No
matter where in the world you are, when you hear the Lancashire accent
you know there is going to be a sincere, warm Lancashire welcome and a
friend made forever and my trip back to my home town of Accrington in
Lancashire was no exception.
I was bringing my 84 year old dad back
home to his beloved Lancashire to meet all his friends and family again
after 12 years and what a wonderful welcome we got. I was a little
apprehensive, as it's a long way from Kent and dad is not as fit as he
once was but I had no need to worry, he was a changed man.
They say you
should never go back, never try to turn back the hands of time, don't
believe "them" we did turn back the hands of time, if only for a brief
moment. Dad was a kid again, remembering playing Robin Hood in the
fields where he was born in Hapton with Robert Worrell, his school
friend from over 70 years ago and who we both had the privilege to talk
to via a web link to Canada his daughter Valerie and I set up for them
,just before Robert died. He showed me the house he was born in, where
his grandmother lived and so much more. I am truly blessed to have such
a wonderful man for a dad.
Accrington
is the same but different, the same because of the ghosts of our family
who walked the same streets as we were doing but different because of
change, changes that are not always for the best, unfortunately, but I
suppose necessary. We visited cemeteries where dad's family were
buried, his grandparents and parents, which I am glad we did because
although dad shed a tear, it brought him closer to them after all those
years.
To me one of the highlights of the visit was to the Whitewell
Inn on a beautiful sunny Sunday lunchtime, to me that is Lancashire,
Gods Country, the Queen isn't silly, she picked the best to own, and I
also found out the Queen, on her last visit to Whitewell was given the
very room I stayed in, No. 6, if you ever get to stay in the Inn make
sure you ask for No 6 it overlooks the river Hodder and the most
beautiful countryside you will not find another equal to anywhere in
the world.
On
Friday night we had a party for dad, with all his friends and family
around us, and what a memorable night that was, something to keep and
treasure for the rest of our lives. John Earnshaw from Lancashire
reunited and his wife honoured us by attending, and it was like meeting
an old friends, he and his wife are absolutely charming people. The
folk group "Trouble at Mill" went beyond the call of duty by playing
the whole night for dad, although they were only suppose to be there
one hour, they started off with the song,
Ee I'm glad to see a mon like thee and ended with Auld Lang syne where
everyone stood and linked hands with dad in a big circle, wonderful, truly wonderful.
My
childhood school friends were there, Linda Bentley (Bentlegs) and
Gillian Yale who I hadn't seen in just over 50 years, you would never
have known it though, Gillian told me a wonderful secret I want to
share with you although she will kill me for doing so but I want to
show you what a true friend is. She said I always had more money than
her and bought her chips and she wanted to do the same for me so she
stole some money and bought me a bag of chips in return, now how
greater friend can you have that would steal for you, needless to say
she got in terrible trouble for it, we were only very young. Sorry
Gillian but you are the bestust of friends and the world should know
it.
My dear, dear friend Linda, old bentlegs, the sister I never had,
we were out for a meal and the restaurant owner said she thought we
were sisters, oh boy, I was so proud. No one in the world could have
two friends like mine, I am very proud I can call them friends after
all this time.
There
were just a few people missing, if only my mother, granddad, grandma
and auntie could have been there, they would have been so proud, but I
am sure they were there in spirit.
What else can I say, only
that I miss my wonderful homeland, as I know dad does, but as I said
earlier things move on, and for me they did move on to a wonderful
husband despite him being a "southern softy", and to Kent, but I am
training him well as he has come to love my Lancashire as much as I do
and brings me back as much as possible and I love him for that. I have
even got him talking Lanky with the odd words here and there, just give
me a little more time and you will never know he is southern.
All
that is really left to say, is if you were born and bred in Lancashire
and you have the opportunity to go back, grab it with both hands, you
won?t be disappointed.
They will welcome you with open arms, I can guarantee that.
When I get the chance I will put a video together of my memories of Accrington
Till then my heart is with you Lancashire
Sheila and of course dad a true Lancashire lad now and always
Pictured top --Dad Cyril (Who Sheila is immensely proud of ) holds the Wallace Trickett Accrington bus print and also Sheila pictured with John at last years event
That was brilliant Kid and brought a tear to my eyes ---I suppose I better post you that BUTTER PIE now
May I say last years event will stay with me and Pat for ever thank you so much for the invite and a wonderful time
Hello John me old chuckle butty, thanks and I cant wait for me butter pie, and I dont want it will big teeth marks in it hahahah
Last year will stay with me forever too kid, it was a brilliant night and hopefully we can do it again one day soon, it really was a an honour to meet you and Pat and I am proud to call you my Lanky friend.
