:?: Just to show there are bona-fide old farts using this forum I ask the question: Can you remember the Hot Chestnut seller who had a cart and sold the hot nuts opposite the bus stands on Campo lane in the 1950's and 60's? I can, and everytime I smell hot chestnuts (when you can get them) it takes me right back. Used to sit on the bus on the way home to Loxley trying to eat them but they were too hot! ooooooooh fantastic!

Are you an old fart???
:D :D :D

:) yes i remember him. We used to go to town just to get our hot chestnuts. Standing next to him with his hot fire in the winter keeping warm. Those were the days why we had to loose it ill never know. Nothings the same, we could go to town just to have a wonder around. Do you remember the pub called the elephant just up the road.

I think I do remember the pub called the Elephant, just on the coner of Campo Lane and Townend Street, opposite those old flats and next to where the Wisewood Bus (Nos 14 & 16) would start out from.

My Grandma had the Willow Tree pub up the street on Portobello Street, right next to the University, at the back of West Street. She was called Lizzie Wood and had been the land lady at the famous Red House, Solly Street, many years before that.

Any memories jogged?

:D Hi
We had a lot of fun in those days. There was also a pub on the other corner but i can't remember the name next to a picture house. We also went to the vine at the bottom of the moore. I used to work at the CWS shirt factory on west street. There's so much of our old sheffield gone for good , it makes me so sad. I remember the old rag and tag market. My gran took us in and put us on the seat in the corner to get us weighed. the woman charged 1 penny. I could go on forever proberbly can't remember all the names but such happy times.
I remember the pub you mentioned but not the name. I remember faces rather than names. Its so nice to talk to people who lived in the days where you could go out without fear. Sorry if i sound old im not im 54yrs old but i was a lot happier going out then than i am now.
I live at the moment at Arbourthorne, used to live at Nether Edge.
I hope we can keep in touch.
janet

I think you are suffering from premeture ageing! 54 yrs old and scared of going out? Get a life!

All these folk myths and morale panic. I still work for CWS, Co-op Group as they are called now, and although I don't live in Sheffield anymore I'm not house bound in the town in which I live.

I'm 52 yrs old, and feel very young. Just the same as Sheffield, the town where I live had several murders each month in the good ol' days (1890 - 1910). they had regular mob riots and the average age people lived to was 43! People had scant comfort in their lives and very little to look forward to. Poverty was endemic. My Grandad died in his 40's in Sheffield. He was one of the 'Little Mesters' with his own grinding wheel. But he died a miserable death of scilicosis.
So, forgive my rant and get out of your house and see Sheffield, I don't get to see it as much these days, but when I do it is alive, vibrant and wonderful in so many ways!

Hear Hear,
Wish I was fifty two again, at 52 I was full of the joys of spring, walking , cycling, swimming, dancing, and even now at seventyfive I would still do all those things if I could.

I still feel young in my mind, go on holiday, drive, take an interest of everything that goes on in the world, go out young man and enjoy the world before it is too late. unless you are ill of course in which case I appologise. :D :o :lol:

I'm young 44 year old (45 on wednesday infact, no cards or flowers please, just money) who can remember the hot chestnut seller who fitted nicely in a gap next to Harolds's furniture shop on Snig Hill. If we'd just missed a bus my Dad used to buy a bag and we'd share 'em.

his name was called roy black i went to school with him at springfield school of west street,and the pub the Elephant in Fit/Sq was a irish pub where we young kids used to pop in on a sat night but it was always playing the 40 shades of green Music, so off we went to the marples before our epic pub crawl up on west street finishing in the Raven now a students pub i think, also ive read about ppls thoughts on the old rag and tag market with its animal market along side now that was a place to see as a kid old edwards the pot man throwing up the pots and hiting the pots with a wood stick,come to think of it now i was born on the moor and you could shop near every where the town areas like heely/london road/attercliffe/woodseats all had lots of diff shops but sadly now sheffield is not the sheffield it was no charactors now like the Duke of Darnel or the dances like the lacarno/glossop road baths/and city hall,and the tram was always on time no matter what to get us to the english steel .
mikelee1spain

