One hundred years of one house in Well Hall part 18 ........... Christmas 1958

This is the continuing story of one house in Well Hall Road and of the people who lived there including our family.*

Actually it would be another six years before we celebrated Christmas in Well Hall, but why spoil a story?

The weather was less than promising with the Manchester Guardian on Christmas Eve, reporting that it would be “A Very Murky Christmas” with “Fog forecast for much of England and Wales [and] airports closed”.

Going on to comment “Fog to-day, fog to-morrow (though perhaps less) on Boxing Day are the possibilities for the Christmas Holidays in many parts of England and Wales.

Fog yesterday was a certainty,; it affected about thirty counties,  It covered nearly twenty thousand square miles stretching from Bournemouth to Durham.  It closed Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool airports and last night was seriously upsetting flights into London Airport.”.

But we were not planning to travel far.

Which leaves me trying to remember how we spent our Christmas that year.  I would have been nine my twin sisters just two and a bit and our Jill still a baby.

As happened every year Uncle George would have travelled up from the west country a few days earlier and the day would have unfolded with the presents, breakfast and a walk to Peckham Rye and back, before Christmas dinner and followed by a mix of the telly and board games, of which Monopoly was dominated every Christmas evening.

Like many families we had bought into a television during the 1950s, and while I no longer know when our first one arrived, by 1958 it was an established item.

So that Christmas on BBC we had a series of films, along with variety shows and a ghost tale, which was pretty much replicated by London ITV and Granada.

Setting aside the television that Christmas drew heavily on the traditions experienced by my parents, both of whom were born in the first decades of the last century.

There were still  a mix of oranges and nuts in the Christmas stockings which for us were pillow covers, and 1958 might well have been the first year that coloured lights replaced real candles on the tree, although it would be many years before the paper chains and bright paper trees were done away with.

But as ever the bright but fragile glass baubles survived well into the 1980s and were brought out as they had been done every year, with a few additions to take the place of the broken ones.

As for presents, mine were as traditional as they had been each year, with an addition to the train set, an Eagle Annual and an assortment of sweets.

And while I can’t now remember exactly what those presents were I know that the Eagle Annual was number eight and that the lead story was Dan Dare in Operation Moss.

All of which I think is enough.

Location; Well Hall

Pictures; Christmas decorations; from the collection of Catherine Obi, bought at Oxfam, and the Eagle Annual Number 8, with an extract from Operation Moss

*One hundred years of one house on Well Hall Road, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/One%20hundred%20years%20of%20one%20house%20in%20Well%20Hall

**“A Very Murky Christmas”, Manchester Guardian, December 24th, 1958

The art of Christmas ………. part three

The third in the series featuring festive menus from Blackpool hotels covering the period from the late 1940s through to 1969.

They come from the collection of Suzanne Morehead who kindly passed them over to me a few years ago.

I have always planned to use them in a series but always missed the boat of featuring them at Christmas, and running the stories in April seemed a bit daft.

What I particularly like about them is the artwork, which is a style I remember so well from the period.

1947 will have been the first Christmas after the war that many people decided it was time to spend the holiday away in a hotel letting someone else do the business of coking cleaning and entertaining.

And even given the restrictions of rationing and shortages it will have been an attractive proposition, even though it will have been restricted to a handful of the well off.

But during the 1950s into the 60s with growing prosperity and rising expectations there will have been more who fancied a Christmas or New Year away.

Location, Blackpool, 1947-69

Pictures; from various hotels, 1947-1969, from the collection of Suzanne Morehead

The art of Christmas ………. part two

The second in the series featuring festive menus from Blackpool hotels covering the period from the late 1940s through to 1969.

They come from the collection of Suzanne Morehead who kindly passed them over to me a few years ago.

I have always planned to use them in a series but always missed the boat of featuring them at Christmas, and running the stories in April seemed a bit daft.

What I particularly like about them is the artwork, which is a style I remember so well from the period.

And to the social historian or the nosey there is an insight into what the hotels offered over the holiday.

