More readers memories.
03 Surfin' U.S.A.mp3
Frank Batkin's memories of the 50's and 60's.
I suppose my first memories are a bit vague, i remember we lived over a butchers shop in Penn and that early in either 1952 or 53 we moved to the brand new housing estate of Castlecroft. We were amongst the first to move in, the house was in Windmill crescent. The house was basic council standard but pure luxury after Penn road. It had a such luxuries as a bath, hot water heated by a coal fire and a gas poker to get the fire started. Two bedrooms, a kitchen and a lounge/dining room. Like most working people at that time, we did not have much money, dads wages just about paid for the necessities of life so one learnt very early on not to ask for things you could not have. Like Rod, i spent time with my nose pressed against Sherwood Millers toy shop window in the Queens arcade watching the train sets etc in the window. One of my first real memories came on coronation day, we went over to my grand dad Goodwin's house in Rayleigh road, to watch on grandads new TV set, a piece of furniture made by the Philips company which seemed to occupy a whole wall whilst having a 12 inch screen. The family gathered around the set to watch the proceedings, for me it was the first time i saw pictures sent from afar although as life went on it was not to be the last time. My first school, Castlecroft primary, was literally a stones throw from my front door in Windmill crescent. Whilst there i contracted Whooping cough and spent several months away from school whilst mainlining on penicillin. On one occasion whilst i was off, it was the school christmas party and someone was sent to the house with a bag containing sandwiches and cake as i had missed the party. Now i think whoever came to the door was a little timid, rather than knock the door the bag was pushed through the letterbox with the obvious conclusions, squashed sandwiches and cake. I made some friends at the school but after taking the 11+ at Ounsdale school in Wombourne it was time to move to what my parents called "the big school". In my case this meant the Regis in Tettenhall. One of my best friends at the time was Brian Griffiths, who also lived in Windmill crescent, was my age but a day, his birthday been the day after mine, we enjyed the same things, tv wrestling which we would re-enact on the grass verge outside our houses. We also enjoyed impersonating a boxer by the name of Cassius Clay, later known as Mohamed Ali. We took our 11+ on November 5th, 1958 and after it was all over returned to our guy fawkes which was ready for burning. In those early days most people had bonfires at the front of their houses, there was still quite a bit of builders rubble to burn. Money was tight in 1959, my trousers, shirt and tie were new although the blazer was second hand and slightly too big but i was assured i would grow into it. I felt quite proud of my new uniform, if i remember correctly i took a walk around the block to show it off. I can't honestly say i enjoyed all my time there, for the most part it was a case of grin and bear it, however like in Rod Blunts case it did teach me not to trust my so called elders and betters. I stayed on a couple of years and during this time i began to gain some freedom. It was the first time i went in a pub on my own, the Castlecroft hotel was at that time the nearest. Despite been underage i became a regular however on my birthday i was challenged about my age so i started using the Mermaid on the Bridgenorth road. Here i met the lads who would introduce me to serious drinking. Chris Davies, Phil Poutney, Phil Freeman and many others. In those days beer was 1/7p a pint, unlike todays 3 quid a pint. Chris and i soon discovered a mutual interst in both the music of the day (the Beatles mostly) and Folk music. By this time i had started work as an apprentice for the GPO telephones and began to spread my wings. Wolverhampton had become my playground. On a saturday morning i was no longer dragged around the shops or market, me and Chris would go into town and buy records and or go for a drink. On one occasion Wolves were playing Liverpool at home so a group of us crammed into the Darlo (the Darlington arms) along with a myriad of Scouse football supporters. No bother in those days, any trouble as confined to a referees decizion on the pitch. The fans got along famously to the strains of Beatle music played on the Darlo's back room juke box.
My work as a telephone engineer took me to various parts of the town, to homes, factories, and offices. As you can imagine my 42 years in the job has given me lots of memories. Perhaps the most frightening was doing a job at the Ever ready in Park lane. At the time i was an apprentice and Len, my co-worker and immediate boss had warned me about the place. He, like others before him, had told me stories of men been put into the Royal by some of the "ladies" who worked there. Tales of oversized washers been placed on certain areas of the body brought tears to my eyes. I knew it wasn't all true, in fact i had been out with a girl who worked there since before we left school. Sure they were brash and loud but surely not homicidal. On this occasion i had to refix a broken cable by inserting a connector box where the break had happened. I had this strange feeling that i was been watched. When i turned around several prduction lines had stopped and all eyes were on me. I can honestly say i had never been so frightened. I must have broken a record in getting the cable refixed and i was out of there. As i left i could hear a raucus sound of women cheering.
