Letter: Tollgate Hill

THE tollgate was on the straight section of Aldwarke Road (Wash Lane) on  the approach to the railway bridges.

In the background is the old Aldwarke Colliery. I have two memories relating to this picture. In between the two railway bridges on the left was a canteen and one day when I was about four or five my father, who at that time was a miner at Aldwarke, was taking me to my grandparents on Hall Street, Parkgate, and when we got to the aforesaid building we went in and I remember all these men that were there and he spoke to some of them and then he went and bought me an ice cream.

Then we carried on our journey. A few years later when I was about nine/ten I went through the tollgate on a rag and bone mans horse and cart with my father. We were on our way to Hall Street again to pick up some sacks of coal (my father was out of work  at this time). I remember the old women coming from the tollhouse to take the money. At this time I lived on Oak Terrace, Eastwood, and the rag and boneman’s yard was on School Street. Tommy Edwards was his name.

Ray Hill, Greenfield Road, East Herringthorpe