Did you ever live in Parson Cross?

[Bushbaby 11]

Does anyone know what year that the old concrete prefabricated Wordsworth Tavern pub was demolished?

 

I'm sure that the present Tavern was built alongside on the same site, before the old one was knocked down.

It was about 1966 or 1967. I was too young to drink in the old Tav, but often hung around outside cadging pennies for the guy

[sweetdexter 10]

All that is absolutely correct. Mr Cork died in the 1960s, while still quite young. Mrs Cork (Rosie) stayed in the house until about 1990. She was just the sweetest lady you could ever want to know. She moved to the Lincolnshire coast (Skeggy?) where she stayed until she died peacefully a few years later.

The original families in those houses from 1947 were Booker (385), Bush (387), Chapman (389) and Cork (391). All the couples were of a similar age, born between 1912 and 1922, and all had war babies. In 1969 (ish) the Chapmans moved away and the infamous "Smiths" moved in (there goes the neighbourhood !!!). It all stayed that way until Mrs Cork retired to the coast.

Mrs Bush and Mr Booker both completed 50 years as residents of the block before moving out to sheltered accommodation.

Vic Booker died 3 or 4 years ago. Angela Bush (my mum) will be 90 in August

I concur with what you said about Mrs Cork.

I remember when I was about 11 or 12 she used to invite me to watch TV with them, plying me with all kind of goodies i did not get at home i.e.Jam tarts.

I think they also kept chickens,I seem to remember my younger brother adopting one as a pet

[whatsupthen 10]

Hi Pietro

 

I remember that picture too. I went to Southey Green School from 1959 - 1963. (Teachers I remember: Miss Tarpy, Mr Howe, Mr Gowers, Mrs Carr, Miss Needle, Mr Cooper, Mr Wadham, Miss Martin) Along with a couple of others I used to go to church there on Sundays. This was the price I paid to get out of the house one evening a week to go to choir practice. I would be about 13 years old and had my first kiss (peck) outside (at the front) one night. Called him Keith Watson.

 

I remember all the shops especially Mr Kirk and his sisters who all lived in the house adjoining. My Mom's friend once went in and Mr Kirk climbed up to one of the higher shelves and on coming down he caught his wig on a nail and it sent it skew wiff. It was years before she could go back in. He also would put peoples names in the window who held him money.

 

I went to Lindsey Infant & Junior School prior to Southey

Teachers I remember from there: Mrs Hanson (Nursery), Miss Bassett, Miss Vine, Mrs Wright, Mr Crossley. Mr Lovett

 

I also had some very happy years at the Lindsey Road Youth Club until about 1967?68.

 

yes i too remember the Lindsay teachers, Miss Bassett terrified me and I remember wetting myself in the wendy house cos I was too scared to ask her to go to the toilet. Miss Smith told us Santa Claus didnt exist (we were 7) and have never got over it. Mr Crossley was an unpleasant bully with a heart of gold and Mr Lovett was a lovely man but scared of the school bully ie Crossley.

 

However yes very happy days will never forget when that dog went mad in the playground and bit George Tipple's nose, so much blood yuk

[Bushbaby 11]

Makin’ Dens

 

Watching an old film recently, I was reminded about the great childhood adventure of makin’ Dens. These could be built from anything and everything that was available, and were often started during those long lovely summer holidays that grown ups don’t get (sadly)

Living quite close to the filling station on Wordsworth (we knew it simply as “The Garage”) it wasn’t unusual for a den to be located in an actual garage. If some idiot accidentally left one unlocked then it became a free for all.

I remember one year when we discovered one of the “top” garages (Chaucer Rd) unlocked, I think it was number 54. There were also a couple of abandoned vehicles, a Hillman Imp and an old Ice Cream Truck – not Mick Smith’s though. About 5 or 6 of us systematically ripped everything out of the cars that would move, and carried it all, Indian canoe style, over to our new den. We laid the bench seats out down the two sides, and put a driver’s seat from the truck next to the compulsory workbench. There were some oily carpets around so we laid them out in the centre, which gave a very homely look to the whole affair. All it needed was a vase of flowers.