So from 1958, Redman’s Park House Hotel began Christmas Day with “Breakfast between 8.30 am to 9.15”.

After which guests could participate in “Snooker, Billiards and Table Tennis Competitions”.

Luncheon was at 1 pm with “The Queen’s Christmas Day Broadcast on Television and Sound Radio” at 3, followed by an appearance of Father Christmas at 3,30.

At 4 there was “Afternoon Tea and the Children’s Party” with the Christmas Banquet from 7 pm.

The evening was rounded off with “Games, Sing song and the Delta Variety Show” between 8.30 pm to 12.0 midnight, finishing with two hours of “Dancing with the Band”.

Location; Blackpool, 1948-1969

Pictures; from various hotels, 1947-1969, from the collection of Suzanne Morehead

The art of Christmas ………. part one

I am back with how hotels have celebrated Christmas in the past.

And so with that in mind I thought I would visit a series of festive menus from Blackpool hotels covering the period from the late 1940s through to 1969.

They come from the collection of Suzanne Morehead who kindly passed them over to me a few years ago.

I have planned to use them in a series, but always missed the boat of featuring them at Christmas, and running the stories in April seemed a bit daft.

So here over the next few days are a selection.

What I particularly like about them is the artwork, which is a style I remember so well from when I was growing up.

And for the social historian or the nosey, there is an insight into what the hotels offered over the holiday.

So from 1958, Redman’s Park House Hotel began Christmas Day with “Breakfast between 8.30 am to 9.15”.

After which guests could participate in “Snooker, Billiards and Table Tennis Competitions”.

Luncheon was at 1 pm with “The Queen’s Christmas Day Broadcast on Television and Sound Radio” at 3. followed by an appearance of Father Christmas at 3,30.

At 4, there was “Afternoon Tea and the Children’s Party” with the Christmas Banquet from 7 pm.

The evening was rounded off with “Games, Sing song and the Delta Variety Show” between 8.30 pm to 12.0 midnight, finishing with two hours of “Dancing with the Band”.

Location; Blackpool, 1948-1969

Pictures; from various hotels, 1947-1969, from the collection of Suzanne Morehead

One hundred years of one house in Chorlton ....... part 157 ..... old traditions …. new customs ..... and a challenge to Brexit

The continuing story of the house Joe and Mary Ann Scott lived in for over 50 years and the families that have lived here since.*

Nougat, and Roccocò napoletani , 2025

I have no idea how Joe and Mary Ann celebrated Christmas, but given that they moved in soon after the start of the Great War when certain foods were becoming scare, and prices were rising I suspect “all the trimmings” were in short supply.

By contrast the rising prosperity after the Second World War will have seen an increasing abundance of nice things for the table, although I am guessing what they ate will have been reflected by the fact that they were born in the last two decades of the nineteenth century and that moulded their tastes.

In the same way when we came to celebrate Christmas in the house in the mid 1970s, the traditional festive dinner and the extra bits like boxes of Quality Street and preserved fruits rubbed up against pasta, and curry.

So always a blend of the new and the old.

And that hasn’t changed.  This year Rosa brought over a variety of Italian sweets including Roccocò napoletani  which are Neapolitan Christmas biscuits.

They are made with mixed spices, nuts and candied fruits, and are rather crunchy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside. 

They are traditionally made starting on December 8, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and enjoyed throughout the holiday season, ending with Epiphany on January 6. 

These days post Brexit her cache of Italian food is far more modest, while one year an entire suitcase was given over to oranges, heaps of nougat, nuts, cooked meats and even a chicken, not to mention packets of coffee.

More nougat and Ptasie mleczko, 2025

And not to be out done our Julia came from Warsaw with a packet of Ptasie mleczko which my Wikipedia tells me translates into “bird's milk which is a confectionery originating in Poland and is a small, chocolate-covered bar with a soft marshmallow-like interior.

E. Wedel is one of the most recognized chocolate confectioneries in Poland, having exclusive rights for the name Ptasie mleczko. Its owner created the original "bird's milk" in 1936”. 

