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Post by cabbyjohn on May 12, 2011 14:03:32 GMT -1
This is a clip of the annual procession of the Italians parading the Madonna through Manchesters Albert Square. It reminded me of the Whit week walks from when I was a child growing up in Manchester. Whit Friday was when the Catholics walked, and Whit Monday was when the Protestants walked. However it didn't matter if you were Catholic or Protestant, because most people turned out on both days to cheer the "Scholars" on, regardless of their particular religious persuasion. Many a child who was beginning to flag with fatigue, including me, would lift his or her head and quicken their step, when there was a shout from somebody in the crowd who had spotted you and started to shout encouragement towards you. It was also a time of the year when a lot of us got the only new clothes that we were likely to get during the year, with a new school uniform, (Usually bought on the weekly). Most of us grew up in those days with very little in the way of luxuries, but because we were all in the same boat we hardly ever noticed our poverty. I think that most of us were happy kids. We made our own fun, we played out from dawn to dusk in the summertime. we had our seasons for changing games and were rarely bored. I wander how many kids of the X box games console generation can say the same today? youtu.be/FzdFIGK6ssE |
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Post by jackaitch on May 12, 2011 14:45:34 GMT -1
Heartly agree with you,John...I never knew we were poor...until my fathers brother,who lived in New York came over in 1952..went to bank opened a savings account with 10pounds(lot of cash
in 1952) my father would have been 42 years old....they lived from week to week with no way to
have a savings account...in 1955 I left Liverpool for New York with about 60 or 70 pounds cash in my pocket more than my father had in his whole life.Talk about poor!!!!!
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Post by Lisa on May 15, 2011 7:09:21 GMT -1
Hi Cabbiejohn, Who can forget the Whit Walks. Its part of being a Mancunian. Everyone gathered around their parish church in their new cloths before the long walk either into town or around the parish. I remember the smell of St. Cross church most of all. It was full of flowers. Whenever I smell Narcissus now, it always takes me back to those days. People would line the streets and men would come out of the pubs with their pints in their hands to watch the walk past. I always loved watching the man who lead the procession with his baton and the crowds would cheer whenever he tossed it in the air. I loved seeing the church banner being proudly held by the ribbons of the older members. One of the best bits for me was the bagpipes and the band with their kilts.....Wow, I can still remember the feeling now. No matter how poor you were, all the children got new clothes from their vests and panties to new shoes. Early on the Whit Sunday we would get dressed and go knocking on neighbours doors to show them your new clothes. I remember collecting more money than I could cope with as I counted my pennies in my new handbag. I'd love to go back to those days now just for a day to relive the excitement and anticipation of those magical days.  |
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Post by jeannette on May 15, 2011 17:11:21 GMT -1
It was good to watch the whit walks... I come from a big family my mam use to make us get to town really early to get an old orange box for us to sit on to watch the scholars brilliant days what happened...Jeannette
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Post by cabbyjohn on May 15, 2011 17:54:27 GMT -1
It was good to watch the whit walks... I come from a big family my mam use to make us get to town really early to get an old orange box for us to sit on to watch the scholars brilliant days what happened...Jeannette Hi. Jeanette, welcome to Manmates. You are so right. For a lot of Manmates members who are not in our age group, a lot of what we say must seem very alien to them. However for those of us of a certain age, it's nice to be reminded of the austerity and the times that we grew up with, which we took as the norm without complaint. The same conditions would probably see us whisked off into care before we could blink nowadays. I use the word austerity with a certain amount of caution. I went to bed in the winter with my fathers army great coat on the bed and was grateful for it. Nowadays poverty seems to be defined by whether a home has central heating, Sky tv, and all of the other fripperies associated with neccessities for modern day essential living. However we mustn't forget that our generation, the generation born in the forties and fifties, were the first true teenagers. We grew uo in the aftermath of the second world war, we all had jobs to go to and money in our pockets. We were probably the first young adults who were allowed to be free of the constraints that our parents had to adhere to, and for most of us, we made the most of it! That is not to detract from the new younger members who have joined Manmates. Times change and people change. I look forward to reading the experiences of The new generation of Mancunians to this site. I am sure that there are lots of members of this site with many tales to tell, who for whatever reason have yet to share their experiences with us. This is a friendly site, and the life blood of the site is the members who contribute their stories of growing up in Manchester for all of us to share. |
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Post by Lisa on May 16, 2011 16:41:22 GMT -1
Well said Cabbiejohn, Its lovely to read of members' experiences of life in and around Manchester and its what makes the site interesting reading about our times as children. When people first join Manmates, it takes ages to read all the interesting Threads and postings, then having the courage to put one of their own on. I know I was very hesitant when I first came on but soon realised that everyone has an interesting experience to share, whether they are young or old. Keep the stories coming folks, this is what makes the site so special. |
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