One of the gang (Deso) went home and got his brother’s primus stove, and between the rest of us we rustled up some tea bags, milk, sugar, and a couple of chipped cups. In no time at all we were brewing up. We flagged down a fletchers Feccy van and bought two apple charlottes and two custard. We were tempted to buy a small loaf and see if the stove would toast it, but the money went instead on 5 parkies. It was a real palace, and we were lords of the manor.

It didn’t take long for others to find out (how does that happen? Is it some form of childhood telepathy?) And we had guys off Fulmere and Margetson banging on the door. Of course, we only let them in if they knew the password, which we’d just made up on the spot. One of the Eyres twins had a small bottle whiskey which he’d nicked from his dad’s cabinet, so he was allowed in, and JH came in too, cause she was a girl and who knew where that would lead?

For the next two or three days this was our home, and I would jump out of bed early so as to get a comfy seat. I don’t think my mum noticed the missing bottle of milk, and the with the stuff that the other guys brought we ate and drank to heart’s content.

 

Then - Calamity!!

We turned up one morning and all our stuff had been thrown out onto the driveway, and the garage now had two padlocks on it. Finding a patch of window not covered in grime, and looking through, we could see that there was now a car on the spot that belonged to us. Worst of all, Deso’s primus was still on the workbench, where we’d left it after a leisurely cup of Oxo the previous day.

It was with a heavy heart that we trudged off in search of new adventures, but I’m sure we found plenty.

[Unregistered 10]

March 2006 saw the final end for the old Colley School building (later Parson Cross College), burnt to a cinder by arsonists.

 

Thanks to Simon Cutts for this photo

[Bushbaby 11]

March 2006 saw the final end for the old Colley School building (later Parson Cross College), burnt to a cinder by arsonists.

 

I've got some great memories of the youth club. DJ Steve Smallcombe playing some fine soul classics, and me dancing with Avril Peas.

I'll have a drink to that memory tonight.

[Unregistered 10]

I've got some great memories of the youth club. DJ Steve Smallcombe playing some fine soul classics, and me dancing with Avril Peas.

I'll have a drink to that memory tonight.

 

Steve drove a black cab for several years before he had a triple heart bypass in the mid nineties. He was also a DJ at The Griffin at Ecclesfield in the late eighties. I've not seen him for a while so I hope he's keeping as well as can be expected. The Griffin has now closed down of course.

 

Last time I saw Avril was about 15 years ago, frequenting the Ball Inn at Ecclesfield with her hubby.

[Bushbaby 11]

Steve drove a black cab for several years.... I've not seen him for a whileQUOTE]

I met up with his sister, Christine, about 2 years ago at a BBQ. She's doing great. I'm having a drink with her son, Andrew, this weekend.

[Tintsexpert 10]

I've got some great memories of the youth club. DJ Steve Smallcombe playing some fine soul classics, and me dancing with Avril Peas.

I'll have a drink to that memory tonight.

 

I used to work with Steve (stage name Foster!) at the gate on Halifax rd & various other pubs around too.

Good times, even the bottle throwing on match nights in the gate could be "fun" to be in the middle of!!!! :hihi:

Last I heard Steve had had a heart attack, but that was quite a few years back.

[WednesdayMad 10]

Do you remember the Shoppers Paradise supermarket on Buchanan opposite Chaucer School?

Or the hardware shop on The Magnet?

Parson Cross/Southey had a rich array of retail establishments!

Kirk's at the Magnet.

Bownes Chippy on Buchanan Road.

Hillards on Barnsley Road.

[SWFC. 10]

god yeah, i remember shoppers paradise..it later turned into gateway!!!!!!!!!!!

[madowl 10]

Do you remember the Shoppers Paradise supermarket on Buchanan opposite Chaucer School?

Or the hardware shop on The Magnet?

Parson Cross/Southey had a rich array of retail establishments!

Kirk's at the Magnet.

Bownes Chippy on Buchanan Road.

Hillards on Barnsley Road.

Its no longer a paradise, the magnet is long gone, with the hardware shop... and hillards is something like job-lot...... parson cross... the place not to shop..