Lisa Stansfield's former home

Near the entrance to Rochdale Cemetery is Nordene, the childhood home of musician Lisa Stansfield. When I was in my twenties she seemed quite popular and it was good to hear someone from Rochdale (other than Gracie Fields) doing well. I’d not heard about her for a long time but recently I read an article stating she’d sold her mansion in Ireland for many millions of euros.

The musical career started here in the home on a busy road opposite a pub. She moved here when he was about ten with her parents and two sisters. Aged 15 she won the Search for a Star singing competition held at the Talk of the Town nightclub and was 18 when she formed the band Blue Zone. It wasn’t until her first solo album Affection was released in 1989 (with its worldwide hit All Around the World.) I remember seeing her singing with George Michael at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert and thinking, "By 'eck, she's gone far for a Lancashire lass." She's gone far with the wonga - a five-bedroom home in Killiney (Ireland's Beverly Hills just outside Dublin) and a loft apartment in New York.

Just before I left a lad sat outside the pub across the road asked why I was doing taking photos. I asked if it was Lisa Stansfield's house over the road. He said yes and it came up at pub quizzes now in a "Who was Rochdale's girl-next-door?" kind of question. He said she'd sold a huge gothic house in Rochdale about a decade ago for £900,000.

I doubt the house has changed much since she lived here though I'm sure the traffic has worsened. I crossed the road to stroke the K6 red phone box just tucked inside the front gates and was nearly knocked down.