CONCLUSIONS OF KNOTTINGLEY
MAURICE HAIGH
20th century Knottingley versus 21st century Knottingley
I suppose
living today in our current 21st century, the present generation of
young people have not had the experience of life and joy within the
confines of a caring and close living community. Growing up only
with the knowledge of shopping at River Island, Top Shop, giant Shopping
Malls and all this type of shopping magic, they have not experienced or
had the pleasure of a personal shopping service as offered in my early
years by Family Held Traders, who tendered a friendly atmosphere along
with their goods.
Such a
community was Knottingley, my birthplace in 1935. Aire Street to 'Knottla'
folk was the central plank of the village/town, being the main shopping
area. The majority of the shops on the street traded as Family
Trading Establishments, (very few of these today). Generally life moved
at a lighter pace compared to the 21st century frenzy of the supermarket
and shopping mall style of today. Youth clubs, cycling clubs and
boys brigade organisations, would all certainly be classed by the young
of today as 'sissy' pastimes.
But it was
the innocence of these activities which gave so much pleasure to
teenagers of the day and helped to shape their character, which today
with a small minority of current young is sadly in short supply.
Muggings, violence, doorstep fraud on the elderly... no action seems to
be unacceptable, but all is not lost. One still hears of our
younger generation participating in The Duke Of Edinburgh Award Schemes,
climbing the Three Peaks, sitting in a bath of Baked Beans helping to
raise funds for some deserving cause. These are all positive
actions to be encouraged, admired and commended. But I still
believe if our young generations citizens had lived the experience
within a close society, they would have benefited from them as did I and
many other Knottla' people. This was not unique only to this
place, the same could be found in many similar communities.
It is not
my intention to paint a life of utter utopia in these years of the
thirties, forties, and early fifties. Times could be hard,
shortage of money, and sometimes shortage of food, but despite the
hardships endured, we did somehow seem to live happier then. Maybe
things would have been different if access to Playstation's, computers,
and televisions had been possible, who knows.
Finally if
there are any Silver Surfers living in Knottingley with memories of life
there in the past, don't just keep them to yourself, share them with the
visitors to Knottingley Online.
What price
nostalgia eh?
Maurice Haigh
Also by Maurice Haigh
Memories of Knottingley
More Memories of Knottingley
Final Thoughts About Knottinlgey