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Iconic Sheffield "stores"

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Hi Plain Talker - you've reminded me of the old gent who sold matches etc. at the end of the Cambridge Arcade. My older brother remembers the story about his hearing being acute enough to know what coins you had given him.

 

Barney Goodman's was at the Pinstone Street end, opposite Suggs - both shops can be seen on this 1950s photo.

 

It's true that Sheffield lost some of its architecturally interesting buildings in the war, such as the 16th century King's Head (corner of Change Alley) and the early 19th century Angel Hotel nearby (here are "before" and "after" photos). In the post-war period our city fathers seemed determined to finish off what the Luftwaffe had missed..:(

 

thanks, for that, hillsbro, I did say I was prepared to stand corrected about the positioning of BG's.

 

I may be getting confused with (was it? Ray Allen?) the tailors opposite on the corner of Cambridge Street?

 

So, your brother also heard the legend of the Blind gentleman's acute hearing, too? it's not just something I thought I heard or maybe mis-heard?

 

I actually remember the Chap living in St George's sheltered OAP accommodation in the mid/ late 1970s, (near the old Jessops) with his wife (who I think was also visually impaired.

 

I remember walking up to Crookes Valley park, from my Gran's in Martin Street, and coming across him and his wife, at the top end of the Ponderosa, by Winter Street Hospital. His wife was in a state of collapse.

 

His poor wife had taken quite suddenly, and quite seriously ill. We got her an ambulance, and tended to her whilst we waited. ( Sadly,we never found out how she was afterwards)

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Hi willybite - a few memories there! Yes I remember Bunneys in Waingate; it was a regular port of call on Saturdays when I wasn't broke, and if I was 'flush' I'd get something from Winstons. We thought 45 rpm singles and long-playing albums were great when they replaced the old 78s. We also didn't have a record player but a (very popular) school pal of mine did. Later when my dad bought a Dansette I remember queueing at Cann's in Chapel Walk for Lonnie Donegan's My Old Man's a Dustman. According to Wikipedia that was in 1960. Memories...

 

hiya hillsbro the bunneys i used was ont moor around the bottom of young street ,bensons carpets were in a prefab shop first across young street was sharpes fruit shop across the moor was millets,back to bunneys further along was the moor post office, then halfords, then a bank on the corner, then a shoe shop, up ecclesall road was redgates, then franklins, i remember the big building facing ecclesall road brunswick chapel and i remember three or four small shops next up london road, there was the red circle library, and a fruit shop then on to m and s (locarno later). then further up london road was wigfalls.

Edited by willybite

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Hi willybite - yes, a few more familiar names there! I seem to recall that there was a Red Circle library in Snig Hill as well. The shops at the bottom of the Moor were demolished some time in the 1960s. As you say bensons was in a temporary building (here's a photo). Milletts and a few more shops on that side of the Moor can be seen here (click on Zoom to enlarge). London Road didn't suffer quite so much from demolition but of course the businesses have changed almost completely. The Locarno might now be a branch of Sainsbury's but at least the building survived. Although the Albion (where I've enjoyed many a good pint and game of snooker) had a "business opportunity" sign up when I was there last, at least it's still there. Ron Harrison's camera shop (established 40 years ago when Ron left Woodseats Photographic and struck out on his own) has been in at least four different locations, but all in London Road within a few yards of each other. And you can still have a pint in the Pheasant Inn - albeit under its new name of Barry's.

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Hi Plain talker - yes, my brother Roy (currently staying here with us at Chateau Hillsbro) says he can remember a blind man who knew which coin had dropped into his cup, and he's pretty sure it was the one we both remember who stood at the end of the Cambridge Arcade. Not sure about Ray Allen but I remember (mid-1970s) Harris's tailors opposite the Arcade on the corner of Cambridge Street.

