Croft House youth club - Do you remember it?

[1789a 10]

I frquented Croft House from 1967 for about four years for the judo initially but I used the leisure facilities more- snooker, cafe etc.

Someone from my school did stay overnight in the place mainly because he was having difficulties at home and sleeping at the settlement semed a good option at the time. He hid under a pile of costumes at the back of the stage until everyone had left and stayed until the next day when he returned home to face the music. He reported no haunting but said it got very cold so although he started the evening sleeping on the snooker table he ended up back under the costumes.

 

Odd things stand out like the "shabby chic" or "poverty" decor- depending on your point of view, a broken fifties Coca-Cola machine upstairs somewhere and an old drumkit always on the stage, with the name "The Coasters" painted on the bass drum, but I never saw anyone play it. Around 1969/70 a young woman with long wavy,fair hair, glasses and often wearing a rucksack used to wander around, never speaking to anyone but occasionally she would stop and stare someone straight in the face before exiting. Saw her in the Students Union too.

 

There was a girl there, a little older than me, who I fancied from afar who asked me to put Otis Redding's "Dock of the Bay" on the jukebox for her which, thrilled that she'd even spoken to me, I did. I nearly died of embarrassment when the record that actually came on was "Edelweiss" by Vince Hill. But no matter, the incident led to extended snogging with her later. She explained she couldn't go out with me because she had a proper boyfriend- trollope! I did fancy another girl there- Yvonne Frost- she did judo too but I never got further than light conversation. Carefree, happy days!

Edited January 9, 2016 by 1789a
punctuation

[bantycock 10]

I used to do some boxing at croft house in 1976 and remember the trainer who was a complete nutter.

He was only a small guy who wore sunglasses who wanted to make me a fly weight even before I got in the ring.

When I did get in the ring which was as soon as I got changed he put me in with a six footer as I was only 5'3".

I remember punching my apponent and apologising for hitting him even though I was getting a pummeling and everyone laughed.

Bah, how humiliating.

Maybe boxing was'nt for me.

 

I was boxing there for a while was it Walt who trained us. Aka big and daft lol

[willybite 10]

I was boxing there for a while was it Walt who trained us. Aka big and daft lol

 

hiya must have been in the late 40s it was up garden st on the right hand side, we used the gennel opposite from where we lived in broomhall, there were a few snooker tables,table tennis tables, the one thing that stands out with me was the servery where we could buy a drink, there was a potato peeling machine where if you did a stint at peeling a load of spuds the woman gave you a drink and a tart,.

[only_me 11]

I was at the boxing club there late 60s early 70s Walt Knight{R.I.P} was the trainer then he was a right hard case and a hard task master loved the training I was as fit as a butchers dog then,had some good times there my promising boxing carrier was cut short by having a problem with my nose

 

Is this any relation to Dave Knight who was a promising boxer? Sadly I hear he was killed some years ago.

[bantycock 10]

I was at the boxing club there late 60s early 70s Walt Knight{R.I.P} was the trainer then he was a right hard case and a hard task master loved the training I was as fit as a butchers dog then,had some good times there my promising boxing carrier was cut short by having a problem with my nose

 

Seem to think it was lol knight now not Walt ? David knight was murdered some years back a relation of Wilf Collins scrap man ?

[millsie 10]

Croft House Youth Club, now there is a 'blast from the past'. I used to go there twice a week late 50's, great place. On the ground floor you had snooker, table tennis, judo, juke box and dancing, and I seem to remember you could get soft drinks and a snack where you paid your subs. Upstairs was the boxing area, I used to help assemble the ring sometimes on stay ed overnight a couple of times, no ghosts. And 'Bosun' and his wife used to run the place. It must have been good, Jeff Price, Trevor Beard and myself walked from Shirecliffe, through Pitsmoor where our friend Carl Drabble lived, and on to the club. Then, we walked home again. I left Sheffield in 1965, so it was good to know that it was still a club in the Eighties.

Edited April 3, 2017 by millsie

[Pete Price 1]

Hi Millsie, my uncle is Jeff Price and I’ve just asked him about this. He said he would love to get in touch with you.