photo’s shows the back of our house where we lived and in the far background is St. Andrews Church distinctive tower. The School of St. Andrew was attached to the Church where I attended… St Andrews Scouts met in the ‘Institute’ behind the church and the Wolf Cubs in the School rooms … Many photographs I still have … I can name every neighbour in 40/50 houses in Henderson Street from 1960/70 consecutive to this day (2020). I lived in 3 premises in Henderson Street!! 1955 to 1973
Hundreds of happy memories … many friends … simple street games… good fun and occasional mischief but nothing never that would hurt anyone ( such as tying string to door handles, lurking and running away – great fun).
Hi Paul, it’s fantastic to hear memories of your time spent in Levenshulme, thanks you for sharing this with us. Kind regards Siobhan
born & reared in Levenshulme – i always call my self “A Levvi Girl” when asked where i am from – i have a family fotograph on my fridge door – the only one taken together as a family – sat in our front garden (strip of concrete 6’X3′) – it must have been an occassion of priviledge to have an official photographer back in 1951!
Thank you for your interesting comments… Where did you live in Levenshulme please? School ? We may have mutual friends?
Hi, Im currently working on a photography project on Levenshulme’s gentrification. It’d be great to talk to Levenshulme residents that have witnessed this. Please let me know if you would be open to discuss further 🙂
Can anyone remember Jackson’s Bricky – a large area that had been dredged for clay for its bricks?
•Tonbridge Road Allotments?
•St. Mary’s Convent, Clare Road
•the little Greenhouse sweet shop in Errwood Park- Davenhill/Daventry Road
•the 246th Manchester wooden scout hut – Highfield Road Allotments (also another entrance to Jackson’s Bricky)…
•UCP Levenshulme
•Cringle Brook
•Levy Fair, every November, Errwood Road
•Stockport Road veranda/Albert Road
•Saturday afternoon films at the Palace for the youngsters…
•do you have anymore memories of Levy out there?
That last one of mine… re bullet points can be have comments and emails sent… I forgot to tick the two boxes below… apologies
My husband Peter Fisher lived at 1194 Stockport Rad I the 1950s he had a brother Roderick now lives in Shropshire ,Does any one remember them
The only two persons I can remember along that row in the middle 1960’s to middle 1970’s were the Whittle brothers … one was definitely called Robin who I occasionally knocked around with. He had a younger brother brother/step brother…
Across the road was to the right of your husbands home prior to the Bus Station was Robinson’s Newsagents. They had one son only called Hayden who went to Burnage High Schools (Lower and Upper locations). He was younger than me but we were both in Saint Andrews Scout Group on Lloyd Road opposite the Monarch Laundry, and went to the same school.The Cubs and Scouts used to meet in the 40/50/60’sin the Institute on Nall Street next to the school airaid shelter and behind the Church betwixt Dowson and Masons. This may help???
Hi, Im currently working on a photography project on Levenshulme’s gentrification. It’d be great to talk to Levenshulme residents that have witnessed this. Please let me know if you would be open to discuss further 🙂
Hi Cata, please email me at siobhan.o’connor1@manchester.gov.uk to discuss.
Remember Robin Whitle definitely he used to get the 92 bus home at The Midway Hotel to Loyd road
Peter moved down to the Stiperstones to be with me we got married in 1961 . His whole family then decided to move here in 1963 .He had friends in Manchester ,who came to our wedding ,Barry Gilbody Ian Johnson Jack Brindley who I think became a police man and Peter can’t remember his surname
I really enjoy looking at photos of Levenshulme, there was one of the police station on Stockport road I remember it being the School Clinic Ah ! Memories
More on Stockport side of Levenshulme … Opposite Broom lane … Sam Grimshaws Newsagent shop. Sutton Bros TV and repair shop next door but one … next to them George Jacksons Chippy, wife Betty … home made pies and gravy …sit in the front of the shop either side of the front door or inside up the step from the serving Counter. George always wore white lab coat. A wonderful knack of flicking his wrist when dipping the fish into the batter …two flicks and the fish was covered … more to follow …
More reminisces from Levenshulme in the 1960’s …
St. Mary Scout Group, on Clare Road near to Errwood Road roundabout (grass in the centre) met betwixt the St Mary’s School’s grounds and the Nuns Building … the Scout Groups colour neckerchiefs were all white (All white … All white …apologies for the pun!) Terry Murphy, and Eric ?? were the Cub Scouts Leaders and Mike (with a beard!!) was the Scout Leader…
246th Manchester Scout Group met on Highfield Road pass UCP Tripe Works/Abattoir at the very top more or less in the Allotment. This was one of the many legal (!) entrances to the Allotments and the Bricky!! Their HQ was a fabulous wooden building which was pre WW2 RAF. Two of the Leaders were Raymond (Ray) Beckwith, Group Scout Master/Leader (Boss Man) and Ian Graham, Scout Leader. The Neckerchief was two colours which were Yellow and Red I believe…
More ramblings to follow …
Another ramble …
The Old Police Station (Lancashire Contabulary keystone chiselled above the entrance) (this was b4 Manchester Police then to become Greater Manchester Police) strangely enough then to become as you rightly said the School Clinic where another link with me was my Mother Joan Chapman was one of the Stare Enrolled Nurses NIT Nurses that visited the schools …she had other roles as well ….which I will not mention in polite company!
