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ANYBODY FROM HACKENTHORPE?

 

 

HACKENTHORPE AND ZAKES PART 44

 

A lesson learned.

 

Here is a strange but true story I recently recalled to mind. I was with another lad at the time, who lived on Carter Lodge Avenue. Unfortunately, I can't remember his name, but it could have been John Fairey. I knocked about with so many different lads, often changing them on a daily basis. This is where 'pal of the day' comes from.

 

It was a hot afternoon, and I along with my pal of the day, had been over the wall, and had helped ourselves to juicy apples from the village school orchard. I used to love that orchard, that was long, and the trees were planted in straight rows. We were both about 9 or 10 years old - 1964 - 64 time. Having had our fill of these red apples, we has some left over. As boys like to show off their throwing skills, we looked for something to aim at. After a minute or so, we found the perfect target.

 

On the left near the top of Brook Lane, looking down stood a house (I don't know if it's still there), and we could see the back door was half open. We both launched a couple of apples, and our aim turned out to be accurate. All four apples thudded against the wooden door, and cannoned into the building. As we were about to try our luck again, an old man came out of the house and shouted, "come here you bleedin' little varmints" - or words similar. The old man was small and frail, he was in rolled up shirt sleeves, wore an opened waistcoat, baggy trousers and wore no flat cap upon his head. We had the opportunity to ignore him, and just walk or run away. We could have also if so desired, bombard him with the remaining apples we had... What did we do?

 

We dropped our apples, and moments later were stood in his back yard, ready to face a telling off. The old man ordered us into the house (kitchen) then ordered us to sit down. Although the old man didn't have anger written on his face, he was determined to give us a piece of his mind. Whilst we were receiving the lecture, I due to my nervousness started to laugh, my pal of the day then joined in. This did then anger the old man, what did he do?

 

He sent my pal of the day on his way, firstly telling him to go and tell mi mother where I was, and to come and collect me. That petrified me. It was the worst thing the old man could have done to me. We had done wrong, but it was respect for our elders that had brought us to his door. Now I was really going to be paying the price.

 

It seemed an age before mi mum arrived. I could have at any time in between ran out of the house, but didn't.

 

I was blue and black by the time I got home.

 

A lesson learned.

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ANYBODY FROM HACKENTHORPE?

HACKENTHORPE AND ZAKES PART 45

 

Ref: Hackenthorpe and Zakes part 13, point 5, forget it. I have done some research by revisiting Hackenthorpe and studying a book I recently bought. Due to one or two changes on Main Street over the years, I had difficulty finding the two places I was looking for but was successful. The "Black House" I found, the "Lane-let" exists no more.

 

1) The "Black House". - This house is actually the cottage abutting Hackenthorpe Hall. At that time (1962ish) the cottage was little more than a shell due to it having been neglected in the years prior. Most of the roof had caved in, there wasn't a ceiling between upstairs and downstairs. The window frames and door frame were missing too. Inside the building were big black square stones (bricks), roof tiles and some rotted rafters on the floor. There was also moss and weeds whose seeds will have blown in through the doorless doorway and windows. One of two walls had also partly collapsed.

 

I am glad to have found this cottage because I now know for sure I hadn't imagined it. At the time I collected birds eggs and searched every possibility including the cottage to enlarge my collection.

 

I also went to this cottage with a pal of the day called Jimmy Sandford (Cotleigh Crescent) on several occasions, and a cuppla times with my half brother (a year older than me). We used to challenge each other to try to lift the big heavy stones off the ground. None of us succeeded.

 

Slightly diagonally (to the right) over the road (Main St.) was the Methodist Church. I had been to choir practice on two occasions at the church before getting slung out for pratting and laffing with a pal of the time called Stephen George (19. Carr Forge Mount). We were both 8 years old at the time.

 

2) The "Lane-let" - if you come up Well Lane (Pigs Lane) then turn left on to Main Street, you will see to your left a set of flats (Chevin Flats). On this site years ago were buildings (poss. a farm) with a big cobbled yard. Walk a little further on and you get to the far corner of the Chevin grounds, that's where the lane-let was all those years ago (I will explain further near the end of this post). The lane was at a guess about 15 yards or so long and 8 feet wide. Going into the lane it had a 2-3 foot high wall on the left with a drop of 4-5 feet over the wall into the farm yard, and even more at the end (dead end). Please remember that behind the properties on that side of Main Street the land went downhill (downwards). It still does. Also if you don't recall the lane-let, it doesn't mean it didn't exist!!

 

In the lane-let was knee high wild grasses, nettles, foxgloves and 2 or 3 elder (berry) trees. The albino blackbird nested in one of those trees. If you stood in the lane-let, facing into it, on the right was a stone wall to a building, possibly a house or barn standing side on to "Main Street". The wall must have been the back of the building because there was no windows or door to be seen. It seem(ed) to me the lane-let didn't belong to anyone. It was a small piece of spare lane.

 

3) The book I mentioned at the beginning of this post is called: Around Hackenthorpe by Leonard Widdowson- Published in 2003.

 

The book has over 200 archive pictures and loads of info about:

 

Hackenthorpe, Drakehouse, Moorhole, Owlthorpe, Sothall, Frecheville, Birley Spa etc. The info covers a history of the area 1700's - 2003.

 

Tempus Publishing LTD. http://www.tempus-publishing.com

Stroud

Glous. GL52 QG

 

Book priced at a penny short of 13 quid.

 

Alternatively

 

Post Office - Beighton Road - 5 quid. A brilliant book well worth having.

 

Extra -

On page 6 is a map of Hackenthorpe before the estate was built in the early 50's.

A) On the map the Lane-let is situated between the letters T and R in the word Street (Main Street) It's a small white oblong.

 

B) The cottage is stood between the letters E and E in the word Street (Main Street). It's a small grey square joined to Hackenthorpe Hall. The bricks have now been sandblasted.

 

C) On pages 24 and 27 is a photo of the cottage. One pic the cottage has a front door and on the recent pic there is no door. Bricked up after the second renovation in 80's or later.

 

D) On page 23 is a pic of the area where the lane-let was. I used to love that lane-let.

 

E) If you log onto "Picture Sheffield", there are loads of new and old pics of the area. Try - Hackenthorpe, Hackenthorpe Village, Hackenthorpe Main Street, Freceville, Birley, Drakehouse and Shirebrook Valley. You won't be disappointed.

 

F) Hackenthorpe Main Street. Pic Nr. UO 1941. Is the strech where lane-let was.

 

G) Hackenthorpe Main Street. Pic Nr. WO 1793. Is the cottage next to Hackenthorpe Hall.

 

---------- Post added 01-10-2014 at 09:10 ----------

 

ANYBODY FROM HACKENTHORPE?

HACKENTHORPE AND ZAKES PART 46

 

 

Fruitful Times.

