Aston cum Aughton

[iGrandad 10]

Mr Jones, the welsh guy. I am not sure, but is may have been him who was killed crossing the road near Aston school one evening. Hit by a car driven by a guy who had drunk too much in the Blue Bell. He was George Percival and lived next door to us down Park Hill. After the court case he was banned from driving so he bought a pony and trap to run around in, and go to the Blue Bell. He worked at Handsworth Colliery as a dumper driver and was also the local area guy for the Sheffield Wednesday Supporters Club - that would be around end of 1959/early 1960

 

Good morning Victor

 

I've had this section of your posts brought to my attention by my sister who was doing some research on the village to hopefully save an historic cottage from being demolished.

 

We are both grandchildren of George Percival.

 

There are a number of factual errors in your post.

 

1. He had actually been babysitting for us on the night of the accident, not in the Blue Bell. We lived on Rosslyn Avenue at the time, and Mum and Dad were in Rotherham at dancing school, which they attended weekly. He hadn't been drinking.

 

2. He never went to the Blue Bell. The only night he ever did have a drink was on Fridays, when he would attend the Swallownest Inn, to run the Swallownest branch of the Supporters Club. I used to attend with him, quite often, as the meetings would be in the room upstairs where people would come and buy a ticket for the tote, and often for the away coaches that he ran. Grandad enjoyed a Guinness, and would rarely have more than 2.

 

3. The journey from Rosslyn Avenue back to Park Hill would involve him driving along Aughton Lane, then right along Worksop Road. The incident occurred near the junction of Lodge Lane.

 

4. At the time a contributory factor was that the street lighting was turned off, as this was at the time of the '3 Day Week' when the Govt were undertaking a number of measures to reduce energy requirements. The only lighting at the time of the incident was the light from the petrol station, and a solitary street sign (indicating the junction of Lodge Lane), and that sign was on Lodge Lane, some 30 yds before the junction.

 

5. Mr Jones had just got off the bus (going the other way) and stepped from behind the back of the bus into the path of Grandads car. Grandad didn't see him.

 

6. Grandad was indeed banned from driving (and had to pay a fine)

 

7. Grandad at that point decided his driving days were over, and that he wouldn't drive again once his ban was lifted, and bought the pony (and built the trap) for getting around, mostly to see us. He continued to walk to the Swallownest Inn for his Friday night pint (in later years catching the bus as the Council put a bus stop bang outside the house at 75 Park Hill).

 

8. A minor point, but he also never worked at Handsworth Colliery, and never worked as a Dumper Driver. His Coal Board career took him from Waleswood, to Orgreave, and once his health problems with pneumoconiosis took hold, finally at Fence Workshops (ironically as a driver and labourer)

 

Sadly, in order to establish these facts I've had to sit down and discuss with Dad, who was in Court at the time with Grandad and his solicitor. Its not pleasant having to drag up the past like this.

 

Dad is quite adamant that had Grandad objected to the pictures used by the Police at the time (which were taken on a delayed exposure) that he would have been exonerated. Grandad asked his solicitor not to use them.

 

Hope you don't mind me setting the record straight. Tragically, Mr Jones and my Grandad were friends, brought together through the football, where my Grandad often helped Mr Jones out with tickets.

Edited September 6, 2015 by iGrandad

[victormh 10]

Hola y Buenos dias iGrandad

 

Thank you for putting the story correct, but at the time "That Was Swallownest"

 

Yes Mr Jones was Welsh and as long time teacher at Aston School

 

I knew George and his wife and daughters quite well, we lived next door for some years at number 77. Guirdhams lived at 73 and Chambers at 79

 

My father furnished the supporters club with coahes as he was manager at Park Garage Swallownest Ltd and vey well known and respected in the area. My mother was from a well known and respected old Swallownest family, as was her mother

 

So your parents must be Geoff (Jeff) and Freda, I knew tham before and after they were married. Yes they lived at Aston after getting married and at the time your dad had a motorcycle as did your Grandad George

 

They had an older daughter but I cannot remember her name at the moment. She married before your parents and I seem to recall she married one of the Murfin family

 

Your parents will remember me, but probably more so my parents - Jessie and Victor Hutchinson.

