Pitsmoor in the 60s

[stpetre 12]

He passed his 11+ as well, i dont know where Vivian Road is but my understanding was that when his family left Pitsmoor they move to the SHiregreen/ Parson Cross area

 

Vivian Road is the last (very steep) road on the left of Firth Park Road, coming away from Page Hall, just before the park.

[25195348 10]

I was born in the slums in Pitsmoor in 1959 on Grove Street, and most of the family lived on or around Fowler Street.

I don,t remember much if anything about that area apart from what i,ve been told as i was born in 1959 and fortunatly that area was about to be demolished to make way for the modern Pitsmoor we see now, which again is about to be demolished.

We moved to Woodseats in 1961 and according to my mum who was born and bred in Fowler street was full of snotty white collar workers, our next door neighbour being a rent collector thinking he was a top accountant and Dad working the building sites Odd carrying who did,nt fit in with these middle class wannabees so we moved on to the all new Pitsmoor and being the first to move into our new massonette on Andover Drive.

We all went to Pye Bank which was run by that great authourtarian Mr Cook and we made a lot of friends throughout our time in Pitsmoor which spanned from 1963 to 1976.

I lived at number 67 and i know that people especially the seniors of our generation always keep saying that these days people don,t care or mix like the older days but there very right that locals then were always looking out for one another and some of my biggest mates today are the kids of then from Woodside.

Did you live in Pitsmoor during the sixtys, whats your opinion or maybe you lived in the old Pitsmoor and think the newly built one was,nt the same as the old one.

I would be interested in your views.

Hi I enjoyed reading your piece on Pitsmoor Grove St fowler St I had a grandma lived on Marshall St and delivered Newspapers around the area from the Newsagents on Rock St Cutts his name was I lived on Fitzalan st and also went to Pye bank School a Mr Spieght was the head master at that time so I think I was there a bit Earlier than you.I do remember the old houses getting demolished and the Flats being built.I had a friend lived in one but never visited.I did read that they were being knock down but not been round the area for a long time

[Jim Hardie 523]

He passed his 11+ as well, i dont know where Vivian Road is but my understanding was that when his family left Pitsmoor they move to the SHiregreen/ Parson Cross area

 

That would be Owler Lane West then, the Intermediate School.

[katflap 10]

Just noticed this discussion on Pitsmoor in the 60s. I was born in 1950 and lived there until the old house at 64 Nottingham Street was demolished in 1966. I don't think Pitsmoor can be summed up dismissively as the 'slums'. Our houses could easily have been modernised with and an indoor bathroom and a modern kitchen. I think it was a great pity they were all knocked down as people seemed to ge on very well together.

 

I enjoyed my childhood there and loved the way the children could all play out together after school with a great deal of freedom, totally denied to children of today. We had to amuse ourselves and I think we were able to come up with all sorts of games and pass-times with a lot of fun and good humour. I don't remember any fighting or 'gangs', only children up to the age of eleven enjoying themselves.

Pyebank school, one of the first School Board schools to be built in the country, was probably pretty average in terms of education and I hated the way Mr Cook used to cane boys in front of the whole assembly. He probably wasn't a fit person to be in charge - he plainly disliked children. My last teacher, Mr Jenkins was much kindlier. The 4th form-room was arranged on platfoms rising up to the back, with pupils arranged in double desks in 4/5 rows according to results in various tests. It must have been horrible to be in the fourth row,

I passed the 11 plus and went to High Storrs with my friend Susan Burns. I think two boys went to Firth Park.

Kathryn Dodd (formerly Kath Jones)

[mikeG 16]

Just noticed this discussion on Pitsmoor in the 60s. I was born in 1950 and lived there until the old house at 64 Nottingham Street was demolished in 1966. I don't think Pitsmoor can be summed up dismissively as the 'slums'. Our houses could easily have been modernised with and an indoor bathroom and a modern kitchen. I think it was a great pity they were all knocked down as people seemed to ge on very well together.

 

I enjoyed my childhood there and loved the way the children could all play out together after school with a great deal of freedom, totally denied to children of today. We had to amuse ourselves and I think we were able to come up with all sorts of games and pass-times with a lot of fun and good humour. I don't remember any fighting or 'gangs', only children up to the age of eleven enjoying themselves.

Pyebank school, one of the first School Board schools to be built in the country, was probably pretty average in terms of education and I hated the way Mr Cook used to cane boys in front of the whole assembly. He probably wasn't a fit person to be in charge - he plainly disliked children. My last teacher, Mr Jenkins was much kindlier. The 4th form-room was arranged on platfoms rising up to the back, with pupils arranged in double desks in 4/5 rows according to results in various tests. It must have been horrible to be in the fourth row,

I passed the 11 plus and went to High Storrs with my friend Susan Burns. I think two boys went to Firth Park.