So that is it.  Other brands of “interesting foods will be available" in other people’s homes.

And extending out beyond Christmas, I am consrtantly attracted to the food served up by Jewish friends during Hanukkah.

Location; Beech Road

Pictures; special treats from Naples and Warsaw, 2025 from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*The Story of a House, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2025/12/one-hundred-years-of-one-house-in_12.html

** Ptasie Mleczko, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptasie_mleczko

Christmas from the Western Front .......

Christmas is supposed to be the season of goodwill but war has a habit of twisting the message.

This Christmas card was sent by my uncle to my father on December 12th 1918. The Great War had ended just a month before and uncle Fergus and his battalion of the Black Watch were in Cologne, relieved no doubt that the fighting was over.

On that Thursday in December he wrote that “Cologne was a lovely city with some fine cinemas” but they were prohibited from fraternizing with the civilians which for a young man of just 21 was a bit of a bore given the attractive young women he came across.

But duty was never far away and preparations were a foot because “we are crossing the Rhine tomorrow” and there was a determination “to show the rest of the division the way as we proved to be the finest marchers during the trek to Germany.”


Picture; With Best wishes for a Happy Christmas and a Victorious New Year, December 1918 from the collection of Andrew Simpson

“Do They Know It’s Christmas”, ……… a VHS tape .... and that famine

Somewhere in the collection we still have “Do They Know It’s Christmas”, which I guess hasn’t been played for decades.

And while it is that time of year, I doubt normally it would get on to the turntable.

There will be a mix of reasons, not least because since 1984, there have been countless other famines, near famines and disasters which I am remain convinced were preventable.

The story of that song and its subsequent re-recordings in 1989, 2004 and 2014, is out there to be read.*

And I don’t intend to repeat what someone else has said and said better.

Instead I am intrigued by this VHS recording of the making of the song, which was acquired by my old friend David Harrop.

The copy was signed by Midge Ure and looks to be in a good state.

But it is a VHS recording which is a technology pretty much now consigned to history, although in it’s day for a full two decades it was what you used to watch films, and home TV recordings.

It saw off Betamax but was done for by the CD and now few would have a VHS machine to watch a tape like this.

And how ever much they were the bees knees in the 1970s through to the 90s, they were prone to faults and as often  happened would end up unravelling.

So, I thank David for sharing this one with me, although our machine was consigned to the dustbin long ago, and the few tapes that survived the cull have since ended up in charity shops.

Location; Manchester

Picture;  “Do They Know It’s Christmas”, VHS box, courtesy of David Harrop

*“Do They Know It’s Christmas”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_They_Know_It%27s_Christmas%3F

The first Christmas card of December

Now if like me you are old enough to remember those letters to the Times on hearing the first cuckoo of spring, here is another.

In this case it’s the first greetings card for Christmas.

A first in that  we are only just in to December and also because it is the earliest David has shown me from his collection.

It dates from December 1916 and although I know he has much older ones this is still a first for me.

Somewhere in the collection I have some Victorian ones and perhaps it’s time for them to see the light of day.

David tells me this one was also a a Valentine's mailing novelty card so a double first.

And that is it.

I shall   leave you with this one, and no I don’t feel that I have brought Christmas in too early given our local supermarket has had advent calendars for a month and the first TV advert for the season aired sometime ago.

All I will say is that David continues to amaze me with the extent of his collection of memorabilia from the two world wars along with that of postal history.

Still that’s it for now.

Picture; Christmas card 1916, from the collection of David Harrop 

A message from the editor

Christmas, 1979.

Location; Chorlton

Picture;  Merry Christmas, Chorlton, 1979, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

Christmas Postcards

This was sent on December 24th 1906 at 11.30 and given the frequent collections and deliveries would have arrived on the same day.

There was no message but perhaps the caption was enough. The manufacturers had already issued this card and so were cashing in on the season.




Picture; from the collection of Rita Bishop

Post early for Christmas ...... to a place in the 1950s

Now I think the Post Office must do things differently from when I was growing up in the 1950s.