 

It all seems such a long time ago. I must be getting old....:(

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Hi Plain talker - yes, my brother Roy (currently staying here with us at Chateau Hillsbro) says he can remember a blind man who knew which coin had dropped into his cup, and he's pretty sure it was the one we both remember who stood at the end of the Cambridge Arcade. Not sure about Ray Allen but I remember (mid-1970s) Harris's tailors opposite the Arcade on the corner of Cambridge Street.

 

It all seems such a long time ago. I must be getting old....:(

 

Hope your Bruv is having a good stay :D :wave:s at Hillsbro's Bruv...

 

The blind man was "always" there, almost a "permanent fixture", for donkeys years, I can't remember ever going past Suggs, and not seeing him there, right into the mid 70's, when the arcade was there, definitely, but after the mid 70's or so I don't recall seeing him there as much.

 

(This would be after the incident I remembered in my above post, about the time his missus took ill) He must have been seventy or so, back then, which can't have been good to have been out there, rain, snow or blow, selling these bits and pieces, (matches, spills, pens and the like) for mere pennies, scratching something of a living.

 

This man's powers of hearing were just astounding. I don't think it was a work of fiction that he could recognise the sound of the coins.

 

I'm not sure whether his blindness was congenital, or happened after an accident or injury. (His bearing sort of felt "Ex- serviceman")

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Hello again Plain Talker - yes, I always had the impression that he had a "military bearing" about him, and I wondered if he was blind as a result of a wartime (WWI or WW2) injury. He always had a poppy in his lapel around Remembrance Day.

 

Roy (here's a wave :wave: from him) and his wife Eileen think there's too much snow for their liking here in North Lincs., but I told them that according to Forum reports it would have been worse where they live (High Storrs) and it's melting now anyway!

 

Does anyone remember a tools & hardware shop in Carver Street? I seem to recall that it stood a little way back from the road, in a single-storey building. It was at the top end of Carver Street, probably where the car park is now.

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Schofields,now the big Argos

 

Jean Genie,Fargate

 

Eyres,The Moor

 

American Diner? Fargate used to buy Coke Floats there mmmm

 

The Attic Sandwich Shop next to Rebina shoes

 

Tammys near Castle Market

 

C & A now Primark

 

Rackhams now TJ Hughes

 

Colvins just past the Peace Gardens

 

Discount Beauty on Cambridge St

 

What was the shop called downstairs in Chelsea Girl thet used to sell records?? i can remember buying Reo Speedwagon there and Hall and Oate........ aarrrhhh i'm sooo old!!!

 

Jeanery on Fargate, early 80's? selling Smart R's jeans!!!:hihi:

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Mustard Seed cafe where the Town Hall egg-box used to be? And Jack Archer Sports on Bramall Lane?

 

Ran by Peter Fenwick, i believe, who sadly passed away only recently. I think there is another thread re Mustard Seed on Sheff Forum.

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Wimpeys on fargate,

 

Also a Wimpey on Pinstone St, on left going up, before Charles St.

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there was one record shop on the gallery over the markets,

 

Could that have been Spin City Records @ mid 80's?

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I recall:

Chantry Records on Commercial St then moved to Exchange Place; late 80s/early 90s

Spin City Records, upper outside deck, Castle Mkt; mid 80s

Roulette Records, Castle Market; 80s

Bradleys Records, Pinstone St, Fargate?, Chapel Walk, 70s & 80s

Curtis' Records, Moorhead where it became Mcdonalds 1970s

Hitsville Records?, Carver St i think in late 80s

 

I remember a record shop on London Rd and it was there in the mid 70s, next door or next but one to Harveys Opticians, which is still there to this very day, but what was the record shop called? Please, anyone?

Edited by Joe9T

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Austins opposite Redgates, used to be the official Levi outlet in Sheffield

Pauldens, now Debenhams

Disc Jockey cafe at the bottom of London Road

The In and Out sandwich shop on Union Street

Hornes in the subway off the Hole in the Road

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