ALAN Simpson’s memories of growing up in Bolton are now told in his latest book — A Matchstick’s Journey.

The story is based on Alan’s recollections of walking in the Bolton countryside with his grandfather and following the imagined journey of a matchstick they threw into the river — a story we began in last week’s Looking Back.

He talks fondly of Barrow Bridge and memories of a long summer school holiday of 1952.

This was his first year living on the, then, newly built Johnson Fold Estate.

“We spent most days, weather permitting, playing on the hills overlooking the village, occasionally venturing down to the ‘penny slot hut’ by the boating lake.”

Directly across from Barrow Bridge Road, formerly known as Mill Street and accessed by a footbridge across the brook, explains Alan, is the Barrow Bridge Mission.

This is the only surviving part of the adjoining Dean Mills.

“This was the Mill Repair Workshop, later to become a cafe and in 1930 a Mission Church.

“Another shop on the right was famous for its ice cream but as kids we could never afford it.

“I do recall there being a Victorian weighing machine which was chained to the wall outside the shop.

“The last building in the village, on the right, is Mill House.”

There was a rather grand looking shop in Barrow Bridge which, in the late 1940s sold such delicacies as licorice root, explains Alan.

It was originally the Dean Mill workers’ Co-operative shop.

Built into the wall of the shop, explains Alan, is what he believes is the oldest surviving post box in Bolton, “dating from the days of the modern postal system installed in the 1840s, bearing the royal cipher VR and still in use today.”

For the final instalment of Alan’s memories see next week’s Looking Back.