Norfolk Park what was there before?

[tenbob 10]

I recon the shire horses would have probably belonged to Johnny Collins the rag and bone man.

[isle hopper 10]

I recall my mother telling me about her wedding reception was held in the park pavilion in Norfolk Park in 1947 could this be correct? I remember going to the park in the 1950s as a young child and having ice cream from the pavilion also the adults having cups of tea, this was a real treat for working class people.

[echo beach 576]

It was our playground. (1945-1955) An enjoyable walk from East Bank Road all the way to the park. A bird nesters paradise, with wood's and farmers fields. Everyone respected the field's and kept to the edges where there were crops. At the top end was a pond with all sorts of wildlife, including frogs, newts and dragon-fly's. There's nothing left to replace that experience. Then came the Norfolk Pak Estate. The same happened to Rolly Wood's next to Gleadless Road,which became part of the Gleadless Valley Estate.

 

Thank's for jerking my memories.

 

 

Yes ptrA it was also my playground from 1948 to 1952. Living in Midhill Road my friends and I would walk along East Road and up East Bank Road to play in what we called 'Horses' Field' which was on the left below the club.

I have some very happy memories of my time there.

 

echo.

[alan p 15]

Does anyone remember the burning tip that was on the land before the Vic Hallam houses were built and The Farm grounds used to have a Fairground there every year and also a boxing ring where if you could last I think 3 rounds you won some cash not sure how much but my stepfather won his beer money on many occasion till they stopped him because he kept winning. I remember sneaking over the wall on Farm road I think it was called, the one that run at the back entrance to Norfolk Park.

[grinder 10]

Does anyone remember the burning tip that was on the land before the Vic Hallam houses were built and The Farm grounds used to have a Fairground there every year and also a boxing ring where if you could last I think 3 rounds you won some cash not sure how much but my stepfather won his beer money on many occasion till they stopped him because he kept winning. I remember sneaking over the wall on Farm road I think it was called, the one that run at the back entrance to Norfolk Park.

 

Haven't been round there for Donkeys years and it's all altered beyond recognition on a road map but Farm road was at the bottom of Farm grounds and the one at the top across the bottom of the park was Norfolk park road..

Looking at the map it was in the triangle of Farm road, Norfolk park road and Granville road...

Edited July 7, 2015 by grinder

[stpetre 12]

As has been mentioned, the Duke of Norfolk owned the land and at one time the area was known as the "farm grounds" (named after "The Farm" - the name given by the Duke to his hunting lodge). In the 1950s the annual "Telegraph & Star Gala" was held in the farm grounds - there is an old thread about this.

 

You mentioned on the' Farm Grounds' about playing the harmonica,coming second and being inspired by the great Larry Adler. Wasn't there another harmonica player around at the same time, a fellow Canadian of Larry's, Tommy Reilly?

[hillsbro 28]

Hi stpetre - yes indeed, Tommy Reilly, a very talented harmonica player. He also spent much of his life in England. Somewhere I have his book Play Like the Stars. We don't seem to hear much of harmonica playing nowadays but there are still some virtuoso players (Larry Adler's brother Jerry was also a performer).

[lazarus 68]

Hi stpetre - yes indeed, Tommy Reilly, a very talented harmonica player. He also spent much of his life in England. Somewhere I have his book Play Like the Stars. We don't seem to hear much of harmonica playing nowadays but there are still some virtuoso players (Larry Adler's brother Jerry was also a performer).

I listen to the Goon Show on Radio 4 and another great Mouth Organ player Max Geldray plays every week.

[grinder 10]

There was also a group called "The three monarchs" I think . with a funny guy called Cedric ?

 

And don't forget the bird impersonators like Ronnie Ronalde.

Edited July 8, 2015 by grinder

[dennisgwild 10]

I have a photo of the land behind city rd before the high rises were built but dont know how to upload them on to the forum---sorry ---all there was were fields and trees

[stpetre 12]

Hi stpetre - yes indeed, Tommy Reilly, a very talented harmonica player. He also spent much of his life in England. Somewhere I have his book Play Like the Stars. We don't seem to hear much of harmonica playing nowadays but there are still some virtuoso players (Larry Adler's brother Jerry was also a performer).

 

Some of the sixties rock bands tried it early on to get the 'Blues' effect; Mick Jagger, John Lennon and Manfred Mann's Paul Jones come to mind

[cookingfat50 10]

it was pat of the hunting park of the duke of Norfolk in Elizabethan times of hundreds of acres then the council ruined it by building multi storie flats and the dear ran away lol x:rolleyes: