Issue 67 West Derby & Croxteth Park January 2012
KNOTTY ASH SECRETS by Stephen Guy, West Derby Society The wedding reception was in full swing but I decided it would be more exciting to chase my two girl cousins around the kitchen. The screamed and yelled as we tore around the room which was otherwise deserted during a lull in proceedings.
I homed in on them and pounced – a deafening crash stopped us in our tracks as a big pile of plates came crashing down, smashing to smithereens. We were ordered back to our seats without any shouting or angry words – just a chilling stony silence. This photograph was taken ear-
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lier beneath the ancient timbers of the lych gate at St John’s Church , Knotty Ash. That’s me, aged six, in my smart suit and dickey bow – more like a little adult than a page boy. The date was 28 March 1955 and it was the marriage of my aunt , Margaret Ellen Guy – known as Nell – to Cyril Cross. The happy couple knew each other as children and met up again after the deaths of their mothers in 1954. They were a lovely devoted couple and throughout the following years we paid countless visits to their immaculate semi-detached home in Thingwall Hall Drive. Uncle Cyril was rather camp with a penchant for bright yellow scarves. Marriage saw Auntie Nell blossom, adopting bright garish makeup and fashionable short Audrey Hepburn hairstyles. Uncle Cyril had a white collar job at nearby Plessey’s and the nearest he got to swearing was muttering “Crumbs!” He said it several times when I set off my indoor fireworks one
Bonfire Night. Uncle Cyril rolled his own and I popped in a white capsule when he lit up – a miniature snowstorm filled the room. Another pill turned into a writhing caterpillar on the polished table. Needless to say I was not encouraged to repeat the performances. Uncle Cyril had two sisters and the three were known as Boy, Girl and Baby. Their mum had been a child bride in Malta – her age when she married was always a closely-guarded secret. When Nell and Cyril married they were both aged 46. After they died we went through their papers and made a startling discovery. We were very surprised to discover they had given their ages as 38 which were duly recorded on the marriage certificate. • Join the West Derby Society at its next meeting 7.30 pm on Wednesday 18 January at Lowlands, 13 Haymans Green, Liverpool L12 7JG.