AKADOK

Yeah, she was my auntie. She's dead now. She lived on Chelmsford Street after she got married, across the road from the little chapel. I will ask my mum if she remembers you. I remember those heads Retep mentions, viking or whatever they were. There is a building near the Staffordshire Arms, off Carlisle Street, which still has them. I was scared of them as a kid, although not as scared as I was of Sam Birley and his wife. There were loads of shops down there, considering it was such a small area. Anyone remember Bellamy's at the top of Cottingham St, Clare's Cafe, Bob Gaydon's Butchers, and 2 chip shops, Harrys and Becketts? All long gone of course.

Hi Whiteley Sorry for the delayed reply, I've not been on for a bit. She was called Bailey, and lived at 154, next to the Mackenders, and 2 doors from the Smiths. Our family moved there in the 1930s and left in 1981. There's a great picture of Cottingham Street in Jack Wrigley's book East End Camera. If you can still get a copy that is.

Mike The whole area is now unrecognisable. I have some pictures which might interest you, old and new. My auntie lived on Chelmsford Street, my grandama on Cottingham Street and we lived on Westbury Street. It was that sort of place. PM me and I will send you some stuff. When did you live there by the way? We might know some of the same people, you never know.

Footy Freak is right about the location of Westbury Street and also correct in her assertion that nothing exciting ever happened there. I know cos I lived there at the time. If I said to Footie Freak that the prowler lived on Cottingham Street she would probably know who I mean. Can't name names, as he is alive and well to this day. He didn't jump buildings but he did bang on windows and had a fondness for knocking policemen's helmets off. How this turned into Spring Heeled Jack, God only knows. The Spring Heeled Jack legend supposedly started as a prank by the then Marquis or Waterford, a sort of aristocratic Oliver Reed. From there a load of nonsense spang up, such as him jumping around Attercliffe in the seventies I also know who the bloke who sat up looking for UFOs over Westbury Street was, and he was crackers as well.

There is a picture of Bastock Road from 1981 in Jack Wrigley's book 'An Owlerton Camera', if you can still get a copy. Threads is available on DVD, I've got it and it's still really scary. The pub in question was actually called the Sportsman's Group, which I always found a bit odd, but there you go. Not related to Sandra Bastock off Woddbourne Road are you? She was in my class at Woodbourne school. Think her mum was one of the dinner ladies there.

I was on Meadow Street last week. Sadly the Meadow pub has just been demolished. Most of Malinda Street is fenced off and waiting to be pulled down as well.

I didn't think they looked like back-to-backs either. There were some slightly later (but still old), terraces at the bottom end which were occupied as recently as 1998, but they were demolished to make way for the new extension to the factory. What's sad is that the remaining properties have visibly deteriorated in the last few months, judging by your pictures. I don't think Well Meadow Street will be with us much longer.

I went to one in (I think) 1985. Performers included Criminal Sex (skinhead punks from Chesterfield), Hole In The Wll (also known as Spoon and one one occasion Five Go Rhino Hunting), Flexible Penguins (featuring Captain Lard, now of the Rex Pistols), and Henry Normal as compere. The bands outnumbered the audience by about 2 to one, as it was a cold miserable Saturday. I don't have any pictures but somebody made a film of it. I've never seen it but I was the scruffy looking one in the denim jacket at the front of the stage. No change there then.

Hey Woof I know who you are! I reckon the clue's in the name. Maxpower, where on Westbury St did you live? I lived on there from '68 to '81.

Just to confirm Plain Talker is correct (she usually is, hi PT). Her first pic is of Zion church. If you walk round the back of the block where the Omega massage parlour is, you'll find the spot where the chuch stood. It suffered fire damage in about 1987/88 and was demolished shortly afterwards. The small graveyard behind remained, but was fenced off and became part of a van hire establishment. As far as I know the graves are still back there somewhere.

I remember the various 'Dolebusters' festivals in Weston Park in the eighties. Saw such luminaries as Criminal Sex, Flexible Penguins, Hole In The Wall, Spoon, and Henry Normal (now a succesful comedy writer or something). At least one compliation came out of it featuring the likes of Pulp (remember them?), The Wealthy Texans, The Masons and loads of other long forgotten acts. I seem to remember the audiences consisted of bands and their mates and that was about it.

Was down there the other day. It's now an office, called 'Monkey Works'.