 

 

From Jermyn to Delves, Cotleigh to Carr Forge, Springwater to Rainbow and from Spa View to Dyke Vale. In the 6 years ('59 - '65) I had lived on the Hackenthorpe Estate, I had gotten to know the area so well due to my mischievous meandering maraudings. During those years, my pals of the day, and myself loved the scromping season best. We used to swarm through gardens and allotments (Cotleigh Crescent) like a plague of locusts. At a low estimate, I believe we had relieved gardens of many tons of fruit and vegetables. We had enough stuff, we could have opened a summer stall at Chesterfield Market. I was always of the opinion, that fruit and veg picked in Derbyshire, should be sold in Derbyshire.

 

During my years ont Hackenthorpe, I was living in Derbyshire. We could have made a bomb selling all that vitamin filled food. I am eternally grateful to the Sheffield (Yorkshire) Corporation, for building the estate, and planting fruit trees and berry bushes in practically every garden. Without you we could quite easily have starved. Thankyou. Then years later you had to spoil things though, didn't you? You took away Bluebell Woods, the cornfields behind Carr Forge Road and Rainbow Avenue, turned Dyke Vale Road into a rat-run, built a stinky and loud parkway, shut down good schools and replaced them with naff houses, allowed dubious take-out eateries to open, and worst of all, you had the audacious audacity to tarmac over my most favouritest place ever in Hackenthorpe, Pigs Lane (Well Lane). You damned crozzle faced trunts!

 

I do clearly remember the names of my pals of the day, who had daringly scromped side by side, shoulder to shoulder, and foot to foot with me. I don't wish to name them though, because it would put them in a bad light, after all scromping is theft. It is well documented I preferred to scromp in a 3 or 4, 2 to 3 as pickers and one as a lookout. I knew of at least 38 other scromping gangs on the estate, but as luck would have it, we never turned up in the same garden(s) at the same time. When the time of the year was ripe to go scromping , it was a pretty safe bet that each gang would be active at the same time, evenings.

 

If it would have been possible all those years ago, for the authorities to have had a helicopter, Harrier Jump Jet or a glider kitted out with infra-red equipment they would possibly have crashed landed, through the shock of seeing so many lads and lasses busying themselves in the gardens in all the corners of the estate.

 

Although we worked together as a team, it was left to me to identify the gardens we would be later denudating. I mentioned in a earlier post that I walked up garden paths, to see if any decent fruit was on offer in the back gardens. I also mentioned, if I was met by a householder, I would ask if there were any windfalls to give away. I needed to do this to justify my presence on their path(s). I wasn't at that point interested in the fruit (but would be later), I was really looking for escape route possibilities if we were later disturbed. These escape routes were usually under, over or through a neighbouring hedgerow.

 

We were rarely nabbed or disturbed, because we had already agreed no talking was to take place during our military precision operations. We also enhanced or chances of not getting caught, due to us scromping at dusky dusk time. Sometimes we might arrive later, having already stripped other gardens earlier in the evening. We sometimes arrived so late, the moon in the sky would already be beaming like a blossom on the bough. With all the exhilerating excitement involved, scromping became an addiction. In all fairness to each householder, we only visited their garden once during a season.

 

Apples, pears, cherries, plums, cobnuts, filberts, hazelnuts, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, lettuce, cabbage, turnip, carrots, peas, beans, bartleberries, sprouts, beetroot, tomatoes and rhubarb were the things we were mostly interested in. If we went only in search of apples and pears, we could be found (if you searched) anywhere on our wonderful estate. The scromping of these 2 fruits was generally only done for a laff. On the way homeward bound, after a successful raid, each of us would take a bite from an apple or pear, then ditch the rest of it. Getting rid of that particular fruit could be done by either:

 

A) Rolling it down a hill to see how far it goes

 

B) Chuck it at a passing car, bus, van or lorry

 

C) Lob it at somebody passing on a pogo stick, stilts, trolley or roller skates

 

D) Sling it at a door or window or lamp post

 

E) Launch it at a dog, cat, corncrake or camel passing by

 

If we went in search of the other above mentioned fruit and veg we could be found (If you searched) nearer to home. This is because the items, were items to be taken home in perfect condition, for cooking, salads, or for baking into tarts, flans or pies. To carry these items for long distances, could and most likely would have damaged them. It's important not to forget, we didn't have those supermarket carrier bags in them days, and our family certainly didn't have a haversack or a suitcase. The scrompers of today don't realise how easy they have got things. They don't know they're born. We had to make do with hessian sacks, acquired after sport lessons in school.

 

Zakes.

 

---------- Post added 01-10-2014 at 09:10 ----------

 

HACKENTHORPE AND ZAKES PART 47

 

 

 

1. Ref Post 593 on this thread - ROYT 2209

 

 

 

RoyT rightly pointed out I had made an error on Hackenthorpe and Zakes part 13. I had put the possible distant relatives (who didn't live distant) of our family lived on Cotleigh Avenue, instead of putting Cotleigh Drive. These "relatives" were called Flinders who lived at Nr. 23, next door to the Tennyson Family.

 

 

 

All those years ago (early 60's) there was a massive field with big earthy mounds atween Main Street and Cotleigh Road. It was situated near where Cotleigh House had previously stood. We young 'uns used to play on there making dens or playing Commandos, Cops and Robbers or Cowboys and Indians. I used to love playing Cowboys and Indians best, especially when you caught a squaw or two, and took em' back to your den, but not necessarily to smoke peace pipe. LOL. Cheers RoyT 2209.

 

 

 

2. I mentioned in Hackenthorpe and Zakes part 10, about Mr Sunderland wrapping his VW Beetle car around a lamp post at the junction of Carter Lodge Rise and Carter Lodge Avenue. The Sunderland's lived near the top of Carter Lodge Rise, Nr. 1. They had a son called....

 

 

 

Stuart Sunderland - Early 60's

 

 

 

(A). Stuart was a little older than me, making me a little younger than him. I reckon he was born in 1952 or 1953. Stuart was in my opinion a show off and a spoilt brat, who had a reight gob on 'im. When Mr Whippy or Mr Softy arrived on the scene on Sunday, Stuart would always loudly call out, "Auntie Mavis, I want a Mivvi". Whether the Mivvi was a Strawberry, Blackcurrant or Orange one it wouldn't have mattered, because I feel sure he would have been able to stick all 3 of them into his cake hoil at the same time.

 

 

 

Auntie Mavis (Mrs Hudson) lived at the top of Carter Lodge Rise, at Nr. 16 Carter Lodge Avenue. She would always come charging out of her house with ready money for her beloved nephew Stuart to get his blasted Mivvi. He would then give her a short, "thankyou auntie Mavith", then run to the ice cream van. The rest of us children would buy a normal sized Cornet. Stuart always wanted to be seen as better than the rest of us, as did his auntie Mavis.

 

 

 

(B). I barely knocked about with Stuart but I recall one time we were on the playing field of Birley Spa Junior school on the weekend. Some youngsters of our age group were playing cricket, using an old dinted petrol or oil tin as a wicket. We joined in and before long Stuart took his turn to bat. Going for the big slog he bowled out first ball. He refused "to walk" claiming he hadn't been ready. He was given another chance, and went for the slog again, and was bowled out. He then threw the bat on the floor, kicked over the wicket, then stomped off home.

