Keep it coming.
1925-34
In the years 1925 -1930 the work situation in Liverpool was getting serious; Wilf left school and his work prospects weren?t good. An apprenticeship in the building trade required a bond of 25 pounds; mother offered more but people with more money bought up the jobs. Wilf eventually got a job as a lift attendant in the East India Buildings. I used to go and ride up and down in the lift with him. His wages were the equivalent of 40p a week, and Cissie lost the half crown equivalent to 25p a week because he was working. There was no future in the lift job, and when he got the opportunity to learn shoe repairing Wilf changed his job. I was soon poking my nose in at the shoe repairers. A library was opened in the old Electric Light cinema at the corner of Collingwood Street and Scotland Road. I enrolled at the advice of the headmaster, Mr McCluskey, who had become a family friend. Mr McClusky would arrange to meet any boys who would turn up outside the library and give them a lesson on astronomy. He would explain how the mariners navigated and then the next day teach a trigonometry and geometry lesson using the stars, etc. Other lessons were equally interesting; teachers would invite boys to meet them on Saturdays after the school match, having pre-arranged to take the boys down to the docks with a permit and go over an Atlantic liner, or a cargo vessel, and the boys would be allowed over the ships, be given a sample of the cargo and be told where the ships travelled to. The following week there would be a Geography lesson based on this experience. This way we were taught about continents and countries, their capital cities, their raw materials, and what they produced. We were taught about the British Isles through sport, mainly football, and the different teams were used to find the location of towns, the counties they were in, and the historical importance of a place; at the age of fourteen the pupils had to be ready to deal in the world. They were of course encouraged to attend evening classes after they left, but these had to be paid for by subscription which few could afford. My mother paid the subscription, and so I attended the classes at St Sylvester?s under the notorious Mr Callagan. I now joined an under-18 football team called Netherleigh that had a lot of talented players who had played for Lancashire County Schools. My physique (5ft 6ins and 8 ? stone) was not developed enough to be seriously considered by the major professional league teams. I was encouraged to pursue and enjoy the amateur game. I did, and I adored the Everton team of the day. The first game I saw was against Liverpool at Anfield with a Liverpool player called Scott Bromilow Hopkins. I saw Dixie Dean breaking George Camsell?s record of 59 goals, and was a fan when Everton won the cup in 1933. I was in Lime Street station when the team arrived home and walked with thousands of others as the team carried the cup, riding in an old stage coach drawn by four horses. At the ground, Dixie held up the cup as the crowd cheered and cheered, and I stood in the middle of the pitched and went berserk like everybody else. There was no question of getting a ticket for the final, but they had all crowded outside shops or cafes which had radios turned on full blast for people to hear outside.
I had now left school and was in the labour market.
?AJ?has attended All Souls RC school for the past nine years, during which time he has proved himself to be a regular, punctual, intelligent and very satisfactory scholar. He attained the position of first pupil in standard seven. His home is impeccable. I wish him every success.?
Yours ? J. M. McCluskey.
I was told to report with the reference to the Junior Education Office in St Thomas?s Street which I did. The work situation was even worse now but I did not realise it. I was given a note of introduction to take to the main Picton library in Liverpool. I turned up for the interview with my shoes polished, knees scrubbed (still in short trousers in those days until about 15), hair combed, clean shirt and pressed tie. I had never been to Picton Library before and was totally unprepared for what was to come. I was shocked; to me the library was a vast room with extremely dull lighting, no windows whatsoever, and a lot of desks with what seemed to be a lot of very old people bent over books, engrossed in reading in deathly silence. I knew that I had to get outside immediately and panicked. I was afraid of the atmosphere of the place, and had never experienced anything like it. I didn?t take the interview, and in fact ran away from the building, not realising that it would be two years before I would start work for a firm. After my father had died my mother Cissie carried on the business and did very well, but the depression of the thirties was bad, and the business started to fail. Cut price cigarette shops and cut price sweet shops began to appear. Businesses were closing down all over the place, and it was only the newsagents that were surviving. On either side of Cissie?s shop there were shops owned by Jews.
One day one of the women, Mrs Philips, told Cissie that it would be in her best interests if she were to sell the business, as a Jewish syndicate were buying up all the newsagents and were about to open opposite to us and that they would sell cut- price cigarettes and sweets in order to take her business. At that time Cissie was thinking of getting married again to a friend of the family whom we had known for sometime as Uncle Joe the vet who had apparently asked her to marry him. With the problem of cut price opposition in the offing Cissie decided to sell and get married.
END
That's all folks - hope you enjoyed the thread.
That was a great read. I love reading other people's history.
Thanks!
Struck by AJ's reminiscences. I am editing a book of Liverpool memories for London publisher Headline. Would AJ's family consider allowing me to quote from the booklet they have made available for friends and family? I can be contacted on janthony78@ymail.com or 01723 859978.
J P Dudgeon
Just seen this Kev, superb tales. I really do enjoy reading History, especially Local History. Do let his family know we all have enjoyed reading these tales.
Just found this photo, taken on New Year's Eve 1929 in Liverpool. My grandfather (William Joseph Brennen, born on 21st July 1901) is playing banjo. I believe it is Sam Bonner on piano and Jack (?) on violin. Am trying to find out more, if anyone can help!!
Many thanks in advance,
Clare Brennen
fantastic stuff really ,really fantastic, makes my hairs on my neck stand up ...
Dear Clare , What an Idiot ! I forgot to give you my Email ; klarkieklarkie@yahoo.com ................... I"m on Da West Coast , California ( Sometimes called The Left Coast ) Peter.
My Third Attempt ! Sam Bonner was my Great-Uncle , This I found out recently when I became a defrocked Luddite ! My Family discovered that he was a Musician 5 days ago ! Here"s my background; (some of It) Escorts / Merseys / Apple Records / Jackie Lomax / Billy Preston / Doris Troy / The Liverpool Scene / Stealers Wheel / Kiki Dee Band / Badfinger & Other stuff ! Thankyou Sooooooo... Much ! THIS IS THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPH WE HAVE SEEN ! Right now , accross the Globe , every hair & nerve ending we have is on maximum overload ! Please Email me , and I"ll give you all the Info we have so far. Peter Cllarke. klarkieklarkie@yahoo.com
Dear Clare, same message, I can help, please Email, klarkieklarkie@yahoo.com Thankyou, Peter Clarke.
It really is, Lizzie, it really is. Someone I remember is Ike Bradley, mentioned in post #8 with Nel Tarleton and other Pudsey Street memorables. I knew him when he used to walk the greyhounds around White City Stadium, before each race, and he was often featured in The Echo's only illustration of those days - a caricature of participants in current sports events. Ike was pictured as a boxing second dressed in roll-neck pullover and towel folded over his arm.
It is said that no one really dies, as long as there is somebody who remembers them.
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