I remember the chess nut seller on Snigg hill we would buy our chessnuts before getting on the bus at Bridge Street terminas.
Did Harrolds become Cantors, we used to call in there every Saturday after going to the ABC minors picture show.
I think there was a cafe next door.
I never liked the chess nuts though as they set my asthma off. 8)see below

Originally posted by "MMik"

I'm young 44 year old (45 on wednesday infact, no cards or flowers please, just money) who can remember the hot chestnut seller who fitted nicely in a gap next to Harolds's furniture shop on Snig Hill. If we'd just missed a bus my Dad used to buy a bag and we'd share 'em.

Hi Janet I have just seen your letter and I lived at nether edge and am a similar age I used to know a girl callad Janet who lived near me I lived at southviw rd just off sharrow lanein the early 60's I now live in Austalia wondered if you were the peson I knew! Clive Dyson :D

i am 52 did anyone go to st pauls school :D

I must be another old fart, I remember a hot chestnut man near the steps down from Flat st down to Pond st

k I'm young so wouldn't know all this, but just so I know, which one's campo lane again? I'm terrible with road names!

Originally posted by halevan
Hear Hear,
Wish I was fifty two again, at 52 I was full of the joys of spring, walking , cycling, swimming, dancing, and even now at seventyfive I would still do all those things if I could.

I still feel young in my mind, go on holiday, drive, take an interest of everything that goes on in the world, go out young man and enjoy the world before it is too late. unless you are ill of course in which case I appologise. :D :o :lol:

Make up your mind Halevan. I found several references to your age in past threads:-

In General Chit Chat:

Topic:- How old is everyone? Your answer was 99 yrs old I assume you were joking?

Topic: Can anyone find me a bloke? You answer was, "Will I do, I'm 32 next."

I have no idea how old you are. Just a few months ago you were 32 and now you are 75 and wish you were 52 again?? You seem to have aged 20 years plus. I'm in my early 40s and even I remember the chestnut seller and the lady with the weigh scales, so I believe that if you are in your 30s you'd still remember them anyway. Sorry Halevan, I don't mean to rag on you but I was intrigued. How old are you? Have you lost your mind with old age :?:
Why do you feel it necessary to change your age depending on the topic of the thread.

It runs from the back of the Cathedral up to Twon End Street.

Well thank everyone I found this site less than 24 hours ago and I already have a complex, I appear to be the oldest person around.
Should I join the silver surfers there must be someone older than me there.
I don't really mind being 60 because I was there when rock and roll was born.

Yes, we old farts still exist, I remember the hot chestnut man who used to stand at the bottom of the steps in Pond St, I've moved to Scarborough now to live (ex pat!) and only a week ago, there was a hot chestnut seller on the front by the lifeboat house. It really brought some memories back, and yes, they still smell bloody good.

The hot chestnut seller I remember was at the top of Snig Hill. My Dad would take me and my sisters to town on Saturday evenings to go to Castle Market and if we'd been good that week, we got chestnuts as a treat. Since there seems to be a thing about ages on this tread, we used to do this in the late 1940s/early 1950s and although I am WAY past 60, in my mind I'm still 21! Does this appeal to anyone? Not that I'm availabe - I'm married and live in the USA. Have a great day everyone and don't lose those memories. I'm writing my down for my grandkids.

I remember the chestnut man, and also the young bloke selling hot dogs outside Walsh's with his pushbike with a big tin box attached to the front, one or the other was our supper after a good pub crawl up West St and back down Division St & a couple of hours at the City Hall dance.
Remember when they had night watchmen looking after the holes in the road, they sat in their little sentry box's and had their coke fires to keep them warm, as kid's we would go and get warm and listen to the stories they used to tell, great days.