JACK BARBERS removals on the corner of Broom Lane and Stocky Road …what a fire they had there one evening …another mucker of mine Robert Higginson/Higginbottom?? whose Dad worked at the Removals. Jack’s son was Andrew Barber who was another mate of mine in the sixtys/seventies and we use to play Daleks …dont ask! Happy Memories… WE ALSO WEN TO BURNAGE high School … He was one year older than me and the first to wear long trousers for senior school …they were posh a family!!
Doctor Joseph, a kindly Jewish GP Doctor was next to Barbers Removals in the big house on the main Stockport Road betwixt Broom Lane and Cringle Road… opposite John Deardens ‘National’
Garage next to George Jacksons Chippy!
More to follow…I’m on a run now!!!
Mum worked in Robinsons Cafe with Lil Foster – mother of Sir Norman Foster global architect – she knitted two aran jumpers for Norman’s two young boys
More on Levenshulme for 2022 updates friends …
1960’s et al …
Paul Newsham at it again!
The Boys Brigade at Clare Road/Henderson Street Zion Methodist Church/ Chapel, Levenshulme… with their chip hats ( International Rescue hats from the TV programme of the 1960’s). They wore their respective Awards on an armband … impressive …
The Rag and Bone cart man with his horse pulling the cart shouting ‘RAG AND BONE’ along the cobbled back entry’s. If you gave something to him you were … (if you were lucky) you were given a blue stone for the front door step to be chalked up and look nice …
The Milk Man … not Ernie! The local Henderson Street area milk man Redge had an enormous angle bar moustache – sadly he committed suicide ….
… Shillings for the gas meter …and the rebates … from the Gs man who came in the house to ‘open the box’ …we lived like ‘Kings and Queens’ for a few days after he had been!
Characters of the area …. Jimmy Banana … the 192 bus driver who lived on Poplar Avenue and his wife Rennie …
Mrs Hankey …. who husband Alan made fantastic large scaled trains – superb quality …what ever happened to them trains?
Betty and Harold Read with their two children … Janice and David Read from the corner house of Opal Street ( not made to make your mouth water!!!) and Henderson Street… next door to them…
… Mrs Peake, widow (I have her late husbands face now) next door to the Reads and their school Teacher son also David …
… Jessie and Bill Johnson next door to them …
… Mr Bagshaw, widower near door to them
… Harry and Annie Bradshaw and their daughter Ann Bradshaw next to them
I can go on for another 40 houses+ and on both sides of the street …
I can name all 50/60 houses residents and their children from circa 1964 – 1072 to this day
from house number 63 to 151 Henderson Street…
Next time I will try to cover Eastholme Drive, Poplar Avenue, Hawley Street and Lime Street soon to become Langthorne Street ….and back to Clare Road …we have just done a Round Robin friends … more to follow …
BY the way … I have about 40/50/60 photographs of the times …how do I get them onto here please ???
ADVICE PLEASE…
In memory of Levenshulme Lad… Michael (Mike) Paul Williams of Cringle Road – my mucker in the Scouts at St. Andrews, Lloyd Road… who passed recently in France aged 63 … God I miss him …
Stay safe and enjoy the moment … Peace Be With You All xx
Paul
Hi Paul, thank you for sharing your fond memories of Levenshulme. Absolutely amazing information you have shared. If you would like to make a donation of photographs, please email me at siobhan.o’connor1@manchester.gov.uk Many thanks
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Paul Newsham ex-Levenshulme Lad – what a wonderful place to live in the 60/70’s for me was Levy … I have many happy memories … you could chat with the neighbours as a youngster and have a good laugh with them … when you think that only 20 years had passed since the Second World War and the Manchester Blitz.
These people had gone through so much and it was never talked about.
There was not much money about; there was always food on the table … no choices in the days – you either eat what was put in front of you … or you staved until the next meal.
Coal fires, rag and bone men with their horse and carts; pram wheels with wooden planks bases as a cart or boggie … the hot days when the tarmac bubbled in the heat and we used Lolly sticks to prick the bubbles. Tick at the corner shop. Butcher boys on butcher bikes with the little wheel at the front with the big basket holding meat deliveries.
Chippies where you could ask for fish bits or scratchings – free! Steam Trains going past on a their regular hourly journeys.
Building dens in the park. The odd bit of mischief …(!!)
Apple scrumping. Tying cotton to door knockers, pulling then running away when the house holder opened the door. Hysterical laughter!
Holes in socks, scabs on knees, the odd shiner … I would not swop it for the world … thank you Levenshulme