Back then delightful and innovative posters appeared every year in the run up to Christmas.

And this is one I like.  

It comes from the collection of David Harrop who collects all things posty and thinks it dates from the 1950s.

A trawl of GPO sites didn’t advance my research and so the 1950s it is.

Today a quick flick through the internet will offer up the details of the last dates to send letters, cards and parcels to every part of the globe.

But back in the 1950s we did indeed do things differently, and posters like this were on display in Post Offices and probably other public places.

And I seem to recall as the 1950s slid into the next decade that information began appearing on the telly, with a mix of serious public announcements with rather silly ones delivered in the form of a cartoon.

And that is all I am going to say.

Location; the 1950s

Picture; Post Early, circa 1950s, from the collection of David Harrop

The German Christmas card from Nell Lane …. 1918

There is a story here which is over-layered with a mystery, but I doubt I will find an answer to why someone would send a Christmas card from a British military hospital during the Great War.

The hospital was the old Withington Workhouse infirmary which was requisitioned to care for wounded servicemen.

Thousands will have passed through during the conflict but I am not sure that their records have survived.

Some of the men who died of their wounds are buried in Southern Cemetery, but as for the rest, I fear their records have been lost forever.

And that brings me back to the card, which was acquired by my old friend David Harrop who sent it over today.

It is a printed postcard, but carries no imprint on the reverse, leaving just the stylized picture with the word "Christmas" in German along with the reference to “Military Hospital Nell Lane Manchester 1918”.

So, was it one of a batch especially designed for German POW’s recovering in the hospital, which could be sent home for Christmas?

If so, it opens up a whole new line of research on the hospital.

Someone will know, or will make a sound guess based on information I don’t have.

And yes someone offered up an answer, which was as I supposed.  

The hospital provided care for German POW's, some of whom died and were buried in Southern Cemetery.

But what I didn't know was that, "On 16 October 1959, the governments of the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany made an agreement about the future care of the remains of German military personnel and German civilian internees of both world wars who at the time were interred in various cemeteries not already maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 

It was agreed that the remains would be transferred to a single central cemetery established on Cannock Chase for this purpose"*

Location; Nell Lane

Picture; Christmas, Military Hospital Nell Lane Manchester 1918, from the collection of David Harrop

*Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannock_Chase_German_Military_Cemetery?fbclid=IwAR2NCwTf3PWjF2Emxy6knxj-8l0-3QIiVosJ9Ici2kbzJoe_zt4vCPivWzU

So …… what do you get a 74 year old Dad for Christmas?

Yep it is one of those self-indulgent Christmas blogs, which says pretty much what my family know I like, and something about me.

I did the wish list and up came what I asked for from the “Lost Rivers of Manchester” by Geoffrey Ashworth and Brian Groom’s the “Northerner’s A History”, along with a selection of DVDs and “The Magical Amazing Robot” which I first came across 66 years ago.

And then there were the surprises, a fine pair of Polish slippers, Tom Holland’s book “Pax” on the golden age of the Roman Empire and “The Definitive Desert Island Discs” with the transcripts from 80 shows stretching back from 1942 well into the 21st century and is in its way a history book.

To say more would be to be very,  very, self indulgent and a tad too personal.

So that is it … heaps of history, some entertaining DVDs for the man who has never grown up and of course that toy from 66 years ago and the fleece lined Polish slippers.

It was the Christmas with the lot.

 

And a thank you to Tina, Ben, Lyndsey, Josh, Polly, Arlo, Ted, Saul, Julia, Luca and Rosa.

Location; Christmas

Pictures; from the collection of Andrew Simpson, 2023

One hundred years of one house in Chorlton …. part 117 ......... the Christmas of 1958

The continuing story of the house Joe and Mary Ann Scott lived in for over 50 years and the families that have lived here since. *

Of course, I have no real idea how Joe and Mary Ann celebrated the Christmas in 1958.

The weather was less than promising with the Manchester Guardian on Christmas Eve, reporting that it would be “A Very Murky Christmas” with “Fog forecast for much of England and Wales [and] airports closed”.

