does anyone remember the rowing boats in hillsborough park.we spent many happy hours there and also the lido in longley park.

I remeber longley lido. I think it was still there in the eighties but was finally removed about 1987 ish.

Too many cars finished up in it, and too much vandalism.

There were paddle boats in Hillsborough park-don't remember any rowing boats.

I remember an old park keeper that we called Polo (he was Polish). He used to chase us off when we tried fishing in the pond.

Stretching the old memory cells now but I remember the wooden hut where you paid for the paddle boats, and there was a drinking fountain in front of it. If you and your mate leaned to one side you could tilt the boat so that the paddle was just in the water, turn it like crazy and splash the people in the other boats. When I were a lad Hillsborough park lake seemed huge. Has it shrunk?

Do you also remember all the dead fish heads and other miscellaneous rubbish that collected in the bottom end of Hillsborough Pond...? We went canoeing there in the 6 week holidays and if you fell in..... YAK!

I used to go to school in Hillsborough (Marlcliffe) and even though we weren't supposed to we used to go to Hillsborough Park at lunchtime. We often went on the boats and once saw an enormous bown trout in the pond - don't know how it had got there.

An added bonus about the park was that you could sometimes scrounge sweets off the girls from Bassets

Growing up in Hillsborough and going to Hillsborough School, we were always in the park. I remember the boats. Little wooden paddle boats. They had a handle at each side that you turned as if you were winding some thing up. The blade things span round and moved you. They worked best with two people in them but it was possible to do it by yourself if you didn't mind going round in circles for a bit till you got the right rhythm going!!

We were always warned about putting our hands over the edge and into the pond. This was because at one time, there was a huge pike in there and we were told it would bite our fingers off. I can remember it banging into the side and bottom of the boats and making them wobble which was quite scarey.

I think they paid someone to come and catch it as it was considered dangerous.

Also, can anyone remember the big, white goose that we all called George? It used to attack us as we walked through the park to school. The mothers would line up and herd us kids past, whilst armed with shopping bags to hit it if it attacked!! It got so bad in the end that it too was removed!!

Originally posted by FetishFairy
Little wooden paddle boats. They had a handle at each side that you turned as if you were winding some thing up.

I think they paid someone to come and catch it as it was considered dangerous.

Also, can anyone remember the big, white goose that we all called George?

All of the above.

I also remember the bandstand, and the shelter near the swings etc...

that wasn't a shelter, it was the Old Man's Hut!

Eew that hut was so grim!! We we all warned to stay away from there as it was always full of winos and people from up at Middlewood hospital. We once saw a man and woman having sex in there and not long after it was demolished.

It always stank of wee and was just generally disgusting.

*shuuders*

It was OK when I was a kid in the late 50's.......just full of old men talking, smoking and trumping.

I remember that there used to be swans on the boating lake too,
Havent seen a swan for years now. Lovley gracefull creatures

Originally posted by FetishFairy
Eew that hut was so grim!! We we all warned to stay away from there as it was always full of winos and people from up at Middlewood hospital. We once saw a man and woman having sex in there and not long after it was demolished.

It always stank of wee and was just generally disgusting.

*shuuders*

Never experienced anything that.

My memories of it are similar to RR (which was about '71-'73 +/- a year or 2):

Originally posted by RoyalRegular
It was OK when I was a kid in the late 50's.......just full of old men talking, smoking and trumping.

Does anybody remember when there were boulders around the edge of the pond before the concrete paths were laid.

There was also a tree that leaned over the water near where they erected the hut for the boats.

There were steps up to the old bandstand from the pond.

I've caught lots of fish in that pond before and after the park bell rang.

The biggest fish were the Golden Carp.

There was talk about a giant Pike in there but I never saw it.

As kids we did get a lot of freshwater mussels and opened them looking for pearls.

I must admit there's been a few wars since those days.

Happy Days!

Originally posted by PopT
.......I must admit there's been a few wars since those days.

So, within the last 6 years then?? ;-)

Re - sccux

I wish it was only six years ago!


Happy days!

I remember the pond in the park back in the late fifties early sixties. We had a brand new pram for my twin brothers at the time. It was massive and built like a stagecoach. We took this into the park and used this as a boat. By heck we got some knuckle.

Fetish Fairy,
What years did you go to Hillsborough School?
My kids went there from 1990 to 1998.

Fetish-Fairy
It never used to be a smelly place. At the time I used to play there back in the fifties early sixties it was clean, There was a park keeper then not like now, Maybe Sheffield has gotten sick over the years, But it is getting spoilt by too much political correctness. Now our kids are driven from the parks including Hillsborough by the smack heads and as you say wino's. But. What is the answer. The council think it is in control. But it is not. They would rather spend money on rubbish projects. etc etc

By Heck!

I first met my wife in 1957 at the 'Old Man's Hut' near the swings in the park.

Thanks for the memory.

Happy Days!

Originally posted by RoyalRegular
There were paddle boats in Hillsborough park-don't remember any rowing boats.

