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20 • Visit us @ www.ChampNews.com CMBA The Champion • Wednesday 1 May 2013
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Canal bike licence inspectors
and ‘parkies’ kept us in order
NOW that is seems spring has
finally sprung I have started
to look around me perhaps
rather more when walking
Tina than perhaps I did in the
seemingly unendingly dour
days of winter.
For instance, I may be
wrong, or it may be a purely
local phenomenon, but it
seems to me that there are an
increased number of
blackbirds about this year.
Now I know that our wild
bird population is falling
generally, but if I am right an
increase in blackbirds is
particularly pleasing.
Because birds were always
an interest of my dad’s – and
his favourites were
blackbirds and thrushes,
followed by your, then at
least, ‘common’ hedge
sparrow.
This perceived increase in
blackbird numbers is
particularly noticeable on
walks down the
Leeds–Liverpool canal
towpath where it runs along
the rear of people’s gardens.
Actually, talking of the canal
towpath and my dad brings
back memories of times past.
There are an again growing
number of totally selfish
idiots riding motorbikes of
various sorts along the canal.
But 50 years ago, I can’t
remember ever seeing a
motorised bicycle on it.
Admittedly it wasn’t fairly
well paved through urban
areas like it is now – it was
just packed soil or mud
depending on season – but it
just didn’t happen.
Mind you, back in those
halcyon days you were
supposed to buy a licence off
the then British Waterways if
you wanted to ride your
push–bike along the canal.
And there really were
inspectors whose job (I
suspect among many others)
was to check any cyclists they
found to see if said licence
was forthcoming.
I don’t honestly know if
anybody ever actually bought
one, or what horror awaited
you if you were caught
without one.
Because as a boy it was
imprinted on one’s brain that
you kept an eagle eye out for
the inspector, or water bailiff
or whatever he was really
called, and retraced your
steps quick–sticks if he was
spotted.
And to my recollection this
applied just as much to adults
pedalling along the canal as it
didtouskids
These days of course the
cycle licence for the canal is
long defunct – or I suppose it
is since there is no–one
around to police it anyway.
Perhaps buried deep in
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some canal–side office in
Burscough there are dusty
piles of the things.
But the lack of any form of
any supervision of the canal
banks – apart from local
already hard pressed local
bobbies – reminds me of the
park keepers of old as well.
I don’t remember a
‘parkie’ as such in my local
Maghull KGV park where I
spent many a happy hour as a
youngster.
But in the summer months
at least there used to be a
wooden shack in which
lurked an attendant who
gave out bowls and miniature
golf equipment to those with
the few pence needed to hire
them.
He certainly kept an eagle
eye on what everyone was up
to in the park itself at the
same time.
And on my weekend visits to
Ormskirk to visit granny
there was certainly an
attendant in the park there to
keep order.
Ah, happy days. Oddly you
kept off the flower beds, you
didn’t smash glass around
the place – and yet somehow
it all felt more free.
Of course, in those pre ‘elf
‘n safety’ days in Ormskirk at
least there were those
drinking fountains, often
donated by local gentry,
where at the press of an old
metal button your could
slake your thirst – for free.
We did too.
And oddly lived to tell the
tale.
Mrs. C from
Liverpool
received
£3,200 from
Lloyds TSB
Mrs. G from
Liverpool
received
£4,300 on an
MBNA credit
card
Home Visits... No Paperwork
Mrs. M from
Liverpool
received
£18,000 from
HSBC
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