I came to live in Holmeswood,
Many years ago,
Moving from another village,
With a family in tow.
There wasn't much to do here
As I didn't know a one,
But I soon knew Edie Bolton
And also Brian, her son.

A farmer, Ronnie Rimmer,
Lived down Sandyway
And Bob and Gladys Rimmer,
Who I saw day to day,
Also the Dawes, who lived
Near Polly and Jem,
There was Bertha Smith
And Alan, I lived near to them.

The Pilkingtons and the Parkers
At Mere Farm End,
Mrs. Moss and Margaret Ellen,
Who lived around the bend,
There were Tunks and Harrisons,
Who lived the other side,
The Caunces and Bambers,
Who with their families did abide.

I soon made some friends,
We would ride off on our bikes
Up Bannister Brow, or Mere Sands
For our hikes,
There was Dave Shadwell
And Gilbert and Ronald Walker too,
Bob, Ted and Joan Bamber,
Just to name a few.

There was football on the field,
Down the Meanygate
Or swimming near the pump house,
Often till late,
We played tennis on the courts,
Or watched the adults bowl,
Or walked to see men fishing,
Near the old snig hole.

On fine summer evenings there
Was another place to go,
The cafe at Mere Brow,
A wooden building and low,
There was a bench outside
Where we could sit and chat
Or go inside in bad weather,
We were grateful for that.

There was Spider and Derek,
Elaine and Jean
And anyone else who wished
To be seen,
Jimmy Golding, Arthur Dandy
And Barry, who were brothers, I
Arthur Sutton, Jack Greenwood
And some nameless others.

To Southport we went
On a Saturday night
Whatever the weather,
It was always alright,
Because friends got the
Bus at Banks and the ferry
And they usually came home
Very happy and merry.

We all went to work,
It was often six days
But evenings and weekends
Were passed many ways,
We were often contented
To just sit and talk
And would do things
Together or go for a walk.

Now some friends are gone,
And some are still here,
Some moved away
And do not live very near,
Was life really so carefree
And happy like this?
Or is it only my memory
When I reminisce?
~~~~~~~~~