Tattooist on Wilkinson Street in the 1960s

[C-F-Johnson 10]

think thee sen lucky harleyman

my mate went in once when charlie was on the turps and asked for a drangon tattoo on his back,when he got home he looked in the mirror and he'd tattooed a flaggon of wine:suspect:

As I remember it, Charlie Johnson never ever worked as a freehand artist.

YOU went into the waiting room and YOU picked the design YOU wished to purchase, and when YOU went through to the tattooing room he pulled out a transfer copy of the design YOU picked earlier. He would then shave the area to be tattooed and apply the transfer copy of the original that YOU picked, he would then go over the transfer with the tattoo gun.

 

So i'm intrigued as to how you could get a flagon and not a dragon, hmmm must be a cheap shot at dead gentleman who is not around to defend himself.

 

johncocker (look how you spelt flagon and dragon, both wrong!!!) your "mates story" is a joke as I am quite sure you are to most of the people you know.

As for you other jokers, just because you were ****** it does not mean he was!.

As a young boy I watched my grandfather tattoo hundreds of men from all walks of life, he never drank at work, when the last customer had gone he would have his tea and then he would sit down with a glass of rum.

He went to the pub on a saturday night after work.

Thank you to all the real gentlemen on here who stood up for my grandfather, as for the rest of you, I feel nothing but pity that you would rather slag off a gentleman who has been dead for 30 years, than stand by the choices you made whilst being ******. I wonder who will stick up for you 30 years after you pass away?.

 

Charles F Johnson (age 43, Sheffield).

[Bypassblade 10]

As I remember it, Charlie Johnson never ever worked as a freehand artist.

YOU went into the waiting room and YOU picked the design YOU wished to purchase, and when YOU went through to the tattooing room he pulled out a transfer copy of the design YOU picked earlier. He would then shave the area to be tattooed and apply the transfer copy of the original that YOU picked, he would then go over the transfer with the tattoo gun.

 

So i'm intrigued as to how you could get a flagon and not a dragon, hmmm must be a cheap shot at dead gentleman who is not around to defend himself.

 

johncocker (look how you spelt flagon and dragon, both wrong!!!) your "mates story" is a joke as I am quite sure you are to most of the people you know.

As for you other jokers, just because you were ****** it does not mean he was!.

As a young boy I watched my grandfather tattoo hundreds of men from all walks of life, he never drank at work, when the last customer had gone he would have his tea and then he would sit down with a glass of rum.

He went to the pub on a saturday night after work.

Thank you to all the real gentlemen on here who stood up for my grandfather, as for the rest of you, I feel nothing but pity that you would rather slag off a gentleman who has been dead for 30 years, than stand by the choices you made whilst being ******. I wonder who will stick up for you 30 years after you pass away?.

 

Charles F Johnson (age 43, Sheffield).

 

:clap:, I had all but two of my tattoos done by Charlie, mine are what I call decent & still recognizable years later. He was a true gent fella don't let people tarnish your memories of the man, I NEVER saw him drunk & when I 1st made inquiries about having a tattoo Charlie was the 1st name out every time, hence I used him.

 

Oh & yes you are right, you picked the design then he put the template on you & tattooed over it, then coloured it in if necessary, this might sound daft but did you have fair hair as a young un, I do remember a young lad being in with him sometimes on the Saturdays I called in.

 

He was a good bloke your grandad.

Edited July 3, 2012 by Bypassblade

[King-29 10]

Does anyone else remember the tattooists studio in the corner house of Wilkinson Street in the 1960s ?

 

I had 5 tats done by Charlie, they are all still good 45 years later, just a slight colour fade.

[C-F-Johnson 10]

:clap:, I had all but two of my tattoos done by Charlie, mine are what I call decent & still recognizable years later. He was a true gent fella don't let people tarnish your memories of the man, I NEVER saw him drunk & when I 1st made inquiries about having a tattoo Charlie was the 1st name out every time, hence I used him.

 

Oh & yes you are right, you picked the design then he put the template on you & tattooed over it, then coloured it in if necessary, this might sound daft but did you have fair hair as a young un, I do remember a young lad being in with him sometimes on the Saturdays I called in.

 

He was a good bloke your grandad.

 

Yes that was me with the fair hair, its amazing that you would remember.