 

 

 

Mardy bum, mardy bum,

 

Tell yer mum (Auntie)

 

To smack yer bum.

 

---------- Post added 01-10-2014 at 09:13 ----------

 

Anybody From Hackenthorpe?

 

Hackenthorpe and Zakes Part 48.

 

Ref: post 628 from Cotty.

 

1[a] Dearest Jean, It wasn't a fantasy world, it was absolute real reality,

 

. After leaving Hackenthorpe in winter '65, to live at the Vic Hallams at Birley, I still went back on a regular basis, I went back to play with my pals, and to continue our mischievous deeds, Later in the afternoon, I'd then traipse all the way back up Birley Spa Lane, then Occupation Lane. During these visits, I would often find myself in the area where you lived, in search of you. Just to get a glimpse of you would have been enough to get my pulses leaping, but unfortunately, I didn't get to see you anymore. Through past posts of yours on this thread, it's become clear to me, that during those visits, the Cottam ship had already set sail in the direction of Guildford Drive, I had been searching for you when all the time you didn't live there anymore. Heartbreak.

 

[c] I haven't given my real name on this thread because apart from 2 person's nobody[?] would know me. For this reason I remain the International man of mystery.

 

 

2. On another thread [Glossop Road Baths] you named 2 persons I've had dealings with.

 

[a]. John Taylor - After leaving school in 1969, my first job was working at Davy's on Fargate. I worked there with John and two other lads doing the same job. John was a great workmate and a good pal.

 

. George Baldwin - From things I've heard, George isn't well liked. I'm not prepared to give any details apart from I believe a relative of his had the Montessa cafe that used to be on Infirmary Road. The less said.

 

 

Yours, till the alligators grow wings.

 

Zakes xxx.

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ANYBODY FROM HACKENTHORPE?

 

HACKENTHORPE AND ZAKES PART 49.

 

Ref. Post 562 by Keally on this thread.

 

1) You mentioned going to lunch with old school friend, one of them called Linda who had lived at Carr Forge Mount, during your schooldays. I assume you mean Linda George who lived at Nr 19. Her dad was called Albert, the mum called Lily or Lucy. Linda had a younger sister who was known as Georgina, but I think her real name was Elaine. They were both absolutely g(e)orgeous. I was a regular visitor to their house because I knocked about with their younger brother Stephen.

 

We were in the same class as each other at Birley Spa Juniors in the very early 60's. Stephen was a very fast runner and a decent footballer and we also got up to loads of mischief, but he wasn't as norty as me (who could be?). Stephen had very fine blonde hair and was one of only 3 lads I palled up with on Hackenthorpe who was left handed. The other 2 being Tony Lock and Ian Scandrett. I lived on Carter Lodge Drive and we 4 lads were 4 or 5 years younger than your good self.

 

P.s. I think Stephen George had his birthday's on March 3rd.

 

---------- Post added 01-10-2014 at 10:40 ----------

 

ANYBODY FROM HACKENTHORPE?

 

HACKENTHORPE AND ZAKES PART 50

 

Ref. Post 376 by Ripper. On this this thread.

 

1) I have come across your elder brother Bill on the odd occasions I call in at The Sportsman. A quiet bloke who generally only speaks when he's spoken to. I also recall him from the early 70's, when he used to go in the Old Harrow on White Lane at Gleadless at times. A pensive fellow. I like Bill.

 

2) Geoff Gudgeon (now about mid 60's) lived on Carter Lodge Rise, and on the early 60's knocked about at times with my eldest brother (born 1948). In circa 62 - 63 Geoff had a pot (not a pint one) on his right arm. He must have broken or fractured it (arm). Pass the word around.

 

3) Know you any of these names?

 

Arthur Brooks - Spa View Ave.

David Binney - Cotleigh Road.

Julie Leake - Carr Forge Close.

Robert Cheetham - Cotleigh Ave.

Marilyn Rennison - Spa View Road.

Robert Cavell - Spa View Road.

Jimmy Sandford - Cotleigh Cres.

Richard Steel - Dyke Vale Way.

John Gilliver - Dyke Vale Road.

Kathleen Norton - Rainbow Place.

Sylvia Holland - Carr Forge Road.

Mr Pegg - Carter Lodge School?

 

4) Is it my imagination, or did the Salvation Army Band play on Sunday mornings in Hackenthorpe during the 60's. I don't remember seeing them stood in a particular spot, but seem to vaguely recall them marching on Birley Spa Lane whilst playing. I always found it strange that these religious persons were called Army, had a newspaper called War Cry and played things like - Onward Christian Soldiers and Fight The Good Fight. I feel quite sure Captain Hercules Hurricane and "Maggot" Malone would have been proud of them.

 

Or... Is (was) it possible on a quiet Sunday Morning the sound of the Salvation Army Band playing carried all the way to Hackenthorpe from Wood'uss? Where they used to play near the cross(ed) daggers

 

---------- Post added 03-10-2014 at 09:29 ----------

 

ANYBODY FROM HACKENTHORPE?

 

HACKENTHORPE AND ZAKES PART 51.

 

Casting my mind back to when I was Tom Thumb sized, I remember when....

 

A lad who knocked around with my biggest brother, once said to me he was unhappy and wished he'd never gone to Thornbitch Grammar School. He told me he thought he had only just scraped through the 11 plus exam, and had very soon realised he was out of his depth. His main problems were things like, fractions, equations, algebra and Latin, to name but a few. He also said he had wanted to go to Carter Lodge School with his mates, which would have then exempted him from being called a puff all the time on the Hackenthorpe Estate. His mates had started to ignore him, by sending him to Coventry. I personally would have sent him and others similar in manacles, downsunder to Orstralia. I myself, had mastered the above mentioned school subjects when I was still at junior school age, by reading magazines like "Look and Learn", and other educational periodicals, which I had so adroitly whipped at Elams on the big shopping parade, on Birley Spa Lane.

 

It has been well documented why I didn't pass the 11 plus exam, which meant I could proudly wear the navy blue blazer of Carter Lodge, as opposed to the gozz green of Thornbitch Grammar School. By telling me what he had told me, meant my biggest brother's mate, was openly admitting he was too dumb to hack it at Thornbitch, which got me to thinking.....

 

Whether my biggest brother's mate had actually passed the 11 plus exam.

 

 

Example 1.

 

If in any given year there was a large amount of children passing the 11 plus exam, would there be enough places at Thornbridge School to take them all in?

 

Example 2.

 

If in any given year there was large amount of children failing the 11 plus exam, would there be enough places at Carter Lodge, Birley, and Frecheville schools to take them all in?

 

I suspect there were years when many children who had failed the exam, were still sent to Thornbridge just to fill the places that would have otherwise stayed empty. I also think there were years when children who had passed the exam, but were sent to secondary schools for the same reason as the above sentence. Perhaps it was to avoid overcrowding or undercrowding.

 

I believe it was playing with young children's futures, which could have mucked them up for life.

 

During my years at secondary school(s) I noticed some children were far ahead of the rest of us. Those children should have surely gone to Thornbridge Grammar.

