Going to school

[lawkholmelaner]

The junior school at Eastwood closed in 1950 and we were "free-transferred" to Parkwood. It was all the fault of the Butler Act of 1944. We had the option of a penny fare on the "School Special" (oxymoron??) or walk to school and pocket the cash. Depending on the weather, we usually chose to walk. School started later than usual to accomodate the travellers. Station Bridge, Low Mill Lane upto Parkwood Street was our normal route. We grew quite fond of the "beck" and would climb down to the water's edge and look for life. We only ever found wriggly, brown eels. Coming home, we would often take the path through to Coney Lane past Whalley's Timber. Of great interest to us was an old urinal alongside the fire station. It consisted of a cast iron screen, painted green which screened a concrete or slabbed platform which was suspended above the banks of the beck. The was no hygienic disposal system. Everything just drained into the beck. Standing as it did, midway between The Globe and The Cricketers, it's little wonder there were floods at Aireworth Road.

[eric]

Now here's an interesting project for somebody! Now that Lawkholmelaner has brought the subject up, I recall that the Victorians were obsessed with Gentlemens Urinals, there used to be one in Oakworth at the bottom of Lidget, One at Ingrow Bridge which has been an antique shop and Hair Salon, and isn't there one in the middle of the roundabout at the bottom of Oakworth Road, or was that an air raid shelter?

[barcroftlad]

Eric-there was also one in Town Hall Square which backed on to the wall of the post office sorting room. I will never forget the sign on the wall as you were leaving. It read " Have you adjusted your clothing?" I have never seen that anywhere else.

Lawkeholmelaner--- at the bottom of Low Mill Lane, the steep cobbled path up to Alpha Street and then Parkwood street was called " the Donkey Hill". Also the pathway alongside the railway line from alongside the bridge at the bottom of Low Mill Lane and running through to the bridge at the end of Coney lane by the the Fire station, was known as "the Pastures'- cheers.

[Andy Wade]

Jul 9, 2009 21:37:34 GMT barcroftlad said:

Eric-there was also one in Town Hall Square which backed on to the wall of the post office sorting room. I will never forget the sign on the wall as you were leaving. It read " Have you adjusted your clothing?" I have never seen that anywhere else.

Lawkeholmelaner--- at the bottom of Low Mill Lane, the steep cobbled path up to Alpha Street and then Parkwood street was called " the Donkey Hill". Also the pathway alongside the railway line from alongside the bridge at the bottom of Low Mill Lane and running through to the bridge at the end of Coney lane by the the Fire station, was known as "the Pastures'- cheers.

Funny that, I wonder if 'Donkey Hill' is the from same general source as the name of 'Neddy Brigg' over at Ingrow?
There are a few farming references here which may be reflected right through the valley.
Anyone know of any more?

[barcroftlad]

On Hebden Road before Brow top going from Lees, there is/was a few steps leading to an unmade track which took us down to 1/ on the right the Scout Den and 2/ to the left towards the Bronte pictures.
These were called "the Cat steps"

ps its over 55 years since I last walked that way so it may have changed!!

[angler]

There was also one at Beechcliffe near the roundabout It was in the corner of the first road and used it drained down the grass slope and didn,t half smell The last one that I can remember was only removed a short while ago. That one was at Steeton near the War Memorial We are very short of Urinals now in Keighley there is one in the Shopping Center and one in the Market also one in the Bus Station. Of coarse there are the ones in the Public Houses which we can Use but we should have at least one which is open late at night. Angler

[Mike Tebb]

Talking of cat-steps - the steep cobbled snicket and steps at Riddlesden from the top of Granby Lane upto Barley Cote was always known as 'the cat steps'.

However I remembered a comment in J Horsfall Turners book which reads:

'Catstones or cat-steps are common near woods, and have no reference to cats, but, like cote, and Welsh coyd, indicate a footpath or steps on a woody brow.'

So possibly the cat and cote words were transposed over the generations? Interesting anyway.

[lawkholmelaner]

Thanks, barcroftlad, for your assistance with the memory cells.
As Eastwood lads at Parky we used to nip out when we could and extend our knowledge of "Worthdale". Your geographia of that region was what we were bent on learning.
Weekends us Eastwooders would centre on districts between Vic Park and the Aire.
Weekdays - before and after school - we gave that Parky bit of town between both banks of the Worth and Lawkholme a going-over.
There was no reward in terms of profit or friendships (lasses seemed to be sparse) but we forged friendships with other Eastwood kids who made the passage with us, joining our route at different stages.
Patched pants and elbows, darned socks and segs in us shoes were what distinguished us from any and all kids from other schools.

[eric]

With reference to "Donkey Hill" The path leading up from Low Bridge would take you past the Slaughter House behind what is now the glass shop, and my grandmother was walking home from school (with her nose in a book) to 62 Parkwood Street, about 1913 I would think, when she fell over a severed horses head left lying there, the point of the tale being, could the Donkey Hill have anything to do with the slaughter house?

