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Myrtle Gardens fronted onto Crown Street and had an annex block called Myrtle House across Myrtle Street. Ancillary blocks such as Harrington and Almond House were in close proximity too.
Myrtle Gardens and Myrtle House as captured by Brian Saville from nearby Entwistle Heights.
Three b&w pics of Myrtle Gardens from the L.R.O.archives and a colour one of Almond House, part of the Myrtle Street development with thanks to Philip Mayer.
Myrtle Gardens and House from Crown Street railway sidings. Pictures by Jim Peden, courtesy of Mike Delamar.
Myrtle Gardens as viewed from Entwistle Heights with thanks to Rob Ainsworth.
Part of Myrtle Gardens was renovated by Barretts and renamed Minster Court before being let off for student accommodation.
Myrtle in its heyday including one of the local shops beneath (left). Seen here too on the right in a state of decay prior to the flats been topped and refurbished into Minster Court. Pics with thanks to Tony Power. The pic bottom left was supplied by ex resident Chris Finnegan and passed to me by Tony and was taken in the summer of 1951 during the festival of Britain celebrations.
Myrtle Gardens on Bommie night, 5th November 1979 - were you there?
This was a typical scene portrayed in any of the 50 or so tenement developments throughout the city on this night to celebrate the burning of Guy Fawkes who had tried to blow up the houses of parliament. Those who lived in street houses would find the nearest bomb site from WWII or any old 'oller' would do.
The build up to Bonfire night would see kids getting into nearby bombdies, our name for derelict buildings and warehouses. There were plenty around Islington and Norton Street during the 1970s which furnished the bommies in Gerard Gardens and Crescent where I lived. Remember, we had three we had to service. There would be a steady stream of doors, pallets, cabinets, anything that would burn really. Praying the rain would stay off, by about 7pm the flames would be reaching the sky with sparks drifting off into the autumn night.
Much fun would be had during the next few hours with the last remaining kids poking the fire to keep it going as the dying embers signalled time to go in. The next day on the way to school, you'd realise your football pitch was reduced to a circle of burnt tar, full of stones, gravel and debris.
