15 December 2020
By the age of 14 I had lived in 7 different houses. The houses included here are places that I would say I lived in properly - I had my own or shared room and was there for more than six months. The only exception is 63 Regent Park Grove, where my parents lived for several years. I've included it here so that all of my parents' houses are included. I also include houses that I lived in as a student. All the dates given are approximate.
Broadstones (1953 - 1956)
Life began for me here in 1953. Broadstones was a sort of caravan/chalet park owned by Harry Haddock and his wife. It was a ramshackle sort of place with the 'holiday homes' including old trams and glorified garden sheds. At first we lived in one of the 'chalets', but soon moved into the flat in the big white house where Mr and Mrs Haddock lived. I assume the flat was rented. My dad was Works Engineer at Baird Television, so we were one of the few families with a T.V. It was powered by a basement full of submarine batteries that my dad had acquired from somewhere. Today Broadstones Park is a smart residential site with park homes.
Bradford Rd, Sandbeds, Keighley (1956 - 1958)
I think this was the first house that my parents bought. It is set back from the old main road going from Bingley to Keighley. I have no memory of it.
40 Myrtle Avenue, Bingley (1958 - 1961)
My dad was brought up in 44 Myrtle Avenue, 2 doors away. I went to Myrtle Park Primary School, which was probably less than 50 yards away. My dad had also attended Myrtle Park School as a boy, but in his day it was an 'all age' school. This picture shows me at the back door (in my Scout Cubs uniform) with my younger brother Kenneth. My friend, David Ohr, lived a few doors away and we would walk to school together. We had probably moved to Myrtle Avenue as it was more convenient for school and work.
4 Beech Grove, Bingley (1961 - 1964)
This house is about 200 yards from Myrtle Avenue, but it was definitely a move upmarket. A big, old terraced house with high ceilings, attic rooms and cellars. I shared a bedroom on the first floor with Kenneth. Our elder brother, Michael, in the attic, directly above us. One night, when I was 9, I woke to see fire coming out of the airing cupboard, which was in mine and Kenneth's bedroom. I went to wake my mum and dad, who rang the fire brigade. They were there in a few minutes, as the Fire Station was about 50 yards away. By the time they arrived our bedroom was gutted and Michael was unconscious. We were lucky. The local newspaper headline was "Boy(9) rouses family in fire".
22 Otley Rd, Eldwick, Bingley (1964 - 1965)
I don't know why we moved here. Maybe my parents were spooked by the fire. There was also talk of a new road cutting off some of the garden, though the road they built over 30 years later went nowhere near it. It was a new(ish) semi detached house in Eldwick, a nice village on the outskirts of Bingley. The photo shows my Auntie Gladys and her granddaughter, Tracey on a visit from Leicester. She wasn't a real Auntie, though I don't know the full story. The move here coincided with me starting at Bingley Grammar School. We only lived here for a year and I don't remember much about it. I do remember talk of my dad going for an interview in Sheffield, but as it turned out he actually got a job in Middlesbrough (as works manager at Firth Cleveland). I suppose it must have been a good move in terms of his career. I also remember the school bus and, as a vulnerable first year, having the good fortune to have my fifth year elder brother upstairs on the back seat. "Don't touch him - that's Micky Allen's brother."
54 Kader Avenue, Acklam, Middlesbrough (1965 - 1967)
By coincidence, someone moving from Middlesbrough to Bingley came to view our house in Eldwick. The upshot was a house swap, with some extra money going to us. As a result we ended up in Kader Avenue. I think it was always seen as a short term move that would allow us to settle into Middlesbrough. Even so, my dad built a lean-to conservatory on the back of the house. In order to make room for this he had to move the garage back a few feet. Typically, for him, this wasn't a problem. He did it using hydraulic jacks. I remember the 'conservatory' very well. I also remember playing some form of basketball on the drive with John 'Sedgie' Tunney. Kenneth went to the primary school over the road. For someone of his age, he had an impressive truancy record.
115 Hall Drive, Acklam, Middlesbrough (1967 - 1970)
By this time I was in 3rd Year, or going into 4th Year, at Acklam Hall Grammar School. The school was a few hundred yards away and I had many of my friends living nearby, so I enjoyed living at this house. By the start of my Lower Sixth it became apparent that my dad was moving on from Firth Cleveland, so the house was put up for sale. One winter evening a friend (Stuart Hogg I think) called round for me - we were goung to Ayresome Park to watch Middlesbrough F.C. in their continuing pursuit of sporting glory. His arrival coincided with someone arriving to view the house. We stood open mouthed as Hugh McIlmoyle, a recent signing for £60,000 from Carlisle Utd., walked past us. My parents had no idea who he was.
