"At
the top of Leamington Road a railway bridge with the old steam trains running
along used to be a bit of fun for us kids. We would grab a bucket from somewhere
when we heard a train coming and shout up as it was going past 'Hey mister yer
train's on fire.' To which the reply would be a couple of huge lumps of coal
from the tender into the street. This was eagerly gathered up and taken home
quick by any kids present." By
John
"I remember my uncle Wilf driving one of those Scammel trucks. He would sometimes come to visit and the empty truck and trailer would be parked outside our house in Norris Green. By the time he went out to leave there would be twenty or thirty kids using the trailer as a playground. He used to tell them to bugger off and not come back but it happened every time. It might have been my fault, cos I always used to tell my mates that I was going home to see my uncle. No harm was ever done!!" By John
"Across the street was what was known as the 'Red Hills', part of the railway embankment, the tin fence had been ripped down and we used the tin to slide down the hills. This was great in winter when there was a bit of snow and,or, ice. The old station was just around the corner, it had a wooden staircase leading up to it It was raised above the ground and sometimes we'd sneak up, under the stairs and bug the sh*t out of the station master. Never did see a train stop there so I suppose he was just a 'cocky watchman.' Really, he was a nice old guy when we got to know him." By Bobby Mac
"Yes the Black hills, they were sandstone. They built the Broadway Club on them later. Pendletons was next to the Broadway Hotel, a little hut. There was a small iron bridge to the left of it, and a slope going up to the station on the right. You would have walked across Townsend Lane duel carriageway, then along the lower end of Broad Lane and under the bridge to get to the Roberts chippy." By Cryinshames
New Years Eve celebrations under Broadway Bridge
"I met the wife under the bridge about 1975-76 and the last time we celebrated New year there was about 1979.
There used to be hundreds there and people used to travel from all over the place to see the new year in... old enemys made friends & new friends were made... kiss the face off off everyone(girls) and do a lot of hand shaking. Great memories." By Ronin
"The first time I went to the New Years Bash under the bridge was 1957. The New Year's Eve parties there were great, hundreds, if not thousands gathered there, beer and whisky flowed like water. Surprisingly you never saw many fights, and they soon got sorted out when they did occur. In all, New years there was a ball." By Bobby Mac
Norris Green during the Second World War
"On
one night in May 1941, bombs fell on Glasonby Crescent,Winskill Road and at
the junction of Broad Lane & Lorenzo Drive, between St Christophers Church
& the Rankin Memorial Presbytarian church( long since gone) I am led to
believe by my sister ( who knows everything!) that there was a man actually
killed in Glasonby Crescent and I know for certain, that a small bomb in Winskill
Road actually fell in a back garden between 2 Anderson shelters, removing both
of them from the ground, but leaving the sheltering families shocked and terrified,
but unhurt . A girl from one of the families called Barlow allowed people to
see the 'miracle' for a few days afterwards for small donation. I know , because
I was there.and if you want to hear about the ammunition train being bombed
in Clubmoor. well, that's another story." By
Laurie Haworth ( ex-resident of 125 Lewisham Road)
"My late father was living in number 3 Monksdown Road during the War and often spoke of a bomb being dropped on the corner...I think it may have been Lewisham Road. I know a young girl was killed in her bed by shrapnel and the houses on Monksdown corner where badly damaged however residents would not vacate so they repaired them." By Paul Wilson
"I lived at 203 Broad Lane, about 50m from the Winskill Road bombing. I too visited the "hole in the ground" (it was across the road from the Ryans who were our back-fence neighbours). The bomb fell right on the garden fence between the shelters of the two middle houses of the first "four-house" block on the East side of the Northern end of Winskill Rd. I also have an impression that there was talk that another bomb in the stick fell, unexploded, into the toilet tank of the southernmost house in the block. I also clearly remember the crater on the "sharp corner" between Broad Lane and Lorenzo Drive, outside the Rankin.
In addition, I believe that a "four-house" block in Norris Green Crescent was also destroyed by a fire started by an incendiary bomb. (The houses were rebuilt after the war, so maybe they are not constructed with the same "fatal flaw" that has caused the "Boot" disaster" By Keith McCartney
"My Mother
used to tell us that she clearly remembered the stick of bombs that hit the
Rankin Memorial as well as the garage at the top of Lewisham, Parkhurst and
Lorenzo Drive Junction. I think it was called Hughes Garage. She also seemed
to think that a house opposite ours in Parkhurst Road had its chimney knocked
off.
