Widnes- help needed

[jangeo]

Ah you foxed me there, you want the area Newtown, have you a street in particular because I did get some street images when I last visited the library, I might have the street. If not will send you a scan of the area. Can you pm me with your email address so that I can send it to you

[Janboo]

Er - don't know - I would like the Cromwell road area I think.
The foundry bit was something I have seen on a recent visit to Widnes.

[algieshing]

I have been lurking on this site for a while and am amazed at the knowledge and help provided. I have never been able to help before, but being born and bred in Widnes it is my specialist subject.
Bucksboy said "houses mostly back to back", In my experience I have only seen back to back housing ie sharing a  rear wall in Yorkshire, Widnes is mostly terraced housing.
"A bay window means three bedrooms" sorry this is incorrect I was born in a three bedroom terraced house in Luton St. It certainly didn't have a bay window.
Looking at the 1907 map of Widnes I would say the houses in Cromwell St are three bedroom as they are of a similar size to the houses in Luton street. The houses in Nelson Street look like two up two down. 
"The area was known as South Bank and includes St Marys Church" Sorry the area is known as West Bank, my late mother was a fierce West banker.
There is some confusion over the Foundry, Widnes Foundry was in Lugsdale Rd it was a different foundry facing the houses in Cromwell St.
Jangeo said" I worked in a local hardware ironmongers" was it Handley and Becks on the corner of Hutchinson street? I am sure this was where the Two Ronnies got their fork handles sketch from.
algieshing

[Janboo]

Yes I thought it was West Bank too. 'The Foundry' I refer to is in Lugsdale Road.
I remember Hanley and Becks because many years ago our next door neighbour worked for them..
I spent the first 21 years of my life in Widnes and my mum still lives there. 
I have no recollection of anything ever being called South Bank.
Janice2215

[jangeo]

I did indeed work for about eight months at Handley & Beck in the 60's, it was an experience in the ironmonger trade that stayed with me all through my working life. It was an ironmongers the like you will never see again and the staff who I at the time worked with were very good.

To Janboo, what was the last name of your neighbour that worked for them. The older staff had been employed there man and boy.

[Janboo]

He was called Kelly but I know he left to do something else, maybe lat 50's.   I always remember him in a brown overall/coat thing.

[jangeo]

That person was not there when I was employed. However his name would have been chalked on a ceiling upstairs along with the many other workers who had passed through the business. In the main apart from four long term employees staff did not remain long due to the poor pay, No money in ironmongery they used to say when pay was mentioned.

[algieshing]

Janboo
Are you still in UK ?

Algieshing

[Janboo]

Yes - in the Midlands