Trips out

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In the 1970s and 1980s we all used to go out on trips and nights out together, socialising with the neighbours. The community was thriving and there was lots going on.

 

Some of the trips were arranged by locals in the Falcon Bearer. We went to Blackpool and to the pubs and clubs in Manchester. The Calypso Night was one I remember. Milly, who was a big lady, her husband was called Frank, she dressed up as Carmen Miranda, complete with the fruit, and didn’t stop dancing all night. The band were so pleased with her reaction, they asked if she’d come to their next gig to help create the atmosphere!

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A brighter future? 1999

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The front cover of a brochure produced by Manchester City Council in 1999, to inform Longridge and Shaw Heath residents about the coming change from Council ownership to the housing association/social landlord Manchester Methodist Housing, now called Great Places.

The picture shows Amy Ward (child) and Kelly Faulkner (mum).

Courtesy of Andrew Oldham.

Amy Long memorial, 1997

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The order of service for a memorial held in Sarasota, Florida, USA, for Amy Moreton Long, 17th Oct 1997. Amy lived on Longridge in the 1980s and had been a Tiller Girl. The memorial leaflet was donated by Charlie Lockwood, who said:

I remember Amy Long. She was born in 1908, had been a Tiller Girl long before moving to Longridge in the 1980s. She moved from Hulme [in Manchester] and lived on the estate for 12 years. She was a local character, and I remember how she would entertain the regulars at The Falcon Bearer for hours, telling stories from her Tiller Girl days, recounting funny episodes and some famous names!

After she died, I looked after her ashes, which she had wanted scattered at The Falcon Bearer.  In the event we couldn’t do that – it had to take place on consecrated ground. So we held a short open-air service on the estate instead. But I can recall that when her ashes were scattered, the wind blew them towards the direction of her flat, which was number 5, Longridge.

Interviewer: Diane Lomax

Harry West and Pat Ramsay, 1995

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Harry West, with a neighbour, Pat Ramsay, in the kitchen of Harry’s house at 19 Longridge, in about 1995. Pat had lived next-door to Harry’s family when they were at 103 Longridge, and she still visited Harry after he moved to number 19.

Photo courtesy of Elenor McAndrew.

Bart Simpson costume, 1994

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At the Birkin Centre at the end of the Carnival parade in about 1994.

Left to right:
Ricky Reszka (in white)
Stevie Reszka, carried by Lee Reszka
Bart Simpson mask wearer – name unknown.

Boxing costumes were used for several years in the carnival, perhaps because they were quite easy to do with clothes that peoplke already had. For example, here in 1991. This photo is estimated as 1994 because of the age of little Stevie Reszka.

Photo courtesy of Mrs McCreanor.

Birkin Centre, Carnival 1994

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At the Birkin Centre in 1994, just after the coronation ceremony.

Helen Rose as newly-crowned Queen (4th from right); Christopher Hoskins to her left, in red hat.; Chevonne Brooks to his left, with short hair and looking into camera. Other names unknown.

Photo courtesy of Mrs McCreanor.

At the Birkin, Carnival 1994

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At the Birkin Centre at the end of the parade, in about 1994.

Janet Reszka (adult, far left, wearing yellow headband); Kellie Ashworth (centre, long hair, white dress and floral headband, looking into camera); Jenny Aston (to her right, seated, white dress and floral headband). Others, names unknown.

Photo courtesy of Mrs McCreanor.

Bride and groom costumes, 1994

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Louise Reed and Lee McCreanor, in “bride and groom” costumes, in the 1994 Carnival parade. Michelle Reed (Louise’s mum) is behind them on the left. The photo was taken on Mobberley Rd, outside the Five Oaks pub (the pub sign is visible on the right).

Photo courtesy of Mrs McCreanor.

Jade Allen, Carnival 1993

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Jade Allen outside her house before the parade
Jade Allen (right, in white) on a float, with Katy Barratt (centre, in white)

Jade Allen as a flower girl in the 1993 carnival. The second photo shows Jade with Katy Barratt (centre, in white dress); but the name of the girl in pink is unknown.

Photos courtesy of Mrs McCreanor.

Pearly King costumes, 1993

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Two girls in sailor costumes on the left – names unknown.

L to R from centre:
James McCreanor, centre, as Pearly King; Alison Silver, just seen behind him in white; Michaela Niles, to her right, wearing dark blue;  Lee Edwards, yawning, in green top and blue elf hat; Lisa Bolton, as Pearly King; Carly Edwards, with long blonde hair and pale blue elf hat; Jay Hammon, carrying an unknown little girl. Other names unknown.

Photo courtesy of Mrs McCreanor.

Janet Reszka, Carnival 1993

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Janet Reszka taking part in the Carnival. Janet was a key figure in organising the Carnival for many years. We are not certain of the date of this photo, but we think it was 1993 – one of the few years when it rained!

Photo courtesy of Mrs McCreanor.

Carnival costumes, 1993

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Children in costume at the Birkin Centre at the end of the rainy Carnival parade in 1993. This was only one or two years before the Carnival ended.

“Bride and Groom” in the centre: Lee McCreanor and Melanie Reed.
Queen (seated, in red cloak, left): Claire Toon.
Far left, next to Queen, wearing a headband,: Emma Hoskins.
Other names unknown.

Photo courtesy of Mrs McCreanor.

Milk float, Carnival 1992

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At the Carnival parade in about 1992.

Sitting on the milk float, left to right:
name unknown;
Pearl Howard;
name unknown.

In the crowd:
Gillian Paton (left, with pram);
three children, names unknown;
Hilda Marshall (right, with arms crossed).

