| Name |
Reminiscences |
More |
| BISHOP, DOROTHY |
Reminiscences January 1998
Dorothy Bishop, aged 76
Selena Bumford, aged 66
Lynn Baron, aged 63
Our father was Joseph Porter. He was a labourer in the Bright Shop for over 20 years. He started work at Park Bridge ironworks about 1921 and left because of ulcers when he was probably 47. He then went to work at Shaw’s brush works on Winton Street in Ashton. We lived on Jackson Street... |
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| BRINDLEY, MARGARET |
Reminiscences May 2001
Margaret Brindley, aged 64.
My father Arnold Penny was born in Waterloo. When he married he lived in Ashton and then moved to 7, Dingle Terrace for a time. Then he moved onto Oldham Road near The Dog and Partridge where I was born in 1937. I was an only one. My mother, Edna died when I was four. She was a tailoress and used to make outfits for the shows that they... |
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| CLARKE, MARGARET |
Reminiscences February 200
Margaret Clarke aged 73
I was born in Ashton Lakeside Hospital in 1930. My father was William Day, known as Billy and my mother Sarah was known as Sally. I had no brothers or sisters. I started life at Denton in the Kings Head Hotel at Crown Point; my grandparents were licensees there. I came to Ashton when I was six years old because my father’s parents... |
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| DUNKERLEY, DOROTHY |
Reminiscences March 1998
Dorothy Dunkerley, aged 85.
I was born in December 1912 in a house near the bottom of Abbey Hills Road, Oldham. Then we moved to 4, Manor Road, Oldham at the bottom of Abbey Hills Road. It used to be a private road. They used to shut the gate once a year to keep it private. My father was called William Buckley and he was the son of Charles Buckley who was either... |
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| FAIRHURST, JOHN |
Reminiscences October 1999
John Fairhurst, aged 56.
My Father was in the Grenadier Guards in the First World War and in the Second World War he was in the home guard and was Works Manager in Park Bridge Ironworks from 1938 – 1961. He didn’t actually retire. He had two heart attacks, which my mother said Park Bridge had caused. He was works manager under Lowther Lees, who lived... |
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| HIBBERT, SAM |
Reminiscences January 1998
Sam Hibbert, aged 80. (Died Sept. 1999)
I was born in Bailey Street in Stalybridge in 1918 when my father was away at the war. Later we lived at 15, Smallshaw Lane, Ashton under Lyne in a small stone cottage, one of four, which I believe now have a preservation order on them. I come from a large family. My father, Edward Hibbert, better known as Ned and Mother,... |
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| HOLLAND, ERIC |
Reminiscences January 1998
Eric Holland, aged 66.
My Father, Richard Holland, was a maintenance man at Hannah Lees & Sons, Park Bridge ironworks. He was working there when I was about ten. He probably worked there for about ten years and retired at sixty. He would be called out to repair the brickwork of the furnaces when they had cooled down. He dubbinned his boots with neat’s-foot... |
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| HOPWOOD, BRIAN |
Reminiscences July 2001
Brian Hopwood, aged 57.
We moved to Park Bridge in 1957 off Ashton Moss. My parents were Harry and Hilda Hopwood. My sister Elaine lives at Dukinfield and Brother Philip lives at Hyde. Philip was just born when we moved into Mill Brow House. Dad was born in 1919. He worked there (Park Bridge ironworks) since he was fourteen. He started off sorting scrap up on Spion... |
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| HOWARTH, EDWARD |
Reminiscences July 1997
Edward Howarth, aged 89.
I started work on 'Spion Kop', the scrap yard above the Top Forge at Park Bridge Ironworks, on 20th February 1923 when I was only fourteen. I worked there until 1944 and became a rollerman on the big mill in the Bottom Forge.
There were many accidents in the ironworks. One of the lads, Jack Allott, found a Mills Bomb in one of the... |
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| JONES, MARGARET |
Reminiscences July 2002
Margaret Jones
My step-grandfather, Charlie Hough was a labourer in the top forge at Park Bridge.
My father Joseph Longsden, commenced work at Hannah Lees & Sons, Park Bridge ironworks shortly after his fifteenth birthday in 1916. He worked in the forge for most of the years, whether it was the top or bottom forge I am not sure. I just know he had a lot... |
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| KAYE, BERNARD |
Reminiscences January 1998
Bernard Kaye, aged 63.