 

They left Park Hill in about 1970 and moved to a garage/petrol station they took overt at Handsworth. After retiring in 1982 they moved to a bungalow they already owned at Bempton Near Bridlington. Sadly my father died in 1976 and my mother in 2002.

 

I moved to Driffield in 1976/77 and then To Malaysia in 2006.

 

Assuming Jeff and Freda are still alive and in good health (they will be a few years older than me and I am now 75) please give them my best and most sincere regards - Victor

 

 

 

Very Best Wishes to All of You - Victor

[TORONTONY 10]

Victor

 

I remember cycling to Roche Abbey and Aston fishing ponds. I didn't like fishing, thought it very boring and if I happened to ride my bike down to the ponds when some of the local lads were fishing I was usually told off and told to go back home as I was frightening off all of the fish with the noise I was making.

 

Someone else who I remember who was probably in your year at WGS was

? Hawkes, his mother was a teacher at Aston school and he had a brother Robert who was in my year at WGS.

 

The policeman at Aston when I was living there was called Stocking he had two sons, can't remember the oldest ones name but the younger one was Roger who was in my year at WGS. After the PC retired they lived next door to me.

 

You mentioned some of the teachers at Aston, Mr Jones had actually been my father's teacher at the junior school in Killamarsh some 30 years before

he taught me. The name Alton sounds vaguely familiar though I can't remember him. I do remember a teacher called Mrs. Lane .

 

Greetings from a cooled down Germany.

 

---------- Post added 17-08-2015 at 00:00 ----------

 

Tony

 

Although I can't remember anything much about it, I do remember there being a plane crash, I think it was around Christmas in 1954 or 1955, I have a vague memory of a schoolfriend who lived in Treeton talking about it.

That was about the period, I lived with my grandparents until I was 12 in1957, and my grandfather came home with the news, as he was a miner at Treeton. I was obsessed with aircraft as a kid, so I made sure I read up on the story, that's why I knew it was a Meteor and the pilot never ejected, as he was trying to avoid built up areas, so the story went.

[iGrandad 10]

Hola y Buenos dias iGrandad

 

Thank you for putting the story correct, but at the time "That Was Swallownest"

 

Yes Mr Jones was Welsh and as long time teacher at Aston School

 

I knew George and his wife and daughters quite well, we lived next door for some years at number 77. Guirdhams lived at 73 and Chambers at 79

 

My father furnished the supporters club with coahes as he was manager at Park Garage Swallownest Ltd and vey well known and respected in the area. My mother was from a well known and respected old Swallownest family, as was her mother

 

So your parents must be Geoff (Jeff) and Freda, I knew tham before and after they were married. Yes they lived at Aston after getting married and at the time your dad had a motorcycle as did your Grandad George

 

They had an older daughter but I cannot remember her name at the moment. She married before your parents and I seem to recall she married one of the Murfin family

 

Your parents will remember me, but probably more so my parents - Jessie and Victor Hutchinson.

 

They left Park Hill in about 1970 and moved to a garage/petrol station they took overt at Handsworth. After retiring in 1982 they moved to a bungalow they already owned at Bempton Near Bridlington. Sadly my father died in 1976 and my mother in 2002.

 

I moved to Driffield in 1976/77 and then To Malaysia in 2006.

 

Assuming Jeff and Freda are still alive and in good health (they will be a few years older than me and I am now 75) please give them my best and most sincere regards - Victor

 

 

 

Very Best Wishes to All of You - Victor

 

I remember Mrs Chambers - I think her husband had passed away before I really knew her. Next door (in your old house) were the Henstocks who kept themselves to themselves...

 

Yes Park Garage did supply the coaches for a good while - and my Dad (Jeff) used to drive one at times.

 

The older sister is my Auntie Jean - shes still alive and well and living in North Anston. She married John Mirfin. Your memory is very good (apart from the accident - though I'm assuming your memories of that were local jungle drum stuff) - this is well over 40 years ago.

 

My dad did remember you this morning when we spoke (his first memory was shouting at you for revving your new motorbike too much!! )

 

Read a few of the other posts out to him, and he did remember a lot of the names mentioned too. To be fair he was still a bit upset about the misapprehensions around the accident - will talk to him some more during the week and see if I can get some more details. Hes 79 now, 80 next summer. Mums 78.

