Early memories of Garston
First House : Brunswick St (Under the bridge)
Bottom of the road (river end) there used to be an ashtrack that led to Garston Beach and There was yellow sand.
On the left used to be allotments, on the right was the bottle works.
The Bottle works had a wall that seemed to be 50 foot tall, probably only 12 foot.
The quickest way to get to my Nans in Western Avenue Speke was along Garston Beach behind the old airport and up Oglet lane, seems strange now that it didn't take long at all.
My old fella used to work in the bottle works and I can remember looking forward to hearing the old hooter go off for the end of the day Friday.
Friday was sweets day. I used to wait at the top of the ashtrack where there used to be a sweet shop on the corner.
Sweets were mainly cinder toffee and tray toffee which were home made.
The other end of our road was Banks Road which had a school and nursery.
This end was dominated by the match works.
Which was next to a wood yard
which was next to a coal yard
which was next to the gas tank.
Accident waiting to happen if there was ever a fire in the Match.
Between the wood and the coal there used to be a walkway that linked Banks Road to Speke Road.
Opposite the match works was Garston tennies, known less commonly as Speke Road Gardens.
From earliest memories the most common used pub in the area was The Gay Cavalier.
Over the railbridge and on your right used to be the Old Dole Office.
Outside the dole, used to be the old tram turnaround.
It was a massive turn table where the trams came in and a fella used to turn the table so the tram would face the opposite way toward St Mary's road for the return Journey to Aigburth Vale.
From Memory this was where you switched trams to continue to town.
Back in Garston at the turn table
On the right were the old bus sheds.
Then there was Garston wash house
Two public Tiolets and then the baths.
The baths was very popular in the early sixties, mainly because it was the only place where you could get a hot bath, indoor bathrooms were a thing of the future.
Friday evening seemed to be the most popular night to have a bath and for most it was a once a week affair anyway.
After my Dad had done his weekly wash, I was always second in the bath.
I can remember loads of fella's in their early twenties queuing at the Brilcream machine.
One squirt was either 1/2d or 1d
The mirror was the second queue
Sludge in hand, everyone got there combs out and combed in the cream.
Big quiffs and duck's arse backs were the fashion.
everyone still saw themselves as Teddy Boys, but the long jackets and suede shoes were being replaced by winkle pickers drainpipe jeans and a cardigan type jumper.
First port of call on the way home was the Mona at the bottom of St Mary's road or the Queens if you were a left footer.
You could always tell the pubs religious leanings by whether they had nodder machines.
Long off was Durex, the things used then were black rubber jobs that could be washed and re-used.
Back in the Mona R whites pop or Ginger Beer and crisps were my choice of fare.
My Dad always drank Manns or Family Mix (Brown Ale & Mild)
On leaving dad always told me to rememer the queues in the baths were massive if Mum asked.
Next call was Bob's chippy next to the Picture House (now Bingo ? )
We always went to Bob's cos he was some kind of relative and bigger portions were guaranteed.
Then back under the bridge and home,
An Aunty used to look after me, while my mam and dad went to a social Club under the bridge (cannot remember name)
St Mary's road seemed to have a pub on every corner then.
The George was above the Mona, The Mariners used to be opposite, but cannot remember that being the name in the 60's.
The poshest pub in the Village was the Old Garston Hotel, it's where all the Spiv's used to be.
Stood in there Crombie style jackets selling everything that anyone could want
I used to giggle at the little hankies they all had in their pockets trying to look like some form of Gentry.
Garston Hospital used to be the most outstanding building from memory, it was massive.
Oppoisie used to be the Red Lion.
Down the side road you came to an old church that was where the Boxing Club was held. Not for me, but some good scraps could be watched for the more feint hearted.
Question that I always remember
If you stood outside the Mona or Queens, get out of garston without going either Under or over a railway line.
I tried for years , you cant.
Your blocked by St Michael's bridge
The one before the cavalier
Garston to Gatacre line before the Cresent.
Same line blocks off Island road going to town and this line also crosses before you get to garston Library.
Which crossed the old frieght line that goes to the sidings.
Impossible I tell you, even if it isn't now.
Our next move was to Calthorpe Street behind the Library.
memory from here is very vague.
We still had a tin bath
The toilet was in the yard
and my only vivid memory was playing football on Garston Park and going to Victoria school were Mrs Jessie Paisley (Bob's wife) was the headmistress.
