Bradford Woollen

[RdMC 10]

Hi slotter47

 

Yeah - those names did ring a vague bell, and the initials ES, DS - I suspect I maybe saw personalised number plates with those on (did they have them then?!). Though as I said I think I only was taken along there by my Dad the odd time ..

 

In a separate thread/post I've also been asking if anyone remembers Carltons (?) furniture store, which was further along West Bar towards the bottom of Snig Hill. My Dad also washed/polished/waxed the owner's (Sydney Carlton's?) cars, parked off Scargill Croft - above West Bar and behind Bank Street. I remember they variously included Bentleys, RRs, an American 'Pontiac', a three-ton Alvis ... quite something in those relatively early days of modern motoring in the late 50s. I remember being taken out for a short ride by the owner, a friendly, gregarious chap, who use a steering-wheel knob so that he could steer the (in those days, often) big steering wheels easily with one hand..

[hillsbro 32]

...I've also been asking if anyone remembers Carltons (?) furniture store, which was further along West Bar towards the bottom of Snig Hill. My Dad also washed/polished/waxed the owner's (Sydney Carlton's?) cars...

Kelly's directories from the 1950s and 1960s show "Sydney's" furniture store (maybe Sydney Carlton) at 7-9 West Bar. Nearby there was also Campbell's (previously Woodley's) at 17-21 West Bar. Here is a scan from the 1963 directory. Here also is a link to a picturesheffield.com photo. http://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s20385&pos=1&action=zoom&id=22895

[RdMC 10]

Thanks very much, hillsbro. (And I read your earlier posts with interest.)

 

That'll be the one, yes. As I said, I thought the owner was indeed Sydney Carlton, just couldn't remember the exact store name. Good for you - and your Kellys Directories! That scan from the Directory brings back more memories .. inc: 'The Ideal Benefit Society' - think my Dad put a few bob in there; 'Alexander Barnet, chamois leather dresser' - that's obviously the place my Dad bought his chamois leathers (I remember I once did an hour's 'Bob-a-Job' in there as young lad - powerful smell of skins/leathers - and the kind old gent in charge gave me a good few bob I think - no doubt also appreciative of my Dad's custom!); 'Arthur Turner, Gummakers' - yes, on the corner of Scargill Croft and West Bar main road - spent many an hour peering at the goodies in their windows (and spent some pocket money I think) - inc. air guns and fishing rods, etc, I recollect; and the Chinese Rest. - how could I forget the permanent smell of soy source etc .. ! And that pic. - fabulous! Brings it all back, with Turners on the opp. side of the road. Thank you hillsbro! You've made my day.

[hillsbro 32]

Glad I was able to bring back a few memories, RdMC!

[RdMC 10]

Yes indeed. [And I see misty3's second post of 3.1.11 confirms the personalised plates that rang a bell with me (as further above) re. Bradford Woollen]. It feels a bit like dipping into a virtual reality world - but of 60 years ago ..

[Asaw 10]

My grandmother bought me my first suit for work. Wouldn't say it looked right but the belt part with the hook on fitted to my waste at the left hand side half way round and I wasn't all that thin

[RdMC 10]

'A (strange) turn-up for the book/s!?'

 

Having started relatively recently to sift through and sort old (wider-)family photos etc, I spotted - in my first 'schoolboy' photo album - among some 'strip-print'/test print small B&W photos from when I lived with my parents at Bank Street, Sheffield - some Daimler Sports (SP250) pics, which then rang a bell with above/previous posts on Bradford Woollen and the Swycher brothers.

 

The strip prints show an SP250 which appears to be a 1960-ish model (made from 1959-1964, apparently) with two-tone body/hood, and clear (when magnified!) 'DS3' personalised registration plate/s (I took front and rear shots).

 

So my vague recollections, triggered by previous comments/posts, seem to have been vindicated. Somewhere there might even be a negative! I'm not clear on how to attach my cameraphone JPEGS here, but if anyone wants to see the pics, let me know (eg PM) and I'll be happy to share them/find a way to send them on.

[bullerboY 10]

I used to look after Sydney Carltons Jenson Interceptor in the 70s he would come in early mornings wearing his toupee on one side munching digestive biscuits and offering them round he lived at 1 haugh lane then.Dennis Swycher also had a bed shop on Westfield Terrace at that time.

[RdMC 10]

Hi bullerboY

 

Very interested to read your comments.

 

So Mr Carlton was still into 'nice motors' in the 70s! Glad to hear it. We left Sheffield in '64, so lost touch (though I commuted back about 15 miles to finish my schooling/A' levels at Abbeydale until mid-65).

 

The 'munching' rings a bit of a bell; I think I can remember him walking up the path/up the hill from the store to get his car, and occasionally chewing a sweet or something. He was a good customer of my Dad's, and kind to me - occasional short trips/treats in his motor, and some post-holiday gifts, eg colour card booklets from Italy/Sicily etc.

 

Haugh Lane - in or near the Ringinglow area? - nice part of the suburbs. I seem to remember Dad saying he lived (maybe early 60's) off the Manchester Road/Sandygate Road area at some stage.

 

I didn't know about Westfield Terrace, but then I didn't know much about Bradford Woollen in those early days.

 

Do you know what eventually happened to Mr Carlton and his store?

 

(I presume Sydney Carlton would have known the Swycher bros quite well.)

[bullerboY 10]

Sorry i dont know what happened to Sydney Carlton but i did used to take his car to his house on a few occasions,i think he would have retired when his shop was demolished and yes it was up near Ecclesall Rd south.I think in those day all the furniture dealers would have interlinked with each other and had meetings at the Synogogue on Wison Rd.Yes he was a friendly and likeable man,i can see him now and its over 45 yrs ago now.

[RdMC 10]

Thanks for that anyway. Happy memories.

[hillsbro 32]

I just had a look in online public records. Sydney Carlton was born in Sheffield on 27 April 1911. By 1930 he was lodging with a furniture dealer, Henry Fineberg, in Chippinghouse Road. Curiously, Henry Fineberg’s business (of which Sydney was a director by 1936) is named as “Sydney & Co.” in 1930s directories. By 1950 Sydney was living at 1 Haugh Lane as bullerboY mentioned. I couldn’t find a marriage record, and Sydney Carlton died aged 88 in Sheffield in Oct-Dec 1999.