 

I will of course pass on your best regards. Thank you.

[victormh 10]

Malaysia Monday 8-50am (will be 1-50am in UK)

 

Thanks for the news, good to know your parents are still alive and kicking.

 

Yes the missing name was your mothers older sister Jean

 

I don't know if you remember but Chambers had a daughter Stella she will be about 72 now. She married John Mallinder, they lived in the council houses just above Guirdhams. They were Joe and Laura Chambers, but I do not know anything after my parents moved to Handsworth in 1969. The only thing I heard from my mother when she was alive pre 2002 was that Joe spent a few weeks at a rest home in Bridlington every year, possibly something for old ex miners. But may have been around early 1990's when she told me.

 

The last I heard some years ago was that Stella and John lived in Beighton, somewhere at the far end where the road curves right and goes uphill on the way to Eckington.

 

All many years ago, but all things we remember once we get the "key word or phrase" to start our memories opening the boxes stored in there over many years

 

My wife is due back from the UK via Dubai this afternoon - been away about 3 months, back to our house in Driffield for a wile to stay with our youngest daughter aged 25 who lives there with her dog, visiting friends and family etc, then to Vancouver for a few weeks to stay with out older daughter aged 27 wh0 is married and love/works there. In between managing to fit in 10 days in Barbados at a friends daughters wedding - so my peace will be shattered after mid afternoon. A good reason to stay longer hours at my offices each day (still escape to my safe haven there every day even at age 75)

 

Weather is good, no aches and pains at 75 but we have no cold weather. All year round is same - dark by 7-30pm and light by 7-00am, min temp after rain about 89 degrees but average day is about 96/97 degrees but can go over 100 degrees - we have no seasons and often go 6 to 8 weeks or more without rail. But rain is only about 45 mins max and when it stops, within minutes everywhere is dry due to hot sun We had about 30 mins thunderstorm Saturday late afternoon, but by the time I went out for dinner at 6-45pm everywhere was completely dry and clear skies. That was first rain since around July. East coast gets a little bit more as it comes over the South China Sea from the Philippines, but we are on the Western side about 16km from Kuala Lumpur and so we get much less over a year

 

Excellent place to live - very low cost, state of the art hospitals, low cost travel to many exotic destinations (example - Thailand, Singapore, China around UK Pounds 20 to 50 return) Fight every 20 mins to Singapore, or a 4 hour drive on the North South Highway, or 6.1/2 hours to Thai Border

 

As for health facilities - October 2010 I found a swelling on my neck, only small but over 2 to 3 weeks started to enlarge. 3rd week October I went to my local facility one morning, 20 mins later saw a consultant. He sent me down for an MRI Scan and Bioptcy. Had that done and went back 1 hour later to see results. Then consultant said it was cancer in my throat causing the swelling. Made a phone call and sent me to see one of their cancer specialists. He said I should firstly have a CAT Scan which is greater definition and in colour. So I had that next morning. Went back to the consultant in the afternoon and he confirmed cancer in my throat

 

Options were to have it surgically removed and then plastic surgery on my throat and possible loss of voice. Or have the latest Tomo Technology treatment. So had that. For 4 weeks had 5 hours of chemo every Wednesday morning then went to office. On 5th week to 11th week pinpoint radiation on the cancer location at 8-30am every morning, but Wednesdays I had 5 hours of chemo first - then went to office. End of 11th week all finished. Since then only routine check up every 6 months. At 75 I take no type of medication for anything, our weather and diet in Malaysia can be healthy. Due to many different races here their is such a mega choice of food types.

 

Can tell you more if you ask

 

Best Wishes - Victor

[flightliner 10]

Not read all the posts here so apologies if mentioned previously-- looking from the Aston/ Aughton road the skyline is dominated by five or six hugh wind turbines near penny hill lane.

