These Boots Were Made For Walking - Lockdown Special
 
I hope this finds you, your Family and Friends all keeping well and staying away from this terrible virus.
I was just wondering what do you actually know about the area where you live, because of my operation in December I was told to try and keep exercising, now at my age I can’t play football anymore so it was down to swimming or walking, but of course due to this lockdown I have been left with one option, walking. Bye the way this Lockdown which has been on for three months to me is now beginning to feel like three years, I remember some of the words from one of my favourite series Last of the Summer Wine, the three friends are  lounging on a hillside when Cleggy says ”Do you find these weeks just seem to fly bye, Tuesday already” Compo comes back with “Is it eck its Thursday” to which Foggy says “Do you realise that none of us knows what dam day it is” I’m beginning to feel the same, because I keep asking “What Day Is It”.
Beautiful Old Trees
The Ghost on Ramp to M60
The Monument
Before I tell you about some of my many walks around Urmston where I live, I was wondering if you were witness to what I can only describe as a Typhoon on Wednesday last. It was something like you normally see in the South seas, it was absolutely pouring down complete with ice cubes which were bouncing off my wife’s car as it was of course parked on the driveway (as my car was snug as a bug in the garage). The road outside was completely flooded, it came up and over the pavements to the garden walls and every time a vehicle ploughed through it down my driveway it came threatening to go down the air bricks! To make it worse I came in after wading through it in my very posh new trainers with the water at least two inches above my ankles  to clear a grid which was blocked to find that the bay window in the main bedroom was leaking, oh well here we go again, I changed my clothes and put a plastic jacket on, got the ladders out and climbed up, the ice kept bouncing off the roof into my mouth, I thought this would go down well with a glass of Gin and Tonic. Unblocked the small drainpipe which is supposed to take water away from the roof and into the drainpipe got back down to the garden and thought “well that was fun”
One of my Ancestors
Trees to Town Centre
Hospital Sign
Now then back to where we started, I just wondered have you ever explored the local area where you live, perhaps just within perhaps three or four miles or even less, I know I haven’t, usually I step outside get in the car and set off to wherever I’m going. I thought I would take you on a trip around Urmston, you will have heard that name mentioned if you happen to have seen some of the Dinner Ladies episodes which were written by Victoria Wood, there used to be a great female character who would appear occasionally and would always say “I’m from Urmston” well she was and could be seen on a regular basis in Stretford Arndale Centre holding court with two other elderly female characters. They used to bring sandwiches and would sit inside on a bench and make a day of it, they didn’t look too well off and were probably warmer inside the Arndale than at home. To continue Urmston must have more tree lined roads than any other town in Lancashire, the reason is that many years ago a local councillor decreed that it should be so, and it is.
Lovely Fields Dover Park
The town has early medieval origins, and until the arrival of the railway in 1873 was a small farming community. The railway acted as a catalyst, transforming the town into a residence for the middle classes.
In 1983, during an excavation by South Trafford Archaeological Group, fragments of Roman pottery were found in the area now occupied by the cemetery – previously the site of Urmston Old Hall – suggesting that there may have been a Roman settlement on the site. Now the Cemetery is one of the places we keep finding ourselves on one of our walks, the thing is I’m not sure if it’s just because it’s a very pleasant and naturally peaceful area or so my wife can pick out a good plot for us. ( I think that’s the reason as I’m sure she has already enquired how you go about it) On the last visit it was a very warm day so resting on a bench I was amazed to see the gravestone opposite, it was engraved with my football team’s crest, “Spooky or What” he must have been a good guy.
The Ghost Traffic Lights