I'm 44 in Aug and proud of it, I'm growing old dis-gracefully and proud of it !!
My late father worked for many a year at the G.P.O in pond street and i have many happy memories of Sheffield city center from the 70s and the chestnuts seller who stood in pond street. He stood just behind the the large street map,which you could press buttons and a place would light up on the map. (wonder if anyone can remember that ?) Every winter from about Oct time he would be there, it still brings back memories when i smell hot chestnuts. There are a few people still selling them in the city center (especially on Fargate from Mid Sept. time) from shiny new carts and a lot more expensive too,but that's a sign of the times.
My memories of the city center also include the old bus station in Pond street,very shabby but it had character,the G.P.O in Fitzallan sq with all the red phone boxes lined up outside. Wigfulls and the Classic cinema. Not forgetting the Marples hotel,a total dump but another place with character and the beer was good LOL.
the merco petrol station in pond street was a place i visited in the middle of the night when i had run out of fags.
The old market i just about remember before the building of the Sheaf Market. with the old lady with the brass scales.and Oglies pet stall in the old rag and tag,not forgetting Pot Edwards ,what a show he used to put on throwing the cups and plates about,i cant ever remember him breaking any either.
The Hole in the road was another place. I loved to visit the giant fish tank set in to the wall. before we went off to do some shopping in Davis on Fargate where W.H. Smiths has stood for years.

i remember the chestnut seller in snig hill very well ... does anybody remember the red plush weighing chair just inside the rag and tag market?

while were all thinking of the bottom end of town does anyone remember the norfolk market hall in the haymarket it had a fountain in the middle with lions heads on it the water coming out of their mouths?

poop I do I remember the chestnut seller on pond hill too

I was told by my father that the chestnut seller on Pond Street in the 1930's 40's was called Dom Pellegrino. Does anyone have a photograph of a Hot Chestnut Oven ?

Len F.

Does anyone remember the luke warm chestnut seller ? :)

I must be another old fart, I remember a hot chestnut man near the steps down from Flat st down to Pond st

And they were 4d a bag.

An' that were a lot o' money in them days....

How good it is to read on S.F. about some of the characters who used to sell things on the streets of Sheffield. Plus, of course, there were the eccentrics like the ' Duke of Darnall ' wandering abroad !! Plus, the flower-sellers and the odd ' barrow-boy '. All these gave cities like Sheffield their unique atmosphere.

When some people ask, " Well, what IS indigenous culture ? " -----our street life and its characters are part of the answer. There is much more to indigenous culture, I know, but this was part of it.

Nowadays, very little of it remains. The ' Elf & Safety ' busybodies, the police and, strangely enough, their alter-egos, the thugs and vandals, have driven the anarchic, easy-come, easy-go street sellers away.

One of the great things going for us ex-pats is,that in many countries, the streets are still full of interest, tradespeople and customers, quite often until late at night.

Know the lad who was the son of the hot chestnut sellertook over from his Dad for a short while in the late 60's he was called Barry Black.

his name was called roy black i went to school with him at springfield school of west street,and the pub the Elephant in Fit/Sq was a irish pub where we young kids used to pop in on a sat night but it was always playing the 40 shades of green Music, so off we went to the marples before our epic pub crawl up on west street finishing in the Raven now a students pub i think, also ive read about ppls thoughts on the old rag and tag market with its animal market along side now that was a place to see as a kid old edwards the pot man throwing up the pots and hitting the pots with a wood stick,come to think of it now i was born on the moor and you could shop near every where the town areas like healy/london road/attercliffe/woodseats all had lots of diff shops but sadly now sheffield is not the sheffield it was no characters now like the Duke of Darnell or the dances like the locarno/glossop road baths/and city hall,and the tram was always on time no matter what to get us to the english steel .
mikedee1 spain

Not only did ROY BLACK sell chestnuts he also worked for Sheffield City Council as a driver after leaving the Council he went self employed as a driving instructor he used to store his chestnut cart under the arches at Pond st having it vandalized more than once not only did i work with ROY we were good mates as well always remember him having a full beard which for a young bloke in those days was unusual as he looked like a Beatnik if anyone knows of his whereabouts i would be very interested to get back in touch with Roy.

how come you dont still get some of these old professions now?
did the market dry up for hot chestnuts?
nobody interested?

