Never-to-be-forgotten songs from Coal Hole

Former Cheapsiders, Peter Charlton (left) and Barry Thornborough

A MEMBER of one of Oldham’s most popular folk groups from the 1980s, has written a nostalgic song booklet, and plans to produce a CD to go alongside it in the summer.

Oldham bus driver Barry Thornborough took on the task, with the help of fellow musician Bob Tierney, to preserve some of the magic which surrounded the group in its heyday.

“Cheapside” comprised of Barry and Bob, Peter Charlton — the group’s frontman and better known as Biffo, and Tony Pennington.

Tony died several years ago and Bob has moved to Lincoln. Only Barry (59) and Peter still live in the area.

Barry lives with his wife, Margaret in Charnwood Close, High Crompton, and his efforts will take the folk group’s name into the history books.

The booklet sets out the words and music from 20 original songs from the Coal Hole — their adopted home in the cellar of the Town House Restaurant on Greaves Street, Oldham, for more than a decade.

The group’s songs have been played on radio, and Cheapside performed at the Oldham Coliseum and Oldham’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. All four musicians were born in the 1950s, and the songs chosen for the booklet reflect the social history and childhood memories of the period’s day-to-day life.

Barry drafted in the help of Bob to pull it together, and he has also used his artistic talents to illustrate the publication with local scenes, such as Tommyfield Market, to help the memories live on.

The booklet contains guitar chords, sheet music and words for anyone who wants to recreate the sounds of Cheapside.

Barry said: “At the time we were struggling to get some Lancashire material so we thought we would write our own.

“The songs are about Lancashire and Oldham in particular.”

Barry has sunk £1,000 of his own money into his dream, and has had a lot of help from his employers, First buses.

Barry, who has two children and three grandchildren, is in the process of mixing and recording songs from the book for a CD, doing what he can himself and using session musicians.

Copies of the booklet are on sale at the Chronicle office in Union Street, Oldham, priced £6.95.