HYDE CHESHIRE

Harry Rutherford's
Festival of Britain Mural




Sunday 2 October 2011

View from Captain Clarkes

Looking Back

Photobucket

I do like this view, looking from Captain Clarkes Bridge... on the left is a railway bridge that led to Fox Holes. The buildings to the right of the bridge are known as Thistley Fields.. 
I have spent many happy hours around here. The area where Fox Holes Estate is now was once my play ground... along with Thistley Fields, and of course the canal. 

4 comments:

Hydonian said...

This view reminds me of the walks I went on down the canal with my mum and dad and then later with my own children - I even used to help take the children from Greenfield Street nursery school on this route - It was always a favourite !
Ahh,happy days!

Tom said...

You had to mention Greenfield street didn't you Nancy.. ha! That set me off chuckling as this was the bridge we would make for when playing truant from 'Greenie'. I will relate two story's about this bridge and playing truant.. both include the late (great) Tony Collins and myself.
We were sat on the bridge wall with our feet over the edge, discussing where we should spend the day.... we were laughing at something or other and did not hear the car coming down Woodend Land.. two of Hyde's finest boys in blue pulled up in a blue and white Vauxhall Viva and asked why we were not in school. Quick as a flash Tony told them we are at school.. but both of us were excused Gym lessons. The teacher had sent us here to make sure everyone in our class who were on a cross country run did not cheat and take a short cut back to school. Tony said that 3 lads had not yet run past and when the teacher came to collect us we were going to tell him. The police said 'Well Done Lads' and then drove into Woodend Farm... we made off quicker than at any time we had been sent to run that cross country route.

The next story starts the same.. me and Tony sat in the same way dangling our legs over the bridge looking at much the same view as above.. and of course we were 'playing' truant. Playing is perhaps the wrong word as we had it down to a fine art now and practised it quite a lot.
Anyhow we were sat there wondering what we could do to amuse ourselves... and the answer became clear with the arrival of a narrow boat coming towards us from Hyde... just as the bow appeared under the bridge we dropped onto the top much to the alarm of the chap on the tiller.. who asked what the hell we were doing. Again Tony in the blink of an eye shouted that we were Gee Cross pirates and we were taking over the ship. Well the chap set off swearing and shouting and aimed for the banking... his wife popped her head up and screamed swear words that a docker would have blushed at.. the boat bumped into the banking and we jumped off and ran as fast as we could which was hard as were were still laughing at the words the woman came out with. ha! Happy Days..

Isla... said...

LOL :>D

Dave Garside said...

I remember this scene very well as I served my apprenticeship at Joseph Adamson & Co on Croft Street and used to walk to work along the canal.I crossed the railway line via the bridgr at the top left of your photo.There was a farm on the other side of the railway but now I believe it is a large housing estate.Great memories from the early sixties.