I took a few general pictures round and about Urmston and you can see just how many trees we have they are everywhere, a favourite place to walk is behind the George Carnell Centre where I used to play squash, alas now I can only stand and watch, it is a huge grassed area which seems to go on forever, it has the look of a golf course without the holes, it is regularly trimmed with huge grass cutters, spread around the perimeter are some strange looking green metal objects, they look a bit like cycle stands, to be honest I didn’t have a clue why they were there. Early the other morning I had a chat with a very pleasant chap about my age who was walking his dog, I asked “have you any idea what these structures are for” well guess what they are breathers because apparently this whole area was used as a tip ! Now I have lived in Urmston for some 50 years and as far as I recall the land has always been grass but there you go you learn something every day.
St Clements
Trees Everywhere
The Green Breathers
There is a picture of the famous on ramp (to M60) which l can never get up on the start of my Team visits around Lancashire, not a car in sight! There is also a set of interesting four-way traffic lights which have been in place for well over a week with not a sign of any hole, repairs, or workmen. The Turkish restaurant can be seen at the end of the main street, now like me you may have thought from the picture that it must have been a picture house at one time but no, on further investigation I found it was built as a Temperance Billiard Hall in 1909 (which as a matter of fact my own Craft Lodge, Royal Protector began life as a Temperance Lodge back in 1911), following the Second World War it was re-opened for a short period as a Roller Skating Rink before becoming a Supermarket and finally a large Turkish Restaurant, On the opposite corner is the old Police Station 1904 where I started, no not in 1904 that’s when it was built, it is a superb building complete with its own cells, a great place for forty winks, now alas it’s been made into some posh offices. 
Urmston Centre
Urmston Station
A Rare Site These Days
On approaching Urmston a sign can be seen pointing to Trafford General Hospital, this is the site of the first NHS  Hospital then known as Davyhulme Park, it was opened by HRH Princess Mary in 1926, during the second World War it became the US 10th Military Hospital and was visited by the Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1944. It was handed back to Lancashire County Council in 1946 and on the 4th July 1948 it was visited by the then Minister of Health, Aneurin Bevan who was handed the keys to open the first ever NHS Hospital. Many parts of the original hospital are still in place today, on getting a wee bit older I’m afraid I have had to visit quite often and cannot praise the attention and service I always receive.  
Railway Rd - Trees
The Dead Centre of Urmston
Abbotsfield Park was the venue for a 1963 Beatles concert, booked before they became very famous, the compere was Diddy David Hamilton for which he received a fee of Ten Guineas, it is also the home of the Urmston and District Model Engineering Society which operates a miniature steam railway around the park and ran a yearly May Day Steam rally in conjunction with the Lancashire Traction Engine Club complete with Fred Dibnah until 2010. (one duty I used to enjoy) A tree planted in 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, and known locally as 'The Jubilee Tree', now stands on the site of the old stocks which were removed in 1883, pity really I can think of quite a few people who might benefit from a day in the stocks.
War Graves
Spooky Gravestone
Now A Turkish Restaurant
There are quite a few large churches in Urmston which on the whole are still well attended, one of which is St Clements, it was founded in 1867 and building completed in 1888 at a cost of £2,125 the church tower wasn’t built until 1903, it became a Grade II listed building in 1987. I think I’ll give the carol singing on Christmas Eve a miss this year!!  (I’ll keep that to myself)
St Clements Church
Old Urmston Police Station
Date Stone On PS

A Day Out During Lockdown
Don't get Board Climb a Ladder
Must make mention of Urmston Masonic Hall 1881, that’s its title now since being completely renovated and extended, it was built as the name suggests in 1881 and can be found on Westbourne Road which is virtually in the centre of Urmston and can be found alongside the Venue (owned by the Freemasons) where large events take place, Weddings, Birthdays Anniversary’s etc.
Gloucester House
Plaque on Gloucester House
And More Trees
Well I hope you have enjoyed taking a walk around some parts of Urmston with me, I’m sure you have some great places to visit around your own home addresses so come on get out there especially whilst the Lockdown is in place even though it is starting to ease off, the question begs if your age is similar to mine I don’t think you will you be out and about as though it’s all clear now, I for won’t be running off too soon that’s for sure.
 
Take Care Out There.  Phone A Friend.  Get In Touch With Family, even if it’s just to say “Hello”
Here’s Looking Forward To Seeing The Friends I Know and Those I Have Yet To Meet.
Mark Well. 
Austin N Fletcher. PGStwd.   Flixton Shepherd Eastwood Mark Lodge. No.1173