Mags

I don’t think this will be of much help with your book but Hodgson was my mothers maiden name. I remember when I was very young my grandfather Herbert Hodgson had a motorbike and sidecar in his shed. He and my grandmother used to go out on it before she was crippled but after that it was never used but remained in the shed, that’s when I saw it,and was only cleared out when grandad died around 1957. There is a connection too with Leader Road, my uncle another Herbert Hodgson lived at 51 leader road and my fathers family lived next door on the corner of Leader road. I am just telling you all of this because I think my grandparents would have been unlikely to own a motorbike and sidecar unless they were able to have a “discount” from the family member who was producing them, just an idea. The Hodgson family also lived in Minto Rd at some time in the early 1900s and my cousin who is nearly 90 says there was a motor bike garage in Minto road but she isn’t sure so it could have been Leader road. I cannot find a Harry Hodgson in my family but my father had a brother Harry who lived in Leader Road as a youngster. Excuse the rambling of an old lady.

Thank you Cuttsie for the lovely Memories. I come onto this part of the Forum just to rekindle what I remember of Sheffield. Surely the Edwards brothers would qualify as real people. Who doesn’t remember them throwing tea services around in the market. So many great people who made Sheffield a place to remember

There was an opticians called Chadburns Lenses Ltd. I think it was 22 The Wicker but I can’t be certain. They had a factory on Meadow street. The building had lots of floors and up at the top was the office where it was possible to look right down the Wicker. I used to hang out the window and wave to the rag and bone man with his horse and cart. Across the road and a bit lower down was the Chinese restaurant and a huge furniture shop. Freidrichs did the best roast pork bread cake and if you were a bit hard up you could have the belly pork one or even just a dripping cake. Looking at a video on Sheffield History the Wicker is hardly recognisable except for the arches.

Reading this interesting thread reminded me that whenever my parents where looking to buy anything they would always say " Patnicks will have one" It was a sort of mantra. We lived in Barber road and my grandparents in Hillsborough.

I know this is an old topic but could anyone tell me about the trees that lined Western Road. I ask because I read an article in a newspaper a while ago that the council were going to chop them down. It went on to say that each tree was planted in memory of men who went to Western Road school and died in the war. I didn't know this when I went to Western Road but I remembered the trees and walking past them to get to the annexe for history. Would that be the same names that were on the plaque previously mentioned? Were the trees chopped down ? Or did people protest? Any information would be great as don't live near now.

I lived next door to Binneys newsagents on Barber Rd and on Sunday's helped selling the newspapers. The ones not delivered were saved till collected and named on top. I always remember asking who was called lamplighter and getting the explanation that he lit the gas lamps and did the knocking up When the sacks of coal were delivered through the grate in the pavement I was always sent to the top of the cellar steps to count how many bags were tipped. Dad used to use a seaside sand bucket to make what we called mud pies from the coal dust I think he put a bit of cement to make them set. They burnt on the fire for hours.

Does anyone remember the Whirlwinds? It was a group that played the clubs 60s. I used to go to the Sicey on Thursdays for live groups again 60s

There was a Gowers grocers on the junction of Crooksmoor Rd and Barber Road. Further up Barber Road closer to Burns Road was another grocers called Shentalls does anyone know if they had branches elsewhere or was this their only shop?

I recall my mother telling me she met my father on the monkey rack in Hillsborough. This would have been around 1912. I believe it was the area in any district where young people gathered to walk and hopefully meet someone they liked.

There are many things to take into account before you install a card machine. Read the rules and small print supplied by the card machine company first before signing anything and be sure that you are happy to comply with all they ask for. Take into account the actual costs of running the machine, it doesn't come free, you rent it or buy it and you have to insure it. For small independent shops the usual cut to the card company is 4% of transactions. The bank charges for each type of credit it makes to your business account so if each night you receive three types of payments it could cost you £1.80 or more. You need a telephone line that will not be in use while you are using the machine this might interfere with you taking phone orders. You have to buy the paper rolls, might sound mean but it is another cost. The transactions take longer than a cash transaction, can you afford the time. Sometimes you have to telephone the card company because the machine tells you to, this takes a long time to complete and is very frustrating. Having said all that, customers spend more when the shop takes cards just be sure that you can increase your sales, have you higher priced items they might buy? The £3 minimum spend seems quite low but you need to look at your average spend at the moment.If your customers only spend £2.40 at the moment they will hardly want to spend £3 unless they see something they can't live without. Finally you need to use precious time checking every slip to make sure you receive every amount banks do make mistakes. Good luck

I think the baby clothes shop may have been called Seedhouses

Mabbotts the butchers was down on the corner past Binneys newsagents bottom shop (they had one further up at 34) and the sweet shop. There was a shop next to Binneys that sold baby clothes and nighties but I can't remember the name. Was it Robins? The Herbalists near the laundry sold sasparrilla. Shentalls was the grocers next to the Hadfield. I still have scars on my knees from running too fast down the gennil and falling on the gravel. I was looking at Barber road on Google last night and what struck me was the colour of the houses, the stonework used to be black in the early 1950s I suppose that was all the smoke from the coal we all burnt for heating. In front of the shops were wooden covers that the coalmen lifted up before they tipped the sacks of coal down into the cellars.

Leadbeater & Peters opticians, Glossop Rd Chadburns Lenses Ltd, The Wicker Tom Marsh in the Castle Market Hansons, Castle Market Castle Bakery, Castle Market

Hi Saffron, My brother in law remembers "Old Mr Glover" because he bought flour for his bakery from him and he visited the mill regularly. This would be around 1958 or 1960 but unsure exactly. He tells me the mill was still working then. He remembers Mr Glover as a lovely old man. The Mr Glover that he knew did not hang himself so he thinks it was possibly a son but he cannot remember exactly if there were two sons. Not really very helpful to you but if he can remember anymore I will let you know

Thanks Chairboy, That is interesting.