Gordon Banks Birthplace

[Jim Morris 10]

Thanks Hillsboro for getting in touch. As I am a newby to Sheffield I cant send a PM but will say publically that this thread has been of great help, and Hillsbro particularly.

JM

[Jim Hardie 527]

The birth certificate arrived earlier than was promised, and so I now have the details; shaznay was (almost) right. Gordon Banks was born on 30 December 1937 at 15 Arthur Road, in the "Sheffield South West" sub-district. The houses have long been demolished but Arthur Road and Frederick Road were adjacent cul-de-sacs off Abbeydale Road, near the picture palace (Frederick Road is still on the map but Arthur Road isn't). So perhaps the Banks family moved to Tinsley when Gordon was very young, so that he didn't remember living at Abbeydale and regarded himself as being "from Tinsley".

 

Anyway, the birth certificate is the ultimate reference source – Gordon Banks is a Sheffield lad and was born on Arthur Road.

 

In case it's of interest, Gordon's father was Thomas Banks, a "general labourer" and his mother Nellie Banks, formerly Yates.

 

If anyone would like to see the birth certificate, PM me an email address and I'll send a JPEG scan.

 

I'm sure you're right about Gordon's birthplace, but it's no wonder there's always been confusion about it as his own official website has it down as Rotherham.

Edited November 3, 2012 by Jim Hardie
SPELLING ERROR

[hillsbro 32]

In view of the renewed interest in this thread, I've uploaded a scan of the letter I received from Gordon Banks in 2007. I found his address (which I removed from the scan) by looking on the 2003 and 2004 electoral rolls that I have on CDs. Knowing that Gordon's wife is called Ursula, I actually found two people in the UK with the name Gordon Banks who shared an address with an Ursula Banks. I tossed a coin and wrote to the Ashton-under-Lyne address. Needless to say it was the wrong one, but this Gordon Banks was kind enough to reply, telling me that he often receives letters intended for his namesake..

[hillsbro 32]

I'm sure you're right about Gordon's birthplace, but it's no wonder there's always been confusion about it as his own official website has it down as Rotherham.

Yes - I saw this also. It's a mystery, but perhaps Gordon prefers people to think he was born in Rotherham. The Wikipedia article also gives Rotherham as his birthplace, with a link to Gordon's website. I did think of editing this, quoting the General Register Office birth entry (Volume 9c Page 893) but I was sure that someone would "correct" it!.

[Jim Hardie 527]

Yes - I saw this also. It's a mystery, but perhaps Gordon prefers people to think he was born in Rotherham. The Wikipedia article also gives Rotherham as his birthplace, with a link to Gordon's website. I did think of editing this, quoting the General Register Office birth entry (Volume 9c Page 893) but I was sure that someone would "correct" it!.

 

Go on, be a devil!

[hillsbro 32]

Go on, be a devil!

Hee, hee, hee... ...!.!

[Gazza58 10]

My Mother was in the class above Gordon when she was at school at Tinsley, She tells me he was born at Catcliffe and later moved to Tinsley.

His father had a bookmakers at Catcliffe and as she remembers it was in the railway arches near to the roundabout.

 

My grandad had the cobblers shop in the same area,gordon was often in the shop, according to my mam.

[NumbBum 10]

I was always told that a relative (dad ?) Lol Banks ran the pub just opposite where George Banks the builders was, not far from the Locks at Tinsley Park.

 

The Plumpers.

 

I met Johnny (Our Jack) a few times - many many years ago at the home of a friend. He was a friendly unassuming sort. I remember him saying that they used to live near the Plumpers pub.

 

Mick

[garypeacock 10]

I'm sure you're right about Gordon's birthplace, but it's no wonder there's always been confusion about it as his own official website has it down as Rotherham.

 

David Seaman was born in Rotherham, does that help?

[Shogun 10]

Well we have defo found out he is a Sheffield lad, if we could find out he was a Wednesdayite that would put the icing on the cake.

[herbiegrass 10]

Well we have defo found out he is a Sheffield lad, if we could find out he was a Wednesdayite that would put the icing on the cake.

 

Fraid not. when I met him he told me he would go to both United and Wed matches as he had no favourits.

[Johnsworld 10]

My grandma (of Plumpers Road) used to tell me of the times she used to babysit Gordon as a baby. Also, when he was older, he would spend hours kicking his ball to a wall and saving it.