[iGrandad 10]

 

As for health facilities - October 2010 I found a swelling on my neck, only small but over 2 to 3 weeks started to enlarge. 3rd week October I went to my local facility one morning, 20 mins later saw a consultant. He sent me down for an MRI Scan and Bioptcy. Had that done and went back 1 hour later to see results. Then consultant said it was cancer in my throat causing the swelling. Made a phone call and sent me to see one of their cancer specialists. He said I should firstly have a CAT Scan which is greater definition and in colour. So I had that next morning. Went back to the consultant in the afternoon and he confirmed cancer in my throat

 

Options were to have it surgically removed and then plastic surgery on my throat and possible loss of voice. Or have the latest Tomo Technology treatment. So had that. For 4 weeks had 5 hours of chemo every Wednesday morning then went to office. On 5th week to 11th week pinpoint radiation on the cancer location at 8-30am every morning, but Wednesdays I had 5 hours of chemo first - then went to office. End of 11th week all finished. Since then only routine check up every 6 months. At 75 I take no type of medication for anything, our weather and diet in Malaysia can be healthy. Due to many different races here their is such a mega choice of food types.

 

Can tell you more if you ask

 

Best Wishes - Victor

 

We have something in common

 

I myself had a brush with a Stage 3 Squamous Cell Carcinoma in the throat back in 2007/08 - was given a 30% chance of living 5 years.. The NHS were amazing, I had 3 lots of chemo spread over 7 weeks of intensive daily radiotherapy. Hurt like hell, lost 3 stone in weight and had to feed through a tube in my stomach for about 5 months.

 

Here we are some 7 years later after being told I'm in remission, and still counting blessings daily.

 

Good to know you survived it too (they should at least give us t-shirts if not medals)

[victormh 10]

My only response is "WHY THE HELL DO THEY HAVE TO ALMOST KILL YOU TO TRY AND CURE YOU"

 

Same as you, mine was Stage 3. Strange thing was losing my sense of taste for a few weeks - everything tasted like water - lone day my wife crushed a lemon, a lime, an orange into a glass including the zest all of which had been blitzed to a fruit juice. still tasted just like water. Never liked bananas but now I eat plenty of them. Same with a number of things complete turnaround of some tastes. Probably the different hot curries here was the final taste cure

 

As for chemo, I had 5 hours every session and a total of 10 sessions, but 7 of them was in tandem with the Tomo Technology pin point radiation. Every morning being clamped down by my head and shoulder mask onto the moving platform

 

I am supposed to go and see the consultant once a year now for a routine check up but my wife insists I still go every 6 months. Not a large fee here by UK standards and for top consultants

 

3 best places to go for cancer treatment are Malaysia, Singapore and Japan even better that USA

 

We have many people come here, even from UK for surgery such as hip and knee replacements. Package includes stays at 5 Star Hotels opposite hospitals. Most operations even serious ones are within 36/48 hours of admission but routine such as hernia, stomach ops etc are within 12/24 hours - there is so much state of the art equipment and theatres waiting time is minimal and rooms are all like a top hotel with en suite furniture, tv and Astro (like your Sky) and a Butler for every 5 rooms, normal menu food or a la carte ior they will get in from your favourite restaurant - unless you are on a nil by mouth stay - and only half a mile from my home

 

Better get back to my desk now - Best Wishes - Victtor

[Talib 10]

Please feel free to share your memories and pictures in the Facebook Group:thumbsup:

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/168279146901166/

 

Aston Comprehensive School friends and memories - All years

[RAYMONT TIDE 10]

love to hear from anyone who lived in Aughton in the early 60,s , my name is Ray Tideswell

[desy 10]

Hi

Just to update you of other things since my last post that others have missed off. The A57 has now moved to a by pass of the village from the bottom of fence hill. Going round to just pass Aston and joining he M1. There are also plans of HS2 with a rail line cutting through Aston Hall grounds the bottom of the cricket ground through Parklands riding school and onto Bramley.

 

At the Right hand side between Chesterfield Rd through the old pit sidings is Rother Valley Country Park and they are going to build Gulliver's  Valley theme park for kids.

Swallownest inn is now a Chinese resteraunt.

fire Station at the Aston at the end of the bye pass.

Fence Hill behind the pit houses through to Chesterfield Rd is a private housing estate.

 just below the old sidings to Beighton road is a large bridge across the valley