I also remember her telling us about the ammunition dump near Clubmoor getting
hit." - Phil Robertson
Coronation of Queen Eliazabeth II, 1953
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 Mark
O'Toole & Brian Nash: Bassist, Mark (second from the right) and
guitarist 'Nasher' (far right) were members of arguably Britain's most commercially
successful band of the 80's, Franke Goes To Hollywood. Both were
from Norris Green. Mark attended St. Matthews school and Nasher went to
St. Teresa's.
Frankie's debut single Relax was famously banned by the BBC while at number six in the charts, and subsequently topped the UK singles chart for five consecutive weeks, going on to enjoy prolonged chart success throughout 1984 and ultimately becoming one of the biggest best-selling UK singles of all time. Following the phenomenal follow-up success of Two Tribes and the wonderful The Power Of Love, Frankie became only the second act in the history of the UK charts to reach number one with their first three singles.
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 Pete
Wylie: leader singer/ song writer of the group Mighty Wah! (as
well other incarnations: Wah!, Wah! Heat, The 5,000 Names of Wah!).
Pete was brought up around the Scarisbrick Road area of Norris Green. Active
from 1979, Wylie's group gained critical acclaim for the single Better
Scream (as Wah! Heat) and the album Nah Poo! The Art of Bluff
(as Wah!). Their biggest hit single was The Story of the Blues,
which was released in late 1982, and ultimately reached Number 3 in the
UK singles chart. The Mighty Wah! also had a Top 20 hit in 1984,
with a song called Come Back. Both tracks were chosen by the late
BBC Radio DJ John Peel, as his 'single of the year'. |
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Geoffrey
Hughes: Born February 1944, Geoffrey went to Abbotsford Road School
and lived on Scargreen Avenue. His dad owned Hughes Garage on Lorenzo
Drive, next door to Sayers. Geoffrey is best known for his role as Eddie
Yates in Coronation Street. He's also know for his roles in the
Royle Family, HeartBeat and Keeping Up Appearances.
Ian
McCulloch: Born May 1959. Lead vocalist with legendary and hugely
influential Liverpool band Echo and the Bunnymen, who had a number
of hits in the 1980's notably, The Cutter (1983) and The Killing Moon
(1984). Their 2005 album, Siberia, has a track on it called Parthenon
Drive, the Norris Green road where Ian lived. He also went to Leamington
Road School.
Steve
Coppell: Born July 1955, Steve was brought up in Norris Green and
studied Economics at Liverpool University. He combined his degree with
his football career which took him from Tranmere to Manchester United
and England in the 1970's. His playing career ended due to persistent
knee injuries, he retired in 1983. He is now currently manager of Reading
Football Club.
Tom
Baker: Born in 1934, Tom was brought up in Norris Green and attended
St Matthews School. A well respected actor, he has appeared in many films
but is perhaps best known for his role as the fourth Dr. Who. Tom is currently
on our screens as the narrator of the BBC hit comedy Little Britain.
Mike
Slemen: Mike Slemen
was an English international rugby union player of the late 1970's and
1980's. A winger with great pace and commitment, he established himself
as a regular in the international team. Mike attendend St. Teresa's and
used to live in Eldersfield Road. He is now a teacher at Merchant Taylors
in Crosby.
Frank
Maudsley: A founder
member of the 80's pop group, A Flock of Seaguls, Mike lived in
Branthwaite Crescent. His group are perhaps best known in this country
for their hairstyles. However, in America they were huguely popular filling
massive concert venues such as the JKF Stadium and Madison Square Garden.
Their biggest hit in the UK was Wishing (if I had a photograph of you).
Gary
Dwyer: Drummer with Julian Cope's group The Teardrop Explodes.
Gary (second from the right) lived on Hazelbeach Crescent. The band are
probably best known for their 1981 song, Reward (which reached
number six in the UK charts.
Jean
Alexander: Born February 1926, Jean is best known for her role as
Hilda Ogden in Coronation Street, she also appeared in The Last
of the Summer Wine. Although Jean's not from Norris Green, I've included
her on this list because she worked in Norris Green Library before she
started her acting career.
Chris
Lawler: Born in 1943,
Chris played 549 times for Liverpool between the period, 1960 to 1973
and scored 61 goals. A great right-back, he was capped by England four
times. The Kop called him the 'Silent Knight'. Chris attended St. Teresa's
School.
Joe
Royle: Born April 1949 and lived in 24 Parkhurst Road in Norris Green.
Joe is an Everton legend thanks to his goal scoring exploits of the late
1960's and early 70's. He is now in football management and is currently
managing Ipswich Town.