[barcroftlad]

Jul 10, 2009 22:36:51 GMT eric said:

With reference to "Donkey Hill" The path leading up from Low Bridge would take you past the Slaughter House behind what is now the glass shop, and my grandmother was walking home from school (with her nose in a book) to 62 Parkwood Street, about 1913 I would think, when she fell over a severed horses head left lying there, the point of the tale being, could the Donkey Hill have anything to do with the slaughter house?

Ahaa, you might have it Eric. I have never heard reference to a slaughter house there. When we lived there,1945-47, right at the very bottom fronting on to Pitt Street, was a narrow house and the family had several Pekingese dogs. When I last walked up there for old times sake in 2006, that house was gone like a lot of that area, and I stood and pondered how the heck could anyone have built a house on such a small footprint/site. Cheers.

[eric]

I have it in my mind, that it was the Co-operative slaughter house, perhaps someone out there in computer land can either confirm or correct me on this?

[barcroftlad]

There was also the donkey bridge over the top end of the goit at Haworth. Probably closer to Oxenhope. Its a few years since I walked over that one! Cheers.

[fsharpminor]

Right , I asked Dad about The Donkey Steps. Right away he identified where they were and said he must have gone up and down them many times, and also said there was a slaughter house. He said the front of the slaughterhouse was in Leylands Lane ,and that it backed on to Coop shop in Parkwood Street. He wasn't sure whether the slaughterhouse actually belonged to the Coop though. He said he and his mates stood for ages watching them hose out pig carcasses through the large open front doors., but never saw the actual killing. They used to beg for a pigs bladder, to which they used to attach a pea shooter to blow it up, and then tie it. It made a good strong football which they then used to kick around in Park Wood.

[barcroftlad]

With the memory jog from Brian, I now recall the big doors, I don't recall the slaughterhouse though. If the slaughter house was in Leylands Lane behind the Coop, that is a fair way from the donkey hill, so that doesn't add up to what Eric said. Or does it? I don't know where the glass shop is. Interesting eh? Cheers.

[Admin]

Park Wood Glass is almost oppsite the bottom of the small hill which goes up the side of the school. In the houses on the left after The Globe but a little further on.............will try and get some pictures. Been really busy.....but know I have a few to get.

Especially for my friend Bill in NZ.

Jan

[barcroftlad]

Not me Jan?Surely not !! I forgive you everything !!!!!!! maybe the Glass co. is in the old butchers shop. The Coop grocery shop was across the other side of that small rise/street going down to Leylands Lane. that though is at the bottom end, a long way from Alpha Street which the donkey hill runs down from, to Pitt Street. In the houses you refer to,in one of them lived the Rev Arnold, the vicar at St Paul's Anglican church across the road. I can't remember if it was the official Manse or not.Cheers.

[fsharpminor]

Forgot to say that Dad mentioned there was a set of steps leading off Donkey Hill into another side road, where his mother owned a couple of houses. Dad thinks a well known bass singer Watson Barnes rented one of them.

Dad also thought there was now a glass company where the Coop was.

[gemma]

Jul 11, 2009 22:16:30 GMT barcroftlad said:

There was also the donkey bridge over the top end of the goit at Haworth. Probably closer to Oxenhope. Its a few years since I walked over that one! Cheers.

I used to walk along the goit from Haworth to Oxenhope when I went to school at Hartington - happy days! No urinals along that path, well only for the cows! I agree that the donkey bridge is nearer to Oxenhope barcroftlad

There are some cat steps in Oxenhope too - they run from Station Road, almost opposite the co-op right up to Uppertown almost opposite the chippy! ;D

[Admin]

Gemma

Two of my daughters went to Hartington at Haworth, it was a lovely school.

When were you there ?

Jan xx

[parkwoodgirl]

The steps next to the Donkey Hill on Parkwood led to Barrett Street, which then ran to Harcourt St., As youngsters from Parkwood School, we used to go down to the slaughterhouse and peep through a crack in the door. The Co-op butchers was above and it was my job as the only one still at school to collect the sheeps head every Tuesday for my gran to made sheeps head broth. On special occasions I had to collect the pigs head to make brawn and pigs cheek. Imagine children of today?

[fsharpminor]

Yes thats what Dad did (see earlier posts), he lived on Harcourt St. But as I said earlier all he and mates wanted was a pigs bladder to blow up with a pea shooter and use as a football. I'll ask him if he ever got a pigs or sheeps head from there.

[gemma]

Aug 11, 2009 21:19:37 GMT Admin said:

Gemma

Two of my daughters went to Hartington at Haworth, it was a lovely school.

When were you there ?

Jan xx

Hi Jan,
I was there from 1990 - 1992

[Admin]

Hi Gemma

Lauren my youngest would have left there approx 1992 before going to Bingley Grammar School...................xx

Lauren Perkins......Nikki is 4 years older.............she was friendly with Suzanne Spencer whose father was the caretaker.........