See you soon, luv from buggerlugs
Sheila
p.s. take that awful piccy of me off and put my posh one on instead
John asked what we loved about the town we grew up in and although I have answered him under that heading I thought it would be more apt here
John, its not the town, its the people in the town, that make it memorable, and Lancashire people are a very rare breed. Friendly, warm, careing, and truly special, you will find no equal to anywhere in the world, thats what makes for happy memories, we always mistake the place that was happy, but how could it have been without those special people,
Thats why Accrington is special to me
brilliant to read sheila to anyone reading this sheila and i have just recently got in touch again after 50 years so nice to talk to friends again makes your heart sing
You did it Siddie, you made psb shed a few tears, and all happy. You got me how you could me me smile and cry at the same time, MUST be a Woman thing.
Sheila you're dead right, it's the folk that makes lancashire what it is. We are a very friendly folk, and the world should learn from us.
Phil.
I've just logged in and read your report on the visit with your dad to Accrington - and the tears are pouring !!! It brought back memories of my visit to Barrow to my Dad who was dying of cancer of the Osophoeghus in 1994 - to know that when I left him to return to Oz I would never see him again was just devastating! I don't think I have ever missed Lancashire more than that time!!
Love Joan and Dave
Hi Joan I am sorry I didnt mean to make you cry, I love my dad with all my heart and all my soul, he is the best, never a swear word, always there for me, my rock, even now, when unfortunately he needs me, I was going to say more than I need him, but that is not true. I cant bear the thought of ever being without him and I want to make what time he has left the best, just like he made my childhood days the best, and still does. I have also been blessed with a husband just like him, so I am truly blessed and count my blessings every single day. Dads are very special people to daughters arnt they. My dad spent all his life being a carer, with the patience of a saint, first to his sister then to my mother who had multiple sclorosis, so this is his time to be cared for. I cant imagine how you must have felt to leave your dad and Lancashire, its just too unbearable to think of.
Sheila
I know I am going to regret putting this on tinternet but its an email I sent to my friends when I got back from revisiting my Lancashire to show you, you can take the girl out of Lancashire but you cant take Lancashire out of the girl. (girl who am I kidding) haha, here goes my street cred:-
Hi Ya
Just to let you know I am back from my trip to Lanky.
Oh boy, what a wonderful, wonderful time we had too, far better than I could have hoped, everything went perfect, no better than that. It was just like being allowed to open a door and walk back in time and be Sheila Whittaker again. I will tell you about a sloppy unforgettable moment when I was standing in the bedroom of The Whitewell Inn in the Forest of Bowland (Gods country) and looking out onto the stunning countryside with the river Hodder just below the window, thinking of my youth and my mum and dad, when right out of the blue Peter came and stood next to me, held me in his arms and said "Sheila Whittaker I love you", ...
it was as though he was reading my mind at that very second, as it is the first time he has called me by my maiden name since we were married 39 years ago. Aaahhh shucks, a true memory moment.
Linda was just as I remembered her to be, it was like we had never been apart, The Dunkenhalgh Hotel was beautiful, Whitewell Inn was even better and last night we spent in The Dorchester Hotel, London really pushing the boat out, I really did feel like Lady Bird there, (piccy attached) I collected my new car and we drove home wishing we could start all over again, it went so quick. I met my relatives in Lancashire that I havent seen for well over 40 years, one even said I was stunning, nice relatives I have, hahaha We spent the day in Blackpool, that brought back such happy memories of when I was a child spending many a week staying with a relative in her bording house with my grandma, and walking for miles along the prom with her, we did the same and even went to the same sun lounge, where the...
they play the organ on the North Pier, I must admit the weather was blowing a gale, but not cold, but it didnt matter, I walked and walked and walked with a perminent smile on my face. I smiled solid for a whole week, something I havent done since I lost my boy Siddie 1 year and four month today.
Another special moment was when I went to the house I was brought up in and knocked on the door to ask if they minded me photographing the outside (hoping they would invite me in) they did, and they are still the same people who bought it off us 41 years ago, the lady of the house told me it was built in 1880 and there had only been 5 families in that time that had owned the house, it was a very happy home, and no one wanted to leave once they owned it. She then started to tell me a story, but I stopped her before she started and said I knew exactly what she was going to say, and I was right, she has seen the ghost I saw as a child. Spooky eh.
Oh I could go on and on and on, but I wont bo...
bore you anymore, .
Valerie I hope you have as good a time as I had, I truly do.
Linda, thank you, thank you, thank you a million, trillion times. Tell your lovely friends they are blessed to have such a nice person as you for a friend, I know I am.
Steven and Sandra, it was brilliant to see you again after all these years, thank you so much for coming to the Dunk, it was unforgettable, I just wish we could have had more time together, never mind, next time hopefully we will.
Thank you to everyone and thank you Lancashire, I love you still
Sheila
This is the home of the WALLACE TRICKETT /LRU Print Collection
The Collection relives The old LANCASHIRE bus fleets
,Railway Locos ,Commercial Company Vans(Inc HOLLANDS PIES )
and Wagons of Days gone bye.
Click on the tab on the main menu to view and purchase via PAYPAL
