Thorpy

Hi Hillsboro, Thanks that's exactly what I wanted. Once again you've come up with the goods, as I guessed you would! Best Wishes, T.

Hillsbro, I wonder if you have a similar list for the number 9 circular please, during the 1950's? See my recent post. Thanks, T.

An old friend and I were talking the other day about old bus routes, and ended up totally puzzled. I went to Nether Edge Grammar School 1953 to 1958. I used to travel to school on the Nether Edge bus along Washington Road. Coming home I caught the Circular at the end of Union Road, getting off on Queens Road at the junction of Bramall Lane/Havelock Bridge. I think it was number9. My friend used to catch it from Queens Road up to Union Road to go to School. Where it came from before Union Road and went to after Queens Road is a mystery to us. My question is, do any of you knowledgeable people out there know the routes of those circular buses, going both directions? Along shot I know, but I hope someone can help.

Jim, it was a great area to grow up in wasn't it? You went Alderson Road school then. My mates and me used to go to the Cubs there and on Church Parade to St. Barnabas church, in the hope that we would get to parade through the streets in our cub uniforms. It's strange, one lad on our road went to Alderson Road school, and one went to Cecil Road (both connected to St. Barnabas I think), yet four of us off our road went to Sharrow Lane.

I visit my old neighbourhood from time to time when I go for walking gear or to the opticians, I used to live on Thorp Road, Highfields. The old houses were demolished around the late sixties, but the new ones were built on the same footprint of the road, with Alderson Road at the top, and Hill Street at the bottom. Woodhead Road the next road along still has the old houses standing on one side of it, so that when I walk up Thorp Close, as it is now called,I try to place where our old house used to stand by looking across at the houses on Woodhead Road, and also by the distance up to Alderson Road, but without much success. It was a great road to grow up on, with lots of good friends and loads of characters among the adults. It seems a little soulless now, the old road was full of life. Still I've got many very good memories of the area from my childhood and I often remember them. A clever man once said "The past is a foreign country". How right he was! One other detail occurs to me. When I was in junior school at Sharrow Lane, we were asked by one the teachers write down the name of our road. I of course wrote Thorp Road. The teacher brought me to the front of the class and informed them that I couldn't spell the name of my own road correctly and that it should end with an e as in Thorpe. I insisted that I was right, and she insisted that I was not. She was so adamant that I was wrong, she sent a classmate home with me to look at the street sign. This of course proved her wrong, however I can't remember her apologising.

Hi Runningman, Thanks for the update on the old gang members. When the gangs were starting to be broken up, Jack Thompson and I were among the first two man overhead and internal installation teams to be formed. Jack was a real character and a good laugh. I had quite a few hair raising escapades while working with him. I don't know how we got away with some of the stunts he pulled. He went on to be a Survey Officer in the Chesterfield area. As you say sadly he died at quite a young age. As you say Brian Staley went on to be a Level one Inspector, for a time at Maltravers Road he was my Line Manager. It's surprising how as the years passed most of us progressed through the job to completely different disciplines. I became a T. O. Contract Supervisor and then later worked on Special Faults out of the old Attercliffe Exchange. Let's hope that our latest updates jog a few memories and maybe a few stories, I've certainly got some!

I can recall some of the gang foremen working from New Street from the early sixties and a lot of the men working with them. they used to be swapped around from time to time, so the gangs were not always the same. T1 Frank Bough, Albert Kelly, Doug Johnson, Jack Thompson. T1 Jack Platts, Alec Tissington, Doug Atkin, Alf Tookey. T1 Harry Marsden, Allan Smythe, Bill ? T1 George Morris, Brian Bradley, Harold Aspinall. T1 Ted Tyson, Bill Upton, Paddy Flack. They worked the Hope Valley, and all lived out there. When Paddy and Bill moved on (Australia)? Ray Taylor and Tony Hardwick joined Ted ,working from either from Grindleford exchange or Beauchief, coming in to New Street and West Street for pay and stores. T1 Joe Murphy, Merrick Hatton, Roy Lines and maybe Graham Groves. Other gang foremen were Eric Rose and Ray Beaman. I can't remember their gangs, as I say it was often quite fluid. Special party jointers were, Stan Causebrook, Graham Guest and Brian Staley. There were other gang members, but I can't recall them at the moment. I think I'm going to struggle for photos, because at the time it would have been almost unheard of to bring a camera to work However I'll keep looking and hope for the best. T.

Yes I certainly remember Jack Platts. I was in his gang for a while. You worked hard, but you had lots of laughs. I could tell a few funny stories about my time with Jack, he was very quick witted and a great comedian. Another great gang foreman to work with was Frank Bough again hard work, but lots of laughs. I used to love a few weeks in his gang. Once the work was done for the day, you never knew what would happen next.

In the early 1900's it was the National Telephone Company, N T C. Still to be seen on some poles during the sixties and seventies. This later became Post Office Telephones, and then eventually British Telecom There was a saying among the old hands that G P O stood for god's poor orphans!

Thanks I'll look into that.

I started working for what was then Post Office Telephones (much later to become B T) in April 1962. I was then in an overhead gang of four or five men. The job entailed putting up telephone poles, digging the holes first, whilst the foreman "dressed" the pole - putting on arms. braces, combiners, spindles, insulators and steps. At that time we would then be erecting open cadmium copper wires from the distribution pole (D P ), To wherever the subscriber end was. I went on to spend most of my working life working for what was to become B T. I wonder if anyone out there has any photos of the old gangs or the Commer Karriers we used to use? I've tried Picture Sheffield, but no luck. Any stories would be good, I can certainly tell a few, there were some real characters around at the time.

