TENNIES REUNION...Speke Road Gardens Re-union friday 18th June 2010

If anyone lived or knows anyone who lived in the Speke Road Gardens....Garston Tennies.
there is a Re-union on Friday Night 18th June 2010 at the Burnsall Club ( LMS Club) in Burnsall Street , Garston,Liverpool L19.....starts 8pm .............. C U there
allan

I went to our local one (Gerard Gardens) last Oct and it sold out in a week with unfortunately others who couldn't get a ticket and the facebook group set up is just 40 short of 1000 members. I wonder if Brian Daley will make this as an ex resident.

RE: Garston Tennies. I never lived in them but often knocked around them. I remember just before they were to be knocked down, there were very few residents left in them, so we decided to play in the lifts. We all decided to pile in one with our bikes and see what happened, we were about 10 at the time. As the doors closed, the lights went out. I'll never forget us screaming and shouting for which seemed like ages.

Imagine our relief when the doors finally opened, we were greeted by a lovely old lady who informed us that the lift was broke.

:eek: you must have been terrified !

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Originally Posted by Kev

RE: Garston Tennies. I never lived in them but often knocked around them. I remember just before they were to be knocked down, there were very few residents left in them, so we decided to play in the lifts. We all decided to pile in one with our bikes and see what happened, we were about 10 at the time. As the doors closed, the lights went out. I'll never forget us screaming and shouting for which seemed like ages.

Imagine our relief when the doors finally opened, we were greeted by a lovely old lady who informed us that the lift was broke.

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So you are one of scallywags who used to terrorise us old dears :PDT_Xtremez_12: Gertcha

I was a good boy back then and still am :)

I looked at this posting and my heart actually skipped a beat, I would have loved to be able to come but, unfortunately, I have a whole raft of test's and medical examinations going on at the moment. I can't wander too far, I get paged to go and get,scanned ,probed and mri'd. But gee,I would have loved to be able to go there. Can anyone pass on my apologies?Or,better yet take along my photo and ask if anyone remembers this kid from 1955? I hope that all who attend have a wonderful time, I'll look forward to reading about it,
Brian Daley

Lifts eh - posh or what. I don't think the Gerard Gardens ones worked for more than 10 years after being installed in 1950.

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Originally Posted by brian daley

I looked at this posting and my heart actually skipped a beat, I would have loved to be able to come but, unfortunately, I have a whole raft of test's and medical examinations going on at the moment. I can't wander too far, I get paged to go and get,scanned ,probed and mri'd. But gee,I would have loved to be able to go there. Can anyone pass on my apologies?Or,better yet take along my photo and ask if anyone remembers this kid from 1955? I hope that all who attend have a wonderful time, I'll look forward to reading about it,
Brian Daley

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Brian,
I was wondering if you'd be going or not.
It's a pity you can't make it.
I hope anyone off here who is going, takes along your tales of growing up around there along with them.

Martin :PDT11

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Originally Posted by Kev

RE: Garston Tennies. I never lived in them but often knocked around them. I remember just before they were to be knocked down, there were very few residents left in them, so we decided to play in the lifts. We all decided to pile in one with our bikes and see what happened, we were about 10 at the time. As the doors closed, the lights went out. I'll never forget us screaming and shouting for which seemed like ages.

Imagine our relief when the doors finally opened, we were greeted by a lovely old lady who informed us that the lift was broke.

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"Lifts"!!! Not in my time Kev! I was there from 1939 until 1950! no lifts then, where did they put them? And like Brian, I too am unable to attend (But would have liked to) too far for me to travel!!!

