Which Way To Heaven?

Time flies when you're having fun. Well that may well be, but in case you hadn't noticed, it flies when you're not having fun too.

A few weeks ago I learned that a very good friend of mine, whom I hadn't seen for many years, had inexplicably died. I say inexplicably because Barbara was a larger than life character who as far as I knew had no intention of dying.....ever...!

My ex wife (of 10 years) and I felt compelled to attend her funeral service together. We remembered Barbara in her prime and although unsaid between us, I think we both felt that Barbara would remember us as a couple. Looking down from wherever she might be, we felt she would be happy to see us, honouring her life's memory as the Mike and Betty of old.

Her son in law and 'favourite' nephew read eulogies to her memory.

Barbara was a 'Get up and go girl' they said she liked nothing better than to hold court and take the centre stage. Want a good healthy argument over a few beers and a fag ....Barbara would take on all comers....young or old....male or female....she'd slay 'em all!

However her Achilles heel, and she'd never admit it, was her total lack of sense of direction. As the eulogy speakers said, she would set off for Blackpool and hit Morecombe....Grimsby would become Scarborough....London....well heaven knows where she'd end up!

Family and friends would get calls at all hours of the day or night. From Lands End to John o Groats....'It's Babs' she would say....'I seem to have got a little bit lost'

As the speaker said, and to be fair I can't remember which one it was, Barbara is now in a better place, in the bosom of her family and friends that preceded her to the other side.

That is of course provided she didn't lose her way.

She might have ended down there.

Was Urmston originally Roman?

Fragments of Roman pottery found in 1983 in the area of what is now Urmston Cemetery suggest that there may well have been a Roman settlement on the site many years ago. The fragments were found during an excavation by South Trafford Archaeological Group.

William the Conqueror battled with the Saxon Earl Edwin for lands north of the River Mersey between 1069 and 1070.

William was successful in these campaigns and gave his kinsman Roger de Poictou all of the land between the River Mersey and the River Ribble. Some time after this part of the land was given to Albert de Greslet and he in turn bestowed a portion to Orme Fitz Seward who was the son of Edward Ayland.

Albert passed on a portion of this land towards the end of the 12th century and the size of the portion was determined by the amount of land that a team of oxen could plough in one year.

More than likely the name Urmston was derived from Orme’s Easton or Ormsetun.

The tun being the dwelling of Orme Fitz Seward.

Well...... was Urmston originally Roman or not?

All that can be said with any certainty, is that there was definitely a Roman presence in the area until about 410AD, at which point they had to depart these shores forever in a bid to defend their homeland.