I remember an old park keeper that we called Polo (he was Polish). He used to chase us off when we tried fishing in the pond.

that just reminded me of an incident in graves park....we used to sit in the bushes of the boating lake fishing after school (there was a pond you were allowed to fish in but it was empty) everynight the park patrol would turn up,we'd always kmow well in advance when he was here because of the motor bike engine,we'd reel in sharpish and sit tquiet and out of site till he'd gone,he was a big fat bloke with glasses....one night i was talking to a lad i'd never seen before,i mentioned the parkie would be arriving shortly..i told to watch out because the big fat four eyed ***t was a total b*****d the lad says i know he's my dad.:o :blush: :blush: :blush: :blush:

Originally posted by chocoholic
Fetish Fairy,
What years did you go to Hillsborough School?
My kids went there from 1990 to 1998.

Ooooooh long before that!! I was there in the 70's (I'm almost 36 now!!) Mrs Porter was the headmistress and wore awfull pink lipstick and scrunched her nose up to push her glasses up her face!!!

Originally posted by FetishFairy
Ooooooh long before that!! I was there in the 70's (I'm almost 36 now!!) Mrs Porter was the headmistress and wore awfull pink lipstick and scrunched her nose up to push her glasses up her face!!!

I was there in the 70's! I also remember Mrs Lunny (ooh the songs we used to sing about her!!) , and Mrs Yeardley. Mr Gadd was a lovely teacher though.

I still see Miss Lunny. She is often walking down Hawthorne Road with her shopping trolley as I walk up to my sons school. I am sure she recognises me as she kind of half smiles at me!! I was in her class and remember doing a survey about eye colour and I was the only one who had green eyes!!

How many remember the old tramp that used to walk all the way through the park to Town and back. Maybe several times a day. He was a lanky guy, In his forties, he always carried a army rucksack...They called him Ivan. As kids we used to follow him around and take the micky, Sad and bad maybe, But men like this were hardly seen at that time, We were only about 10 yrs old. But sad to say they found him dead one day near the library, He was carrying a huge sum of money, It turned out that he was an ex Canadian Soldier that had stayed here after the war...

i remember the sheffield show being at hillsborough park with a few animals and a hundred prefabs. my mum used to go mad cos we used to come home with a few paper hats a balloon and a hundred million leaflets!

"Also, can anyone remember the big, white goose that we all called George? It used to attack us as we walked through the park to school. The mothers would line up and herd us kids past, whilst armed with shopping bags to hit it if it attacked!! It got so bad in the end that it too was removed!! "
George came to a sticky end. He used to go to the back door of the library every morning and knock on the door with his beak, and the cleaners used to feed him. One day when there was a fair in the park with caravans parked around he didn't turn up, and a couple of days later they found his head in the lake. Draw your own conclusions!:gag:

In the early 1950s the pond had both rowing boats and paddle boats (in separate areas). In about 1954 they did a lot of work on the pond, building the concrete banks and altering the water input. The rowing boats went first, as they decided to use most of the pond for breeding fish - this upset the anglers who used to enjoy fishing there. The paddle boats must have survived into the 1960s. It cost 6d. for 20 minutes, but you could often keep paddling for longer if things were quiet. At one time they were talking about bringing back the rowing boats, but I was told that the pond is too deep for the "elf 'n' safety" brigade. Old "Polo", the Polish park keeper (he was actually White Russian) came to a sad end. He had a cyst on his arm which he finally decided to have removed surgically. Unfortunately it was malignant, but would probably have remained dormant if it hadn't been disturbed by the operation, and he died a year or so later.

How many remember the old tramp that used to walk all the way through the park to Town and back. Maybe several times a day. He was a lanky guy, In his forties, he always carried a army rucksack...They called him Ivan. As kids we used to follow him around and take the micky, Sad and bad maybe, But men like this were hardly seen at that time, We were only about 10 yrs old. But sad to say they found him dead one day near the library, He was carrying a huge sum of money, It turned out that he was an ex Canadian Soldier that had stayed here after the war...
I remember Ivan well. I don't think he was a tramp though. Tramps are scruffy ain't they. Ivan never looked scruffy.
We just thought he was a local that wasn't a full shilling.
Yes, we took the mick out of him as kids.
I wish we hadn't now.......

Does any one remember Polo?the fat Park keeper??:hihi:
that bloke hated me...cant think why... i was and still am an Angel!:D

The paddle boats must have survived into the 1960s.

They were there up till the early 70s:thumbsup:

Does any one remember Polo?the fat Park keeper??:hihi:
that bloke hated me...cant think why... i was and still am an Angel!:D

You must have been trying to get on the tennis courts without a racket :hihi:

Oh! I'm thinking of Westen Park

Glad to hear that the paddle boats survived into the early 1970s. Old Polo didn't like me either, but one of his mates was a splendid chap - he once repaired my scooter when he saw me tearfully walking home with it in two pieces. They've got paddle boats in Millhouses Park; I think they ought to bring them back to Hillsborough. But if I got in one now it would sink...

