Figure 1.--Wallace Brereton wrote a wonderful account of his boyhood in Salford diring the 1920s and early 30s. Here in the cover illustration we see him wearing his school cap and a rather cheeky expression. |
Wallace Brereton’s Salford childhood covers the years from 1923 to 1933. He tells his autobiography in his book called Salford Boy. The author is also the
illustrator of his book. Wallace was a boy who grew up never knowing who his
father was. When he was 4 years old his mum went to Canada in the hope of starting a new life. The plan was to send for the boy when her circumstances were
better. Unfortunately this never happened. After going to Canada when Wallace was 4 he did not see her again until he was 11. In 1931 she returned to Canada and he
would be a teenager of 17 when he next saw her.
Wallace Brereton’s Salford childhood covers the years from 1923 to 1933. He tells his autobiography in his book called ‘Salford Boy.’
The author is also the illustrator of his book.
Wallace was a boy who grew up never knowing who his father was. When he was 4 years old his mum went to Canada in the hope of starting a new life. The plan
was to send for the boy when her circumstances were better. Unfortunately this never happened. After going to Canada when Wallace was 4 he did not see her again
until he was 11. In 1931 she returned to Canada and he would be a teenager of 17 when he next saw her.
Aunties and uncles brought him up. These relations lived quite close to each other. They were Aunty May and Uncle Sam and Uncle Jim and Aunty Eveline. They
shared the caring of the boy. Wallace was well loved by both families. He was more comfortable being with his Uncle Sam than Uncle Jim. When he was little he
felt scared of Jim but has he grew-older he got to like him more.
Wallace lived in an ordinary Salford terraced house. This was sandwiched between a more wealthy area and a poorer area of the city. The streets were called
Leicester Road and Tully Street. Wallace lived in King Street. His childhood adventures often took place around the complex of these streets.
His illustrations show a boy dressed in short trousers. The book cover shows a head and shoulder illustration. In pictures showing him helping with
household tasks he wears a jersey, knee socks and boots. In drawings showing out door activities he is wearing short trousers, jacket, cap and scarf and
woven tie. Wallace said that he wore short trousers until he left school and started work. It was the moment of transition from boy to man when he received
his first pair of long trousers. The book cover is illustrated with a boy with a mischievous smile. He has short hair, wears a cap with the school initials
on it and a tie and shirt.
His book is full of his adventurous childhood which he experienced between 1923 -1933. His first friend was Arthur Wyatt. They were inseparable and went
everywhere together. They met other boys on the street corner and played in the street. The game they played was pole-jumping. They brought brooms from home. They
used these to leap from one pavement stone to another. There was a game called Robin Hood. A bow and arrow were made to play this game. The cane needed for this
was bought from the corner shop. The cane had string tied so that it was made into a bow from which arrows were fired at a target. Kite making was another homemade toy. It was popular a summer activity. Wallace would take his kite to the local park and spend an enjoyable evening kite flying. It was kite flying that was the cause of a leg injury. He was running along, watching his kite fly high up in the air and ran into a lamppost. This baddy bruised his leg, which swelled up to the size of a balloon. It was several days before the swelling went away.
Figure 2.--Here Wallace and his mates are burying their treasure, |
There was the time Wallace and his friends buried a metal container holding their treasure. Wallace drew a treasure map. He marked the spot where the treasure
was buried with an X. It was so many paces from a silver birch tree. Months passed and one day they found out that the wild place was being developed into
a houses estate. They went back to dig up the treasure. Unfortunately the silver birch tree had been chopped down so they were unable to find their treasure tin.
Wallace attended Leicester Road School. On his first day he thought school was over and went home. He had not realised that it was only the mid-morning break. He
was quite an ordinary schoolboy. He was ink monitor and woodwork room monitor. These jobs got him out of attending morning assembly and scripture. He admits to
not being good at sport and his poor ability ensured that he was always picked last. The captain on the opposing team beamed a sunny smile that Wallace was
not part of his team. Art was his the area that he liked best. It was his subject. He had natural ability. He was so good at it that his teacher, Miss
Seddon, left him alone to complete his work while she helped the artistically less able. I do not think Wallace ever realised how good he was
and from his account it seems he never pursued a carreer as an illustrator.
Thankfully he never lost this ability and in later years he put this ability to good use and drew the drawings to illustrate his book.
Sunday school was fondly recalled. There was a fancy dress party and Wallace went only to be embarrassed at being the only boy there. His attendance ceased one
snowy Sunday. Playing in the snow was too good to miss so he skipped Sunday school to enjoy this winter pleasure. He never went again.
He and his friends enjoyed the tradesmen who came into their street. Their favourite was the night watchmen employed to look after the road repair work. The boys would chat to him and when he made a drink they would rush home and return with a mug of coco and join him, sitting on wooden planks around his brazier drinking
their nightcaps.
One day Wallace felt tired and was quite listless. The doctor was sent for and after tests it was found that he had diphtheria. The boy was ill for some time. He
does not remember much about it but he is able to recall much more when he began to recover. He read lots of comics during his illness. He enjoyed the
characters and he thought of them as his friends. Wallace was certainly a happy little boy when he was allowed out after spending 5 weeks in bed.
One day his mum saw his shoes needed repairing. She sent him to the shoe shop. Here lived Alma. She was the same age as he was. They were both 12. He met her
for the first time that day. He liked her very much. Sometimes she played with Wallace and his friends. He was too awestruck to speak to her. Then came the day
they were building towers out of oil drums. Alma climbed to the top and shouted ‘Catch me,’ She jumped into Wallace’s arms. He held her for several magic
moments. He walked home on a cloud afterwards. In his autobiography Wallace recalls that it was this incident that made him realise that his childhood was
almost over.
Salford Boy was published by the Salford Local History Society in 1977. I'm not sure if it is still in print. But if I find where it can be ordered, I will provide a link here.
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