Going on to comment “Fog to-day, fog to-morrow (though perhaps less) on Boxing Day are the possibilities for the Christmas Holidays in many parts of England and Wales.

Fog yesterday was a certainty,; it affected about thirty counties,  It covered nearly twenty thousand square miles stretching from Bournemouth to Durham.  It closed Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool airports and last night was seriously upsetting flights into London Airport.”.

But then I expect that they were not planning to travel far, and instead would spend it on Beech Road.

Which leaves me trying to remember how we spent our Christmas that year.  I would have been nine my twin sisters just two and a bit and our Jill still a baby.

As happened every year Uncle George would have travelled up from the west country a few days earlier and the day would have unfolded with the presents, breakfast and a walk to Peckham Rye and back, before Christmas dinner and followed by a mix of the telly and board games, of which Monopoly was dominated every Christmas evening.

Like many families we had bought into a television during the 1950s, and while I no longer know when our first one arrived, by 1958 it was an established item.

So that Christmas on BBC we had a series of films, along with variety shows and a ghost tale, which was pretty much replicated by London ITV and Granada.

Setting aside the television that Christmas drew heavily on the traditions experienced by my parents, both of whom were born in the first decades of the last century.

There were still  a mix of oranges and nuts in the Christmas stockings which for us were pillow covers, and 1958 might well have been the first year that coloured lights replaced real candles on the tree, although it would be many years before the paper chains and bright paper trees were done away with.

But as ever the bright but fragile glass baubles survived well into the 1980s and were brought out as they had been done every year, with a few additions to take the place of the broken ones.

As for presents, mine were as traditional as they had been each year, with an addition to the train set, an Eagle Annual and an assortment of sweets.

And while I can’t now remember exactly what those presents were I know that the Eagle Annual was number eight and that the lead story was Dan Dare in Operation Moss.

All of which I think is enough.

Location; Chorlton

Pictures; Christmas decorations; from the collection of Catherin Obi, and the Eagle Annual Number 8, with an extract from Operation Moss

*The story of a house, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/The%20story%20of%20a%20house

**“A Very Murky Christmas”, Manchester Guardian, December 24th, 1958

A Chorlton history story in the making .............

Now here is a bit of the present which will quickly become another little part of our history.

The books arrive, 2023

Today the crowd funded project to create a set of Christmas Carol books has been achieved, and the attractively designed book has arrived back from the printers.

Over the last few years there has been an evening of carols performed on the old village green beside the Christmas tree between the two pubs.

But according to Jules Gibb who is a founder member and organizer of the Christmas Carol group they have been relying on “ sad old scraps of paper and old booklets with Christmas Carols, which are getting tattier and tattier."

Singing on the Green, 2022

And so hence the book which will add a bit of class to what has become an increasingly popular Christmas event.

I could say more, but I covered the story earlier in the month, and so will just  record that the organizers have announced “On 16th December 2023 we successfully raised £200 with 22 supporters in 14 days”.*

And so, a new bit of history is in the making.

Location; Chorlton

Pictures; carol singing on the green, 2022,  the carol book design, 2023, and the consignment of published books, courtesy of Peter Topping 

* Looking for the first carol singer in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2023/12/looking-for-first-carol-singer-in.html

One hundred years of one house in Chorlton ....... part 149 …..the end of a Christmas tradition …….and a big thankyou Tony Adams

The continuing story of the house Joe and Mary Ann Scott lived in for over 50 years and the families that have lived here since.*

Christmas is full of family traditions and ours is no different.

Many of the things we do date back beyond the children and are imports from how we celebrated Christmas as youngsters and even bits from our parents, and grandparents.

It makes for a seamless and slightly unique family Christmas.

But today one of those has happened for the last time, and that is the delivery of the trees from Tony Adams in the precinct.*

We have been getting our Christmas trees from him for nearly 40 years and have never been disappointed.

In the early years we went to him with the kids making the choice, and then when they had got to the stage of doing other things I went on my own.

