December 26th 1961 - Explosion at 28 New Street

[JohnPitt]

Came across an old diary the other day so this incident came back very clearly.

A quiet Boxing day morning was shattered by a very loud bang which shook the house. Seconds later a guy comes running past our house screaming. When I got outside there were spats of blood the size of half-crowns every 2 feet all the way up from the block end and a spray of glass & debris outside No 28 - no sign of the guy. (He had actually taken refuge in no 17 because he knew she was a nurse).

Turns out the gas beneath the floorboards in the front room had exploded pushing all the boards to the ceiling demolishing the wall to the living room and burying Mr & Mrs Pike under a load of bricks but they escaped injury because the sofa blew forward with them!
The guy outside who had the bad luck of passing the window just when it happened came off worst, but I don't think he had anything worse than scars in the end.

[darran]

Lucky escape! There was a Norma Pike in my class down the Lower and I remember she lived in New Street. Same house?

Sheila

[JohnPitt]

Yes it must have been.
Norma had a brother - David he can be seen in the 5W photo, and the grammar photo - three lads away from Brian B towards the centre

[brianblaenboy]

I remember David, rather a quiet type of person, unlike me! He also became a deputy pianist for the Imps Choir.
However, I thought he lived somewhere else, but too many pints addle the brain since then.

[snooky]

don't know if my reply just got posted or NOT? because P.C. went OFF! GRR!
It was Gerald Pike's house NOT Norma's...he lost most of his Xmas pressies and was REALLY upset