We spent Saturday discussing family matters over a quite drink before meeting up on Sunday to go down memory lane in the place we called home the Rossendale Valley We began the day in Rawtenstall where we parked the car where my dad was born (Grange Terrace) and also where we as kids would spend many a happy weekend sleeping over at Grandma and Granddads .Dad recalled many a tale with us as we did with him and the joy on dads face was a picture.

 As it also was with my sisters recalling grandma baking and granddad shaving with the cut throat razor .We then spent a while walking around the town dads old school (ALDER GRANGE ) had long been demolished but the outside walls still remain again many a tale was recollected of the old pals . As we walked down Newchurch Rd my sisters saw the old chippy where after granddad came home from his shift at the bakery he would give some brass to then for our fish supper .

As we reached the bus staition my sister Carol and I argued over its location when we were kids Dad, Dad she asked aren’t I right anrt I dad she sheiked ,we were kids again As we approached Rawtenstall Cricket club dads face illuminated like a light bulb and when we went inside it was at flow glow you see dad once played there and also spent may a happy hour watching with his dad .

He recalled how packed the place used to be and the players seen there EVERTON WEEKS ,GARFEILD SOBERS,ETC,ETC .Next Stop after going past my sister old school (FEARNS) was the place where we lived until we moved to Barrow 40 years ago this year 11 HAWORTH DRIVE Stacksteads memories came flooding back of childhood friends and times spent in that house ,the Christmas turkey dad brought home he had to pluck ,me setting fire to the back garden ,going down the hill on my bike ,Mr Paddy as I used to call him ,the butterworths ,the Nixons ,Susan Cook Maggie Michells shop .

Then it was on to the house where I was born 24 CUTLER LANE . Now since I moved back to east Lancashire I have been to have a look at the place now and again but never walked around until now I quickly came to realize now how times have changed .I didn’t realize it was a back to back with no yard and that at the end of the block they were toilets that where you had to SLOP out your chamber pots .Dad also recalled the rents were 13s/6 d which I think now equates to around 70p a week in todays money .I also got told that as a baby I was once locked in a house as I had fallen a sleep behind a settee and how I was at the window screaming to get out  Alas mum saved me .

Last Stop BACUP Up South street we drove to be greeted by the site of dads old work place HALLS FRUIT AND VEG MERCHENTS sadly the worst for ware after a fire and the ravages of time you could again see dads face light up as we recalled times spent on his wagon and the padlocks where still in the same place on the rotten doors . Dad said just go up TODMORDEN RD and as we drove up the hill STOP pull up here kidda .

We got out and walked up a path that all of a sudden became familiar TOM BOHENS house and also the family home of JUDITH AND HAYDN members of this website again a glow on my dads face .It was time to go but as we came back down the hill he told me that the old depot once stood there ,now I know where it was on that pic you sent me Haydn.

We had another family engagment to go to as dads brother had invited us to tea but before we took up the invitation a drink at the ROYAL Hotel in Waterfoot  and a recap on all our memories MUM would have been proud as we went down memory lane as one of her favorite tunes came on the juke box but just like the days of our childhood and the bank holiday weekend memories are made of this