Anyone come from Grimesthorpe? (Part 2)

[Dors 10]

Weer Did All t’Watter Come From.

Anyone who lived in or near Grimesthorpe knows t’Dyke. We paddled in it, threw bricks into it and most of us lads stood on the wall and peed in it. It gave us endless hours of fun and pleasure, be it a mere trickle or a raging torrent after a downpour.

For anyone reading this and is unfamiliar with Grimesthorpe, The Dyke is a brook that surfaces and runs for a few hundred yards through the vale of Grimesthorpe before disappearing again.

A dyke is usually: a drain, a diversion or a flood control so our dyke, although not unique is unusual in not being called a brook. A search of Google for Sheffield dykes gives a few more unusual variations.

It crossed my mind as a kid, where did all this dyke water come from? I assumed it ran off Wincobank Hill and although some of it does, t’Dyke is swollen by many more streams on its journey to The Don.

A problem with tracing t’Dyke or Bagley Dyke to give its proper name, for most of its course it is below ground in culverts or pipes. Many years ago, t’Dyke was a typical stream meandering through green fields and open countryside before industry and the need for houses that followed, caused it to be built over.

Much of the fun we had playing in t’Dyke was tinged with danger, warnings came from all and sundry, especially ‘grown-ups’. ‘Don’t go in t’Dyke, it’s full o’ rats, the buggers ‘re vicious and if yer corner one it ‘ll go fer yer throat’. ‘Don’t forget to tie some string ‘round yer trouser bottoms, if yer surprise one it ‘ll run up yer trouser leg an’ bite yer willy’. No one explained what us little uns wi short pants should do.

‘Don’t lerrany dyke watter gerrin thi gob, tha ‘ll catch malaria, yeller fever, plague and nits. Oh, I nearly forgot, yer willy ‘ll drop off’. But the warning which scared me the most; don’t go near them tunnels, they’re full o’ bogey men and once they get yer, yer’ll disappear fer ever.

Rats there were and in abundance but usually long dead when we found them. Diseases it’s true were rife, we caught chicken pox, measles, mumps, impetigo and one of them , I can’t remember which, must have been really serious. I had a week off school and a visit from the School Board man, then a seeing to by the nit nurse when I went back. As for the bogy men, I never saw any but my pal Roger Fowler did. He told me some really scary stories about when the bogy men nearly gorrim darn a tunnel so I know it’s true.------------------------------------------To Be Continued.

Can't wait for the next episode Cat!

Dors.

[cat631 10]

Weer Did All t’ Watter Come From? Part Two.

One morning as Roger Fowler and I ran down Little Lane on our way to Grimesthorpe School, we could hear a terrible roar. Was it The bogey men? No, ‘t was t’ Dyke in full flood after a night of heavy rain.

It must have been Roger’s turn to pee in it and just as he climbed on the wall, the much bigger opposite wall collapsed into the raging torrent below. Assuming we would be blamed and a fate worse than bogey men awaited, we ran away and didn’t stop ‘til we got to school. For a few weeks after this incedent we went to school via Chambers Lane and kept our secret until today.

So, after all this excitement, weer does all t’ watter come from? It comes from roundabouts here.

Longley Park Swimming Pool.

Just think, many of us could have been swimming in mucky dyke watter without realising it. Longley Swimming Pool is long gone and the next few photos show the area as it is now.

Bagley Dyke begins in Longley Park. Rainwater soaks from the high ground of the park and many years ago springs formed a pond where eventually the swimming pool was excavated. After heavy rain, a pool of water still collects in the same area.

I don’t know if any of the spring water was used to top-up the swimming pool, if it did, I’m sure it must have passed through a refridgeration unit. On the sunniest and hottest of days, the water was always icy cold.

There is nothing left to give even a hint of what was once there save for a manhole cover that marks the beginning of Bagley Dyke’s journey to Grimesthorpe.

 

To Be Continued.

Edited April 6, 2009 by cat631

[skippy 11]

I'll take you further upstream cat, over the back of our house at Shirecliffe and in what was called the first wood, was a spring, it then ran through the second wood where Busk Meadow was built & went back underground until it reached Longley Park, where the water surfaced again, see line on the map.

 

Edited April 7, 2009 by skippy

[NETTIEJ 10]

Weer Did All t’Watter Come From.

Anyone who lived in or near Grimesthorpe knows t’Dyke. We paddled in it, threw bricks into it and most of us lads stood on the wall and peed in it. It gave us endless hours of fun and pleasure, be it a mere trickle or a raging torrent after a downpour.

For anyone reading this and is unfamiliar with Grimesthorpe, The Dyke is a brook that surfaces and runs for a few hundred yards through the vale of Grimesthorpe before disappearing again.

 

 

Great Story Cat

Im sure Kevin Dolling would love to know the fact that you all used

to pee in it. He was well known for falling in the dyke many a time

bless him. :hihi:

[janie-m 10]

cat mentioned Mr. Clifford,He married one of the other teachers who was she? I know I was in his class twice, we was such a rowdy lot!!!! he asked for our class, and I must admit he was the best teacher for us. Did anyone remember the yard at the top of Dunmow road? some of the prefabs backed on to it. Talking of prefabs does anyone remember Gwen Sigdley. Her dad was a miner I think

 

I remember a council yard at the top of Dunmow rd so it not been gone that long. It probably went when they built the new school.

[walt 10]

Weer Did All t’ Watter Come From? Part Two.