How good it is to read on S.F. about some of the characters who used to sell things on the streets of Sheffield. Plus, of course, there were the eccentrics like the ' Duke of Darnall ' wandering abroad !! Plus, the flower-sellers and the odd ' barrow-boy '. All these gave cities like Sheffield their unique atmosphere.

When some people ask, " Well, what IS indigenous culture ? " -----our street life and its characters are part of the answer. There is much more to indigenous culture, I know, but this was part of it.

Nowadays, very little of it remains. The ' Elf & Safety ' busybodies, the police and, strangely enough, their alter-egos, the thugs and vandals, have driven the anarchic, easy-come, easy-go street sellers away.

One of the great things going for us ex-pats is,that in many countries, the streets are still full of interest, tradespeople and customers, quite often until late at night.

how come you dont still get some of these old professions now?
did the market dry up for hot chestnuts?
nobody interested?I think Fareast just answered that question.
Sheffield streets ain't safe anymore in the evenings.

how come you dont still get some of these old professions now?
did the market dry up for hot chestnuts?
nobody interested?

Well, there's quite often a woman on Fargate selling them - she's been there the last few weeks...

I think Fareast just answered that question.
Sheffield streets ain't safe anymore in the evenings.

I'VE got a guy just around the corner where i now live in the W/MIDLANDS who has got a brand spanking state of the art NEW BARROW painted up in the old style which not only roasts chestnuts but also does corn on the cob and jacket potatoes now that's what you call progress FLASH GIT :hihi: .

I'VE got a guy just around the corner where i now live in the W/MIDLANDS who has got a brand spanking state of the art NEW BARROW painted up in the old style which not only roasts chestnuts but also does corn on the cob and jacket potatoes now that's what you call progress FLASH GIT :hihi: .

Ah the fargate seller hasn't progressed to other baked products, she just sells the chestnuts!

while were all thinking of the bottom end of town does anyone remember the norfolk market hall in the haymarket it had a fountain in the middle with lions heads on it the water coming out of their mouths?

There are pictures of that on Picture Sheffield, and many more of the old days.

while were all thinking of the bottom end of town does anyone remember the norfolk market hall in the haymarket it had a fountain in the middle with lions heads on it the water coming out of their mouths?

Yes Heidi, I remember it well. Used to buy classic comics from a stall just inside the entrance. I often wonder which Philistines gave permission for it to be demolished. It was a magnificent example of Victorian architecture which today would no doubt be admired.

Don't remember the chestnut seller on Campo Lane but clearly remember a guy selling them at the top of Snigg Hill and sometimes halfway down opposite Water Lane nick. Could've been the same one. They were a 'tanner' a bag, the bags were those old fashioned pointy ones.
Paul Tansley says the chestnuts used to give him a asthma attack, I wonder, could it've been the fumes from the coke under the oven? I know I got a mouthfull of fumes a couple of times and it set me off, and I don't suffer from asthma.

Not only did ROY BLACK sell chestnuts he also worked for Sheffield City Council as a driver after leaving the Council he went self employed as a driving instructor he used to store his chestnut cart under the arches at Pond st having it vandalized more than once not only did i work with ROY we were good mates as well always remember him having a full beard which for a young bloke in those days was unusual as he looked like a Beatnik if anyone knows of his whereabouts i would be very interested to get back in touch with Roy.

Roy didn't leave the council, in fact he still works @ Olive Grove.........i know this for a fact because i 'job-share' with him on the loading shovel....P.S, is this the same Jack Hewitt a.k.a "Iron bar Jack" ?

No one mentioned the one at the bottom of Cambridge street just off the Moor

We visited some friends in Chicago a couple of Christmasses ago. We went downtown and guess what !! Hot Chestnut men. Wheelbarrows and all. Talk about an acid flashback:)

No one mentioned the one at the bottom of Cambridge street just off the Moor

Yes, USUK, that's the one I remember best. Stood on waste ground
( probably a bomb site) at Moorhead opposite Queen Victoria's statue.
A tasty snack following a visit to the Empire, Hippodrome or Palace, Union Street.