I've got some from 1969. One from above and one from inside the control tower. PM me if still interested. The Dok

Hi Jdodie. Sorry this has been a long time coming. I can confirm that there are no travel agents on Carver Street. A trendy retro boutique and a seventies themed club, but no travel agents. The Dok

Thanks Melthebell, I'll have a look at that. The Tea Stains rings a bell, but don't remember Dagger. I think I would quite enjoy a low budget ELP. Don't get much of that stuff these days. Possibly not a bad thing though.

Anyone remember any of these? Starfighter:Metal band from late eighties Wish Hounds: Indie, early nineties Preteen: (possibly Pre Teens or Pritines, not sure of name) Punkish indie Landrover Festival: Plain weird, tape loops, hoovers etc, 1980's Googled most and got nowt so I don't hold out much hope. Anyone remember?

The old S&E Co-Op has long gone. They built a Safeway on it, which has recently become Waitrose. Don't think there's a travel agents on Carver St now, but I might not have noticed it, as I never go anywhere. I'll have a look tomorrow on me way to work if I remember, and report back.

It is still there. I was down there nosing about last month, and even took a picture.

Hi Pink Girl It was as you say the Darnall Medical Aid Parade. It carried on I think, at least into the seventies, possibly beyond. Ernest died a few years back. He was much loved in the area. He's buried in Darnall cemetery, with a headstone that says 'Queen of Darnall', which I'm sure he would approve of.

Andy Last year's annuals! Forgotten all about that! Remember those scary ceiling fans? I hated Hitchens come to think of it, but it was cheaper than Banners, and Burgess'. I got my Snakebelt from there! Still there by the way, we went in a few weeks back. The Dok PS What's with the cheesy music? David Soul! And didn't I hear 'Supernature' by Cerrone in the background? Horrible but compelling.

Andy There's some pictures of Banners in Jack Wrigley's last but one book. One of the outside and one inside. I saw Jack last night but forgot to ask him if he had any more. Doh! I've just remembered summat else though - Banners was the first shop where I ever saw CCTV cameras! They were these black cylindrical things hanging from the ceiling, that followed your every move. Scared me witless, don't know why cos I never nicked owt. The lifts were still there a few months back when I went in, or at least one of them, presumably to take you to the antiques shop. I was too scared to use it though, just as I was 30 years ago. Give me them escalators any day.

Hi Jake. I'm your cousin off Westbury Street. The younger, better looking one of the two. Still playing the bass then? Saw your mum a while back, but she didn't recognise me. Drop us a PM, I might have some pictures you'd like.

Hi Ash That's the street alright, but the wrong bit of it. The old houses are at the top end, but you can't get to them from there, as they've built a factory right across it. If you go back up Upper Allen Street, turn left and then right, there they are. If you PM me your home email I'll send you some pictures of them (I don't think I've been doing this long enough yet to post attachments).

It was officially called St. George's, after the church, but in all the time I lived there I never heard it called that. We always called it Netherthorpe. Most of it is being turned into student accomodation now. Just down from were the new flats are being built there's an old Victorian terraced street called Well Meadow Street, with the remains of some back to back houses and small industrial premises. Even has cobbles! Well worth a look, while it's still standing, if only to see what the old Netherthorpe looked like. Bear in mind though, it's used by sex workers and their punters at night, so be careful. Port Mahon was further down the hill, at the lower end of what is now the Ponderosa recreation ground. The area was cleared in the early sixites. There are some pictures of it on Picture Sheffield and in a couple of books, by JR Wrigley and JP Turley, if you can get them.

Hi Andy me owd mate. John Banner opened his first shop in 1873. The big one we knew and loved was built between 1927 and 1933, and the architects were Chapman and Jenkinson (a Sheffield firm I think). It was the first department store in Sheffield to be fitted with escalators, which must have been a bit scary at the time. When I was a kid there was a food hall downstairs called 'Grandways', although for some reason the carrier bags said 'Jackson's' on them. Thee tell me. They also sold paint downstairs and a selection of records (mostly on the mfp label). I bought Pink Floyd's 'Relics' down there for £1.79! It closed as a department store in 1980. It's still there but a shadow of its former self. Ground floor is a cafe and travel agents, and first floor was until recently an antiques market/junk shop. I heard that might be closing though, which is a shame, as you could get the odd bargain there. See you when you come up I hope.