Since reading about the re-union my mind has been deluged by memories of the place I once called home.
Coming from a cold water lodging in Toxteth, Speke Road Gardens seemed like paradise,from the red tiled roofs and the biscuit coloured brickwork,the georgian type window frames ,scarlet front doors with the elegant brass letter box and door knocker,the whole building sang of solidity and safety,I felt safely at home.
The tenements had been opened in 1929, a fact I learned from the date marked on the drain boxes by the eaves. For a child ,that was in the olden days. We arrived there in 1952, shortly after Norm left,the first of the second generation. There was an heirarchy and a sense of order,the parents ruled the roost there ,you never gave cheek to an adult,if you did ,word would soon get back to your family and your dad would soon sort you out. After your parents ,the caretaker was the next person you obeyed;he was a person of respect and was responsible for the upkeep of your square. Each square had its own gang, at the head of which was the eldest teenager, the head of our squares gang in 1952 was a youth called Ronnie Jones. He would organise our games,"kick the can", "relieveo" ( or,rallyo, the name changed in the late '50's). This was in the pre tv years, and a kids place was in the play ground or on the green. We had lots of chasing games and would improvise when the need arose.
We were very territorial, we hardly ever played in another square,they had their own gangs and we sometimes fought them, not in reality, we would have battles in which we would play Japs and Commando's ,or cowboys and Indians; there times when we would make alliances with the other squares,like when kids from down the cinder path,or under the bridge came to rob our bonfire wood. Then we would unite and go and get our firewood back. Our games hardly ever strayed beyond the boundary of the accepted norms of behaviour,we were always overlooked by our parents who used to watch from the balconies. They would lean on the balcony wall,chatting to the neighbours while keeping an eye on us.
There were no committees ,or parent groups, just the elders looking out for the young.
We belonged to a kind of extended family, the elders organised the upkeep of the immediate living areas, the flights of stairs, up and down from your landing, were the responsibility of the families adjacent to them, my mum took it turns with our neighbour on the other side of the stair well to keep the stairs ,and walls ,clean . They cleaned them by scrubbing on their hands and knees. Woe betide any kid caught chalking on the walls. We could chalk on the pavement in the square, how else could you play hopscotch?. On rainy days, the stairs became our clubroom, there we would sing the latest hits that we had heard on the radio,play "True,dare,kiss or command" or "Postmans knock", that's how some of us got to kiss our first girlfriends. On summers eve's those squares would ring to the sounds of laughter and, when night began to fall ,the cries of mothers began to be heard as they called out to their children to come home for bed.
My family left the Gardens in 1960, in those short eight years ,changes had happened which led to a loss of the old order. The newer arrivals would not join in with the cleaning of the stairs, graffitti began to appear on the walls and litter was left unpicked. I had to go back there in 1970 and was shocked at the dilapidation, there was a mass of grafitti ,in different coloured paints,not chalk, the swings in the play ground were vandalised and broken glass was strewn in the road. I almost wept, gone was that place of safety, the place I had known as home. When I was back up in Liverpool ,in the early 80's ,or very late 70's, I took my children to see the place that marked me for life. It was in the process of being demolished, our old block was reduced to a pile of rubble, and I stood amidst the heaps of bricks ,my ears filled with the sounds of that distant childhood, and gave thanks for having known it at its best.
BrianD

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Originally Posted by brian daley

Since reading about the re-union my mind has been deluged by memories of the place I once called home.
Coming from a cold water lodging in Toxteth, Speke Road Gardens seemed like paradise,from the red tiled roofs and the biscuit coloured brickwork,the georgian type window frames ,scarlet front doors with the elegant brass letter box and door knocker,the whole building sang of solidity and safety,I felt safely at home.
The tenements had been opened in 1929, a fact I learned from the date marked on the drain boxes by the eaves. For a child ,that was in the olden days. We arrived there in 1952, shortly after Norm left,the first of the second generation. There was an heirarchy and a sense of order,the parents ruled the roost there ,you never gave cheek to an adult,if you did ,word would soon get back to your family and your dad would soon sort you out. After your parents ,the caretaker was the next person you obeyed;he was a person of respect and was responsible for the upkeep of your square. Each square had its own gang, at the head of which was the eldest teenager, the head of our squares gang in 1952 was a youth called Ronnie Jones. He would organise our games,"kick the can", "relieveo" ( or,rallyo, the name changed in the late '50's). This was in the pre tv years, and a kids place was in the play ground or on the green. We had lots of chasing games and would improvise when the need arose.
We were very territorial, we hardly ever played in another square,they had their own gangs and we sometimes fought them, not in reality, we would have battles in which we would play Japs and Commando's ,or cowboys and Indians; there times when we would make alliances with the other squares,like when kids from down the cinder path,or under the bridge came to rob our bonfire wood. Then we would unite and go and get our firewood back. Our games hardly ever strayed beyond the boundary of the accepted norms of behaviour,we were always overlooked by our parents who used to watch from the balconies. They would lean on the balcony wall,chatting to the neighbours while keeping an eye on us.
There were no committees ,or parent groups, just the elders looking out for the young.
We belonged to a kind of extended family, the elders organised the upkeep of the immediate living areas, the flights of stairs, up and down from your landing, were the responsibility of the families adjacent to them, my mum took it turns with our neighbour on the other side of the stair well to keep the stairs ,and walls ,clean . They cleaned them by scrubbing on their hands and knees. Woe betide any kid caught chalking on the walls. We could chalk on the pavement in the square, how else could you play hopscotch?. On rainy days, the stairs became our clubroom, there we would sing the latest hits that we had heard on the radio,play "True,dare,kiss or command" or "Postmans knock", that's how some of us got to kiss our first girlfriends. On summers eve's those squares would ring to the sounds of laughter and, when night began to fall ,the cries of mothers began to be heard as they called out to their children to come home for bed.
My family left the Gardens in 1960, in those short eight years ,changes had happened which led to a loss of the old order. The newer arrivals would not join in with the cleaning of the stairs, graffitti began to appear on the walls and litter was left unpicked. I had to go back there in 1970 and was shocked at the dilapidation, there was a mass of grafitti ,in different coloured paints,not chalk, the swings in the play ground were vandalised and broken glass was strewn in the road. I almost wept, gone was that place of safety, the place I had known as home. When I was back up in Liverpool ,in the early 80's ,or very late 70's, I took my children to see the place that marked me for life. It was in the process of being demolished, our old block was reduced to a pile of rubble, and I stood amidst the heaps of bricks ,my ears filled with the sounds of that distant childhood, and gave thanks for having known it at its best.
BrianD