 

I went to Carter Lodge (3 months), Birley (2 years and a bit), Hurlfield (1 year and a bit). I'm glad I went to these schools, because of the brilliant schoolpals I had, especially at Birley. Sorry, Hurlfield was comprehensive.

 

---------- Post added 03-10-2014 at 09:30 ----------

 

ANYBODY FROM HACKENTHORPE?

 

HACKENTHORPE AND ZAKES PART 52.

 

1) In the early 60's I had a vehicle consisting of a low footboard mounted between two wheels with inflated tyres, and with a handlebar. It had no lights. I propelled it by pushing one foot (left) against the ground every few yards. 'Twas a scooter, that was blue becoloured. If I wasn't using this mode of transport, then I'd be using my biggest brother's 26" wheeled red bicycle. There was another possibility, but at that time my trolley made from P.W.D. planks was off the road, sidelined, due to a buckled front left wheel.

 

The scooter, but preferably the bike gave me the opportunity to travel far and wide around the Hackenthorpe Estate. Whilst on my journeys I often observed the surfaces of some roads were different to others.

 

On Church Lane I noticed lots of grit on the left hand side where the road near the bottom had a sharp bend to the right. Having had a think about it I concluded that rainfall had washed the grit down the road to the corner. It always seemed to be like that, and it was very treacherous. Carter Lodge Rise was also very gritty and I still have a scar on my left patella to prove it. On the right curve going along Birley Spa Lane, just past Delves Drive bottom was also bad because the surface hadn't been laid with care, making it bumpy. There were also some holes that didn't do the wheels any good. The top of Rainbow Avenue was a decent surface and it was interesting to see it was coloured a reddy orange. My favourite Hackenthorpe road surface was jet black and was as smooth as baby's bot bot. It was an absolute pleasure to ride along Rainbow Way.

 

2) When my parents in November 1965 decided to flit to the new Newstead Estate I went with them because the Corporation wouldn't allow a boy of almost 12 years to become a householder. However, just because I had moved about a mile or so away from Carter Lodge Drive it didn't stop me from revisiting my old friends and old haunts on a somewhat regular basis. Looking back to all those years ago I am pleased that I spent so much time as a child gallivanting about it all corners of Hackenthorpe and surrounding areas.

 

Although I didn't think it at the time, I am glad I did all that gadding about because I didn't want to be sorry years later for not having seen all those places, especially now the decadent council has taken so much of it away from me over the years. E.G. - Bluebell wood and the fields with wild grass and wildlife along with vast wooded areas and marshland stretching as far as Mosbrough and Halfway. The cornfields behind Carr Forge Road, the expanse of wild fields before Scowerdons Estate and the Parkway were built, and Drakehouse destroyed. The people of laid back Mosbrough must of had a fit when they found out that new estates were to be built on their patch.

 

I hadn't planned to write the previous paragraph. So back to what I wanted to say. In the 60's a new road was built (made) on the estate, and on this road I walked (or ran) on many occasions. The road is called Four Wells Drive and is situated behind the big parade of shops on Birley Spa Lane, and reaches from Main Street up to Cotleigh Road."No big deal" I hear you say, but it is a big deal when I tell you several residents on Four Wells Drive owned or managed shops a few yards away at the nearby shopping parade.

 

1. Astill - Greengrocers

2. Hibberd - Shoes

3. Potter - Chemist

4. Slight - Wallpapper

5. Cooper - Newsagency [Elams].

 

Who gave the corporation permission to take the land from the people, and sell [give] it to private enterprise? They later did the same to other places I had lived, Newstead Rise and Crossland Drive. Arsch Geigen

 

---------- Post added 03-10-2014 at 09:31 ----------

 

ANYBODY FROM HACKENTHORPE?

 

HACKENTHORPE AND ZAKES PART 53.

 

1) I noticed as a child that 131 Birley Spa Lane didn't exist, and I suppose it is still the case. I did ask all those years ago if tenants in that particular part of the estate knew the reason why. Nobody knew why. Do any of you know why? Go check it out. An oddity that.

 

2) (A) Reading through past posts, I noticed Cotty and Le Baron spoke of a lass called Vivienne Atkinson (Vivo). This Vivo bird is supposed to have had a sister who was allegedly balla-balla. These two girls as far as I know never had the pleasure of ever meeting me. The reason for this is that I didn't spend a great deal of time down at the rough end of the estate. I do think though, that the Atkinson girls lived in a row of 8 or 10 house like cottages called Bank View, situated on Birley Spa Lane near to Delves Road, almost opposite the Hog's Heead.

 

(B) There was another girl called Vivienne on Rainbow Drive who was about my age (born 1954). This Vivienne also had an elder sister called Pauline?

 

 

3) Anybody know these names?

 

Robert Clethro.

Pat(ricia) Gough - Rainbow Avenue.

 

 

4) I recall in the early 60's there were only a few vehicles on the estate, making it possible for humans, animals and trees to take a deep breath without having to cough. It was a time when you could look along a road without seeing a car. It gave us young budding footballers more space to play on the road(s) using the road signs as mini goals. This did not apply to boys who played with their diabolos, or girls playing with dolls and perambulators.

 

On Carter Lodge Place I often saw a Morris 1000 shooting brake parked. It had those wooden frames at it's sides and rear end. It was light green (or blue) becoloured. Who did it belong to? Just wonderin'. Oscar Blaketon drove an identical model in the Heartbeat TV programme. Oscar didn't live in Hackenthorpe though.

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ANYBODY FROM HACKENTHORPE?

 

HACKENTHORPE AND ZAKES PART 54.

 

Unfortunately, my memories of Hackenthorpe are not running as freely as they were. Although, it's impossible to remember everything, I am not suffering from loss of memory... Eh? When I'm wanting to write about my Hackenthorpe da(ze)ys I find myself closing my eyes and trying to scan in my head as many roads and buildings as I can hoping to remember summat. I also refer to old A - Zs (I prefer the ones in white and black).

 

Anyroad, I have another memory to put forward to you. It won't feel that important to you, but it does to me. Sit comfortably and I shall begin.

 

Once upon a time, a pal of the day and myself chose to spend a few hours bird nesting (collecting eggs) at the gorse bush expanse behind Birley Spa Junior school. We were also planning to visit the area that was later to become Scowerdons Estate. Why does the bleeding Corporation persist in destroying land? No wonder wildlife is rapidly disappearing in this god foresaken city of ours. Since the mid 60's the bird population in this country has fallen by over 50%, progress eh?

 

Anyway, before I go any further, I wish to point out rules about bird nesting.

 

1) If you come upon a bird's nest you must take only ONE egg. If you already have an egg of this species you do NOT take an egg.

 

2) NEVER tell anyone the location of the nest.

 

3) NEVER rag (destroy) a nest under any circumstances.

 

4) If you discover and know the name of anybody who rags nests, then pass his/her name on to as many people as you can. Name and shame.

 

5) NEVER ever return to a nest.

 

As bird egg collecting is now illegal, you can ignore the above info. Just leave it to the politicians, farmers and building contractors to finish the birds off, along with mammals and insects, by taking away their natural habitats.

