Ken Rogers: Lost Tribes The People’s Memories

Feb 4 2012 Liverpool Echo

THE magic of the Lost Tribe of Everton & Scottie Road project is the instinctive memories it brings back to former inner city residents, not least the names of local shops, business and buildings.

Sandra Lynch wrote to me to say: “I am addicted to your column in the ECHO. It helps people remember those wonderful years gone by. I was brought up in Latimer Street, Liverpool 5. Many of your readers will remember the old maisonettes that were home to us. Across the road were Ashfield Gardens and Hopwood Gardens. People will also remember Woodstock Gardens.

“Many of the kids went to Archbishop Whiteside School, better known as ‘Archy’, although I went to St Catherine’s . Thinking about Latimer Street again, I remember Mr Mac’s shop, Joe the butcher, the self service shop, the hairdressers, Tom’s the sweetshop, and the Brittania Pub. Further along was a little bakery and a chandler. They were great days.”

You just said it, Sandra, all those crucial small shops on your doorstep. I would be sent over the road to the grocers for half a dozen broken eggs and a bag of broken biscuits. The eggs were put on a light machine to make sure they were fresh! I was always told by my mother to ‘put it in on the bill’. It was never a problem and so we must have always paid at the end of the week.

Back to Sandra’s memories. She recalls Scottie Road and Selena’s wool shop, Jackson’s sweet shop, Daley’s Holy Shop, and Tony’s supermarket. Come on Sandra, you will have to explain what they sold in Daley’s Holy Shop!

Sandra concluded: “They were great days and I would have them back tomorrow. Everyone looked out for each other. I loved my days in Latimer Street. I live in Freshfield now (unfortunately). No offence, of course, to all you Freshfield folks. It’s just that we get all inspired an emotional about the old inner city districts, regardless of the housing conditions.”

Alan Bolger from Winsford wrote to me about my piece on the old theatres. He said: “The Lyric was one of the places we used to play in, swinging on ropes (or was it the curtains). One day we got caught by a policeman who gave us a belt over the head and sent us home. The police sergeants always had long wooden batons which they would strike on the pavement.”

I assume the Lyric was derelict when you were breaking and entering as a boy Alan. We would only have to see a policeman as kids and we would be standing to attention. But those old half demolished and bombed out buildings were better than going to Disney World for the kids round our way. How exciting was it to make your way down into the old cellars? Better than going on any fairground ghost train!

Send your memories to: Ken Rogers, Liverpool Echo, Old Hall Street, L69 3EB.

View or leave memories online at: www.losttribeofeverton.com