A 1950's Childhood Moss Side ( Bonfire night.) By Dave Hulson.
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It's the last week for sitting out side he Odeon cinema on withington Road collecting penny's for the Guy, as the big night is almost upon us. For Weeks we've been getting cash for banger and fireworks and collecting Bonti wood for the 5th of November. Every night for weeks my big brother Roger and I plus all the kids from Moss Side have been collecting wood for there Bonfires that were going to be built on the old bomb site. "or if you like you can call it the croft" ours is going to be on Greme street just across the road from Hulton street . What We've been stacking up on the site was ,armchairs, beds, trees ,broken ladders, Lino,in fact anything that will burn even the worn out tyres that were hanging over the lamp posts as they make belting black smoke. All is going well and the Bonfire is massive ,everyone says it must be the biggest mountain of wood in Manchester it was so big that the kids had even built a den inside it ,so they could watch and protect there mountain of wood from Bontie thieves ,who come around when nobody's about and Nick your wood for there fire. Well we've all been working from dawn to dusk ,well Actually that was only at weekends the rest of the time it was after school had finished , Parents didn't worry about where we were as everyone knew each other In the area And stranger stood out like a sore thumb. But we were always home for tea or just as the street lights came on . But three days later after school had finished ,we ran home and got changed into our rough clothing "as it didn't matter if it got dirty or ripped" then back out again all in five minutes and out of the door , We ran out of the house Down the street ,cut through the entry and turn right that's when we stopped dead in our tracks.
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It's gone ! every bit of wood we had collected had been taken . More local kids arrived and stood next to Roger and I looked on in disbelief . What's sup ! said Harry the Rag 'n' Bone man as he gave his horse a carrot . He saw where we were looking ,O the pile of wood from over there , they tuck it . Who took it said Graham Dobbins as if it was his personnel property's that had been stolen. council ripped it apart they did ,and took it all away in big trucks he said as he rubbed the nose of his pony. But why ! said Graham. Erd em say it was bloody dangerous,a fire azard, and something about you lot trying to finish off what Hitler had started . The Rag and Bone man chuckled to himself as he lead his pony and cart away. We got to get some more said Graham as he turned to his brother Barry, we best find some more . Alright said shouted Graham ,we gotta find more wood to burn , if you lot find some bring it back to the croft. The kids scattered down the back entry's ,around the park anywhere that there could be wood. But two days later there was uproar in the area ,the kids have been nicking all the Back gates off the houses , and all the dad's headed strait to where the rebuilt Bonfire wood was stored. That's ours one father was heard to say as he dragged his back gate off the pile of wood. Over the few days that were left before the fire was to be lit it .then a Dobbins boys said it's only half the original size as all the back gates had been taken back but that would have to do. The 5th of November Guy Fawkes Night It was the night of the fire ,thing had changed ,it wasn't just a kids bonfire anymore,it had been turned into a community evening with the Bonfire at the heart of the night . Seven thirty and all the family's from around Greame Street in Moss Side had started to gather, the stack of wood that was our bonfire had been adorned by more than one stuffed Guy Fawkes. And Once again the Dads had gathered and emptied the remains of there Jerry cans of petrol over the wood to kick start the fire. 3
Right keep back , shouted someone ,as a lighted rag flew through the air and in seconds there was a whoosh as the bonfire erupted into flames. By eight o clock the informal party was well underway and the chill of the night air had been warmed considerably by the fire. The mothers had made and brought with them Parkin, Treacle Toffee ,and Toffee Apples. And Pop, in brown jugs (not corporation pop,true Moss Side kids know what I mean !) and the Dad's were putting spuds into the fire ,and Eggs into buckets of water at edges of the Bonfire to either bake or boil for the crowds to feast on . The youngest kids were wearing gloves and balaclavas and stood next to there mothers as they waved their sparklers,and watch the rockets soar high into into the air and flash and bang in a myriad of colours, Catherine wheels spun around in screaming Shower of sparks.
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The big kids weren't allowed to bring Bangers as they were classed as to dangerous and frightened the young children, but still quite a few were herd ! . For the best part of the night the family groups stood around watching the fire and the fireworks saying thing like Oooooo And Arrrrr to encourage there young to enjoy themselves, and now the dad's were pulling the spuds and eggs out of the embers of the bonfire and plates just seamed to appeared for the baked Spuds to go on ,and with a knob of butter and a pinch of salt and on the side a hard boiled egg cracked and peeled ,perfection with a glass of Dandelion and Burdock. After the food had gone the family's started to drift off home , soon all that was left of the fire was the glowing embers and the odd spark that spat upward from the dying fire with a small curl of smoke, But tomorrow the kids will gather again ,and any odd sticks of wood that could be found will be picked up and thrown back into the ashes of the fire. But it will rain ,it always does, the smell plus the smoke that hung in the air after thousands of bonfires always brings the rain. But it was fun ,even though the council did try to ruin the day.
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