 

The year was 1964 (approx) as me and my pal of the day set off on the long trek up Birley Spa Lane. We didn't take sandwiches or Tizer or Dandelion and Burdock with us, because we didn't live that far away to where we were going. If we would have gotten thirsty, we could have knocked on somebody's door and requested a drink of water in the hope they had Lemonade and buns. LOL. We used to do this whenever we went to places like Ridgeway, Ford and Mosbrough.

 

On arrival at the junction of Birley Spa Lane and Jermyn Crescent we 2 ten year olds turned right. Glancing over the road to my left I saw a dark haired girl who looked slightly younger than my good self. I was instantly lovestruck. With her was a fair haired girl, about the same age and a boy perhaps a year younger. I was tempted to ask the dark haired girl about mankin' possibilities, but us two were men on a mission with no time to waste. As we walked further along Jermyn Crescent I kept turning around, to see the pretty dark haired girl looking in my direction, this was an opportunity missed. If I hadn't have been so busy I would have overcome my shyness and asked her why I hadn't seen her in school before (Birley Spa Juniors). She must have gone to a different school. I would have willingly transferred over to her school if me mum would of let me. Aah birds, eh.

 

Pal of the day and me then branched off to go along the jennel to arrive at the gorse bushes behind the school. I always loved to come here to this mass of yellow flowered bushes. Between the bushes were lots of bright green coloured springy grass which was ideal for picnicking. You could see all the way over to Normanton Spring(s) without seeing a house or other buildings between. It was paradise for wildlife, trees, bushes and many types of flowers and long grasses....pure bliss. At that time there were no ugly worn paths criss crossing through or around those wonderful gorse bushes that offered refuge to the many birds living there... Linnets, Siskins, Finches, Crests, Skylarks etc. It was such a shame we boys took birds eggs for our collections, but we didn't know any different then.

 

The hours passes by, and it wasn't going to be long before the sun gave way for the moon to take over the night shift. We two lads had had some success searching for eggs, which we kept wrapped in cotton wool in our trouser pockets.

 

Coming back along Jermyn Crescent the new girl of my dreams wasn't to be seen, as we made our way over the main road to the 2 green wooden benches situated on the footpath, directly in front of the wall of the Golden Plover pub car park, at the junction of Spa View Road and Birley Spa Lane.

 

__________

 

 

(A) The 2 benches are now long gone.

 

(B) 2 years later I was at Birley County Secondary school, and in my class was the dark haired bird mentioned above. Her name? Lynn Stacey.

 

---------- Post added 03-10-2014 at 09:34 ----------

 

Anybody from Hackenthorpe?

 

Hackenthorpe and Zakes 55.

 

From my previous post [nr 54] I wanted to include 2 happenings, but had problems fitting them in. It was about a side of me seldom seen, my cold blooded side.

 

1. On that day I went bird nesting behind Birley Spa junior school with my pal of the day who was Martin Wragg [i remembered], we set off from my home on Carter Lodge Drive because Martin had called on me to ask if I was 'coming out to play'. Martin, who lived on Carter Lodge Avenue and I were having a chat on the pavement directly outside my house. We 10 year olds were discussing what to do on that nice sunny morning, and I suggested bird nesting up behind the school.

 

Whilst we were stood theere, a girl aged about 6 or 7 years came up to us and began to speak. This girl was dressed in a lightweight, flowery patterned summer dress and little plastic sandals. She lived 3 or 4 houses further on from mine at the even numbers on the same side. She asked us what we were up to, and where we were going. I shushed Martin as he was about to tell her. Anyway, I told her she couldn't come with us, and that was that. She put on the sad face and looked to the floor as she walked off. I'd taken girls before on adventures like scromping, but they almost always started to whinge,whine,wail and whimper about one thing or another. Never again.

 

Within the hour, Martin and myself were at the gorse bushes behind the school, on the verge of getting a skylark egg. As we were strolling about the gorse bushes we deliberately chattered away in a noisy fashion. Due to birds being nervous creatures, when they here a loud voice [humans speaking] they will look to escape. This applies to most birds most of the time, but not always. On this occasion we disturbed a skylark. When a skylark is disturbed it hops from it's nest [on the ground] and runs for up to 50 yards, then takes to the wing. By running through the grass the skylark doesn't give away the location of it's nest. However, when the skylark soars up to the sky and has reached safety, it then hovers directly over it's nest, giving away it's exact location.

 

As we were searching for the nest, we heard a young feminine voice asking, "What yer doing?" It was the young girl from Carter Lodge Drive, ruddy hell!

 

Immediately, I asked her how she knew where to find us. She said she had followed us all the way up Birley Spa Lane. I was quite annoyed by this and told her in a loud voice to go back home. She refused to and stood her ground. This stumped me for a few seconds, then I told her, "If you don't go, I'll throw you into the prickly gorse bushes, then the big spiders will come and eat you up". On hearing this she started to cry. The crying then turned into uncontrollable sobbing as she lifted both her little hands up to her face. There was then complete silence [apart from the sobbing] for a minute or so, then she turned and slowly walked away leaden footed. Martin stood in silence, embarrassed by the situation. A few minutes later I went to the jennel on the right, at the top of the field to see if the girl was hiding. She was out of sight, on her way home.

 

For the rest of the day I was still angry, but this time with myself. I also kept thinking and hoping she had arrived home safely.

 

2. I hadn't learned my lesson [from the above story] because a similar thing happened at a later date. The girl hadn't learned her lesson too, but I take full responsibility because I was the elder of us both.

 

I was with a different pal of the day on this occasion. We had met on a weekend day, planning to get a load of conkers. We went up Well Lane [Pigs Lane] having traversed Birley Spa Lane. In those days Well Lane was untarmacadamised, it was a mixture of dust, mud, clay and stones, and didn't have lighting [at night]. Approximately half way up on the left, we climbed the short steep embankment to enter through the broken rusted fencing, the grounds of Rainbow Forge Infants school. In the grounds were several horse chessnut trees. As those green spiky ball things with the conkers inside were looking down at us from the tree, we searched for and found a suitable stick apiece to cob up at the tree in an attempt to dislodge them. We had barely started when we heard a young female voice asking, "What yer doin'?" It was the young girl from Carter Lodge Drive again.

 

I tried to shoo her away. She refused to go and stood firm. I then threatened to push her down the embankment, then roll her down the lane. She would be then covered in bruises and her dress would be mucky, and nobody would ever like her again. Without expression on her face, she looked up at me for a full minute or so. Then tears began to trickle down her face, then she turned to the fencing, climbed through and was gone.

 

Over 50 years have lapsed since those two incidents, but every two years or so they come back to haunt me. When I think of them I become filled with embarrassment, remorse and burning anger towards myself. I have cried at times thinking how callous I was, but I can't turn the hands of time back to 1964. For goodness sake I was only 10 years old at the time, but still, I should have known better than treat her like I did.

 

It now seems clear to me that she was looking for me to be her friend, somebody to care for her, and to make her feel safe. I failed her. It seems her family failed her too. She was lonely, even at that young age.

