I was born in my house in Fearnhead. That is still a family home. That’s my home, as it is familiar to me. I actually lived in the next street to the person who has become my husband. I went to the high school that opened the year I joined.

I used to do a lot of social life in Birchwood, roller skating and the youth club there. Even when I got older as a teenager, we would all go to the disco there, on the second floor, and to the pub called the Silver Birch, close to the Birchwood shopping centre.

The world was no better or no worse than now. Without the assess of the internet and social media, we automatically felt safer at that time, perhaps lack of the information of the danger. The social life is different now. We used to find our own entertainment.

For me, the street I grew up, everyone knew each other. Everyone’s family would be your friends. We would like to have street parties for Jubilee and new year. We are growing with the same people. That’s what a home for me. Your friends become your family.

I remember going to town centre. I went there with my friends by bus. My mum gave me the bus fare, so that we could browse and see things, like lipsticks and clothes.

When I was 15, I got a Saturday job at Dolcis shoe shop, selling shoes.

About the late 1970s and early 80s, Warrington and Runcorn were called the new town. A lot of new businesses started to come to Warrington, because of the motorways, cannels, river. It has started to grow from 30 or 40 thousands of residents to what we have got now.

I remember that the boat people from Phillippine were arriving near the Padgate. We referred them as boat people, because they arrived in boats. That was the early 1980s.

In the 80s, Warrington was very famous for its nightlife. People from everywhere would travel to Warrington to go to night club called Mister Smiths Night Club. People drank and danced. It was new, the ‘in’ thing. There was a famous record producer, called Pete Waterman. He used to host the programme at Mister Smiths Night Club. He was from Warrington and he was the producer of the records of Kylie Minogue. 

I used to go to do rugby in Warrington. When I was a girl, I used to watch Warrington rugby league with my dad. That was more culture act. There was a lot of drinking.

My great aunt used to clean as a volunteer in the church for the brass.

The Spectrum Arena (now Betford near the Birchwood shopping centre) used to host concerns, to record TV programmes, and I used to go there for roller skating. It used to be an entertainment venue. It closed in the 90s.

When I was a child, I hated walking across the footbridge, as I was afraid that I might fall over to the river. But it was also a reliving sign when we were going back home from other part, as it was telling me that we were almost home.

We had two terrorist attacks in Warrington. One in the gas site and one in the Warrington town centre and two little boys were killed. It was terrible as everyone went out to shop for Mother’s Day. It was scary. You then realise a community sticks together, as we grow together and face together. We rise above it and we can get on with this.

I enjoy living in Warrington.

It was quite nice to come across with someone you knew long ago and you could still pick up where you left off.

I would recommend the Walton Garden, dated back the late 1800s. There is a lot of history. You can play pitch and putt, just like golf, and you can play crazy golf. There is a petting zoo. That’s a nice place to go to.

I would come to where I live, which is Risley Moss. That has got the wild life and the nature. You can see the birds.

Birchwood Forest Park is built on the site of the old ordnance factory, this is where the ammunitions factories were in the second world war.

WA5 was the old American base during WWII.

Padgate was one of the main airbase locations in WWII.

When the tennis centre opened in Birchwood, I used to be the spinning instructor.

I enjoy my teenage years. I used to go to disco and socialising with my friends.

I enjoy working in the bank, meeting new friends.

I enjoy my life now; I am quite happy with my life now.

The Indian restaurant, Raj, in Culcheth, is one of my favourites. Although I feel that my home is not my forever home, I would keep it at this moment, as this is the home for my children. I want them to have a place to come back to.

Lesley from Warrington

Warrington on Google Map