david weston

Anyone remember a lady who worked there called Edna Thompson ?

There was a Frank Lockwood who I think ran a nuts and bolts wholesale business near Commonside in the 1970's.

Today it's unsightly graffiti, but in the post war years, walls, bridges etc. were besmirched with hand-daubed slogans. Anyone remember any ? On a long wall on Upwell Street there was a massive one reading 'Cut The Call-up'; It was there for years and was a call to end military conscription. 'Kilroy was Here' was another, along with 'Hong Kong to China' which we kids thought was 'Honk, Honk to China' which we shouted as a warning when speeding on our trolleys. There was one slogan on the bridge at the bottom of Staniforth Road reading 'Read the Daily Worker', added to which, some wag had painted a 'D' before the first word ! One wit was writing things on roof slates and placing them on top of bus shelters, this got in the Star, or Telegraph, under the caption 'Message for people in high places !' . ( Forget it UKIP !)

They were being phased out around 1968 Mammybear.

Young people today with the cyber world at their fingertips can't realise what a revolutionary thing TV was back in the 1950's. Older member will recall going home from school seeing yet another 'H' or 'X' aerial having appeared on a neighbourhood chimney since the day before. The Coronation was the main impetus for most of the first families to get one, with friends who had been invited to watch the event soon getting their own. My dad was reluctant to invest until 1957 when our first set was a stylish Murphy with the controls under a flip-up lid on the top. Unfortunately the aerials ( BBC and ITV ) were not aligned correctly and the picture would bend annoyingly. Dad was again reluctant to pay the 17/6d for it to be re-adjusted and we suffered with it for around 6 months. Years later I was told that this may have been a trick by the aerial erectors whereby they aim the aerial to pick up a weaker, reflected signal from some large building or gas ometers etc. knowing they will be called back to rectify the problem. Any truth in that ? For those who remember those glory days ( providing they weren't Picture Palace owners !), there is an interesting 1930's film on You Tube of the conversion of Alexandra Palace into the first TV center with footage of the construction of the famous mast, a shot of which was used for the BBC TV Newsreel with the words circling it to the tune of 'Girls in Grey' . Tap in 'Television comes to London' and 'Girls in Grey, BBC Newsreel film' to enjoy for yourself. What other sets were there ? I remember 'EKCO' and 'Ultra', but forget the others.

Am I right in thinking that the City School of Motoring of the 1960's was located on Change Alley ? I had lessons there and think their cars were all Ford Anglias ? I do remember it being 17/6d per hour ( 77&I/2 p, son ). Incidentally, the Ford Anglia was often referred to as a 'Ford Angila' which, along with chimley, skelinton and other corruptions, our teachers would correct us over. However, they're quite excusable given politicians and even BBC newsreaders saying ' Nukiller ' instead of 'Nuclear'

If you don't already know of this, PCPLOD, it may interest you. A book entitled "A copper in Castleford. " , ISBN 978 149 187 5575, or on e-book, same ISBN but ends 5582 instead of 5575.

Can't recall the name, 'Tare19'. I know their cabs had radio names, 'Peter' etc.. I'd forgotten Albert's surname, Rodgers it was, as you say. He was very proud of his son being a dancer, but was always quick to add " But he's not one of those !"

Did you know any daytime drivers 'Tare19' ? I knew Albert, whose son was a ballet dancer, and the thin chap with glasses who wore a peaked cap and kept an immaculate cab.

Jim (Hardy), your mention of Robert Fairweather triggered a memory. I certainly knocked about with him and remember him falling from the top of the slide in Firth Park and knocking himself unconscious, an ambulance attended.

In the mid 60's, one of the people running the firm was a Mr. Hudson, whom PCPlod may be referring to. The livery of their fleet of FX4 taxis was an odd combination of black top areas with a beige lower half, and 'Tomlinson's Radio Taxis' ( the first radio cabs in the city I believe ) written on the boot lid in red letters, outlined in white; these vehicles making a rather gaudy contrast to the other, more conservative, all black FX4's on the ranks. The dead were taken into a section on the right side of the cobbled yard on entering through the arch, female cadavers often having their longer hair hanging from the zipped-up, green, canvass transporting bags. The hire of those most atmospheric, Dickensian premises to film companies could have been a further addition to the firm's income and survival, had they thought of it !

I remember that the floorboards used to creak as customers walked around.

It counts for nothing these days Arfer, with an estimated one million uninsured drivers on the roads; and how do we prove it to anyone ? Us old uns would never dare venture on the roads uninsured, even for a short, pressing trip. Those old Ministry of Transport TV ads were a great help to good driving....' Clunk click every trip'; the old tramp at the farmyard gate saying " No need for a car misself, but I do think you do some daft parking with them, like blocking farmers' gates, ". The one with the glass of water on the bonnet, and even those back window stickers 'If I stop, can you ?' All helped to educate. They've all disappeared now and the example is set instead by MP's asking their spouse to take the blame for them; haven't they Mr. Hune ?

Credit where it's due, 'Folk-father Hillsboro' is an untiring help with many queries on SF and , on behalf of other beneficiaries and myself, I wish him all the best in 2014.