Photo courtesy of Mrs McCreanor.

Flower girls, 1992

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Flower girls on Mobberley Road at the carnival in about 1992.

Left to right:
Rachel Copestick;
Michelle Reed (adult);
Melanie Reed.
The name of the smallest girl, nearest to the camera, is unknown.

Photo courtesy of Mrs McCreanor.

Cartoon costumes, 1992

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Two adults in Carnival costume on Mobberley Road in about 1992, as cartoon characters Bugs Bunny and Sylvester. Their identity is not known for certain, but they are thought to be Janet Reszka and Barbara Bolton!

Photo courtesy of Mrs McCreanor.

Queen of Hearts costume, 1992

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L to R: Carly Barrow; Jade Allen; Mel Reed (as Queen of Hearts); another girl just visible behind Mel, name unknown. Adult at the back:Joan Edwards
L to R: Carly Barrow; Mel Reed; Jade Allen.

On Mobberley Road in the 1992 Carnival parade, Carly Barrow; Jade Allen; Mel Reed (as Queen of Hearts), and Joan Edwards.

Photos courtesy of Mrs McCreanor.

Carnival parade 1992

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James McCreanor (far left, front, green T-shirt); Lee McCreanor (centre, green T-shirt); Chris Oliver (behind him, in dark yellow jacket). Other people – names unknown. This is the same year as this photo, as the McCreanor twins are wearing their pirate costumes in both images.

Photo courtesy of Mrs McCreanor.

Done for Poll Tax evasion

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Eventually, I got done for Poll Tax evasion. I went to prison for 8 days in all. First to Drake Hall in Staffordshire for 3 days and then to Risley in Manchester for 5 days. Mum took the dog. Richard Wise, the anti-Poll Tax campaigner, said I could get compensation for being put in a Category A prison, but then he was released and I never heard a thing. Although it was scary going to prison, when I was there I didn’t want to come home. All my meals cooked, television and no bills. I didn’t know that I could have got help with the Tax. I paid my debt and got the flat I’m in now.

From an interview with Christine Coad, 2015
Interviewers: Ged Martin and Simon Grennan

Retiring Carnival Princess, 1991

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Tanya Niles as Retiring Carnival Princess (as shown by her blue cloak), at the Birkin Centre in 1991.

Tanya was the first Princess; the same tradition that was already established for Carnival Queens, of a red cloak for the new Queen and a blue one for the retiring Queen, was adopted from the start for the Princess as well. Compare this photo, from the year before, where Tanya wears a red cloak.

Photo courtesy of Mrs McCreanor.

Jordan Comley, Carnival 1991

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Jordan Comley, grandson of Denise Comley, in his pushchair decorated for the carnival parade. Jordan is also pictured the previous year, as a baby, here, being carried by his auntie, Emma Joszkow, when Emma was Carnival Queen.

Photos courtesy of Denise Comley.

The first Carnival Princess, 1990

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Rebecca Birbeck (left): Tanya Niles (centre, Carnival Princess). Girl on right – name unknown.
1990 was the first year when there was a younger girl chosen as Carnival Princess, as well as a Queen; so Tanya Niles was Longridge and Shaw Heath’s first Carnival Princess.

Photo courtesy of Mrs McCreanor.

Sailor costumes, 1990

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Children in costume at the Birkin Centre in 1990, after the Carnival parade was finished.

Left to right: Summer Chappell (seated); James McCreanor; Lee McCreanor; Leanne Grange; Jenny Davies; Louise Reed; Claire Coad; and name unknown (dressed as Britannia).

Photo courtesy of Denise Comley.

Emma Joszkow, Carnival Queen 1990

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Emma Jozkow and her retinue on the float
On the float
On the float, with flower girls, pageboys, and the Crown Bearer (in red hat)
On the float
Emma at the Birkin Centre…
…walking to the front to be crowned.
Emma is crowned Queen by unknown woman – probably a local councillor
Just after being crowned: Emma, and the Carnival Princess (far right) and their retinues, with their crown-bearers standing behind them
Emma and the Carnival Princess (name unknown) being photographed for the Knutsford Guardian

Emma Jozkow, Carnival Queen 1990, on her float on the way to the Birkin Centre; and at the Birkin Centre for the coronation ceremony. Unlike some previous years, the tradition seems to have changed, and Emma was not crowned by the retiring Queen from the year before, but by someone who we have not identified but who was possibly a local Councillor.

It is interesting that (last photo) the Queen and Princess were photographed by the Knutsford Guardian. By this time, the Longridge and Shaw Heath Carnival was regularly featured in the local paper; but in its early years, it was not covered at all.

Photos courtesy of Denise Comley.

Anne Comley, Carnival dressmaker, 1990

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Anne Comley is the grandmother of Emma Joszkow, who was carnival queen in 1990. Anne made Emma’s dress, with the help of her daughter Lynn. The video shows Anne in 2015 at her house on Longridge, showing the dress and talking about how she made it.

The photos below show Anne with the dress; and, on the right, another carnival costume made by Anne, in around 1983 – the black Spanish Lady costume worn by the little girl at the front.

Video and 2015 photos taken by the Creation Of A Community project. 1983 photo courtesy of Denise Comley.

Before the Carnival, 1990

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Emma Joszkow was Carnival Queen in 1990. The photos show her outside her decorated house on Longridge, before the start of the parade. She wears the dress that her grandma Anne Comley made for her (see more about it here) and the Queen’s red cloak. In the second picture, Emma is holding her nephew, Jordan.

Photos courtesy of Denise Comley.