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At
the corner of Alma Road was a Methodist Church. This site is now
Kwik Save Supermarket. An interesting point arises from this.
The
last funeral to be conducted at the church was a well regarded local
man, Dr John Porter whose surgery was in the basement of his own
home, located next to the Post Office on Albert Road.
ITMA |
Television
had not been invented. People at home listened to radio shows like
ITMA (It’s That Man Again) Tommy Handley.
Only
the wealthy had telephones, we all wrote letters using a 2-½ d stamp
(slightly more than 1 new pence).
The
present wooden community centre was built as a primary school, which
later merged with Chapel St School to take over a corrugated iron
building known to a generation of children as The Tin School. During
a hail storm the teacher had to shout.
Levenshulme
Community Centre |
The
Community centre building became a job centre where the unemployed
went to collect the ‘dole’. The 6ft high safe is still on the premises.
The
Lloyds TSB bank on Stockport Road was originally 2 shops – one of
them owned by Mrs Hurst was a newspaper and confectionary business
and this lady was well known as the first port of call for anyone
looking for ‘digs’ (accommodation). The Bank was the Manchester
and Salford Trustee Savings Bank, and the incumbent Bishop of Manchester
inherited the title of President. Well, it had to be above board
with a Bishop in the Chair.
Victor
Silvester |
No
24 Decametre Road became the home of Victor Silvester, a nationally
recognised conductor of a 25-piece strict tempo dance band.
He
moved to London (where the money was) and his younger brother took
over the house. I have had Christmas cards from the family for 40
years. I can still feel a sentimental twinge when I think of Christmas,
dark nights and main street shops lit by gas lamps.
Levenshulme
really was a beautiful village where everyone knew everyone else.
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Voices from Levenshulme