Andrea Barlow's reminiscences

Andrea Barlow, updated May 2021

Photographed on Marsh Lane where her aunt lived, Andrea is the young girl at the front of the cart.  Also in the picture are an old aunt, Millie from Rochdale who was brilliant at

monologues,  her Dad,  and behind , Bertha, Aunt Millie's friend,who her parents did not want as a child. They wanted her back when she worked , Aunt put a Stop to that, so she became much loved to our family.

 When I lived in Furness Vale from 1953, it was great. We played out without fear, there were very few who had cars.
I can remember the big old house down Station Road. Two ladies lived in the back bit, I think, maybe sisters. A friend of mine years ago,  said how elegent it was before they had it,an actress had it and she said there was stunning wallpaper with pansies on and and l know it had a beautiful staircase.  The ladies caught us in there but it was OK. There were hundreds of letters with lovely stamps on. They gave us lots, but not the letters. I saw my first kingfisher there, where there was a tunnel.
I had a pony and Trap when l was 10 in 1956, it was lovely, he didn't like the bit where J. J. Jackson's butchers was, he backed up and nobody could get out the shop.
A couple of weeks ago, there were pictures from over by St. John's Church. My mother in law lived in one of the council houses, then Bank End Farm. Fletcher's family, then Charlie Hall the vet bought it. There was the Bank End cottages and above that a huge house, lovely place, can't for the life of me recall its name,  could have been ....knowel???  My mum went to Brownies with her sister, that would be about 1932. I think sisters lived there, they were quite well to do ladies.
There was a really nice cafe where Ernest Davis had a beautiful bread shop. l can smell it now. Mum waited on for spending money about age 13, so that would be about 1935. It was a nice cafe that travellers would stop and sit in. A favourite was a big ham salad and fancy cakes, very popular. I believe it could be the antique shop now.

Mum having her hairdressers at 264 Buxton had a lot of customers she went to Furness Vale School with, and l grew up knowing those special village people and their families that  .followed. lt wasnt just to get hair done, it was a place to share personal things and was something that lasted so many years.l think  Mum knew al ot of the locals private lives, that she kept locked up in her heart. Some were Mother's of her school friends and a few had a free hair do as they were so hard up, having husband's who liked the pub a little too much, it was the mum's had to go without. A tin of salmon was absolute luxury, l know mum would put a tin in one ladies bag for a treat, or a quarter of tea. Life for a lot was hard in Furness Vale, but people always tried to help where they could.
We played in front of Ernie Davis bread shop.The fun of going to Mr Dick Scofield's shop,  Mr Bert Heap at the iron mongers, Miss Wild and Mrs Alexander at the wool shop. A great post office; the paper shop, John Smalley and was and Amy his wife. The Co-op was great, you got to weigh what you wanted; you could even get hen corn. Then Harry and Amy Moorcroft came as butchers ,they were pure gold , he was at school with Mum.

264 and 266 Buxton Road and the hairdresser's shop between. A computer generated reconstruction

The antique shop at 95 Buxton Road, formerly Ernie Davis's "Cafe" and bakers shop

Andrea Barlow

I lived in Furness Vale and was Christened at At Johns Church in1946. I lived in Whaley Bridge,then Newtown .l was in Furness Vale from 7 years old and left to go to a village just out side Matlock in1970 ..My Mother and my husband both went to Furness Vale school and my Daughter was there for a couple of years.l went to New town school as we had live there,l stayed there until it was time to go to secondary school. Furness Vale was full of village charecters.of which there couldn't possibly be the like of them today.

The COOP was great a real hive of activities ,l had chickens you could go and get corn in there,as you just bought what you wanted. There was the chippy at the back of the green grocers Mr the Soldier Dick pub

Across the RD was Mr J Jacksons butchers then it changed to very special friends of mine,Mr arms Harry Moorcroft.Mr Heap iron mongers etc Mr Scocroft,m then John Smalley's news agents Mrs Hills toffee shop all the kids could get CIGs in odd ones,The post office. Then going towards New town Ernie Davis bread and cakes,it was beautiful bread.it is now as far as l know Antiques ,my aAuntie lived next door and next was the Bank inthe house next door.It only opened Tues and Friday if l remember right. Oh and lve forgotten before the news agents The Two sister Miss wild and Mrs Ale xandra at the Wool shop, and.lt was fun then ,so much atmosphere ..

Every one knew each other.

I think it was Late 80 s when l was last there and it all seemed strange as all l knew had gone.Like every thing things move on not always for the better but that's life.

I have now lived in Cornwall 15 years,,its like Derbyshire but with the sea,a slow pace of life.My Birthplace was Buxton and l still have memories ,it's beautiful.

. IT always will, I'm enjoying the Furness vale and Whaley Bridge sites Thank you

 

 

l lived at 264 Buxton road my mum Jean had a hair dressers at a little shop at the side of the house.Thats gone now it was pulled down.years before mum had the shop it was a millinery shop two sisters. My Dad Fred,was manager at New mills Co,op shoe dept and Chapel en le Frith. Our Surname was COLLIER. My Auntie ADA VASS lived in the house in the middle of Ernie's bread shop and the Bank. lwent to Newtown school then a school at Great moor Stockport then Chapel school. You may have known Ken Barlow l married him in 1972 ,he had another Tom and sister Agnes. Ken started his work life at Diglee Farm up yeardsley lane right at the very top.Mrs Dorothy Hill and Jackthey had a son John.

Ken loved his 17 years there and we always visited when coming to FV to visit Ken's Mum Agnes the best Mother in law possible.

Ken died 10 years ago with severe Dementia My Mum died in 6 years ago ,also with Dementia ,living hell. Ken would have been 95 now.

Well it's lovely to know Vera that you knew some people l did l remember Barbara Dean,she was lovely. Thank you for your time Vera l m so pleased to have news.lcould just eat some of Ernie Davis bread,it was so good. Thank you. Andrea.