Sports & Leisure
This page is intended to be a reflection of Sport & Leisure pursuits during the 40's 50's & 60's. I have little knowledge of the sports, both amateur & professional, that occurred in the Levenshulme area. I will need assistance on this subject from readers of these pages. However, I would assume most local sports took place in the many parks & playing fields dotted around the Levenshulme area. The parks that I remember personally were Chapel Street Park & Errwood Park, both well cared for in the 1950's, by resident groundskeepers & the "ever vigilant " Parkie!! The local playing fields were Greenbank Playing Field between Manor Road & Barlow Road, & Cringle Fields off Crossley Road & Errwood Road. Errwood Park & Cringle Fields The Bandstand Errwood Park
This is the approximate location of the Bandstand. Compare with the above photo. When was it demolished? Photo taken December 2007.
Two photos taken in Errwood Park in the early 1950s. The first shows my wife Mavis, her brother David & her Grandad, Albert Yarwood. Taken near the park gate at Davenhil Road. The second, again with Mavis & David, was taken at the back of the Bowling Pavilion with the Tennis Courts in the background. Do you remember the Nursery/Garden Centre on the corner of Clare Road & Davenhill Road? I seem to remember it was called " Davenhill & Berry"! You could get sweets & glasses of mineral water there during the summer.
This Photo was taken in December 2007 in the approximate location where Mavis, David and Grandad Yarwood are sitting. The vegetation has certainly been thinned out since the 1950s. The Bowling Pavilion Errwood Park
The above two photos, probably taken shortly after the bowling pavilion was built, show how the building looked when I was a child. The front and back were shelters, and the side rooms housed changing rooms and toilets. Compare to the 2007 photos below. What happened to the central turret? Does this building serve any useful purpose now or is it just an eyesore!!
The Errwood Park Bowling Pavilion December 2007. Is this vandalism or what? Did they really need to paint the building? The Cafeteria/Refreshment Room Errwood Park
This building, which seems contemporary with the Bowling Pavilion, was used in the summer months as a Refreshment Room or Cafeteria. You could buy mineral water, tea, coffee, sweets and sandwiches. There used to be a drinking fountain with a metal cup chained to it just outside. How unsanitary! Yet we all used it, and survived to tell the tale!! The building has been used for many years as a child day care centre. Note the fences and razor wire on the roof. Stalag Errwood maybe!! A sign of the times in our modern world.
The Refreshment Room in December 2007.
This is a view of a shelter that existed until the 1960s. Contemporary with most of the other structures in Errwood Park, it was situated south of the bandstand parallel to Crossley Road. In the background you can see the Crossley Motors factory, and the tall trees surrounding the open air swimming pool.
The above postcard shows views of the Cringle Brook, and probably shows what the area that became Errwood Park looked like at the dawn of the 20th century. Can anyone identify the exact locations? ( photos via Les Cotton) Chapel Street Park Chapel Street Park has changed a great deal since my childhood, but is reassuring to see that the original gate posts are still in existence. There are inscriptions on the posts, probably commemorating the opening ceremony and the dignataries who took part. The inscriptions are very badly weathered, but someone may be able to decipher them. Help needed on this.
The two photos above show Chapel Street Park in the 1964. These were the original swings, roundabouts, see-saw and, out of frame, rocking boat that were installed at the end of the 1950s. Notice the original shelter and toilet block in the background. The second photo shows the Bowling Pavilion, Park maintenance building, and dominating in the background the rear of The Bluebell Inn on Barlow Road.
Two more views from 1964. The first shows the previously mentioned rocking boat, and houses on Garfield Avenue. The second is looking north showing the Levenshulme Baths, Wash House and Pear Tree Garage in the background. Note the tall chimney belonging to the public baths. The baths were heated by a coal fired boiler. Anyone recognise the cricketers? (All photos via Manchester Libraries) Greenbank Playing Fields and Park.
Greenbank Playing Fields were situated across Barlow Road from Chapel Street Park, and consisted mainly of football pitches and open spaces. There was a very thick area of bushes alongside Barlow Road in the 1950s & 60s. This was a great place to build dens and hide from the "Parkie". Does anyone remember the park keeper called " Abie"? He was a holy terror! I think his name was Abraham Rose, possibly Jewish, and he ruled the fields , putting fear into the hearts of mischievous kids. When the cry " Abie" was heard the bushes would empty of kids running in all directions. He was probably a kindy but firm old man. The view above shows the small public park, with bowling greens and childrens playground, which was situated off Manor Road and Mount Road. ( Photo. Manchester Libraries)
Do you remember the Levenshulme Funfairs? I found this photo on the Funfair Society site. Taken on Greenbank Playing Fields, close to Barlow Road. The year is not mentioned! A very typical fairground ride. The photo looks to have been taken either during the set up or take down of the funfair. There is no evidence of worn out grass, so I suspect it was during the set up!! Does anyone out there have any Levenshulme funfair photos. I seem to remember that two fairs visited during the summer. One on Cringle Fields, usually early summer, and later on Greenbank. They may have been the same fairs. Do fairgrounds still visit Levenshulme?? Levenshulme Festivals, Carnivals & The Queen Of Happiness Do you remember the various Levenshulme Festivals, Carnivals & Fun Fairs? I have a vague memory of an event called "The Queen of Happiness"! This may not be its correct title, but I believe it was a kind of May Queen event. It was held during the summer, and consisted of a parade, events in the parks and possibly a fair of some kind held in Levenshulme Town Hall. The event probably did not last into the 1960's.
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The Band Stand in
Errwood Park. This is taken from a postcard, probably pre-WW2, as it
states it to be Cringle Fields! The bandstand was a prominent feature of
the park. It was probably built in the late twenties or early thirties in
a "modern" style. The wooden platfarm fell in to disrepair in the 1960's,
but the roofed structure was retained as the centrepiece of some formal
flowerbeds. It may still be there if it has not succumbed to "vandalism"!!
NOTE Levenshulme Girls High School in the background & Errwood Road
virtually devoid of trees.
This photograph shows a parade float for a 1920's Levenshulme festival.
The photo was taken on Crossley Road, and shows the Mcvitie & Price
biscuit factory under construction. The cart belonged to Barbers Removals.
Note the Felix the Cat costume! (Photo via Andrew Barber)
The above sequence of photographs were taken during a Levenshulme Festival
in the 1940's. The Cart shown belonged to Barbers Removals & was used for
coal deliveries. The parade appeared to start at Greenbank Fields on Manor
Road. It probably then went along Barlow Road, turned south at St
Peters Church and went down Stockport Road as far as Crossley Rpad. The
parade would probably have ended at Cringle Fields. Things to note on the
photographs, Barbers & Ravenscroft Removal vans in second photo. The very
clean coal sacks & shrubs on the cart, and the parade numbers on the
horses. Hugh Fays grocers shop on the corner of Delamere Road. The petrol
pumps on the other corner of Delamere Road, this building was a kind
of 1940's filling station. I remember the pumps as a child. ( Photos all
via Andrew Barber)