 

There is nothing left to give even a hint of what was once there save for a manhole cover that marks the beginning of Bagley Dyke’s journey to Grimesthorpe.

 

Facinating reflection on Bagley Dyke Cat and very interesting. I can remember playing on the banks of Bagley Dyke during school dinner time. You could get through the railings at the bottom of the dip in Longley Lane, and follow the stream all the way down to what was Firvale Infirmary (what owd uns referred to as the workhouse now the Northern General).

[janie-m 10]

Facinating reflection on Bagley Dyke Cat and very interesting. I can remember playing on the banks of Bagley Dyke during school dinner time. You could get through the railings at the bottom of the dip in Longley Lane, and follow the stream all the way down to what was Firvale Infirmary (what owd uns referred to as the workhouse now the Northern General).

 

Nothings changed about the Northern General, it's still the workhouse for me:-)

[cat631 10]

T’Dyke Part 3.

Before we leave the baths, do you remember the entrance?

http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/u03357.jpg

The only sign of Bagley Dyke through the park is from a row of manhole covers that trace the rout down to Longley Lane bridge. At this place, t’Dyke is joined by another stream that runs under the lane.

http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s07582.jpg

Such a shame that such a lovely bridge has been replaced by this.

It is not possible to photograph the same view as the old photo, the forground is heavily wooded, full of rubbish and brambles. And, might I add, very dangerous too. While attempting to penetrate this jungle I slipped, fell arse over tit and broke two ribs. David Attenborough wouldn’t complain so neither shall I.

Bagley Dyke now meanders for a short way above ground before disappearing, down through the grounds of The Northern General Hospital, parallel with Barnsley Road and all the way to Fir Vale.

The hospital began life as, Sheffield Union Workhouse.

http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/y01175.jpg

Later it became Fir Vale Infirmary.

http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/t00369.jpg

I once fell off my motorbike and sustained a broken leg (yes, I am accident prone) I’m sure this doctor fixed it and the lady, later gave me a bed bath.

I remember visiting my Granny, many times before she died in there, the walk up and down the hospital drive took forever on my little legs.

The culverted dyke flows under the Barnsley Road hospital entrance.

Down to the busy Fir Vale junction where it is swollen by three more streams from the roe woods area.

http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/cgi-bin/zoom.pl?picture=http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s00405.jpg

To Be Continued.

[DOMMI 10]

Weer Did All t’Watter Come From.

Anyone who lived in or near Grimesthorpe knows t’Dyke. We paddled in it, threw bricks into it and most of us lads stood on the wall and peed in it. It gave us endless hours of fun and pleasure, be it a mere trickle or a raging torrent after a downpour.

For anyone reading this and is unfamiliar with Grimesthorpe, The Dyke is a brook that surfaces and runs for a few hundred yards through the vale of Grimesthorpe before disappearing again.

A dyke is usually: a drain, a diversion or a flood control so our dyke, although not unique is unusual in not being called a brook. A search of Google for Sheffield dykes gives a few more unusual variations.

It crossed my mind as a kid, where did all this dyke water come from? I assumed it ran off Wincobank Hill and although some of it does, t’Dyke is swollen by many more streams on its journey to The Don.

A problem with tracing t’Dyke or Bagley Dyke to give its proper name, for most of its course it is below ground in culverts or pipes. Many years ago, t’Dyke was a typical stream meandering through green fields and open countryside before industry and the need for houses that followed, caused it to be built over.

Much of the fun we had playing in t’Dyke was tinged with danger, warnings came from all and sundry, especially ‘grown-ups’. ‘Don’t go in t’Dyke, it’s full o’ rats, the buggers ‘re vicious and if yer corner one it ‘ll go fer yer throat’. ‘Don’t forget to tie some string ‘round yer trouser bottoms, if yer surprise one it ‘ll run up yer trouser leg an’ bite yer willy’. No one explained what us little uns wi short pants should do.

‘Don’t lerrany dyke watter gerrin thi gob, tha ‘ll catch malaria, yeller fever, plague and nits. Oh, I nearly forgot, yer willy ‘ll drop off’. But the warning which scared me the most; don’t go near them tunnels, they’re full o’ bogey men and once they get yer, yer’ll disappear fer ever.

Rats there were and in abundance but usually long dead when we found them. Diseases it’s true were rife, we caught chicken pox, measles, mumps, impetigo and one of them , I can’t remember which, must have been really serious. I had a week off school and a visit from the School Board man, then a seeing to by the nit nurse when I went back. As for the bogy men, I never saw any but my pal Roger Fowler did. He told me some really scary stories about when the bogy men nearly gorrim darn a tunnel so I know it’s true.------------------------------------------To Be Continued.

I've heard Roger still sees the bogey men when he leaves the Legion at closing time. What was that other hair complaint we had? I can remember a line of us stood in the hall, in vests and pants, our heads shaven and painted purple. We must have looked like an exhibition of phallic symbols.

[rf2690 10]

I've heard Roger still sees the bogey men when he leaves the Legion at closing time. What was that other hair complaint we had? I can remember a line of us stood in the hall, in vests and pants, our heads shaven and painted purple. We must have looked like an exhibition of phallic symbols.

is that where the expression d--- head comes from.seriously who can remember what they called the purple stuff they out on you.Sure it was impetigo they put it on.sheila

[jennyren 10]

wernt it something voilet something...lol

[jennyren 10]

violet ..sorry..