Looking Back: Remembering when slides were a key part a Bolton childhood

We tend to think of ‘health and safety’ as being a modern phenomenon and those of us of a certain age will reminisce about days playing out as children without a care in the world.

Playgrounds were often at the centre of many an adventure - the swings, slides and climbing frames just the start of an adventure or two.

The main photograph was taken at the Hardcastle Street playground in Bolton in 1967 and the little boy on the slide had clearly had enough of coming down the slide the normal way, preferring instead to slide down on his knees.

Note he’s left his coat which mum had probably made him wear at the bottom.

The other photograph shows the boat-shaped climbing frame and slide at Astley Bridge which was causing a problem back in 1970.

Parents wanted to frame to come down, even though it had just opened, because they thought it was too high and were also calling for a fence to be put up to stop children getting into the nearby Astley Brook. Spoilsports!

Source

This was always my favourite park as a kid, we all called it Sandy Park (Avenue St in Halliwell near t where the Rugby club is now) and had a big dome on that was great for sliding down. It wouldn't be allowed these days, imagine the health and safety outrage