28 Harrow Rd, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough (1970 - 1971)
115 Hall drive was duly sold to Middlesbrough F.C. and my parents bought a house in Morecambe, Lancashire, even though my dad had taken a job in Blyth, Northumberland. By then, most of my mum's family had emigrated from Bradford to Morecambe. I assume that my dad was unsure what the future held with regard to his health and his work. Because I had started 6th Form it was decided that I would stay in Middlesbrough to complete my A Levels. Mrs Burnicle, a widowed friend of my mum's friend, offered to take me in. She lived on her own at 28 Harrow Rd., effectively blind with cateracts and a committed smoker (Senior Service I think). I lived there for about 18 months and loved every moment.
45 Westminster Rd, Morecambe (1969 - 1974)
Following the sale of 115 Hall Drive, my parents bought 45 Westminster Rd., a 7 bedroom former boarding house. It was the last house that I would say I lived in 'properly' with my parents, although that was mainly in school and univesity holidays. I did at least have my own room - second foor at the back. My dad lived in Blyth for 4 nights a week. In those days Morecambe was (just about) still a holiday destination of sorts. It had 6 or 7 cinemas, 2 piers, nightclubs summer shows and lots of pubs. I loved working as a postman in the Christmas holidays, delivering mail along the west end promenade. In the summer holidays I worked in Littlewoods cafeteria, across the road from the open-air pool where they held the heats and finals of Miss Great Britain.
Norwood Terrace, Leeds (1971 - 1972)
Having achieved the necessary grades to go to Leeds University, I was disappointed to be given lodgings for my accomodation. One of 7 first year students assigned to a boarding house in Harehills. Bed, breakfast, evening meal and a shared room. It was the dark ages. Awful. It was so bad that it prompted me to find a student house in the Hyde Park area that was available from Chritmas. Nor was it difficult to convince the other 6 to come with me. It didn't make me popular with the owner of the boarding house or the university accomodation office. The house on Norwood Terrace wasn't brilliant, but it was in studentville and we were free.
40 Bexley Grove, Harehills, Leeds (1972 - 1973)
This was a genuine back-to-back house that I moved into with Dave Mattock, Ian (Herbie) Oxley and Martin Taylor. I knew Dave and Herbie from Acklam Hall. We'd got to know Martin, the cycling vegetarian, because he lived below Dave in one of the university Cromer Terrace flats. Dave was in the downstairs room, next to the kitchen. I was at the top of the stairs on the first floor. Martin was on the other side of the bathroom on the first floor and Herbie was in the attic. Half way through the year John 'Sedgie' Tunney arrived at our door. He moved in, sleeping on the floor somewhere. No central heating. No tele. Phone box at the end of the road. Life was hard.
Hampton Row, South Milford (1973 - 1974)
At the end of the year, Herbie and Dave moved off to live with girlfriends. Martin, Sedgie and I had decided to get a place together, along with Russell Conn. Martin knew Russell from the Semitics department. I think Martin and I found an advert on a University noticeboard for the cottage in South Milford. It was a good 15 miles from Leeds, but there was a regular train and Russell had a brand new Hillman Avenger. And in those days we could claim travel expenses. The cottage was tiny. Martin, Russell and I were in the front bedroom, though Russell went home to Manchester at the weekend. Sedgie was in the back room, with Jan Fisher. On the basis that having 2 people in the house called John was confusing, Martin decided that I should be called Johnnie and Sedgie should be called Jack.
Hanover Square, Leeds (1974 - 1975)
We left Hampton Row in the summer of 1974 with nowhere to go. Russell and Martin had another year to go at university and I had a place at Bingley College to do a P.G.C.E. in secondary education. At the last minute, Dave told us that there was an attic room available where he lived. We moved in, committed to a continuing dormitory lifestyle. 3 mattresses on the floor. I had a cupboard, Russell had a wardrobe and Martin had 'under the table'. The room cost £2.50 a week, but as the landlord didn't know we were there, we didn't pay anything until after Christmas. I have no idea where Jack (Sedgie) went. Later on, another room became available on the first floor at the front. A room with a view. We took it on as our study.
Montpelier, Leeds (1975 - 1976)
At the end of the academic year I was a qualified teacher and Martin had a place to do a P.G.C.E. at Trinity and All Saints College. We had decide to find a place to share with Mary and Erica. We knew Erica from the Semitics Department and I assume Mary had lived with Erica. The 2 bedroomed furnished flat in 'Montpelier', was definitely a move upmarket. We got it under false pretences, Erica and I pretending to be the young professionals for whom the flat was intended. The large bedroom was used as the dormitory and the small bedroom was our study. By now I was with Michele, so we shared our time between Montpelier and the house she shared on Rider Rd.
