This is a view of Stockport Road,Gee Cross Circa 1975/76.
The shop to the right was called "The Pantry", as were many shops in that era, and was where I used to go for sweets and ice-creams. It looks such an unhurried time - even the dog is resting. I like it better than the present day picture because there is less traffic on the road. Notice the old dustbins pre- wheelie bins! Also notice the old type litter bin that was often defaced to say "Gary (G)litter" !
Thanks to Nick for sharing this photo. Great days indeed!
This is the same view taken in 2009 - so many cars on the road!
4 comments:
I love that first shot.... the bins, the dog, the quietness of Stockport Road... and the boxes of rubbish ready for the binmen....
Now if your bin lid happens to be open a bit, or it is not at the end of your path .. the bin men will leave it... Long gone are the days when the bins were rolled out from behind your house, along with boxes and bags.. your bin was physically lifted up and emptied... bags, boxes and anything else was collected... and then the bins were returned to the back of your house... I remember watching the bin men if they found a kettle or pan.. it would be put under the back wheels and squashed.. this was a perk of the job as when enough aluminium, copper or brass was collect the lads would have a 'weigh in'.. I'm taken back to the times when the big green dust wagons would tip the back in the air to tip the rubbish to the front, where it would be squashed and condensed... when full off the wagon would go to Dunkirk lane tip... a big land fill site.. now covered over and called Jet Amber Fields. My heads filled with memories of school holidays, spent helping the bin lads for a few coppers and a ride in the wagon. One of the bin men from back then was called 'Wally' and he was a helper at Hyde Lads Clubs, another was my dads friend who had an allotment on Church Brow... and another from that time was the chap in 'The Crown' post who was known as Charlie Drake...
Ha! All this from a picture that shows so much more than a dustbin... ;o)
I'd forgotten all about the dust wagons that used to tip the back into the air - used to make an almighty crash as thing fell to the bottom of the cart! I even like the pavements better on the first photo - proper paving stones and not patched up tarmac.
I also used to go in the shop and get sweets. I remember the ones that had liquorice and what I think we called "kayli" (powdered sugar) that you used to dip and lick. It would last you all the way home and then some.
The Pantry was a confectioners owned by my Gran "Eliza Burgoine" before it was the sweet shop. She retired in the early 50s,when I was 4 years old and moved to Vincent St which can be seen just below the shop on the same side.
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