I left Ashton Grammar school and worked at the National Gas and Oil Engine Co. in Ashton for three weeks. I was a choirboy at Christ Church in Ashton and Billy Clegg, who was Company Secretary at Park Bridge Ironworks was the choirmaster. He got me a job in the offices at Park Bridge as a junior clerk. I worked there from 1950 'till... |
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| LOMAS, BOB |
Reminiscences October 2003
Vera Moody, aged 85.
Bob Lomas, aged 77
Vera – ‘I was born in Union Road in Ashton in December 1917. I had one brother, Bob, who was nearly nine years younger than me. My father, John William Lomas, known as Jack, was an engineer at Park Bridge ironworks. All the time he was at Park Bridge he worked on ‘textiles’. They made fluted rollers... |
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| MILLIN, MARGARET |
Reminiscences
Henry Speare
Henry Speare was born 13th February 1860 at Rickinghall in Suffolk. In 1876 the Lees, owners of Park Bridge Ironworks, wanted a lad to work as a groom. Relatives of the Lees family, living in the Rickinghall area, recommended Henry.
While he was working as a groom for the Lees, Henry lodged at Bobs Cottage, Fairbottom, with Samuel and Fanny Andrew. The... |
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| PENKEY, MARY |
Reminiscences January 1998
Mary Penkey, aged 76.
I was born in Conisbrough village near Doncaster. My parents were Ethel and George Shaw. Dad worked in the mines at Cadeby colliery. I went to school at Morley Place School, Conisbrough. The children there were of all ages. When I left school there was no work at home and a friend of mine, Ethel White got me a job at Park Bridge. Ethel worked... |
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| SHORT, GEORGE PHILLIP |
Reminiscences May 1999
George Phillip Short
What is the connection between Park Bridge and Brookside?
The connection is George Herbert Short.
George Herbert Short started work at Park Bridge Ironworks on 18th October 1929. He
became Works Manager and left on 31st October 1960 after completing 31 years
service. (These facts come from a list of Park Bridge staff from 1909 discovered... |
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| SLATER, JACK |
Reminiscences March 2000
Jack Slater, aged
Headquarters – united Methodist School, Alt
1933
President – Joe Hadfield
Vice President – Herbert Wood
Secretary – Wm Marland (of Park Villas, Park Bridge, foreman in roller shop)
Assistant Secretary – Wm Slater
Treasurer – Percy Marsh
Alt Chapel and Sunday School had one big room with moveable... |
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| WARREN, ALBERT |
Reminiscences July 2002
Albert Warren. Aged 88
I was brought up in Duncan Street, Ashton under Lyne, one of twelve brothers. My only sister died when she was only a few months old.
Two of my brothers Daniel Morrison and George Harry Warren worked in the Bright Shop at Park Bridge ironworks. Danny married Hilda Newcombe and they lived on Dingle Terrace with their daughter. Danny worked... |
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| WHELAN, STAN |
Reminiscences February 1998
Stan Whelan, aged 77.
I worked for the English Steel Corporation in Openshaw from 1946 'till 1972. I used to load lorries and then worked my way up to be Warehouse Manager.
English Steel used to supply ten foot lengths of two inch square steel billet to Park Bridge Ironworks. The steel came from our 28" rolling mill. They used it for bright bar. In... |
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| WOOD, FRANK |
Reminiscences March 2000
Frank Wood, aged 86
At the beginning of the Second World War I was a policeman, P.C. 205, with Oldham. In those days policemen were firemen and ambulance men as well. One day I was called to Park Bridge Ironworks, to the Bright Shop, because Danny Morrison had fallen into a vat of acid. We pulled him out and washed him down with water and took him to Oldham Royal... |
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| MOODY, VERA |
Reminiscences October 2003
Vera Moody, aged 85.
Bob Lomas, aged 77
Vera – ‘I was born in Union Road in Ashton in December 1917. I had one brother, Bob, who was nearly nine years younger than me. My father, John William Lomas, known as Jack, was an engineer at Park Bridge Ironworks. All the time he was at Park Bridge he worked on ‘textiles’. They made fluted rollers... |
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| MATANLE, ARTHUR |
Reminiscences
Arthur Matanle- recollections of his grandfather, Charles Williamson, Manager of Park Bridge Ironworks.
Arthur Matanle is the only son of Sarah Alice Williamson and Reginald Ernest Herbert Matanle. He was born on 21st September 1920.
Notes on a conversation about his recollections.
I remember grandfather talking about the “puddlers” – all Irish- as... |
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