20 Tennyson Street, Pudsey (1976 - 1977)
In September 1976 I moved into my second year of teaching at Batley High School and Martin was moving off to teach in Watford. I think Michele and Mary found the house in Pudsey, which we were going to share with 2 friends, Chantel and Sue. It was a modern terraced house, which I assume the owner was hoping to rent out to a professional couple or family. Instead, they got 5 of us. Four students and me. Michele and I had the front bedroom, Mary had the back bedroom and Chantel had the small bedroom. Sue slept downstairs near the dining table. Michele was in her final year.
63 Regent Park Grove, Morecambe
My parents moved about 300 yards to 63 Regent Park Grove in about 1976, having sold 45 Westminster Rd. to my mum's younger brother Roy and his wife Margaret. I never lived there, though Michele did for a few months in 1981. I've included it here so that all of the houses that my parents lived in together are inluded. My cousin Lisa, Roy and Margaret's youngest daughter, now lives with her family in the house next door.
54 High Rd, Halton, Lancaster (1977 - 1981)
Whist living in Pudsey, Michele and I had decided that we would get married and move to Lancaster. I would get a new job and she would do a P.G.C.E. at St. Martin's College. 54 High Rd. was the first house that Michele and I bought together and it cost £8995. We were given the mortgage on the strength of my job at Batley High School. As soon as we were given the mortage approval I resigned and continued my search for a job in the area. I don't think we worried about the fact that we had taken on a mortgage with potentially no income - we were young. It was a lovely end terrace house with a raised garden at the back. Gary and Irene Denman lived next door. I got a job at St Cuthbert Mayne Catholic High School in Preston.
9 St Andrews Avenue, Ashton, Preston (1981 - 1984)
It may well have been a mistake, but in 1981 Michele successfully applied for a post at St Cuthbert Mayne. As a result we decided to move to Preston. Having sold 54 High Rd. for £21,500 we bought 9 St Andrews Avenue in Ashton, Preston. The picture shows us with our sister in law, Alida, in front of the house. It also includes our lime green Chrysler Sunbeam, NCW 607T, the first brand new car that we bought. We'd ordered a blue one, but this was the one that was delivered. In late 1983 Michele became pregnant and we decided that it was time to move on, hopefully in time for the birth. I was also appointed to the post of Head of Physics at All Hallows R.C. High School, Penwortham.
30 Rawstorne Rd, Penwortham, Preston (1984 - 2012)
We bought 30 Rawstorne Rd. for about £32000. It was a house that was in need of a lot of work, but was essentially a nice house on a nice road. A 4 bedroomed semi-detached. Good neighbours - Miss Bath in the adjoining house, Ann and Philip next door and Jim and Sue next door to them. Our children grew up there and we stayed for 28 years.
2 Lowlands Rd, Bolton le Sands (2012 - 2013)
This was the bungalow that my parents retired to in about 1983 and where their 6 grandchildren spent many happy holidays and overnight stays. By 2012 we had fewer commitments and decided to move back to the Lancaster area. Having sold 30 Rawstorne Rd. we had agreed to buy a house in Silverdale. Unfortunately, at the last minute we withdrew from the purchase, having discovered significant problems with the house. My mum died in October 2000. My dad moved into a care home in October 2012 and died in November, aged 89. We lived in the bungalow for about a year, whilst we sold it and looked for another house.
45 Caton Green Rd, Brookhouse, Lancaster (2013 - 2014)
This 4 bedroomed bungalow was lovely and we made it better. It was big. The view was spectacular. Michele loved it. I didn't. After about nine months I persuaded Michele that we should put it up for sale. As luck would have it, it sold quickly.
5 Woodfield Close, Penwortham, Preston (2014 - 2015)
We rented this big modern house whilst we decided what we should do. Five bedrooms and big enough to store all our stuff.
7 Kingsway, Penwortham, Preston (2015 - 2023)
For all sorts of reasons, it made sense to move back to Preston. The target area was small and the aim was to buy a nice house on a nice road.
Larger Images:
Broadstones, Gilstead, Bingley
Bradford Rd, Sandbeds, Keighley
40 Myrtle Avenue, Bingley
4 Beech Grove, Bingley
22 Otley Rd, Eldwick, Bingley
54 Kader Ave, Acklam, Middlesbrough
115 Hall Drive, Acklam
28 Harrow Rd, Linthorpe
45 Westminster Rd, Morecambe
Norwood Terrace, Leeds
40 Bexley Grove, Harehills, Leeds
Hampton Row, South Milford
Hanover Square, Leeds
Montpelier, Leeds
20 Tennyson Street, Pudsey
63 Regent Park Grove, Morecambe
54 High Rd, Halton, Lancaster
9 St Andrews Ave, Ashton, Preston
30 Rawstorne Rd, Penwortham, Preston
2 Lowlands Rd, Bolton le Sands
45 Caton Green Rd, Brookhouse, Lancaster
5 Woodfield Close, Penwortham
7 Kingsway, Penwortham
