Stuart47

Ask her.

Yes, it must have been. I went to Carfield School during the same era and we also made the same day trip to London. When I think about it we crammed an awful lot into the day, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, the crown jewels and a trip on an open deck bus. It may well have been the same trip and organised jointly by a number of schools. I guess I would have been 11 or 12 so would put it around 1958/59. Regards...............Stuart Abbott

Yes I remember the old street. My mother left West Bromwich in 1945 and went to live in digs in Little London Place. From Chesterfield Road the house was midway down on the right and occupiers she lived with were Peggy and George North. Peggy, I remember was blind in one eye. My mother lived there before marrying my father in December 1946 not long after he returned from 4 years in Burma. They both worked at Hardy Patent Pick, my father was a forge shovel plater and my mother worked in the wood shop turning and preparing the wooden handles for the farm implements. Hardy Patent Pick was owned by a Mr. Jameson before he sold it off to Laycock Engineering. Going back to little London Place, they were terraced houses with ginnels leading into a yard with outside toilets to the back of the yard. I cannot remember them having any garden, though the may have. I was born in 1947 on Valley road in a similar style house which was two bedroomed therefore it is likely those on Little London Place were similar properties with just a sitting room and kitchen downstairs. My father was born in the same house on Valley Road in 1917. I hope that is helpful.

Yes, I remember it we well. I guess it was Sheffield's equivalent to Liverpool's Cavern. If I remember correctly the tables were beer barrels, the place was as damp as hell and you were right there was no booze.

You are quite right, I'm also turned 75 last year. My wife and I worked overseas constantly from 1980. She returned in 2010, me to join her after I retired from Malaysia in 2014. Though I have tried a couple of times to make connect with friends from my school and my youth. I have had no success. I went to Carfield School in Meersbrook from around 1953 until 1961 until the seniors transferred to Newfield Secondary Modern, leaving in 1963. If anyone does remembers Stuart Abbott, then please contact me.

The owner of the building Brunswick Works, where there were two garages, was Peter Shaw, he had a garage in the building and he rented out another part to garage owner David Badger. Next door to Peters workshop was my engineering and fabrication workshop. Sorry about the lateness of information.

I used to go around 1963/4, where I met my wife 16th February 1964, we are still married today.

I had a very dear friend who lived in the prefabs, Ian Gregory, I was his best man and we worked together for a number of years, he had a sister called Jill and his mother was Joan. We lost contact when my wife and I went overseas for work. I don't suppose you knew him and if so have any leads on his whereabouts?

Dave Travis was a very good friend of mine. Have you any idea of his whereabouts? We lost contact when we went overseas to live..

I will add another bit of information regarding David Gallagher who is mentioned in this thread as a strict teacher with overzealous methods of controlling and punishment. David later became my brother-in-law and had a wonderfully rich career. After leaving Newfield and teaching he went on to work for the Royal Household as assistant press secretary to our Queen for which he was knighted, he then worked in Whitehall for which I cannot say further, after which he worked for many huge international corporations, became a lawyer, he was married by the Pope in Rome. The last time I saw him was in 2017 at his sisters, my sister-in-laws, funeral; at that time he was a lobbyist in Brussels. Sadly he passed away in 2018 at the age of 79.

Well Runningman, I thought that I had already posted on this thread but seemingly haven't, it must be another one. I was a Carfield intake at Newfield from 61 to 63, Paul Renshaw went there together and were in the same class, we were close friend both at and out of school, he became head boy and I deputy. I remember the white ribbons sawn around the blazer sleeve cuffs to identify as a prefect; also remember we had the authority to issue lines to misbehavers. The bicycle sheds, if I remember was the best place for catching smokers and don't think the confiscated fags ever got turned in. Many of the names I remember, particularly John Nailer, I played in the same football side as he and thought him to be one of the most gifted natural players. I also played in the first 11 cricket side, spent too much time in the nets, and tried out for Yorkshire Colts at Bramhall lane. You had mentioned to me in a PM that Roy Waring had passed away, he too was a good friend, we started an engineering apprenticeships together at Laycock Engineering in September 63. I remember at the time he was madly in love with a girl called Angie from NGS. Brian(?) Jones also started with us and also like Roy joined the police force. The two books for either GCE or RSA's for English literature were Animal Farm and the Merchant of Venice, I remember all having to learn and recite Portia's speech. Strangely enough having had quite a successful career, I never once had to recite it again. I'd be interested to hear from anyone from that year.

Hi, I'm Stuart Abbott who was a great friend of Trevor and Jeff Slattery, one of them could be your either your father or uncle. Here is another coincidence, in 1984 we went to live in South Africa and still have a farm there between Johannesburg and Pretoria at Hartebeespoort Dam. My wife Deirdre returned to the UK in 2010 and I followed parentally in 2014. I remember your grandfather George and grandmother from them living on Harvey Clough Road. I didn't know well Jill, Trevor's twin sister, she of course could be your mom and Trevor and Jeff your uncles. The family were all very hard workers, there factory at the time was in Hillsborough Barracks. If you have any information on how I can contact Jeff or Trevor I would appreciate it. Regards...Stuart

I have been trying to find and old friend who was my best nan at our wedding. Ken Murray lived close to the bottom of Warminster Road, Norton Lees in the early 1960's before going to South Africa with his parents and then returned a couple of years later. I would be grateful if anyone knows how I might contact him or his whereabouts. He belonged, as I did, to a private group of hikers called 'The Win Hill Climbers'. I last saw Ken in the early 70's when he himself got married.