We are a massive family and my grandfather was loved by all of us, a testement to this can be seen by anyone who cares to view it by visiting his lovely grave at city road cemetary.

Again thanks to all the kind comments from everyone.

[Rockers rule 673]

On 03/07/2012 at 14:47, C-F-Johnson said:

As I remember it, Charlie Johnson never ever worked as a freehand artist.

YOU went into the waiting room and YOU picked the design YOU wished to purchase, and when YOU went through to the tattooing room he pulled out a transfer copy of the design YOU picked earlier. He would then shave the area to be tattooed and apply the transfer copy of the original that YOU picked, he would then go over the transfer with the tattoo gun.

 

So i'm intrigued as to how you could get a flagon and not a dragon, hmmm must be a cheap shot at dead gentleman who is not around to defend himself.

 

johncocker (look how you spelt flagon and dragon, both wrong!!!) your "mates story" is a joke as I am quite sure you are to most of the people you know.

As for you other jokers, just because you were ****** it does not mean he was!.

As a young boy I watched my grandfather tattoo hundreds of men from all walks of life, he never drank at work, when the last customer had gone he would have his tea and then he would sit down with a glass of rum.

He went to the pub on a saturday night after work.

Thank you to all the real gentlemen on here who stood up for my grandfather, as for the rest of you, I feel nothing but pity that you would rather slag off a gentleman who has been dead for 30 years, than stand by the choices you made whilst being ******. I wonder who will stick up for you 30 years after you pass away?.

 

Charles F Johnson (age 43, Sheffield).

Charlie was Sheffield.

First Wage, First Tattoo was a common thing.

Well first one with a machine,( lots of neadle cotton and ink ones already)

We all went to Charlies, I never saw him drunk.

And he was always a gentleman.

Over the years I would see some of my mates from around that time,

and we all laughed that we'd all got the same tattoos but in different places.

In those day's it was just a case of picking a design off the wall.

Many Years later I was your grandad's window cleaner (off Abbeydale rd)

Great old Guy - thanks for the tatts. especially the Large Eagle on my inner Arm 

£1.50 one Sunday morning.

I was working at the Disk jocky caf'e on London Rd when Eddy & Johnny opened 

their shop on Ecclesall Rd. They made quite an impression with their new designs.

Eddy went down Chesterfield/ London Rd & Johnny (Angel) to Broad st Rotherham.

I've done my bit of  Slinging Ink & years later came across Eddy supplying tattoo equipment,

somewhere out near Clowne if I remember.

Again greatest respect to Eddy & I should have apprentaship'd with him.

 

Old Joke to finish with 

Teddy boy goes into a Tattooist & ask's for a Zephyr (car for all you young un's reading this)

Tattoo'd on his back.

In't pub, later none of his mates could work out why he'd want a female Cow tattoo'd on his back.

 

Rocker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ACE WASTE 12]

True story this, at the tender age of 14 my older mate took me to Charlies for my first tattoo i had and owl and S.W.F.C  underneath un be known to me Charlies son did it who was a blade and it wasnt until the scab dropped off i realised i had a cross eyed owl, cost me my paper round money £1.25 and i got a reyt clip off me dad.

[19IDH 10]

Yes I remember having a swallow on each hand tattooed there.It cost 37pence then .I was having a drink with one of his sons Harry I think in the Mail coach one Sunday dinner had the tattoos done after having some Dutch courage my parents went crazy funny how they are so popular now

[Rockers rule 673]

On 04/10/2019 at 18:32, 19IDH said:

Yes I remember having a swallow on each hand tattooed there.It cost 37pence then .I was having a drink with one of his sons Harry I think in the Mail coach one Sunday dinner had the tattoos done after having some Dutch courage my parents went crazy funny how they are so popular now

I've quite a good collection of tatts including some I did on my self started with needle cotton and ink, then Charlie's for my first proper ones.

Eddy's for more then had a rest for a while then Mick at Fineline (on't Cliffe) did all my back. I bought my first tatt gun around that time and slung some ink for a while. Tattooed my own legs but I made a decision at an early age never to have a swallow tattoo. 

My mum was fine with my Tatt's, my Bikes and my Cars.

 

Worst Tattoo? (Pain wise) on't Stomach  - Lotts front room Edmund Rd.

Easiest Tattoo? on't inside of my lip. Johnny Angel Broad St Rotherham.