| I was born James
Edward Metcalfe, in the
front bedroom of No.8
Royd street on a cold
winters day time 8:15am
February 21st 1927 my
mother was Cissie
Metcalfe nee Lindsay my
father Albert (Bert)
Metcalfe, this was
before they got
electricity on Royd
Street everything was
gas. Dad worked at Royd
Mills, in those days it
was called " t'boke"
mill- don't ask me why,
he drove the lorry for
many years before and
after the War. I started
school at age 4 seemed a
long way to walk, the
first day I cleared off
at play time and went
home I'd had enough, but
I showed up next day. I
must have been about
seven when Grandma
Lindsay died and we
moved from Royd street
to 22 Fold Lane and
lived with Grandad, Ted
Lindsay. I remember
probably about 1936 the
German airship must have
been the Hindenburg
flying over Cowling on
it's way back from
America, Dad said he
wished he'd had a rifle
at the time, don't think
he had got over the
first world war. The
week before I turned ten
I went with other
children to Sutton to
sit my eleven plus
scholarship in those
days it was the county
minor scholarship,
didn't hold much hope
but I passed, didn't get
the new bike though. So
the following summer
after the holidays I
went to grammar school
at Keighley, I didn't
break any academic
records but I got
through. I started my
apprenticeship with John
Lund Ltd I think it is
Precimax nowadays, I
loved engineering and
ended up as a turner, I
did my national service
in the R.N., most of my
time on minesweepers. I
was coming on leave one
time and met Eric
Boocock at Sheffield, we
caught the Keighley
train together and on
arrival early morning
the driver walked to our
carriage and asked us
where we were going, we
said Kildwick, he
replied O.K. I'll run
you on then, imagine a
whole train for two
sailors, that wouldn't
happen nowadays. We had
some good times as lads
Monday and Thursday
nights it was Crosshills
pictures (Charlies)
Charlie Nuttall was the
manager, cost, back
stalls ninepence.
Saturday nights were
special, Alty Varley's
taxi (rolls royce no
less) to Skipton a few
bevvies and then to the
dance, where ever it
was, afterwards all pile
in to the taxi, some on
the bonnett anywhere you
could hang on. Back to
Cowling and Mick's
chippie, to round off
the night or early
morning with a fish
supper, Mick always
stayed open till all the
lads were back home.
Saturday afternoons it
was football in the
Craven League and no
matter if you were lamed
or maimed you always
managed dancing on
Saturday night. Saturday
mornings a few lads
would sit in front of
Arthur Binn's provender
shop next to Alf Hills
barbers, and watch "Snuffy"
cleaning the bank
windows above his
chemists shop or Paul
Scott decorating his
window at the
newsagents. John
Greenwood was the
Blacksmith and Geoff
Binns his right hand
man, Alf Moorehen the
Clogger, Dick Waddington
the bespoke tailor and
Maurice Cleaver baker.
Hubert Smith ran the
co-op, and George Smith
butcher across the road
bottom of Walton street.
Matter of fact my
Grandad and grandma
Metcalfe lived in the
house next to the
butchers. I worked part
time for Dick Newman at
the laundry. The Bay
Horse was owned by Tommy
and Ethel Towers and
there was another Tailor
in that part of downtown
Cowling Seth Moore. Bob
Crossley had the
greengrocers shop across
from the Bay 'oss.The
local "bobby" was Sam
Hardingham who'se
flashing torch always
managed to pick you out
having a quiet snog with
one of the local lasses
in the top shelter, the
road sweeper John o'
wills, Sam Gott the
builder and the mighty
Joe Alfs probably the
strongest man in
yorkshire at that time
worked for him.Karl o'
quiet Dicks worked at
the box shop,and Arthur
o' fat Toms was the
bandmaster. Them were
the days, or were they? |