 

 

3. Martin Wragg. - My pal of the day in the first story[1].

 

Martin lived at Carter Lodge Avenue nr. 35. At the uneven numbers.

He went to my school Birley Spa juniors.

 

I remember at school he wore grey short trousers [we all did] that seemed to be a little too tight. Out of school he often wore khaki coloured shorts that were shorter but not as tight as his school trousers. Martin never seemed to walk, but trot wherever he was. It seemed he was almost falling over himself, but managed somehow not to. It was the same with his speech. He spoke fast, almost to the point of losing his words. I liked Martin.

 

---------- Post added 08-10-2014 at 08:49 ----------

 

ANYBODY FROM HACKENTHORPE?

 

HACKENTHORPE AND ZAKES PART 56.

 

1) I see some posters asking if anybody else (apart from themselves) went to Carter Lodge School in the mid 50's. Perhaps I've got things wrong, but I thought the school was called, Hackenthorpe Secondary Modern School in those days.

 

2) Anything unusual (out of the ordinary) always intrigued me. Those electric sub stations, usually ensquared by green railings always got my attention. I would liked to have had the power to have turned off the power of the houses in the vicinity, putting them into total darkness LOL. Some of the sub stations I remember:

 

Dyke Vale Close - Down the steps from Birley Spa Lane

 

Carter Lodge Walk - Down Carter Lodge Drive on the right

 

Birley Spa Lane - Opposite where Rainbow Drive comes out

 

Main Street - Just past Blue Bell boozer over the road

 

Rainbow Road - Over the gardens towards Rainbow Avenue or Grove?

 

Cotleigh Avenue - Over gardens towards Cotleigh Drive

 

Dyke Vale Road - The big one

 

Carr Forge Lane - On the right just below Carter Lodge Avenue

 

I can't remember the exact location of others, especially higher up the estate. Do those sub stations still belong to the council or those shockingly dodgy companies.

 

3) When I was 10 or 11 (1964 - 65) I played my first ever frame of snooker. This happened on the estate. I had got a new pal of the day who lived at the top of Delves Drive. He lived where on the right two houses (4x semi-detached) stand high up from the main path. The entrance to his house was on the left meaning he lived in the first or third house. This lad had a table top snooker table (3ft long) and we played in the dining area. I went there on 4 occasions. I think the lad's name was (is) John Bland?

 

---------- Post added 13-10-2014 at 14:11 ----------

 

ANYBODY FROM HACKENTHORPE?

 

HACKENTHORPE AND ZAKES PART 57.

 

1) I have been told that Tony Lock died in May - June time 2013. Tony was a very good friend of mine during my time in Hackenthorpe '59 - '65. He always joined in football games that took place Sundays at the end of my road, Carter Lodge Drive. He always liked to play goalie and he was always a-laff-a-minute. During his childhood he lived at 184 Birley Spa Lane on the right going down where the houses stood back from the main road. We had visited each others house loads of times during our school days. He later played centre - half for the Birley Hotel. His last address was in the Beighton area I am told.

 

R.I.P Tony. Always a "pal of the day".

 

2) Hackenthorpe workmens club. Was on Main St in the bulding that is now a carpet shop.

 

In 1893 Rule 2. in members books was: - The objects of this club shall be to afford the means of social intercourse, mental and moral improvement, and rational recreation. No gambling or betting, and no religious discussions shall be permitted in the rooms.

 

3) Rule 4 - James Hounsfield, ESQ. Shall be president of this club.

 

4) Rule 7 - Subscriptions shall be five Shillings per year, or three Shillings per half - year, one Shilling and Sixpence to be paid at the time of entering, and the remainder within a month. Persons subscribing Half-a-Guinea and upwards shall be deemed honorary members, and be entitled to all the priviledges of the club between the hours 1pm to 6pm.

 

5) Rule 15 - A member of the committee absenting himself from three consecutive ordinary monthly meetings, shall cease to be a member of the committee.

 

6) The information in 2, 3, 4 and 5 is obtained from the 1893 membership book of George Havenhand.

 

_________________

 

7) When some people post on this thread they say they went to Rainbow Forge. What do they mean?

 

1) Rainbow Forge Infants (I went there, then Birley Spa Juniors)?

 

2) Rainbow Forge Juniors?

 

3) Both? Please make it clear to us readers. Ta much.

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ANYBODY FROM HACKENTHORPE?

 

HACKENTHORPE AND ZAKES PART 58.

 

Ref post 601 by Boothie on this thread:

 

1) (A). I seem to vaguely remember your name, although I could have got this wrong, there were many Booths on the estate. I moved to Hackenthorpe in 1959 and left in November 65. You mention that you knocked about with the Sherwood twins Christopher and Mark who lived at Birley Spa Lane Nr 61. Them two looked completely different to each other, Chris with the round head and Mark with the square chin. I think Mark possibly wore bins at times but I'm not sure. You also mentioned Nigel West of 45 Cotleigh Avenue. Nigel and I knocked about quite often and we got up to all types of adventures (have mentioned on other posts) and we were a reight handful, especially with the authorities, parents, police and pedagogues. LOL.

 

(B). You mentioned your pub running parents had a dog. As an Englishman I will use the word Alsatian. You used another term which is the American name for that type of dog. As America is one of our colony's, they should speak what we taught them, and not what they thing they can get away with. There are men in Germany who look after sheep and I don't think it right to go up to one of them and call him a dog, do you? LOL.

 

©. Whilst I'm on the subject of Canis Familiaris there were a fair few running about on the estate. They always seemed to find their way home.

 

1) My mate Kenny Glossop on Carter Lodge Avenue had one. It had short beige coloured fur and it had the shape of a Husky, and was called Rex.

 

2) Two Alsatians near the main shops, one was white, the other had the usual markings andcolouring. One was called Major, the other Prince.

 

3) In the Carr Forge Road, area near Carter Lodge Rise was a red Setter and it worra bleedin newsunce. If it saw a leg he'd try to ro(d)ger it, male or female. Randy sod!

 

2) I don't recall seeing many (Felis Catus or Domesticus) in those days, they were probably polishing their claws and preening themsens in the front room at Mrs Varty's House on Carter Lodge Place. Mrs Varty was known as the cat woman.

 

Zakes. Real name not known!

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Anyone remember a David Greetham from Hackenthorpe? He would have lived there in the 70's but later moved down south. He was in his 20's then and had a mate called "Ecky" (sp?). I'm asking on behalf of someone at work who knew him around that time but lost touch.

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Hello Tony,

 

Are you the Tony Maris whose dad was called Jack. About three houses up Carr Forge Lane. If you are I use to knock about with you, I had an Areal VB with sidecar, and I think you were in the sidecar one day when I ran into a flood at Intake.

 

Not I!:confused:

 

I didn't know any Jacks in our family and I didn't know any other Tony Maris's around Hackenthorpe either...... I didn't know it was such a popular name! I did read what looked my own obituary in the Sheffield Star about 20 years ago though..... very scary!

