Peepers

Saturday, 10 July 2010

Park Road looking East

Standing in the middle of the road looking up towards the square, As you can see the entrance to the playing fields is yet to be made. On the right hand side not a lot has changed,may be some slight alterations but it's pretty much the same as the picture. On the left things have changed.
As you can see there is no drive way to Houghtons and the Cottage has gone and been replaced by a tasteful !! block of flats. Further on from the Cottage a building sticks out,I have no Idea what it was then,but it was an integral part of Milnthorpe Modern School in the 50s and 60s and at one stage Mil'thrups only Laundromat name of which escapes me. The thought of having to take your washing to another place to do it appalled my Mother,she wondered how they managed on Mondays as Rain or Shine Monday was washing day. A little further on, hidden by the School building sits the cottage where a grand chap called Bobby Langhorn lived with his wife. Bobby was a great bloke who looked old before his time as many did. Small frail looking and quietly spoken people where quietly taken a back when they found out what he did for a living.
Bobby was a Prison officer at H.M.P.Bela River, I am not certain but I think he did permanent nights in the Gatehouse, anyway myth has it that when Bobby was on nights the car park was busier than Sunday Afternoon,Official visiting time. Clandestine visits from Wives and Girl friends and probably boyfriends was the norm along with illicit delivery's of essentials.
I said that this was a myth but knowing kind hearted Bobby there will be an element of truth in it. Just up from Bobbys on't other side of the Road we had Milnthorpe one and only Department store, This was not Harrod's ,Binns or owt like that this was the CO OP,food stuffs downstairs and a Drapery department on the second floor with a Butchers next door. The main shop was managed by George Elwood he seemed a nice enough chap,ramrod straight and permanent smile (I find people who smile all the time a little un nerving to be honest). I used to run the odd errand to the Co OP as a lad note in hand I would walk up to the counter and just as I was about to read out my requirements a still smiling George would snatch the note out of my hand and proceed to put things on the counter in front of me. The next part of the transaction was the most terrifying. ! George would stick his hand out and say 2/'11 pence and take your money. At this point he seemed to metamorphosis, the smile was gone and the eyes grew wider as he leaned over and said"Divvy Number"Phew Let me explain,Coop is short for Cooperative, in other words the shop belonged to the members and to be a member all you had to do was shop there. A dividend was paid annually to the members and each member had their own number.
At the time it seemed to me that if the "Divvy Number" was forgotten George would hurdle the counter and throttle you such was the look on his face. Once you had blurted out the number George was back to normal,smiling and wishing you Good day. As long as I live one sequence of numbers will be for ever chiseled in to my memory 16568 our "CO OP Divvy Number.


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