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Archiver > CHESHIRE > 1997-12 > 0881458935


From: Elizabeth Powell <>
Subject: Re: CHESHIRE-D Digest V97 #57
Date: Sat, 6 Dec 1997 20:42:15 -0500 (EST)


Bird in Hand Yard..... Gary

Gary, Up in West Cumberland, UK, where I grew up a 'Yard' or 'Court' was an
area behind the main street...... Imagine shops along the main street, in
between every three or four there would be either a vehicle sized archway,
or, more commonly, a person sized archway. Go through a passage the depth of
the shops and it opens out into a 'Yard' or 'Court', with houses running
down one or either side. Thus they are at right angles to the main street.
Some were 'dead ends' while others formed convenient short cuts from one
main street to another. The ones I can remember best were called after
places etc: after the 'Pub' that was at their entrance. Hence 'Bush Yard' in
behind the Bush Hotel, or after a local landmark: behind our shop was 'Mayo
Court' from the Statue of Mayo right near by, or after the shop they were
behind..... long established businesses: 'Challoners Yard' behind Mr
Challoners shop.
In the early 50's 'Bush Yard' was still inhabited, the houses were one room
deep, two rooms wide, two stories, with windows only onto the yard. There
was a standpipe for the 10 or so houses and a WC in a llittle lean to
structure at the top of the yard. Folk threw their waste water into a gulley
down the middle of the paving. It still stands, but has been absorbed into a
lumber yard.
Hope this helps, even if it doesnt tell you where "Bird in Hand Yard " is.

Liz P, Elliot Lake, Ontario

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