ECCLES CHARITY HISTORY WALK A ROARING SUCCESS

Well I wasn't expecting that! over 50 people turned up for my Eccles History Walk all laden down with food and toiletries for the Mustard Tree Emergency Foodbank.

I was slightly taken aback at the size of the crowd that gathered at the Eccles Train Station, all that was missing was pitchforks and blazing torches.

Happily Karl and Billy Nolan were on hand to load up their car's with the food etc and we then started the walk and yes we did check later that Karl had not had off with any tins of peaches.

They heard about the death of Huskisson, Eccles Parish Church and the grave-stones including the Alan Henning memorial stone, the sun dial, the mystery green copper plaque on the roof, Mayo Window's and plenty more.

All of the pubs on Church Street were discussed and tales were told of ghosts, suicides, tunnels, arsenic beer, Engels and various characters.

We looked at the Eccles Mural and chatted about the original painted by Ed Povey in 1980 and how it fell into disrepair and white-washed over, sad really because his works of art fetch a £1M+.

The history of the Eccles Cross was discussed and some thirsty fact finders even sloped off in to the Lamb hotel for a swift pint! hard to believe but I declined!

Our route took the Merry Pranksters to the Eccles Town Hall and Duke of York pub were tales of silver cutlery were discussed, without naming the guilty diner who had them away...women offering to fight men, for money, cock fighting, (not related), foul mouthed Mynah birds. John Cassidy, Edward Carnegie, Lusitania sinking inn 1915 and the mob riots that ensued, war memorials buried underneath the Cenotaph, ladies of the night.

We even trudged along Barton Lane to marvel at the Royal Oak pub, sadly closed and laughed about the infamous Timothy Street and it's residents.

Followed by a buffet and quiz at the Albert Edward were such prizes as local history books were won, none of mine before you ask.

A splendid time was had by all and we raised £250+ plus some 20 BIG bags of food all for a great cause.

Thanks to everybody who attended, and who knows another one soon?

The charity chosen this year was the same as last year, Mustard Tree in Eccles, who do an absolutely astounding job of helping those most in need who are suffering the hardest from crippling cuts.

Main photo: A rare photo of Tony Flynn parting with cash (although it was for a very good cause)