Satuone

I was talking to Aileen last year. She said her Mum (Barbara) was now in a residential home. Talking about Barbara Wilkinson, I used to live next door to her mum and dad Mr. and Mrs. Hall and play with Judy, Aileen's sister. Have been looking at the film in Ecclesfield Park and what memories that brought back. Played bowls with my mum and dad, Annie and Harold Badger and my brother Neil. Also had many good times in the paddling pool and on those swings and spiders web. What would health and safety have to say these days!! I remember being an assistant to the May Queen and being on a stage in Ecclesfield Park near the cricket pavilion. Still have the photo's to prove it. Anyone remember the Dunwells? both played cricket for Ecclesfield they used to live in our yard and often played with us as kids. The coalhouse doors used to be the wickets. My mum and dad came to live in Perth, Western Australia and have both died now but we used to talk a lot about the old days . If anyone sees Judith Wilkinson as she was of Barbara Ridge please pass on my good wishes and hope they are well.

Hi Nigel I remember the POW's in the village as mum bought a toy from one of them. It was a table tennis racket with a ball and string and a toy chicken on the top so that when you bounced it the chicken pecked. I think they were working in the village.

Hi Tony, dad was a sawdoctor and used to do his saws up in our attic. He worked for Elsworths in Hillsborough near Owlerton and then worked on the coke ovens for years but went back to Elsworths and retired from there and came to live in Perth in 1973. I still have his little hammer that he used to use and I am sure if I had to I could sharpen a saw as I used to watch him regularly. We used to play up in the attic and I remember in one corner we were never allowed to go as the floor had dry rot and there was a hole in the floor. Our house was old with no electricity or hot water not even a sink just a stone slab. I remember Frank always putting the match through the gas mantle and getting told off!!!!!

Hi Nigel glad to hear the Chapel Hall is still standing and I remember going with my mum to watch the Priory Players up in the Gatty Hall in my days. We still love the theatre and are "friends of WAAPA" which is a University specialising in drama and song and dance. Hugh Jackman (who hosted the Oscars) was a graduate. We have just seen a play called the Lieutenent of Inishmore which was a black comedy. It was very funny. When we were courting we would go every Monday night to the Lycemum and watch the Wyndom Players which was two for the price of one. Regards M

Hi I remember the Whit Sunday Walks as we lived on the High Street opposite the Trinity Chapel, but we walked behind St Mary's banner. My brother Neil was in the Boys Brigade and played the cornet. We always go new clothes and shoes for the walk and like you I remember it always being hot. I used to love the Star Walk coming past our front door as well.

Hi I am glad you worked out who I was in the photo!!!!! Say Hi to Trevor when you see him from me has he still got his motorbike and does he ride one anymore if so next time I get your way I will get a dinkie from him. Regards M

Hi Nigel thanks for the info on the Chapel you have such a good knowledge of the village and I have really enjoyed reading all its history. My mum used to be in the Labour Party and I used to go to meetings with her sometimes, and some of my favourite memories were sleeping up at the top station house where Mr. Griffiths was the Station Master. I used to go to school with one of his daughters. I was saddened to see the state it was in last time I visited Ecclesfield almost all had disappeared just rubble left. Is the Chapel hall still standing it had a lovely balcony as I remember? Regards M

Memories of Greaves shop going with our ration book to get some sweets and Miss Siddons was the hairdresser if I remember but we always went to Iris Barber on Sycamore Road for our haircuts. What I do vividly remember was riding on the back of Trevor Greaves motorbike . Oh what joy we would go like the wind up by Smithywood and over to Chapeltown and fly down to Ecclesfield. We wore no helmets and of course my mum and dad never knew I tell my 12 grandkids all these stories and they love it that their grandma was a bit of a daredevil. I still like speed and take them on speedboat rides etc

I lived in the same yard as Ida and Connie Dunwell. They were married to two brothers Leslie and William who were both cricketers and played for the local cricket club. They had the shop in the next yard. Also in the yard were the Brooke's and "Auntie Hilda" was a great piano player who played just like Winifred Atwell. Their daughter was Margaret and I can't remember the boys name. The Dunwells I am sure didn't have any children. Mrs Foster also lived there with her daughter Betty. I corresponded with Ida and Connie for years.Mr and Mrs Hall were our landlords and lived at 85 High Street, also Polly and Ada lived in the yard but I forget their surnames they were sisters. We had so much fun in the yard playing cricket up against the coal house doors and of course Mr. Maw had a small holding up the back with his pigs and cart horses and his wood (sticks) round. I used to ride Tommy the carthorse back to the fields behind the Ebenezer Chapel, with no saddle or bridle just a halter and Mr. Maw walking beside us. One day he started to gallop at the Nurses Home corner and it was like something out of the :wild west'" we passed a bus at a stop and I am sure everyone on the bus had a good laugh. Lucky the horse knew where the field was as he turned into the field and I was already on my way back and met Mr. Maw who was in such a flap on Cross Hill. I never told my mum about that one as I was only about 9years old and would have been banned from taking him again!!!!.

Dr Mackintosh was my Dr and I remember going to Nicholson's for 4 3penneths which was his own made up cough syrup. The shop I loved was the ironmongers I remember climbing the stairs and you could hardly get in it was so crowded but I can still remember the smell today over 60 years ago, to this day I love going into hardware stores.

I have just joined the Forum and have loved reading all about the past. I emigrated to Perth Western Australia in 1966 with my husband and three little children. I lived at 83 High Street for 19 years until I married the local co-op butcher boy, then went to live in Wombwell before moving to Australia. I went to Rawsons Infants then the Junior School then on to Ecclesfield Grammar. I have a brother Neil who at the age of 70 has just emigrated to New Zealand after living in Wales for about 30 years. We now have 6 children and 12 grandchildren so have done our bit to populate Australia!!! My maiden name was Badger so if anyone out there knows me please send a message .Thanks