Your Letters
Letters for publication should be submitted via the contact form from the drop down menu. The writers full name and address must be included but will not be published without the writers permission, an alias can be used for publication. The writer is responsible for the content of the letter. All letters are published at the discretion of the editor
Dear Editor
Has Watchdog got something against Private hire drivers?
I seem to think that maybe he has had a bad experience from the way that
he jumps at any chance to take a pot at them.
Not all taxis have lights missing and some drivers are very helpful.
I go to Aldi at Tyldesley and always take a taxi home, the driver puts
my shopping in the back of the car when he picks me up, and carries it
to my door when he drops me off at home. So there is at least one good
taxi driver in Boothstown Tony. R. Boothstown
Thats all very well Tony, but what do you expect
him to do with the shopping? Leave it on the floor outside Aldi? And did
you check if all the lights work? Also I might give you a DBL because
when you have paid the taxi fare, you would be better off doing your shopping
at Costcutter in Boothstown Watchdog
It's great to see the new Boothstown Bugle.I do remember the old Bugle a 1 page newsletter which came through the door once a month. It was full of very useful info. I think that it was the Boothstown Residents Association who ran it. It looks like moving into the internet age will be good for the Bugle. I also remember the watchdog but I thought that he was in the Leigh Reporter. he had something to do with Jess the Cropper the barber from Silk Street in Leigh who used to charge a bob a nob when you couldn't get a haircut for under thirty bob.All this must have been in the late seventies after I moved from Leigh to Boothstown I looked forward to the Reporter because it kept me informed of what was happening in Leigh, and that was about the time that the Boothstown Bugle appeared. Ex Boothstowners around the world will no doubt feel the same way about the new Boothstown Bugle Good luck to the Bugle and may it go on for many years
Owd Leyther
As a comparative newby to Boothstown having lived here for only 3 years, I read with interest the letter from Owd Leyther.
Since there was much written about Leigh I worked out that the local name for Leigh is Leyth However I cannot for the life of me work out the names of the places that you refer to as Bent and Bongs in your comments. Can you please help?
Yours Sincerely New Boothstowner
Editor comments Bob a nob refers to the cost of a haircut being 0ne shilling (bob)now 5pence.a head (nob) Thirty bob = £1.50. The Leigh Reporter was originally a broad sheet newspaper called The Leigh and District Weekly News, at this time I was Editor of The Leigh and District Talking News, a taped version for blind and partially sighted people. That is how I was one of the few privileged who knew the identity of Watchdog.
Thank you Owd Leyther for your letter I look forward to receiving many more.
There must be many more of you out there with memories of Owd )Boothstown, Astley, Ellenbrook, Leyth, Bent, and Bongs.
How about sharing them
Editor comments Always glad to help a newby, Bent is the local name for Atherton, and Bongs, Tyldesley as in Bongs Wakes ( Tyldesley annual fair ) and Bongs Toffee ( Bongs Toffee) Why they are called Bent and Bongs, I haven't the foggiest idea no doubt someone will write in with the answer.
For all you newby Boothatowners why not visit www.boothstown.com An Aladins cave of information about Boothstown.
Maybe Watchdog
will be glad of a taxi the next time some woman blocks his car in.
Taximan Astley
Dear Editor
Further to the origins of the names Leyth, Bent and Bongs.
Leigh is an old name for an enclosure or a field with a fence. It appears
in many place names, for example Buckfastleigh was a secure (fast) enclosure
where the male deer (bucks) were kept. "fast" is still used
to mean secure, as in "hold fast" or "fastener". Leyth
is just an old way of pronouncing Leigh or Lee.
"Bent" is another old name meaning "field" as in Chowbent,
Chequerbent etc.
Bongs is thought to derive from "banks" and refers to the steep
banks that go down on either side of the main street.
I grew up in Boothstown, how things have changed. When I was a kid we
would walk along the colliery line from Astley Pit to Common Pit, and
stand aside if one of the steam trains came along, waving to the driver.
Last time I tried to walk along the old track I was told to "gerrof
my land" by a local farmer though I can't see how I was doing any
damage to what was a barren pile of ash.
Chris Lewis Astley
Editor Comments. Thank you for your contribution Chris. it reminded me of when we used to walk along the canal bank at Plank lane ( Plonk Lone ) and pull faces at the bargees. they would retaliate by throwing lumps of coal at us. which were swiftly gathered up and taken home for the fire.
Strange that you should say that Ed. I was sitting in my car in the pick up zone outside the big Asda store at the Reebock when a Taxi drew up in front of me, out got the lady driver opened the back door for her passenger to get in, and loaded his shopping into the boot, I noticed that not only did the indicators work, but she knew how to use them, also the brake lights were working, so what can I say? Maybe women taxi drivers are far better than some of the men that I have seen.
Watchdog.
Dear Editor
Did I read the comments from Watchdog right. Did he say he was sitting in his car in the pick up lane at Asda? Of all the cheek after all he has said about Lady drivers parking, I hope he got a ticket
Good Mum Parker
Hang on a minute Good Mum, Who said anything about Watchdog being a man? If Watchdog is a woman that would make it about right Editor
confirm that Bent is a contraction of Chowbent, a district within Atherton
(virtually the current Hagfold)
Bongs stems from Tyldesley being built on banks, and
the Lanky tongue conveterted
this to Bongs.
Kind regards, Ray
Chaddock Lane Boothstown
In Chaddock lane I found the one remaining corner shop pictured below.
Do any of you readers know any history of this shop, and do you know any parts of Boothstown remaining untouched? Please let me know, and send your pictures
Editor
Dear Editor
It is little wonder that watchdog is so grumpy.
I would probably be the same if I spent the best part of my life sitting
in supermarket car parks
Harold Boothstown
