The Three Austins ….. a herd of elephants …. and a big tent in Peel Park ….. the circus comes to Salford

Now I have to thank Tony Flynn for the memory of the day Mr. Chesterfield and his circus hit town.

Not that I have ever visited one which at 74 must be some sort of record.

Mother disliked the idea of paying to see performing animals which she thought was a cruel form of exploitation and refused even to watch those broadcasts on TV which popped up in the 1950s and 60s.

And that dislike passed to me. 

That said I do like posters and Tony’s example is a fine one, more so because it dates from the year before I was born.

So there is it.

I could go into the history of the travelling circus and even mention the one that regularly came to Chorlton in the interwar years and just after.*

But I won’t …….other than to say I did go looking to find a reference in the newspapers of the week in 1948 when Fiery Jack, Marjorie and her famous Liberty Horses and John’s Dogs, danced, skipped and growled under a Salford moon, but drew a blank.

Instead I found this 1905 picture postcard from Tuck and Sons, the international picture postcard, company but turn away and avert your gaze all those who might get angry at Tuck's mistake.

So, because it is so good I will repost Tony's poster

Location; Salford in 1948

Picture; Chesterfield’s Circus comes to Salford, 1948, courtesy of Tony Flynn and Peel Park, Salford R Tuck and Sons, from the series, Manchester courtesy of Tuck DB, http://tuckdb.org/postcards/122638

*Chorlton and a circus, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Chorlton%20and%20a%20circus

Salford and the Spitfire Fund

Now as stories go it is a very small one, but then again it is about Salford and does also allow me to return to the Spitfire Fund and the Manchester & Salford Boys’ and Girls’ Refuges.

Cover of the Spitfire Fund book, 1940

In 1940 the Manchester & Salford Boys’ and Girls’ Refuges had been going for 70 years and was dedicated to helping destitute poor children across the twin cities.

And in the August of that year, the Manchester Guardian reported that “the boys and staff at the boys home in Broughton which is controlled by the Manchester & Salford Boys’ and Girls’ Refuges” collected £4 5s 6d towards the Spitfire Fund.*

The Fund was established in the spring of 1940 and encouraged towns, and businesses along with individuals to donate money to the cost of making a Spitfire.

Spitfire lapel badge, 1940

The cost of making one of these fighters was about £8000 – £12,000 but the target set for donations was £5000 which would pay for the airframe, and once that sum had been achieved the donor could have their name or a caption written in letters four inches high in yellow paint on the fuselage.

It was of course a brilliant piece of propaganda allowing individuals and groups to be part of the war effort and particularly to identify with the pilots fighting in the Battle of Britain.



So each of the stamps carried the message THE BRITISH EMPIRE STANDS FOR WORLD PEACE AND SECURITY DEFEND IT, and on the inside page of the book of stamps under Objects was the message, “The public are invited and urged to co-operating broadcasting that for which the British Empire stands by affixing to the back of all correspondence one of the EMPIRE STAMPS.  

The stamps

Every letter passing through the post should carry this message.

Fifty per cent of the selling price is to be allocated to the Spitfire of Fighting Plane Funds. It is essential that Britain should dominate the air to avoid world disaster.  

We have the splendid men, but they must have the best aircraft and plenty of them.  Please help these two vital objects.”

And the Salford boys did their bit.

Location; Salford

Pictures; Spitfire Stamp Book and lapel badge, 1940 from the collection of David Harrop

*Gifts For Fighter Aircraft, the Manchester Fund, the Manchester Guardian, August 22, 1940

Memories of that Salford Flood ...... September 1946

Yesterday I reflected on the story of the Salford and Manchester Floods of September 1946.

Flooded streets, 1932, Derby

And as so often happens, people came forward and contributed their memories of the events.

They make riveting history and here are the stories of Dee Watson and Ethel Waring.

Dee, wrote "I was eleven and in my first term at Broughton Modern ... The first I knew of the flood was when we were called mid afternoon to the Assembly Hall. Those of us who lived in the outer low lying areas, were taken by bus to Higher Broughton. 

I’ve learned since we were at St John's school/church hall. I had no idea of the devastation happening to my home in Lower Kersal - not until the floods subsided, and I went back and saw the smelly slimy aftermath”.

Extract from the Manchester Guardian, 1946

What struck me was the way the children appeared to be on their own, which I suppose given that it was only a few years since the wartime evacuation of children the decision to move them on mass made sense, but I wondered if the children’s parents had been told.

To which Dee replied  “Our parents had no idea where we were ... no home telephones back then,

It was like a military operation ... I don't know how others felt, but I took it all in my stride; the war and my upbringing had conditioned me to handle adversity ... No trauma counselling, or even words of comfort in such situations. 

An older sister was in her final term at the same school, so had I needed any reassurance, she must have been about somewhere ... I learned later that my two youngest siblings had been sent home from primary school before the flood came. 

Flood water, 1932

My eldest brother was at home. He worked at the Daily Mail in Manchester and was due to go on a late shift. My two eldest sisters had left for work - before it was known that the river was about to flood. One sister worked at Telephone House, so she must have been aware of what was happening. 

When she had finished her early morning shift, she made her way back to Lower Kersal, and swam the last few hundred yards through the floodwater, then she had to climb a drain pipe to enter through a bedroom window .. During the course of the morning, my father had been across the playing fields - to check the height of the river. 

He came home and reported that he had seen the river higher, and didn't think it would flood! .. .. 

Without warning, the water came up through the drains, and when the river broke its banks, the house was flooded to a depth of five feet“.

And Ethel added “I was 10 years of age at that time the water rushed over at the back of lower Kersal school and we had to paddle home through it. 

We lived Monsaii Avenue off South Radford Street were very lucky to what others suffered the playing fields were like a lake for weeks after.”

Now in the absence of Salford flood pictures I have fallen back on some from an earlier flood in Derby.

Location Salford

Pictures;  flooded streets, Derby, 1932,from Souvenir of the Derby Floods, Published by the Derby Branch of the Y.M.C.A., in aid of the Mayor’s Flood Fund. May 22nd 1932 the collection of Andrew Simpson and extract from the Manchester Guardian, September 21, 1946

*Rescues By Rowing Boat in Manchester Floods, Salford Rest Centres for Homeless, Manchester 

“The Flooding was the most serious experienced in Salford”* .......... September 1946

Now I knew about the Salford flood of 1946, but had completely forgotten about it.

I rediscovered it while doing research for something entirely different.

And having found it decided it was worthy of a mention, after all there will be people who remember it and many more who will have been told the stories of what happened on the  night of September 20 and 21.

Nor was it just confinded to Salford.  “The Mersey burst its banks in the Northernden area yesterday and last night the Manchester Northenden road was cut by the floods, grain barges broke from their moorings in the River Irewell near Exchange Station and were carried a mile and half into the Chip Canal, in Collyhurst Road 73 children were marooned .... and the L.N.R.R service between Bradford and Halifax and Keighley and Halifax has been suspended.”*

So I shall now sit back and wait for the memories to come in.  I was going to say flood in but that would be in poor taste.

Location; Salford & Manchester








Picture; extract from the Manchester Guardian, September 21, 1946

*Rescues By Rowing Boat in Manchester Floods, Salford Rest Centres for Homeless, Manchester Guardian, September 21, 1946