Ushaw Moor Memories

1 - Broughs was a large store which was situated on the left hand side of the last block of Station Road as one left the village to travel to New Brancepeth. The front of the store was finished in a beautiful dark green gloss brick. It had a delivery area on the gable end of the building. The thing that sticks in my mind was the vacuum operated system that was used to transport the cash used to pay a bill to a central area where the bill was settled and the cash and receipt was returned to the counter staff who in turn handed the change and receipt over to the customer. The whoosh of the air in the system and the rattle of the cup carrying the money was fascinating. As a lad it was worth the walk from Victoria Court to Broughs just to watch this system in operation for a few minutes. The only employee I can remember working at Broughs was a lad of my own age named Alan Hope. Perhaps if Alan still lives locally he can put a few lines on the subject himself. Diverging a little from Broughs via Alan Hope to his brother Alan. Alan was a projectionist at the Club Hall Cinema in Station Road which was then and still is part of the Big Club. If you look at the gable of the Club facing the Chinese Takeaway you can still see where the projection box housing the cameras was situated. Broughs did have a delivery service and the lorry delivered orders (groceries) around the local area. I remember waving to Alan Hope sitting in the front seat of the lorry as he helped deliver the orders. Happy, happy young days without money or envy, nobody had anything in those days to be envious about. BRIAN MC LOUGHLIN (Comment this)

2 - I have read over this entry for the first time and I must rectify a couple of mistakes. Broughs was situated on the last block on the right hand side and not the left hand side as stated. Also Jimmy Hope was Alan Hopes brother who worked as projectionist at the Club Hall. (Comment this)