Ode To Uncle Billy

Billy threw a nifty dart
His team had cause to cheer
One in the bull,one double top
One in the barmaids rear.

(Uncle Billy claimed she bent over just as he threw ;— Aunty Nellie says he always had one eye on that barmaids rear)

Victoria & Alexandra , Ellenroad ,Milnrow

My Uncle Billy was Engine Tenter here,Engine Tentering ran in t’family on my dads side.He lived on that long road in Milnrow that has two pubs,both called ” The Bird in Hand”. Causes no end of confusion in the local Darts League.Uncle Billy was captain of one’s Darts Team.I used to spend my summer holiday in Milnrow.Uncle Billy used to take me to work with him.Lot better than the seaside.

He’d wed a lass from Milnrow name of Nellie.They’d met in Blackpool one year when Milnrow Wakes coincided with Royston Vasey Feast Week.She lost him one Monday when he fell into the rope race,he wasn’t missed until engines didn’t stop at snap time.They reckon he did 160 mile to & fro.Longest non stop journey he ever made apart from’t time he got on the wrong train in Manchester and ended up in Inverness.

Aunty Nellie had to draw t’brass out of t’Christmas Club & send cousin Eddie up to fetch him back.They had a poor Christmas that year,turkey was size of a sparrer & Christmas pudding was made in an eggcup. Aunty said it had been a waste of brass fetching him back only for him to fall into t’rope race. Hard woman was Aunty Nellie.

I still go across from time to time wi Master Li to see t’engines running & think of Uncle Billy. I keep well away from that rope race though.

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