No one mentioned the one at the bottom of Cambridge street just off the Moor

I remember in the late 70s early 80s the guy selling chestnuts you mention on the Moor was of mixed eastern origin half English half Chinese his name was either FRED or FRANK he was also a regular drinker up and down London rd on Friday nights .

Roy didn't leave the council, in fact he still works @ Olive Grove.........i know this for a fact because i 'job-share' with him on the loading shovel....P.S, is this the same Jack Hewitt a.k.a "Iron bar Jack" ?

Hi raizuli 3 yes you have got me in one " IRONBAR " now you have got me who have i got the pleasure of replying to LET ME KNOW . Now lets hope its the same ROY BLACK i do remember him leaving to start his own driving school i used to come across him on a few occasions instructing in the Mosborough area when i was working for the council and i left in 1990 if and when you see him next ask him to get in touch with me i want to ask him if he knows the whereabouts of an old mutual friend of ours CHEERS.

I remember in the late 70s early 80s the guy selling chestnuts you mention on the Moor was of mixed eastern origin half English half Chinese his name was either FRED or FRANK he was also a regular drinker up and down London rd on Friday nights .

When I was buying them there were VERY few non Anglo's in Sheffield :)

Hi there "ironbar", i've spoken with Roy & he thinks you have got him confused with Haydn Ellis.........who does have a driving school, but Roy does'nt.....the driving school he thinks you are refering to is the one that was run by his uncle Ted.........Most of the 'Old Guard' have now left the council, but there are still a few of us left over from the good old days.... (S.C.C.E) :help:..........if you still want to contact Roy, PM me, & i'll give you his details, all the best, & keep smilin' :D :D Alan Jones.

I think I do remember the pub called the Elephant, just on the coner of Campo Lane and Townend Street, opposite those old flats and next to where the Wisewood Bus (Nos 14 & 16) would start out from.

My Grandma had the Willow Tree pub up the street on Portobello Street, right next to the University, at the back of West Street. She was called Lizzie Wood and had been the land lady at the famous Red House, Solly Street, many years before that.

Any memories jogged?

The Elephant was situated on the corner of Norfolk Street and Fitzalan Square, directly opposite to the entrance to the Odeon cinema.

The Elephant was situated on the corner of Norfolk Street and Fitzalan Square, directly opposite to the entrance to the Odeon cinema.

Thats right CROOKESEY also turned into a HALFORDS SHOP if i remember right.

Hi there "ironbar", i've spoken with Roy & he thinks you have got him confused with Haydn Ellis.........who does have a driving school, but Roy doesn't.....the driving school he thinks you are referring to is the one that was run by his uncle Ted.........Most of the 'Old Guard' have now left the council, but there are still a few of us left over from the good old days.... (S.C.C.E) :help:..........if you still want to contact Roy, PM me, & i'll give you his details, all the best, & keep smilin' :D :D Alan Jones.

Cheers ( ALAN) RAIZULI 3 i stand erected Roy is right i'm mixed up with HAYDON ELLIS it's the tablets you know :loopy: .

I must be another old fart, I remember a hot chestnut man near the steps down from Flat st down to Pond st

I remember geting nuts here when i went to work with my dad aged 10 or 11 in the early seventies, remember the scene every time i have chestnuts, going to have some tonight

Hi Ttourtell
If you can remember the chestnut seller from the early 50s that was my Dad, his name was Vic Plowman, his mate Ron Broomhead from Rotherham used to help him on Saturdays

I remember the chestnut seller on Snig Hill in the earlie 60's, it was always a treat on a winter evening on my way home from school (St Peter's) to Darnall.
Like many others on here, the smell of roasted chestnuts take you straight back.

there used to be 1 at the bottom of the steps in pond street too,i bought some a few weeks ago to do at home :( in my fan assisted oven ,they didnt taste as good as then,maybe next time ill try the bbq,:)