 

For the record, My Dad was Ernest Maris and I had two sisters Margaret (or Stella as she preferred to be known later) and Elizabeth plus a brother Michael. Ernest is long gone, as is my Mum Winifred, but all the kids are still alive and kicking!!

 

We previously lived on Jaunty Avenue, Base Green, and went to Frecheville Sec Mod after spells at the junior school, (except for Mike who went to the grammar).......

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Not I!:confused:

 

I didn't know any Jacks in our family and I didn't know any other Tony Maris's around Hackenthorpe either...... I didn't know it was such a popular name! I did read what looked my own obituary in the Sheffield Star about 20 years ago though..... very scary!

 

For the record, My Dad was Ernest Maris and I had two sisters Margaret (or Stella as she preferred to be known later) and Elizabeth plus a brother Michael. Ernest is long gone, as is my Mum Winifred, but all the kids are still alive and kicking!!

 

We previously lived on Jaunty Avenue, Base Green, and went to Frecheville Sec Mod after spells at the junior school, (except for Mike who went to the grammar).......

 

Further back in this post I received an answer from the wife of the Tony Maris I knew (Carr Forge Lane in the 60's) He is alive and well. I did not know that there was another Tony Maris on Hackenthorpe at the time.

Thanks for your reply.

Edited by Boginspro
I forgot to mention.

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Hackenthorpe, and Zakes Part 2

 

Favourite pastimes included, scrumping (on a grand scale), bird nesting, conkers - I once had a conk(qu)er 57 (we used to soak them in vinegar and then put them in a dark cupboard to harden over several months), throwing arrows, catapulting, pea shooting and bulrushing. Much of this happened down Brook Lane, Bluebell Wood, past the house with the cannon on the wall up to the Riding School at Mos'boro Top, Ridgeway, Ford, Hackenthorpe Village School, a church on the left on Sheffield Road towards Occupation Lane, and a slag heap down the fields at the back of Carr Forge Road and Rainbow Avenue.

In these fields was a house where a family lived and I believe they didn't have gas or electricity. Does anyone have any info about this?

 

Pigs Lane was mentioned in an earlier post by Lo Strider, I spent many hours in that vacinity and I too used to run downthe embankment from Rainbow Forge playing field to the other side of Pigs Lane up the bank, turned and ran back in the same tilt, wish I had a quid for every time I did that (might try it again soon). When I was at Rainbow Forge Infants we had one day an inter-schools sports day and during the activities like the sack race, egg and spoon race, obstickel race, fell in love for the very first time ever with a girl who was from Charnock School. The name of the girl was Lynn Hanson, I can clearly remember wanting to touch her blonde natural coloured hair that was done in ponytail fashion with a red ribbon and she also had a sweet looking faint line of lentigines across the middle of her nose. I never saw her again after that day. That was almost 50 years ago. Where are you now Lynn?

 

Remembered is also the years 1961, 62, 63, 64 when a group of us would be trying to cadge a penny or two for bonfire night from patrons going into the BLUe Bell boozer with minimal success, TIGHT SODS! It was a pity because each year we had tried so hard to make a really good Guy Fawkes look-alike. Might try again this year.

P.S Did Mr Howard ever sell fireworks? I seem to think that he did.

 

I think that the lonely house was where the Gregg family lived. They were feared by most people of that era.

 

---------- Post added 23-01-2015 at 15:24 ----------

 

wasn't his name Povey

 

His name was Povey and he bacame Chief Constable of Hull I think. I delivered newspapers to Inkersall House for the Major (army rank) I think about 1960/61.

 

---------- Post added 23-01-2015 at 15:29 ----------

 

Hi Nanny,

 

I've got the right Tony then! So sorry to hear Julie has passed away, the last time I saw Robin he told me that she was seriously ill, but I'm not up Hacky much these days, only to see my sister pat every now and again. Could you ask Tony if he remembers a kid who fell from the wires of a Pylon when they were being erected near Canns bottom, the wires were on the ground and they were being pulled up, he grabbed one and went up with it, by the time he let go it was high up and I think he was killed in the fall. The reason I ask is because I'm sure we were talking to the Star about it at the back of Tony's house, but there again it could just be my imagination/poor memory and it was in the very early 60s. Give my regards to Tonys sisters when you speak again.

 

Baz

 

The kid who grasped the pylon wires was Trevor West. He did survive the fall.

 

---------- Post added 23-01-2015 at 15:49 ----------

 

Anybody from Hackenthorpe

 

Hackenthorpe and Zakes Part 32.

 

Subtitled:- One in a taxi, one in a car, one on a scooter tooting his hooter.

 

1. At Rainbow Forge Infants in 1960-61ish we had a na© tivity play – Mary and Joseph. I don’t need to go into detail about what the play was about, because we are all well acquainted with the fable. I saw angels, shepherds and 3 kings (wise men) bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and mirth, which caused much gaiety and laughter. It had been reported that the shepherds had washed their socks by night, and the angels had been angling with fishing rods and not with he-rods. Anyroad, Mary gave bith to a son, and she and her bloke Joseph proudly named the child Jesus. Everything seemed to have worked out fine, and the rest is history.

If the above info is wrong, then please address your remarks to Miss Hardwick because she organised the nactivity activity. I was part of the audience because I didn’t want to be a sheep or a donkey because I’m human. I have never been an angel, so I didn’t become one of them. I didn’t play a wise man either, because I was too young to be wise.

 

Before the play had started, some of us young ‘uns were listening to the boastful lad who was to play the part of Joseph. This lad, who was destined never to become one of my pals of the day, weekend, month, term, year etc, was called Marcus. This Marcus kid was so full of himsen he must have thought he was on his father’s yacht. Bad news for him was, there wasn’t that many yachts to be seen in Bethlehem, let alone Hackenthorpe in them days. Marcus really thought he was so smart waering that red, white and blue checked tea towel on his bonce, held in place with the aid of 37 elastic bands and 16 hair grips. He looked like an early day Yassir Arabfat P.L.O.dding about on stage in his pink plastic sandals.

 

Marcus most likely ended up later going to Thornbitch Grammar School with others of a similar ilk. Oh, geeowah, Mecks yer sick!

 

2. There was a class or year photo taken at Rainbow Forge Infants in 60-61 with about 25 children on it, including me (Zakes). When me dad’s (my best friend) life came to an end the rest of the family sorted out his belongings and I don’t know what happened to the photo. Have any of you got a copy that you could put up as a post on this thread? Ask your brothers and sisters.

 

---------- Post added 22-09-2013 at 03:40 ----------

 

Anybody from Hackenthorpe?

 

Hackenthorpe and Zakes Part 33.

 

1. Ref. post 489 by Tazz 070299. On this thread.

 

You mentioned you lived 6 houses away from Jean Cottam, Cotty to her friends. You lucky so and so, I would have done or given anything to have lived near to her, she was, and probably is still a stunner, I can tell you. I would have willingly been a stray iron filing drawn to this most magnetic maiden. I remember seeing her in the corridor at Carter Lodge School on my last day there in the winter of 1965. A crisp white shirt underneath a quality navy blue coloured V-necked jumper, a long kissable neck, and the face of a goddess. I just knew at that exciting, but sad moment, I wouldn’t ever be seeing her again. I was 11 years and 8 months old.