David, I got home from Spain on Sunday, and have only just seen your posts. If I had seen the original post when it appeared, there would have been another definite three attendees, Roger Walker, David Vardy and myself. Also another probable four. I am very sorry that I missed the original post, and also can understand your disappointment at the lack of response after all the trouble you went to Regards. TH.

I'll certainly ask him. He lives in Leigh, Lancashire now and has some health issues. I know that he would love to come along.He can stay at our house as he usually does. It's not an easy journey for him these days and my wife and I usually go over to Leigh to see David and Monica. We have been close friends all our lives since being very small boys and living on the same street. We were best man for each other and God parents to each other's children. I'll see what I can do! I'm sorry I cannot come to Ken's funeral, as it my Sister's funeral on September 4th at 11.15 at Hutcliffe Wood Crematorium. I'll pass the word on though.

Yes that's Roger, if he hadn't got a pot on one arm or the other, he was sporting some stitches either on his forehead or his leg! I still see quite a bit of Roger, and I need to give him a ring and let him know about Ken. I know he will be very sorry to hear that he's passed away. I'll also let David Vardy know, as he too knew Ken very well. They both carried on at Sharrow Lane with Ken after I left so they will no doubt have some memories of him from then. I remember going with Ken and Roger and some girls to a bonfire and barbecue in the grounds of the old Blind School on Sharrow Lane. I can't recall whether it was organised by the Sharrow St. Johns scouts. Maybe Ken had connections there? I'm pleased to hear he kept his fighting spirit! Yes he is very well remembered.

Very sad to hear of Ken's death. I have some good memories of him. I went to Sharrow Lane Juniors with him until I left aged eleven to go to Nether Edge. We lost touch for about three years, but Ken started knocking about with me and Roger Walker and one or two more around the ages of fourteen, fifteeen and sixteen. We used to go up to his Dad's allotment behind the woods on Hutcliffe Wood Road. We would open the hut there and lark about for hours. If it was cold we would light a fire in the old Salamander stove. As we got a little older we would often take our girl friends along (all innocent stuff at the time!) Another good memory was when Ken, Roger and me went camping by the river at Calver. We never dreamed of asking the landowners permission, though as it happened we weren't there long enough for him to come across us. We had just put a big pan of potatoes on the fire to boil, when there was an almighty crash of thunder and the heavens opened. It battered our makeshift tent down and flooded us out. Everything was soaked through, so we packed up and came home. When we got back to Sheffield, we found that large parts of the city had been without power due to the storm. I remember that Ken was bitterly disappointed that we had to cut the trip short, and we promised that we'd have another bash. We never did though. I've got a photo of us all later that Summer at Roger's sixteenth birthday party, it shows a very happy group of lads and lasses. Golden days! Once again very sad to hear he's gone. I remember him fondly as a very pleasant, easygoing happy lad. R. I. P. Ken.

Went to the reunion today. Many thanks to David France! It was good to see some of the old faces again from my year, Roger walker, Keith Spooner, and of course David France. From the year after, there were Ian Brelsford, Frank Turner, Malcolm Gladwin, Ralph Holmes and Dave Storf(sp?). There were lots more from other years, David is I think going to post a list of everyone. Some of the girls attended, including Sandra Cook and Valerie Shaw. An ex-pupil who used to live at the top of our road was also there, Tony Foulds who has been in the the news lately regarding his dedication to the Mi Amigo memorial in Endcliffe park over all these years. It was a pleasure to meet him again after all this time. We also had a very tasty "school dinner" in the cafe, good value for money. Once again, thanks to David for organizing things.

Thanks, I'll have a look.

Thanks, I have checked before, but I'll try again and see if any have been added.

Can any of you tell me how I can get hold of a photograph of the old cottages which used to stand almost opposite Heeley Church on Gleadless Road. I think they were knocked down in either the late fifties or early sixties I've searched Picture Sheffield, but no luck. There must be some record of them somewhere, I hope some one can point me in the right direction. My wife and her brothers and sisters lived there as children, and would love to see aphoto of them.

Hello Shebba. I didn't get your PM. Can you try again?

I can't match that, but I can remember going to the corner shop at the bottom of our road for a haporth of balm. You older ones will remember that's half an old penny.

My dad worked at Hill Brothers as a holloware buffer just before retiring, then went back part time after my mum died. My dad's cousin owned half the business of Hill Brothers. He too was a holoware buffer.

Hello Elaine, hope you manage to sort out your PC, and thanks in advance for the photos. I'll P. M. you with my email address. I'm Tony Hardwick. I used to live on Thorp Road off Highfields. Miss Eyre insisted that I was spelling the name of our road wrongly, and that it should have an e on the end. she sent one of our class mates home with me one day after school to prove me wrong, however it was she who was proved to be wrong. She never apologised though! Thanks again.

Hello Elaine, sadly I couldn't get to the reunion, but on seeing the video it looks as though you all greatly enjoyed catching up after all these years! I was also in your class, and remember the boys you mention. David Roberts was a very good friend of mine. If I let you have my email address, would you mind sending any photos you have?

Hello again David, I've remembered a few more names. Bob Hempstock Mick Linley Roger Walker. Roger lived on the same road as me, and we still meet up occasionally for a drink and a chat. I've also remembered a few of the girls. Yvonne Cohen Christine Salmons Avis Tingle Valerie Burgin Mavis Leavesley Rosamund Pygott Sandra Cooke Judith Whitehead Betty Smedley. As you say it seems to have been a very good class, in what was a very good school!