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This was sent to me by Michael, our new forum member, with a request to post it for all to see. Thanks Michael for sharing your memories with us.
My memories of Briercliffe
I was born at Pighole Farm, Walverden road in 1936, where my father was
the farm manager. The farm then belonged to the Nelson Co-operative
Society, along with Lane House farm, and Higher House farm by the side
of Nelson road.
Pighole Farm at that time was on, or about 25 acres. Lane house was 54
acres and Higher House farm was about 20 acres. I would assume they
are all one today. In those days all the outdoor work was done by
horse and cart. When I was three my father was offered a move to Lane
House Farm, being a bigger farm which he accepted the post. I think
this was one of my first memories, sitting on the front of the cart
with all the furniture behind, trekking across the fields. My next
memory would be going to Haggate infant’s school in 1941. When I was
five the teacher at that time was a Miss Hutton, then into junior
school with Mrs Starkey until 1947, when I then went to Mansfield
secondary modern school until 1951. My childhood memories are more
with time spent on the farm, where I was expected to work from a very
young age, mainly milking the cows, by hand no milking machines in
those days, and to help out feeding hens, pigs and calves.
In the summer my father’s days would start 4.30am when it was cool
for
the horses to work. They would then rest until evening, and would work
again through to 10.00pm cutting grass and turning it into hay. They
were long days for my father, who still had to milk the cows and then
take the milk into Nelson by horse and cart. No bottles in those days,
customers would come out with their jugs, ½ pint, and 1 pint and 2 pint
measures, hung inside the milk churns. Saturday was the worst day,
collecting the money, where every one had Co-operative cheque no’s
which had to be written out, in duplicate on the door step, even when
it was raining. I can remember my mum’s cheque no to this day 5510.
They were hard times every one had to help out. No electricity only
oil lamps for light, one coal fire for heating the whole house. A hot
brick in a flannel to take to bed to keep warm. Copper boiler to heat
the water, and tin bath in front of the fire, and the wooden dolly to
do the washing, and wood rollers in the mangle. Hard work but
wonderful memories. I am sure there are other memories that would come
to mind if I thought long enough, like the cotton/woollen mill in Lane
Bottom, where my sister worked, as a weaver. Sunday school in the
chapel at Lane Bottom, and church in Harle Syke. Fish Chips and peas
for 6 old pence etc. I could go on for ever.
_________________
Mel
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