 

2. Re. post 491 by Tazz 070299. On this thread.

 

I remember Robert and Alma Sherwood. I used to be in the same class at Birley Spa Juniors with their unidentical twin sons, Christopher and Mark, Mark being the eldest of the two. They lived at 61 Birley Spa Lane (opposite where Springwater Avenue comes out), in the last house next to the steps that le(a)d down to Dyke Vale avenue-close. Christopher had been at times my pal of the weekend. He once had a big fight with Nigel West at junior school which he lost. Christopher could also walk on his hands. The well built Mr. Sherwood may have worked at Edgar Allen’s (?). I remember Alma had auburn coloured hair in the early 60’s. They had lots of trees in their garden. Perhaps more than anyone else on the estate.

 

3. Ref. post 493 by Tazz 070299. On this thread.

 

(A) Yes. The ivy covered building was part of Spencers farm, but I wanted to know what it is (was). The real name of the farm is Brookhouse Farm.

(B) Povey was the correct name, and not Proby. Thank you for that Tazz.

© Was Inkersall House to do with the Kirk family?

 

Inkersall house was owned by an army major when I delivered newspapers around 1960/61. Kirks came along some time later.

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Don't think this is the girl I dated. She lived about three-five doors down from the Pub near the bus terminus (Pub side).

 

Where you are talking about, a little further up towards Birley, I dated a girl called Barbara Snowden - she lived on a street off Birley Spa Lane, can't remember the name. Now, she was drop-dead gorgeous!!

 

I revisited England in 1972 and saw her working at the local butchery in Birley Spa Lane. At the time decided it wasn't appropriate to chat with her as I'd arrived in England with a newly wedded wife.

 

Hiya Domino,

I note that your name is Maurice Copeland. I remember your name but can't put a face to it. My name is Tom Porter and I lived on Springwater Drive, bang opposite Barbara Snowden, and my brother Jim married one of her sisters. I was at a party with the family about 3 weeks ago, and Barbara was there, as drop dead gorgeous as ever, even after all these years! You mentioned that you saw her in the butchers on Birley Spa Lane when you visited in the 70's. It was actually Styans the bakers where she worked. Hope you don't mind me making contact, but I'm sure you'll be pleased to know she's still around, as our generation are getting on a bit!

 

Regards

Tom

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Hackenthorpe and Zakes Part 59.

 

1. Peering out through the window with serious eyes, the 9 years old Zakes was watching the heavily falling rain coming down like stiff stair rods in the outside darkness. He pressed his nose against the glass pane of the metal framed single glazed window. He felt the cold damp against his flattened organ of smell, because he had to get this close or he would have only seen a mirrored reflection of himself. Under normal circumstances, Zakes would not have minded the reflection, because he had always been an admirer of natural handsomeness. Today was a different situation though, because he was impatiently waiting for his tardy dad (Dad Zakes) to arrive home from his place of work, at Tungsten Carbide.

 

The year was 1963, and it was early Friday evening, and including today, it was 10 days until December. Zakes always enjoyed Fridays because it was the start of the weekend, which meant 2 whole days of adventuring here on the Hackenthorpe estate and the areas surrounding. Fridays were also good, because it meant the Australian childrens programmes, followed by Crackerjack were on telly. Tea time on Fridays were also super duper, because his mum (Mum Zakes) always cooked a delicious fry up of sausage, bacon, egg, mushrooms and redskins.

 

Zakes was now praying and hoping his dad would win the race, the race against the heavy, torpid looking mobile shop that came around Friday tea times. The converted charabanc bus sold groceries and spice (sweets). The winner of the race would be the first one to reach 6, Carter Lodge Drive, where the Zakes’ lived. It was imperative Dad Zakes won the race, because Zakes was desperately in need of his 2 bob weekly spending money, to splash out at the shop on wheels when it arrived.

 

The rainy teardrops were still playing patterns upon the window pane, and all Zakes had seen so far was a pair of saturated bats speedily flying by. The bats had taken Zakes by surprise, making it impossible for him to ascertain whether they were made from willow, ash or balsa.

 

Moments later, Zakes became wide eyed with excitement, as he espied the thin dark shadow of his dad dashing up the pathway, hunched forward in a vain attempt to dodge the unmerciful wet stair rods. Zakes’ gleeful gulumphing lasted only a few moments, because just as the key was sounding in the lock of the house door, the glancing and dancing headlights of the battered bulky mobile shop came into sight and drew nearer, as it came stutteringly up Carter Lodge Drive from the direction of Carr Forge Road. This put Zakes into a most pantiferous panic filled situation. Could he possibly get his spendo off his dad before the shiny shop served it’s last customer and drove off, Zakes fretted.

 

Out of the wet dark Dad Zakes appeared, standing in the hallway looking soaked to the skin. His light brown overcoat looked darker than it usually was. His size 11 wellies were shining, as was the brylcremed wave upon his head. With a steady flow of water drops dripping from his conk, he loudly exclaimed like a harbinger of doom to Mum Zakes, “Div gorrim! Div gorrim! Div shot Kennedy!” Mum Zakes showed sudden shock upon her fastidious ferret face, and loudly called out as if to God in disgrace, “Oh no! Where? When? How? Who? And Why?”

 

During the uproarious hullabaloo, Zakes constantly tugged the left cuff of his dad’s saturated overcoat sleeve, demandingly pleading for his pocket money. He had set his heart on a bag of spice from the mobile shop, and was now becoming frantic with fear that the bus would soon be gone. Just when it seemed all would be lost, his dad pressed a dull looking Florin into his son’s soft palm. Within seconds, Zakes, who was dressed in grey jumper, grey shorts and grey colloured Policeman Badger slippers, had slipped out of the house door. The grocer had already set the bus into gear and was ready for leaving. On seeing Zakes the growling engine was switched off.

 

Inside the motorized shop, Zakes could smell the soil still on the grocer’s potatoes, carrots and turnips. It was almost the exact same smell as the left armpit of one of his girlfriends at Birley Spa Juniors, a wonderful down to earth aromatic aroma.

 

On being asked if he wanted his usual order, Zakes eagerly nodded his head, which caused the counter to be covered with raindrops. The grocer then proceeded to fill a small white paper bag with rainbow drops, then he proceeded to fill a larger white paper bag with Banana chews, Blackjacks, Fruit Salad, a Fudgy Fudge Bar and a Gobstopper. He generously gave Zakes 1/9 change, because the boy was a regular customer.

 

Having stepped from the seatless charabanc shop back into the pouring rain, Zakes turned around to face the grocer, and asked him, “Do you know of a man called Ken, Eddie?” The grocer looked to the ceiling to have a quick think, then shook his head. “Well not to worry, div shot him anyway”, declared Zakes.

 

Footnote: Ken, Eddie = Kennedy. John F. Kennedy.

 

Does anybody remember these 60’s names:

Maureen cousins

Denise Naylor.

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