Garston Park had a massive fair and a travelling circus.
The only buildings on the park were the wooden hut changing rooms for football and the Old puppet theatre (Green)
There was a shed in the bowling green area too, but never went in there.
Old farts used to chase us for throwing conkers on their pitch.
I might be wrong here, but from memory calthorpe street was the furthest house from a pub I have ever lived in.
Cannot remember one within 1/2 mile.
The Heath might get a shout as the nearest or the Buff's on Island road or even the Garston Hotel at the top of the village.
Next move Condor Close.
Most vivid memories of Condor
First Match at Anfield : West ham
getting a chicken for sunday dinner of the old fella married to Maud.
I carried it home with the feet still twitchin
Arch enemy Gary Hughes, an evertonian from up the top end, we were always viing for the love of Elizabeth Reid.
We lived next door to a copper Bembo from memory.
I dont think he liked me very much, never found out why.
The street was full of kids unlike other houses.
I remember families
Hughes(3), Feast(2), Carrol, a lad called Gozzy a girl called Anna.
Nearest pub The Home Guard and the Pally.
first Girl friends in this house
Street : elizabeth reid, although my heart was for a much older woman Lynn Feast, she must have been 11
School : Julie Evans (first kiss from memory)
Remember having to go and tell my dad his sunday dinner was done, he was usually in The Black Swan with Gerry Flaherty (red) and Brian Carrol (blue)
It was at this time garston had the best water polo team in the county possibly the country.
We were always ver proud of our Water Polo team, they won everything.
Biggest rivals were always Wallasey or Birkenhead, after these games the water was often pink.
We were also proud of South Liverpool FC
I think they were in the northern premier League.
Watson used to be a very ticky right winger.
There was a fella who scored all the goals but I cannot remember his name.
I remember Fleetwood and Morecomb as visitors.
We used to get under the fence behind the only stand in the ground.
Crossing that railway line as a kid now brings shudders to me.
After the games we used to get on the pitch with a ball until the cocky watchmen legged us.
Talking of which...
The cocky watchman at Blessed John used to scare the life out of me as a kid.
We used to break windows in the school so he would leg us around hackstead gardens. he never did catch us, either we were fast or he was slow.
Dancing in the co-op on a saturday night was fun to grown ups but when you consider it was above the Chapel of Rest it held no appeal to me.
I was too young anyway.
there used to be a scout / cub hut behind the Victoria Social Club
I went there but only ever achieved three badges. Who needed a bloddy sewing badge anyway.
Funny, but I remember my Dad and Uncle Henry used to play football for the VSC.
They were both left footers (religion) and the club was the ORANGE Club.
I cant remember whether the flicks shut down somewhere round this time, but I do remember going the Mayfair and Gaumont, which would have been strange if it was still going.
I remember going to the Mickey Mouse club at the Allerton Odeon on saturday mornings around this time. This also makes me wonder about the Garston Empire.
Twopence (2d) to Penny Lane rings a bell
Sorry about the pill popping and partying all night absence, but I cannot remember anyone having a life after 10.30pm in Garston.
Most places were shut at 11 and then they used to go to either our house of one of their friends for a nightcap.
Which always had very vinegary flavoured salmon of tuna and soggy crisps.
Mackeson was a favourite with the girls, Forrest brown was the pint bottle from memory.
Dolphins in garston Baths ?
Lost on me, but we did leave Garston and moved to woolton in about 1965.
Football Team
Garston Villa late sixties.
Puskas
Played a cameo role in the Big Liddell Match.
Yes I was there and have recently been given a copy of programme.
Other memories from garston
The old war siren going off every morning
When we lived in brunswick street my bedroom was at the back.
Every thirty five seconds the old airport light (like a lighthouse light) used to run across my bedroom ceiling.
being legged evrey school hometime by the Blessed John Hoolies.
Having my first drink of beer in the masonic hall at a wedding oppposite the Market.
Was going round drinking everyones dreggs until my Mum took me home.
I remember it was the first time ever the ceiling light went round in circles until I threw up in a bowl my Mum had left.
I have very fond memories of Garston in the sixties, but as it being the capital of rave, discos and pill popping kids
I think you must have it confused with somewhere else.
Unless after I left it all went crazy.
Long haired hippies were a long way off.
Good luck with your project though.
Karl
