A STREET DIVIDED...

In the row of houses on the left of the pic, only the first one belongs to
the same street as the other seven rows.  The rest of that one row is
designated as another street. Even my dog thinks it's bonkers

You live and learn.  A staggering 54 years ago I moved into a house in a street that was comprised of 8 rows of 6 terraced houses each.  Last night I learned that 5 of the houses in the first row fell under another street name - only the first house in the row belonged to the same street as the other 7 rows.  Don't ask me why, as it seems completely arbitrary to divide up a row of connecting houses in this way, but that's what was done.  If you lived in that first house (appropriately numbered 1), it meant your neighbours' gardens on the other side of the adjoining hedge or fence were in a completely different street.  Or if you entered your back door through the narrow communal path between the back gardens, one row was in one street, the other row (aside from the first house) was in another.  Crazy, if you ask me.

Anyway, I was along in that old neighbourhood tonight and ran into the brother of one of my brother's pals back in the '60s.  This fellow doesn't live in the area any longer, but was visiting his elderly mother - and that's when I learned another surprising thing.  Back around 1967 (this I knew because I still lived there), his family moved from the 5th row to the first row, which, up until last night, I'd always believed was in the same street.  Then, around 1986, his mother moved into the house adjoining what had recently been her then current one (I only discovered this tonight), which she's now lived in for around 34 years, beating by far her 19 year stay next door.

Now, that won't mean anything to you, but it amazes the hell out of me.  Any of you ever find out something surprising about a place you'd once lived?  If so, let rip in the comments section.

Posted in: Cartoons