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Great piece of writing Brian, something I am sure will resonate with all former residents of the tennies throughout the city.

Great memories eh Brian? although a decade earlier it was very much the same in my time there, I lived in the 'first square' you were in the 2nd, and I too remember all those area's, and in my time the easy access to the 'Avenue' and all that area from there to Hunts Cross, or Speke, the fields, stream, ponds etc that occupied the land where your school, and Highbank Drive estate was built, a greaat play area for kids, we did'nt hang around streets looking for some mischief to perform there was too much to do, and such a large area to explore. It's only in later years that you realise what a great place it was.

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Originally Posted by fiftyfive

If anyone lived or knows anyone who lived in the Speke Road Gardens....Garston Tennies.
there is a Re-union on Friday Night 18th June 2010 at the Burnsall Club ( LMS Club) in Burnsall Street , Garston,Liverpool L19.....starts 8pm .............. C U there
allan

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Does anyone have a report re this re-union? I'd love to know the details!!!!

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Originally Posted by Norm NZ

Does anyone have a report re this re-union? I'd love to know the details!!!!

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Just thought I'd try once more!!!

Brian you missed out "Catch a girl kiss a girl" where all the girls had a few seconds start then all the lads would chase them if you caught one you got a kiss, Needless to say all the ugly ones always got a stone in their shoe and stopped, but the lads ran past them after the prettiest who was always seem to be a good runner.

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Originally Posted by Norm NZ

Just thought I'd try once more!!!

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Well! One more try!!!!

Norm, I don't think anyone went from here.
Like you say, it would be interesting to find out how it went etc

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Originally Posted by hmtmaj

Norm, I don't think anyone went from here.
Like you say, it would be interesting to find out how it went etc

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Thanks Martin, It would be interesting to find out who attended, but guess we'll never know! Cheers :PDT_Aliboronz_24:

Brian I love your little flick back in history. My Dads Family all lived their & I remember going myself when I was little just before they knocked them down & re built the new houses their. You mention Ronnie Jones ! Thats was my Uncle. Sadley he died a few years back from Cancer. He was a right character & seemed to live life to the full. My Dad is about 8 yrs younger. I have been doing our family tree & trying to put together a bit more history to their lives so really nice to hear peoples stories. Norm has given me 2 great photos with Ronnie in x I shall mention u to my Dad he may well remember u x If anyone finds out anything more about the meeting they had in June please let me know.

(p.s hope the hospital stuff is all going ok x)

Speke Road Gardens: did anyone know a girl who lived there by the name of Anastasia Grimes? She was around 17 in 1957, I think, and worked at Dunlop Speke.

