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Smith's Field or Smithies Field near Petre Street

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I've mentioned this before on the Grimesthorpe thread, after the war when all the Anderson shelters were being dug out of the ground in the Botham St and Cyclops St area the obvious place for all the galvanized corrugated sheets was the 'tip' on the right hand side of Petre St (looking towards town). That tip eventually runs into 'Smithies' if you went far enough, anyway the hill shortcut that ran from Margate St down to the end of Petre St was the basis of a slide that the kids in neighborhood concocted by dragging the curved parts of the shelters to that hill where they made a huge slide, imagine parts like this J J J J J J J J J J laid over each other to form the slide. It was the talk of the town so to speak with the Telegraph and Star sending a cameraman to take pictures, kids were coming from everywhere to use it. I remember seeing the picture(s) in the paper and I've often wondered if they still remain today in an archive somewhere, I have tried to search for it on different sites but with my limited knowledge of such things I haven't had any luck.

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Who knows anything about the history of Smith's Field or Smithies Field between Petre Street and Grimesthorpe Road?

I played there and picked blackberries in the 70s and 80s, and always wondered why there was an open space of this size there, next to factories on the one side and the then new Carwood estate on the other. My family, who lived in the area before the slum clearance, remember from the 40s and 50s, and I think they mentioned sonething about a cricket pavilion.

 

Here's a picture

 

Why is the field there?

Why has it never been built on?

Does anyone else have memories of it?

 

l played on Smiths field in the thirties, there was quite a thriving cricket club complete with all the usual needs, it was in existence to my knowledge to the 40/50 ties, l believe there was a covenant in existence stopping building on the field, at the bottom end there was a balloon barrage and when l used to go on parade at the local h/ guard in the 40 ties l used to be quite friendly with a Scottish girl named Bobbie, especially on her night duty when we used to crawl in the sand bag store, these bags of sand were used to hang on the balloon in windy weather. Arfer Mo

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i remember Smiths fields i used to live at 84 peter st.spent many a happy hour there,didnt need toys just our imagination.we also picked blackberries,that was mid fourties.went to all saints school.perhaps they dont want to destroy our happy little memories:rolleyes:

 

Hi Glen Did all that 10 years before you .Yes its your unky Arty, how are you and your family,mine are all ok.I had a fall ,broke my thigh 3 months ago,Mike and l connect with Skype regularly,l have your Skype name as tweedy84 Australia is this ok , we may be able to join up sometime. Arthur

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Hi Glen Did all that 10 years before you .Yes its your unky Arty, how are you and your family,mine are all ok.I had a fall ,broke my thigh 3 months ago,Mike and l connect with Skype regularly,l have your Skype name as tweedy84 Australia is this ok , we may be able to join up sometime. Arthur

 

I'm not sure Glenda uses SF anymore. Her last post was two and a half years ago.

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i can remember a field off peter street some sort of foundy and fiding bullets on the field

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i can remember a field off peter street some sort of foundy and fiding bullets on the field

 

That would have been Bramalls, on the left hand side going towards Grimesthorpe, you had to hold your breath when you went past there even on the bus, and you couldn't see more than a few yards in front of you when passing there because of all the smoke.

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My Great Gran lived at 99a Petre Street ..... looking at Matt1889's link to the Burngreave Messenger, was wondering if anyone knows which junction the photo is of ..... if its Petre St & Sutherland, then I can see her house & its the only photo I've seen ... can remember playing when I was very young.

 

l

Garage in the yard, worked for your Gran, l think . she lived back of the shop you can see,,which was a butchers in those days, l lived beside the Goodwins on Earldom st [ Grans name Maxwell, if not, lve forgot Cheers Arfer mo

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My dad used to have a corner shop on Petre Street - not sure when, probably late 40's - early 50's.

 

Can anyone remember it and provide any details? Think it was a sweet shop or something similar

 

l recall at least a dozen shops on Petre st and many sold sweets but l do remember a shop next to Davies shop top of Harleston st and if your real name is Saxon i think l might have known him. Arfer mo

Edited by Arfer Mo
forgot a name

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Does anyone remember the cowley family from petre street probably around the 1930's 40's etc i would appreciate any help thanks:)

 

HI Do you know whereabouts , l lived nearby on Earldom st in that era Arfer Mo

Edited by Arfer Mo

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I'm not sure Glenda uses SF anymore. Her last post was two and a half years ago.

 

I sent her an email just a moment ago. So, she may respond to Arthur's post.

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i remember all that all those guys were in my class i used to call for stuart and go to school together great days

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yeah still go in normanton kev,were all fine.will be up to see you at the punch bowl now weathers picking up.sheila:thumbsup:

 

HI I lived on EARLDOM ST went in the Normanton during the war and many years after. Arthur Fearnehough

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