I'm 73, so you are a little bit older than me as I didn't leave school until 63. Though I left school at 15, I guess in June or July 63, I became 16 a few months later in the September. All the teachers you mention I remember, not vividly but certainly by name. I had a friend, older than me, who lived in the same yard as my grandmother on Valley Road, his name was Ron (Ronald) Saunders. He was a big lad tall and overweight, he was my sort of minder and looked after me when in my sub 10 years. Did you know him. I suspect he hasn't moved far but that is just a hunch. I wouldn't mind getting in touch with him if he is still with us, the last time I recollect seeing him was around 60/61 time. My father used to tell stories about him and your dad, but for the life of me can't recollect what they were about, though I'm fairly sure they probably predate Hardy Pick. My grandmother was handicapped with a club foot and needed, at times, to wear leg irons; my grandfather, my dads father died when dad was 12, this is when he left school (Carfield) to start work as a boy furnace man to support his mother and brother. I'm not sure if he went to Hardy Pick then or not but know he got on extremely well in later life with the then owner Mr. Jameson. We still have a bookcase in our house that came out of the Hardy Pick library along with some maps and books. The book case was purchased for 5/- shillings. The name Albert Nash rings a bell.

Yes, I do remember your father Tommy, who was a friend of my fathers. I also remember Bernard Moody also a friend of Dad's. I remember some interesting stories about the fab shop, one of an apprentice being told to stand on the welding table to hold something and keep his eyes shut tight so as not to get a welding flash while the welder mischievously tacked the metal segs on his boot heels to the table. Apparently the poor lad nearly broke his ankles when he tried to jump off. The manager or foreman of the Die Shop was definitely George Cocker. He was the same age as our fathers and a very smooth slick character; as I remember a bit like the film actor George Cole or the spiv in Dad's Army, always wore a dapper suit, trilby and had a pencil moustache. A nice guy though. Whereabouts did you live and which school did you go to. I remember a lad called Cartwright at Carfield where I went to school. Just another question, your father wasn't in the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders by chance. I have a picture of my father and 3 of his mates who all joined together before the war. The other two in the picture Kerley or Curly Godfrey, (I think that was his nickname and he may have been Godfrey Kerley) Ted Dimbaline and the name of the third I can't remember, but it could have been Tommy Cartwright your father. I have just quickly looked for the photo circa 1937/8 but can't put my hands on it.

I also worked at Laycock Engineering, going through their apprentice school in 1963/64. My father Fred Abbott was the forge foreman at Hardypick, he retired also from then Laycock's at 65 in 1982/83. I don't recollect the name 'Devil Shop', though after the training centre and a few months at college went into the Die shop on Little London Road where George Cocker was the foreman. Like you I also moved on after 18 months.

I'm sorry to reply so long after this post but have only just seen it. Your father wasn't by chance Godfrey Kerley was he? The reason I ask, my father Fred Abbott (Ike) also worked at Hardypick, both before and after the war. He and three of his friends, one know to them as Kerley Godfrey all joined the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders together around 1936/7 before the war and all served in Burmah together. One of the others was Ted Dimbaline. also worked at Hardypick. I do have a photo of the 4 but don't seem to be able to paste it It's a long shot I know.

Hi Duffems, Paul and I were extremely good friends at that time, I never saw him again after leaving school. I was also a good friend of Christine, in fact the three of us were somewhat inseperable for a time. Christine kept in contact with my mother for years. The last time I saw Christine was at my mothers funeral in 1977, I hope she is well. I was pleased to hear of Paul's success in the police force. If you knew Paul then you must know me and I you. How time passes, it must be around 56/57 years since we left Newfield.

This is not Dave Gunn is it, have a sister called Anne as I recall?

Yes, I'm trying to think back. 40 years ago, we had just sold our engineering business in Oughtibridge and were embarking on a trip to Saudi Arabia. After that in 82/83 we returned to Sheffield for a short time before leaving to South Africa. I did know that Paul had a successful career with the police but lost contact with him many years ago in fact not long after he got married, so that would be around 63/64. Christine his wife came to my mothers funeral in 77 and that was the last time I saw her. Anyway glad to hear that he's still with us, he was a good friend. You're not Geoffrey Caterer are you? I'm intrigued, please let me know, you can send me a private email if you wish. We can have a reminisce and catch up. Thanks for the message......Stuart

It's taken 11 years to see this, I'm Stuart Abbott. I fondly remember well all the names mentioned and hope all are well. I too went on to Newfield School. I've had fortunate life, realising after school that I had to educate myself...lol..and eventually went into the oil industry in engineering management which took me and my family all over the world. In 1984 I had a project in South Africa and decided to make that our perminant home and bought a farm, which we still have but no longer live there. It's long story, so maybe for another time. My last project was in Malaysia from where I retired in 2014. We decided to retire in the UK and we made several trips here buying a house in Scarborough, where we now live. I'd love to get in touch but honestly can't remember you by your nickname. Best regards and hope this finds you well.......Stuart

I was a very good friend of both Trevor and Jeff Slattery in the 1960's, I presume one is your father. In 1970 I got married and shortly after we went overseas and lost contact. Since retiring and returning to the UK in 2014 I have been trying to locate them, but so far have failed. There were a few of us, close friends at the time who hung about together and would regularly go camping and hiking at weekends, Trevor was the real outwards bound adventurous one. I would love to make contact with them again if you could pass this message on and maybe contact me privately. We have a lot of catching up and reminiscing to do.