I remember the surname, but not the person, Sorry,

Thanks anyway, Norm.

Sorry for the delay but what with work etc...I go around the country shopfitting Tescos and sometimes I am away 3 weeks at a time ..and when I do have a weekend home it is usually hectic....so...The re-union was mobbed...a whole host of ex-tennies were there..
Norman `Tugboat` Wilson - his sister Mary (Wilson)Reed
Frances O`Rourke /Karl Udo
Kenny Cox / Cissy Cox nee Cassidy
Les Graves - John Newell - Billy Molyneux - Kenny Pritchard - Dot Pritchard nee Morley
the Doctor family never came as they had recently lost their dad Jimmy Doctor
Albert Hill - Ann Kabluckyj -so so many....if there`s anyone you are asking about, just print their name and I`ll let you know if they were there....allan

Mobbed. Please tell Waterways that we weren't all scum living in deprivation. Glad you had a great time.

My wife doesn`t remember Anastasia Grimes but she says she would be 10 yrs older than my wife...so...being a typical nosey Tennie Buck....she is going to ask all the Tennie girls she sees every week....should have an answer by 2 weeks....allan

I was disapointed!! I did'nt know any of the names you mentioned, fiftyfive'! mind you I left there in 1950! so perhaps I was asking a 'bit much'! Thanks anyway.

hello all, very interested to find this, we lived in the tennies from 1953 to 1960. We were in the end house on the first landing, 57a, next door to us was the Kehoe's or (Keough's) Mike was me best mate, The Wilson family lived above us. The irvine's were there too. Wish I could remember more names. I can recall the Murphy family as living across the swing park from us. All us kids went to Holy Trinity school, down the cinder path. Great times we had. Mam & Dad were Joe & Nell McKenna, be made up to hear from anyone. Me Dad went away to sea till 1955, then worked on the railways.

We left in 1960 brand new 4 bedroom house in Childwall, a lot of the estate was still under construction when we moved in. We had front & back gardens, a railway line at the back, and even a lake (Jackson's) to explore.

Magic times

---------- Post added at 12:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:33 PM ----------

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Originally Posted by Norm NZ

I was disapointed!! I did'nt know any of the names you mentioned, fiftyfive'! mind you I left there in 1950! so perhaps I was asking a 'bit much'! Thanks anyway.

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Hi Norm, nice to meet you. That a glass of whisky at your elbow there?

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Originally Posted by Norm NZ

I was disapointed!! I did'nt know any of the names you mentioned, fiftyfive'! mind you I left there in 1950! so perhaps I was asking a 'bit much'! Thanks anyway.

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Norman - do you remember Charlie Graves / Kenny Graves ? ...supposedly the Graves family were the first family to move in the Tennies in 1933 ( think it was 1933)...well Les graves is their younger brother...Les says you should remember his older brothers and also the Rowans...allan

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Joe...my grandchildren live in Vineyard St....and they go to Banks Road school...DOWN THE CINDER PATH...it`s still there even now
allan

Hi Allan, it was a big shock to me when I came home a while back now to find out all the tennies had been pulled down.

But it's good to know some things are still there.:)

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Originally Posted by joemack

Hi Allan, it was a big shock to me when I came home a while back now to find out all the tennies had been pulled down.

But it's good to know some things are still there.:)

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I'm afraid Jackson's lake/pond has gone,too! Filled in some years ago,now,and just remembered in a road name!

Hi Allan & Joe, Nice to meet-up on the forum! Allan, I should know the names you mentioned but afraid the old memory is a bit suspect these days!!! I posted a pic I saw on Google of the 'bottom' of the old Cinder Path, a week or so ago, showed a bit of Holy Trinity School/or church. Joe' I left there in 1950 for National Service and when returned home my family had moved to Highbank Drive, so guess a bit before your arrival!! anyway nice to meet up on Yo!. and No! the glass was white wine! probably my wifes, I stick to beer!!! Cheers to both. :PDT_Aliboronz_24:

Thanks Norm, where would I find the pic you posted?

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Originally Posted by joemack

Thanks Norm, where would I find the pic you posted?

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It was in the 'South' Liverpool district thread regarding Skateboarding! Joe I'll see if I can show it again. A bit small I'm afraid, got it of Google Earth!

Cheers Norm, I'll see if I can get it enlarged.