Kathryn Dodd (formerly Kath Jones)

 

Wondered if you knew my ex wife, Gill Roberts, who lived on Petre St. Think the houses there were knocked down in the mid 70's.

[katflap 10]

Hi Mike

 

Don't remember a Gill. Did she go to Pyebank? I left in 1961, aged 11. I did know several Denise's (very popular in our year), Avril Hastings, Susan Bamford, Kathleen Pilgrim, Audrey Vallance, Catherine Marshall, Marjorie Johnson, June Lee, Josephine Gale, Joan Gould, Chrisitine Bluff, Jennifer Mallinder.

 

Best wishes

 

Kathryn Dodd

[stpetre 12]

Hi Mike

 

Don't remember a Gill. Did she go to Pyebank? I left in 1961, aged 11. I did know several Denise's (very popular in our year), Avril Hastings, Susan Bamford, Kathleen Pilgrim, Audrey Vallance, Catherine Marshall, Marjorie Johnson, June Lee, Josephine Gale, Joan Gould, Chrisitine Bluff, Jennifer Mallinder.

 

Best wishes

 

Kathryn Dodd

 

Don't know her, but if any one had an aspiring film actress' name, then 'Audrey Vallance' it would be!

[Sandy Steer 10]

My father's oldest brother. Raymond Steer, lived at the top of Andover Street. It was a double fronted victorian terrace. It seemed very grand to me in 1950. At the bottom on the main road there was the remains of a church that had been bombed during the war, where myself and cousins played. Does anyone remember the name of that church?

[sheffsueme 10]

Hi Kathryn,was so excited to get a reply, i'm 59 this year.Did you have a sister called Jennifer? some of the other families on our street were the Readings, Glossops who's daughter my brother kevin married then later divorced.Further up the street on the opposite side were the ellis's and next door to them i think were the first black family on our St, at the top were the Sheppards

 

 

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Hi United 01, was there a Terry Glossop ? The name seems to ring a bell, likely a footballing friend of my Dad's many years ago.

 

thank you.

 

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[brecklands2 10]

Hi Kathryn ,My name is Denise Morgan it used to be Cotton .i remember all the names you mentioned plus a few more . would be nice to talk over old times .please get in touch[/QUOTe

 

Hi Denise. Only just logged back after may months, so apologies for not replying. We children who lived on the even side of Nottingham Street in the fifties seemed to play out all the time with no adult supervision. It was a great freedom which I now appreciate when looking round the streets today. But I'm not good on names (now 65). There was you and your brother, the Froggatts? Norman? me (Kath), my sister Di, and perhaps brother Jimmy. Who else? We played on the corner round the telephone box and lamp-post and played tiggy round the police box in the middle of the road - no cars then.

 

I was at Pyebank school from 1955-61. Were you in my year or Di's? Who do you remember? In my year there was Susan Burns, Avril Hastings, Kathleen Pilgrim, Audrey Vallance, Catherine Marshall, Denise Matthews, Denise Marsh, June Lee, Josie Gale, Jennifer Mallinder. (Denise a very popular name that year!)

 

Anyway any memories you have would be gratefully received. Best wishes Kathryn Dodd (nee Jones)

hi kathyrn im pauline biggins ive lovely memories of nottingham st and pitsmoor in general. you kids used to climb up your dads ladders that he used to leave in your yard (no health and safty then)on a more serious note .i fell in sutherland rd baths in the deep end and wasnt a strong swimmer .your sister jumped in and saved me .i will never forget her or your siblings l left in about 1967 not long after my dad died .do you remember our philip?

 

---------- Post added 08-06-2018 at 17:29 ----------

 

hi kathryn it was your Diane that saved me.

 

---------- Post added 08-06-2018 at 19:13 ----------

 

hi kathryn, .im pauline biggins .Lovely memories of nottingham,st and the area .I remember your family .you kids used to climb up your dads ladders when he left them in the yard.no health and safety then . i went to sutherland rd baths and fell in at the deep end .i wasnt a strong swimmer and was in trouble .your Diane jumped in and pulled me out.I think you was more my brother philips age .we left about 1967 not long after our dad died.went to the area a while ago .hardly recognised the place.

[alan p 15]

Hello brecklands I think I know Philip first at Burngreave school then years later Norfolk park. The last time I saw him would be around 67/68. How is he doing?I also remember a couple of girls that katflap mentions Christine Bluff and Jennifer Mallender. Denise Marsh.alan P.

[brecklands2 10]

yes philip lives on the Lansdowne estate in sheffield.I remember a few of the names mentioned .Loved my childhood years .when i visited a while ago the bottom half of nottingham st didnt exist . we lived at 70 nottingham st.