Does anyone know the history of the Bole Hills?

[crookes 10]

You may remember a toy shop on Crookes called Wells which moved to the bottom of Mulehouse, where a dental practice now stands?

Yes I remember Mr Wells. He was a bit of a rip-off-merchant charging top dollar for everything. I used to get Meccano from there and later on bike parts until I found Ernie? Ernie's shop was just before the Old Grindstone - opposite side of the road on the previous bend. It was a scruffy old bike shop and Ernie could be found on most days making wheels up or bikes. He ran a cycling club, which I later joined. The club house was at Totley.

[crookes 10]

If forgot to mention that Davy's was at the corner of Toyne Street/Crookes. What is the old Cinema these days?

[crookes 10]

Shentalls was next door to Macs fruit & veg shop corner of Toftwood Road/Crookes. The Tram/Bus stop was right outside the door. The TSB used to be the Sheffield Savings bank and it has a nine-roomed-flat above. There was a bread shop next door, Melias? The shop in-between the bank and Peats was a builders shop and I once whacked a golf ball through their rear window Peats had a corrugated iron clad off-shot, which I once climbed on to reach a football off the shop roof. I spent about an hour being too frightened to get down again. I flew a kite once in Toftwood Road and the wind pulled it out of my hand. The tail end of the string wrapped around the wires across the road and when the wind dropped the kite was left dangling about eight feet off the road. My mother was ruddy fuming when she had to go out into the streets with step ladders to pull it down. Is the methane gas lamp still up Toftwood Road anyone?

[CHAIRBOY 10]

Wells was renowned for the rip-off. Ernie Oldham was the bike shop.

I can't be as precise as I would like with the cinema. Newent Lane split what was to become two supermarkets, one of those was the cinema but even though I attended matinees I can't say which of the shops it was!

 

The Co-Op moved from one to the other to take up an alcohol licence. The relinquished store became "Sound As A Pound", a cheap jack's. That has become a property management concern.

[crookes 10]

Ernie Oldham was the bike shop.

Thanks, that was the fella, I can't believe I had almost forgotten his name.

This would be the Cinema. It was a square-shaped white-fronted building.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a303/escafeld01/Cinema.jpg

[crookes 10]

By way of a change from the Bole Hills we used walk to the very end of Bole Hill Lane, cut between the houses, walk along a narrow path which led to what I knew as ‘First Farm’ and then onto the lane known as Clough Fields. A diversion through the allotments led to onto Den Bank and on into Rivelin Valley. Great place to be even before the cup of tea at the end in the Post Office. I've got loads of photos from down there. Me and the wife carried on walking one day and finished up the other side of Baslow and it chucked it down when we got there and we had to walk back soaking wet.

[CHAIRBOY 10]

Seen the photo and the cinema is now the property management offices. The walk from the Bole Hills cut across Bole Hill Lane/Tinker Lane on to St.Anthony's Road and as you say led to "First Farm", Clough Fields and brought you out at the bottom of Den Bank Drive, near the Sportsman's Inn on Benty Lane. Quite agree, some shade along that walk on balmy evenings.

[crookes 10]

Where Bole Hill Lane meets Tinker Lane. The entrance to the Bole Hills is just beyond the building on the right. Stannington is across the valley. 'Fraid I can't remember when I took this shot. http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a303/escafeld01/TinkerLane.jpg

[CHAIRBOY 10]

Thanks, immediately recognisable as I can see where St.Anthony's sweeps away to the left.

[crookes 10]

Thanks for the info on the cinema. Do you remember a potted meat factory on Western Road, or I'm I dreaming it?

[Grahame 10]

Thanks for the info on the cinema. Do you remember a potted meat factory on Western Road, or I'm I dreaming it?

That would be Binghams. Think it's still there.

[crookes 10]

Thanks for that Grahame