Guide to 60s Formby

Posted by Emma Cruces on February 28, 2008 3:10 PM

A NEWSPAPER guide to Formby gives a snapshot of village life from 1965.
The 43-year-old Formby Times supplements were stored away and ultimately donated back by a reader who has given us a fascinating insight into the Formby of the mid-sixties.
A complete A-Z of the town’s businesses tells us Formby was then served by Lancashire County Council’s radio-controlled ambulances. As there was no ambulance station in Formby at the time, ambulances were sent from Crosby, Maghull and Burscough. However the guide says Formby was due to get an ambulance station that very year on the corner of Kenyon’s Lane and Church Road.
Also making an appearance in the A section is the Allotments Association formed by tenants of Formby Council’s allotments on land near Altcar Lane. The group was chaired by Mr K R Trayford and secretary was Mr A Gudgin of 43 Gardner Road. Other names dropped include the members of Altcar Parish Council. Chairman in 1965 was Cllr Walter Storey of Storey’s Restaurant in Little Altcar. The clerk was Alan Ankers of Davenham Road. Other members were Stanley Ashcroft of Hillhouse Farm, Robert Barnes of Sutton’s Farm, John Rainford of Formby’s Farm, E Chapman of Ashcroft Road, A J Lodge of Altcar Lane and J Watts of Ashcroft Road.
In the B section, some readers may remember Bishop’s Court School on Wrigleys Lane in Freshfield, which was a Roman Catholic preparatory school for boys aged seven to 14, when Mr H.G. Burroughs was the principle.
The early days of Formby nursery Busy Bees is also hinted at. A young children’s club called Busy Bees had it’s headquarters on Roselands, Cross Green in 1965 when members met on Thursday evenings. However the 60’s club stumbled on hard times when ‘hive keeper’ Mrs Davies left and no-one was found to take her place. The 1965 guide advises that the club closed the previous summer. It’s unknown whether the club’s fortunes were revived or whether there is a link to today’s Busy Bees on Elson Road, but if so, let us know at Times Past.
A “worn snapshot” of Formby’s old lighthouse in the Little Altcar area is also featured in the guide. The lighthouse was taken down at the start of World War II to prevent the towering structure from being used as a guiding landmark by enemy aircraft.
If you have a tale for Times Past call Emma on 872 237, email newsdesk@formbytimes.co.uk or write to Formby Times, 17 Elbow Lane, Formby L37 4AD. Formby’s old lighthouse is reflected in the River Alt from where it used to stand in the Little Altcar area. The building was demolished in 1939 to prevent it becoming a landmark in air-raids.

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Seventies students get down to brass tracks

Posted by Emma Cruces on February 21, 2008 4:20 PM

MUSIC lovers were remembered this week when a snapshot triggered memories of Formby High’s Brass Band.
Pupils who were at Formby High in the 1970s may remember the popular brass band, which was led by Mr Hughes, the school’s science and chemistry teacher.
One of those who tackled Mr Hughes’ brass tracks was pictured posing with her trombone by a Formby Times photographer.
After we featured the old picture in our January 31 edition, reader S.G. Mclardy immediately recognised his old schoolfriend Andrea Prescott from his time at Formby High between 1972 and 1977.
In his letter to Times Past, Mr Mclardy has also given us the names of Andrea’s neighbours at the time, which included two of his close friends.
He wrote: “The photo was probably taken in the early to mid 70s, as Andrea was roughly my age and her brother Terence was older.
“Both Andrea and Terence played brass instruments, the trombone and trumpet as I remember it, in Formby High School’s brass band led by Mr Hughes.
“I remember that shortly after leaving Formby High, Terence took a job as an assistant in an bike shop.
“Besides the Prescotts, there were two other families named Bold and Ross who all lived in three semi-detached homes, on the west end of Kent Road. Nearby, in Ashcrost Road, lived the Rhodes family who had two daughters, Janet and Linda.
“Andrew Bold and Linda Rhodes were my age and were both keen footballers - the three of us were close friends.
“Andrew had a younger brother called David and his mother was a bursar in the old part of Formby High, known as ‘A Block’.
“His father, Wilf, was a well-known member of the Air Training Corps at Woodvale. After leaving school Andrew worked for the railways (which was then British Rail) at Hall Road Station. I believe he is still in that line of work and had a number of promotions. I also believe he still lives locally, in Kent Road.”
If you recognise anyone on this week’s photos or have a tale for Times Past call Emma on 872 237, email newsdesk@formbytimes.co.uk or write to Formby Times, 17 Elbow Lane, Formby L37 4AD.

Andrea Prescott from Formby High’s Brass Band

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Formby memories of porter Bella

Posted by Cliff Birchall on February 14, 2008 10:42 AM

OUR QUEST to identify “Bella the Bomber”, after her appearance caused a stir on the Times Past page, has finally been answered.

A reader identified the well-known local figure who worked as a porter at Freshfield Station as Bella Jeffries.

Our correspondent has also provided extra information on her other half, Charlie, who was usually seen trailing in the wake of his energetic wife on the streets of Formby.

Our reader said: “Bella lived with her husband Charlie in the old railway houses in Andrews Lane.

“Charlie used to work at Hall Road in the electrical control room or the electrical multiple units, in the maintenance depot.

“The wintertime was the only time he wore his railway uniform – and it was only the overcoat at that. Being small and broad, it was hanging to the floor.”

But our informant was just as mystified as everyone else on one point. “I don’t know why they called her ‘The Bomber’.” If you can shed some light on her mysterious nickname, let us know at Times Past.

Mystery solved

Another mystery has been solved after a former Guide responded to our plea for information. Reader S. G. Mclardy had puzzled over her identity when he got in touch some weeks ago with the identity of some Holy Trinity Guides pictured, but one or two remained nameless. Mr Mclardy, who remembers the girls from his time as a Scout, also informed us that one of the unnamed Guides had featured in the most recent Dickensian Day parade.

Julia Sutton recognised herself from this description and provided more names. She said: “That’s me, when I was in the Guides and I was also in the last Dickensian Day Parade. I can also name the little girl fourth from right, Alison Tweedy, and fifth from right is Christina Harrison. I last heard that Christina was in the US. Alison is now a dentist who practices up in Carlisle.”

If you have any photos or a tale for Times Past call Emma on 872 237, email newsdesk@formbytimes.co.uk or write to Formby Times, 17 Elbow Lane, Formby L37 4AD.

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