The side of Pond's Forge, by the pavement, was of black painted, corrugated iron and I remember, in the early 1960's, there was some graffiti written on it, seen by all the bus passengers leaving Pond Street. I can't remember what it said now, something rude, but it was visible for years.

Going towards Manchester on the Woodhead Pass there was a dingy café on the right hand side just past the Flouch crossroads. It was a single story place and had a most peculiar, Dickensian owner, reminiscent of John Laurie's portrayal of misers etc. In the window was a board stating " No Hikers, no coaches, no cycles "! Out of curiosity we once went in and risked a York Ham sandwich and a cup of tea. Needless to say, we were the only ones in. Throughout the snack, the owner, wearing a cook's hat, was spying from behind a curtain. On leaving, we bought a Mars Bar which turned out to be almost white with age. On being asked his opening days he replied " What do you want to know that for !"

Hi 'Sheffamdavid'. Fancy you remembering the call sign ! WWB 3 which I mentioned was 'Sheff Am Robert'. I didn't know that the crews stuck to one vehicle, but there's sense in that. The Sheerlines had 4 built in jacks, one by each wheel which were controlled by a selection switch under a little trap door on the floor by the passenger seat, I never tried it in case of problems, but it was said you could lift the entire vehicle off the ground by selecting all 4. When they first came into service, people used to call them 'Fever Ambulances' as a distinction to the others in the fleet, the Sheerlines having a reverse livery to the rest. Two Sheerline ambulances once crashed into one another on Commonside, Walkley, but I don't know the date and can't find anyone who remembers the incident. Tremendous power but poor braking !

Can any of you lads list the heads of the post office in Sheffield between 1968ish and 1975 ? I'm wanting to contact James, the son of one, but I forget the family surname. Thanks.

That's right Hillsboro', Marion was the lady, always had a smile. Your older model is more of a toy than the ones I refer to, but interesting with its Sheffield profile. I must learn how to do links, until then maybe you, or someone else, could oblige with one, or more, pictures of the ones I'm referring to ? Thanks in advance.

In the 1970's there was a Sheffield Transport information office in the 'Hole in the Road', manned by a buxom blond lady. She had, on the window counter, a stand with Dinky sized models of Sheffield buses. These were re-paints of such Dinky and Corgi bus models of the time, made by different individuals . Now, by contrast, there are available many new models of old buses and other vehicles by EFE, Corgi and other current model manufacturers. I noticed on 'The Model Bus Zone' that there are a number of Sheffield models available dating from the 1940's onwards. Unlike the earlier, and cruder, Dinky and Corgi models, these newer versions are works of art. They are extremely accurate having superb transfers of the city's Coats of Arms, legal lettering ( which it is possible to read with a magnifying glass; General manager, head office address etc.. ), neat lining with full interiors and glazing. The same bus can be available with different route numbers and destinations. If you still can't afford that train set you never had as a child, these are well worth consideration for the mantelpiece ( sorry, 'Cornish !).

I still use the Norfolk Street saying Tessie, even after moving from Sheffield almost 40 years ago. In the old days in Sheffield it was used for everything that was long; a queue, a gas bill etc., the favourite being a queue though, as in.... "I didn't bother waiting, there was a queue as long as Norfolk Street." etc.. I've tried replacing Norfolk Street with long roads in other places I've lived, but it just doesn't sound right !

Prior to moving to Nursery Street, the business was run from premises visible from Moorhead, on the left going towards the Town Hall; I forget the name of the street. The move, I think, was in the late 1950's.

I did a short spell at Herries Road in the early 1970's. I remember a conductor who came to work in a Bentley. In Portugal recently I met by chance an old Indian chap ( 80 yrs old) who had worked from H.Rd. in the 50's and 60's, his first name was Prem but I didn't get his surname. Anyone remember him ?

I forget to mention the little stone bridge which can be seen disappearing into the water opposite the Ladybower Inn. I also see that the Z bend over 'Cut Throat Bridge' has been straightened out. Lots of crashed aircraft wrecks on the moors behind, some society in Glossop has map locations of each crash site. ( I keep forgetting it'll all be on the web !)

Any of the senior lot remember seeing the un-submerged part of Derwent church tower/steeple prior to its demolition ? For the young, Derwent and Ashopton villages were demolished prior to the first flooding of the new Ladybower dam in the mid 1940's. It was decided to leave Derwent church tower/spire standing as a memorial, but the rest of the building, along with the houses, shops etc. in both villages, were demolished. When the dam was full to maximum high water level, around half of the tower/spire could be seen above the surface. This became a great visitor attraction until the early 1950's when, due to people swimming out to climb it I believe, the entire tower was blown up. In the heatwave summer of 1959, the dam's water level dropped dramatically and the tower's rubble and the the ruins of village buildings were exposed and people were able to walk on the baked dam bed amongst them. There is a good, illustrated booklet on the story which I think is/was called 'Lost Villages', the story of .......' It will, I'm sure, also be on the web by now, but I haven't looked !