
Originally Posted by
Jona76
For all those that played in Childwall Woods, did you also go frogging in Jackson's Pond?
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Picture here!
That lake, "Jacksons Pit" was a wonderfull place for us kids in the 50's. Although The farmer "Jackson" probably cursed every kid who played around and in it. How many learned to fish there, Swimming over to the Island was a great adventure. There was always some sort of raft left there. Usualy an old door with 5 gallon drums attached. After the movie the "African Queen" came out we, were terrified of leeches (but not for long) If the field had spuds in it we would always light a fire and roast some in the ashes. And get black hands from taking the charred potato skin off.
Of course a lot of games and activities were seasonal. Frogs Spawn. Then Frogs and Toads, Cherrie Wobs (the cherrie stone) Conkers, Ollies, Mischief night (when was that) Winter Warmers, was a tin can full of punched holes. Filled with burning coal on a wire handle. Swing it around to make it burn better. Re Ally Oh, Was similar to Kick the Can, Kingy. We used to run for miles around the streets chasing the team that was inside the bounds. The teams were chosen by various counting out chants. e.g. One potato, two potato, three potato, and so on. Or Dib Dib Dib my blue ship sailing on the water like a cup and saucer o-u-t spells out.
Anyone remember the oak tree up on Cuckoo Lane. Just near the gap in the hedge that gave access to the path across the field to Jacksons lake. It had a small metal seat up inside it's hollow trunk. You had to climb up the trunk on a spiral of branches and bits of steel to get inside. Almost like a snipers hiding place! The tree was obviously extremely old.
It was all farmers fields, stone walls and hedgerows then. We would nip up there after school from Old Swan to go bird nesting, pick blackberries, or conkers from a great tree opposite the church. Is that tree still there. Even winter made it attractive if the pond was frozen. And of course we did venture out and fall through the ice. Covered in thick mud and freezing we would run home. The hiding I got was deserved when I think of it now.
Waving to the fireman and the driver of the trains as they steamed along the embankment was ritually done. Then scramble back up to the track to recover our flattended 6 inch nails that the wheels had run over. These were for the spears we were about to make. A length of chain was prized for laying along the track rail. Although now I am not sure of what we did with flattened chain. That picture's "the gear" and brings back great memories.
Love this site as well
Regards
Mike
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