FURTHER to your 'The Way We Were' supplement (LET, May 18), I remember Blackburn's old Hen Market which was held on the cobbled area behind the old town hall.

My grandfather took me as a little boy. In those days, lots of chaps had hen pens either in their back yards or elsewhere.

On the gable end of the property next to the market, there were bird cages holding linnets, skylarks and canaries for sale. On the cobbles was a rough frame and netting crate containing hens.

There was also a chap called Soloman with a stall selling watches and other odds and ends. A special thing he sold was an object made of celluloid, with a magnifying glass, a mirror, little binoculars and a compass all in one. As a boy, it fascinated me and, today, at 88 years of age, I have a metal replica of one.

I remember the wagonettes, three of which used to stand in Victoria Street at the Church Street end. One was owned by Alty's and another, I think, by Woods. I used to sit on the footboard, dangling my feet behind the horses' tails. All the wagonette operators had a blackboard telling what the day's trip was - Brindle was the only destination I remember. The hotel the wagonettes stopped at there was the Lord Nelson, behind which was a field and stabling for eight or 10 horses. When they had been unhitched, it was quite a thrill to walk alongside a horse being led to stables.

I also remember the charabancs of that time. They had solid tyres, no centre aisle and doors for each row of seats. When it rained, the hood, which was folded at the back, had to be passed overhead down to the front. Naturally, those at the front were getting wet through. The hood had metal strips with a small slot which fitted on to a stud on the outside of each row of seats.

Those were the days.

JAMES WALTON, Rothesay Road, Blackburn.

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