Fishing with father.
Apart from drinking, dads favourite occupation was fishing and so from an early age, it was felt that naturally would enjoy going on fishing trips. Fortunately was true and so early on a sunday morning we would walk from Castlecroft to the dairy depot in Merry Hill where we could get a lift from a tanker driver who was about to set out for Shropshire farms to collect the milk. It was from the cab that i first begun to appreciate the Shropshire countryside. we would leave the tanker at places such as i had never heard of. Once at somewhere like wellington we would have a mornings fishing before returning by train, a bonus for me. I loved these excursions into the countryside. Around 1962 dad passed his driving test and before i new it there was a gleaming green Ford Anglia parked outside our house. This meant that fishing trips would become more frequent than before. Instead of been reliant on tanker drivers we could now go where and when we wanted. A favourite spot for us was Atcham on the old A5, not far from the Roman city of wroxeter (Viroconium). We would set out on a saturday night after dad closed the shop and fill the car with not only fishing tackle but food for supper and breakfast. We would fish through the night under the road bridge and in the morning dad would take out the spirit stove, get the frying pan and cook bacon and eggs like you have never tasted. Although i did not know it at the time, dad knew Shropshire like the back of his hand, mainly i suspect because of the family pub keeping history. I still remember the red light flashing on the top of the Wrekin as we drove around the county. Dad used to fish mainly for eels, which he would bring home in an old pillow case ready for jellying, something i was not fond of.
A typical Saturday night, mid 1960's.
You may find this hard to believe but in the 60's you could have a night out for 10/- (thats 50 pence in todays money or about 70 cents). First there was the bus fare to town from Castlecroft, it was not unusual to see friends also waiting for the bus ready to hit the town. Then after a few minutes gentle strolling, you were at the Civic. Now the Civic hall in those days did not have the panache of the Queens but it had a bar and although it was mostly ballroom dancing it gave you the chance to meet a girl, dance and maybe see her again. Following a drink or two, you may have either taken the young lady in question home or simply gone home on the last bus. As an alternative Saturday night, as i said previously, it was not uncommon to meet friends either at the bus stop or on the bus if they had got on at other stops. Sometimes plans would change and you would end up with a friend in one of the towns pubs, for starters...
Wolverhampton in the mid to late 60's was really an exciting place to be growing up in. Dance halls, cinemas, pubs, shops and all kinds of places for a teenager to enjoy himself.
Manders paints & personal memories.
by Sue Worsey.
Moving on to 1966, a year that will go down in sporting history - the world cup, England beating Germany 4-2 in extra time on the 30th July at Wembley Stadium. Who can forget Geoff Hurst's hat trick.
Getting back to when I left school - Friday, 13th May. After saying farewell to Regis, I started work on Monday, 16th May at a very well known paint firm, Mander Bros, (at that time in Old Heath Road). Like my first day at school, I was nervous until I got used to the surroundings. I soon settled in, making new friends, some unaware of my epilepsy (a fact I kept to myself until I got to know the people who I was working with better). As a junior I was asked to work in different departments. This was to gain experience and to see what job suited me the best. This led me to work in the factory amongst factory workers who teased me as I was the only female working alongside them. At the age of 16 I gave as much as I got, through it I gained respect from my fellow workers. My job title was Viscosity Taker ( a property of fluid in resisting change in the shape or arrangement of its elements during flow). Woe betide anyone who thinned the paint to much, the job was ruined and the firm lost a contract.
I was a member of the Queens Ballroom where every Saturday I went and met my first boyfriend there who was in the R.A.F. Stationed at R.A.F.Cosford; I was 18 the year, 1968.
I was also a member of the Gaumont Cinema where every Saturday morning I went to watch a show.
When I was 19, I was Secretary of the 18+ club, we held our meetings in the Giffard Arms in Victoria Street in the upstairs function room. Mom, Dad & I frequented “Lyons Cafe tea rooms” in Queen Square where Waitresses were called “Nippies” due to the speed of their service and the ability to nip around the tables at high speed.
Above Manders paint factory
Editors notes. Thanks Susan, i too remember Lyons corner house and the "nippies". I too was a member of the 18+ club, we had great fun including fund raising for charities and weekend camps at such places as Clarach bay and trips to London. Don't get me started on my recollection of the Queens, those memories are worthy of a book in itself.
Picture from Eric Thomas.
This is the old and the new, as it was in the sixties, if I remember right the old market would have been on the right and MacLean house would have been by the now ring road island.