But I must confess I was rubbish at choosing and over a decade ago I left it to Tony who has always done a better job.

Along the way we went from one to two.  

The first must be so big we have to cut a chunk off the bottom, and the second which began just as a token to mark the decoration of the dining room in 2009 has continued and has  also grown.

That said Tony always does a deal for “my teacher friend” and we get them at a wonderful price.

But the demolition of the Precinct means he is closing down and with that ends the tradition.

So, a thank you to Tony and his staff at his shop in the Precinct.  

Our kids have grown up enjoying the trees and that for me has been a part of what has made our Christmas.

Location; Chorlton Precinct, and our house

Pictures; from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*The Story of a House, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2023/11/one-hundred-years-of-one-house-in.html

**A. J. Adams, 15, Chorlton Place, Manchester, M21 9AQ

The Amazing Magic Robot ….. the Christmas present I never got

This was one of those toys which never came my way at Christmas.

To be fair it would have competed with the Eagle Annual, additions to the big model railway that dad had made for me and those surprise presents like a Rider’s of the Range pistol or that set of boxed figures which included Dan Dare his pals and some particularly nasty enemies.

But I have to say I was fascinated  with it when we visited mum’s best friend in Kender Street.

The game belonged to her daughter Jill, who long ago my sisters and I came to see as an older sister.

Under Jill’s supervision we would ask a question from a prepared set of questions and the robot would swing to the spot on the board which offered the answer.

Reading through the online comments there are those who claim that even as young kids they sussed out that it was all to do with magnets.

Not me, I thought it was magic and still do, leading me to ponder on putting it on my Christmas list.

It is still available at a reasonable price.

We shall see.

When Santa stole Christmas ...... all this week on the wireless

So given the time of year, Radio 4 just had to put together a compilation of Santa/Christmas "bits" drawn from the archives, and what a  wonderful collection it is. 

The programme explores the historical roots of the chap, what it owes to US popular culture and consumerism and falls back on Christmas films and songs.  Now that makes it worth a listen

Location; on the wireless

Picture; when Santa arrived in Manchester, 2022, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*When Santa stole Christmas, Archive on Four, Radio 4, https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0001pk3

Spotting an old friend …………..

 Now I can’t quite remember when Father Christmas came to St Peter’s Square.

The tourist attraction, 2022

He was there in 2019 but before that I have no idea.

Sneaking up on Santa, 2022

Prompting reminiscences of the red coated present bringer on his sleigh which used to adorn the roof of the Town Hall.

And I rather think that the figure outside Central Ref once guarded the entrance to the Town Hall looking down on the Christmas market stalls.

All very festive and reminds me that there was a time when the only nod to Christmas was the big tree in Albert Square the lights down Cross Street and Deansgate and of course the shop displays.

Leaving me to muse that his presence in St Peter’s Square attracts lots of tourists and visitors doing the “picture” but with few sneaking up on him from behind.

Location; St Peter’s Square

Pictures; Father Christmas and Sneaking up on Santa, 2022, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

The blog does Christmas ……… no.1

It was the Monday after the Sunday of Remembrance Day.

2022

The Christmas Markets were beginning to open and attract the early afternoon customers, and I was in Exchange Square.

Leaving me just to reflect on past Christmases’. 

Lazy history I know but the sort of stuff you can tell a friend or use in a pub quiz.

And for the curious I chose 1940 because this was the second year of the war, and Christmas was very different.

While 1969 was my first year in Manchester, but by December 24th I was back in London, having taken the train and not a plane.

1940

Location; Manchester, 2022, 1940, and 1969

Pictures, the Arndale at Christmas, 2022, from the collection of Andrew Simpson, Evacuated Children Manchester’s Christmas Grant, 1940,  and Ringway Christmas Traffic,1969, courtesy of Manchester Libraries & The Guardian

1969

*Evacuated Children Manchester’s Christmas Grant, Manchester Guardian, December 12th, 1940, and Ringway Christmas Traffic, The Guardian, December 24th, 1969