My schoolpal Dennis Owen lost a serious chunk of flesh out of his thigh when the rocking horse was installed by the swings. It was a very serious affair resulting in a stay in hospital. The horse was very close to being removed.

i remember the boats, parents used to take me with my 2 brothers and sister, he would throw balls into the pond and my sister and i would race my brothers to the balls. I was only young and remember shouting my dad telling him i felt "sea sick":hihi:

My schoolpal Dennis Owen lost a serious chunk of flesh out of his thigh when the rocking horse was installed by the swings. It was a very serious affair resulting in a stay in hospital. The horse was very close to being removed.

I came to more grief on that horse than any other piece of playground equipment - sometimes the 'big kids' used to jump on and get the thing going so high you could see the cranks etc. underneath - there is no way that thing would be passed nowa days as a kids ride.

The 'big kids' also used to rub candles on the bottom of the slide, so that it was much more slippery, and you went shooting off the end. I still have a scar on my *rse to prove it...

We had good times in Hillsborough park in the mid/late 1950s. the park was a great place to play and learn in, i think me and my mates (including jossman) learned about life in the old mans hut...we went in as 12 year olds ish listeng to the bigger kids talking and obviously romancing a lot about what they had and hd not done.
The tennis courts were excellent, the boat lake was great.
I also remember 2 park keepers especially well one i think was named John and looked after the boating hut, the other was miserable old git who we nicknamed CAMEL, he used to chase after us when we were cheeky,
Had some great football games too in the park.
Pete Shelton..old man Hawksley, peter haines . they were older than us but would pick us in their sides,

great days....

arrodbo. Happy New Year Roy and may you have many more. Some of the names you mentioned above brought memories streaming back. The Old Man's Hut was a great seat of learning, especially from our heros, the Teddy Boys.

How many remember the old tramp that used to walk all the way through the park to Town and back. Maybe several times a day. He was a lanky guy, In his forties, he always carried a army rucksack...They called him Ivan. ...

We knew Ivan well as he lived on Bradfield Road opposite Regent Court Flats with his mother. He was (as was described in those days) mentally retarded. He was a big gentle giant and would never have hurt a fly but people were scared of him as in those day people like him were considered very odd and scary. His mother was devasted when he died.

I remember Ivan living in Owlerton Green.

Due to his giant size, lumbering walk and slurred deep voice could frighten anyone who didn't know him but he was a gentle soul who was retarded and it was hard on his mother when his father passed on.

His father was a chimney sweep and used to take Ivan on the pillion of his motorbike and sidebox which he used to carry his brushes.

Later on Ivan helped to dig graves at Loxley Cemetery.

Thanks for the memory.

Happy Days

Ivan actually outlived his mother.
She was killed one Sunday evening by a car as she crossed Penistone Road going to St John's church.
Ivan used to ring the church bell and was inside the building when the accident happened.
He went to live at a place called the Towers near the Hallam football ground and lived for many more years.

arrodbo. Happy New Year Roy and may you have many more. Some of the names you mentioned above brought memories streaming back. The Old Man's Hut was a great seat of learning, especially from our heros, the Teddy Boys.

Thanks Pete, Happy New Year to you too...
Do you also remember Keith Littlewood who would fight anyone up for it and always win
Another name i have just thought of was Neville Henshaw, he used to go on the waltzer on the fair at the dog track car park and push the rides round as if he was a fairground man plus he would have aparkdrive dangling from the corner of his mouth....great memories

Oh - Keith Littlewood. He went to Malin Bridge school and passed his 11-plus for King Edward's in 1954, but I was there a few years later (1959-66) and I heard he got expelled. He had a stall selling socks at the top of Dixon Lane. He'll be 64 now - I wonder if he still packs a punch...

Have a look at this photo of lads playing cricket in Hillsborough Park, c1951:

http://www.burtonstreethistory.org.uk/newweb/pages/GillImage14.htm

My goodness - that brings back memories. A few years later I'd have been bowling...

I remember the boats in Hillsborough park.

It seems such a long time ago now.

I guess it was.

Thanks Pete, Happy New Year to you too...
Do you also remember Keith Littlewood who would fight anyone up for it and always win
Another name i have just thought of was Neville Henshaw, he used to go on the waltzer on the fair at the dog track car park and push the rides round as if he was a fairground man plus he would have aparkdrive dangling from the corner of his mouth....great memories

Here's one for you Roy. Michael Radford, now whatever happened to him??

I don't know if it's the right Michael Radford (and I hope it isn't) but according to findmypast.com, a Michael Raymond Radford, born 19 April 1936, died in Sheffield in December 1993.

Here's one for you Roy. Michael Radford, now whatever happened to him??

I hope i,m wrong but i seem to think he died or perhaps i,m wrong hopefully,
What about Pete Harris (Scrapper) nickname

Have a look at this photo of lads playing cricket in Hillsborough Park, c1951:

http://www.burtonstreethistory.org.uk/newweb/pages/GillImage14.htm

great photo, the gap on Parkside Rd in the background is Winster Rd, where me and family were raised from 1949/50 up until the 70s