Memories Of Sheffield, Left In 1955

[Margaret Todd 0]

Sheffield is a distant memory for me. My Mum, Dad and my sister and I immigrated to NewZealand when I was 9 in 1955.  We lived In Fitzmaurice Road. I Remember the Markets,  Dad buying a dish of whelks, and me boiled sweets in the shape of a fish, going to the Baths, and you could buy a cup of “Boveril” I suppose it was to warm you up, walking a long way to school. ( it felt like it then) to Whitby Road County Girls School. Dad worked at “George Cohens” 

coming to NewZealand was a whole new world. We arrived in NZ in November, summer on the way, blue skies, lots of grass and wide open spaces. And my sister and I getting hives from playing in the long grass.

My husband and I visited Sheffield in 1999, but sadly I didn’t recognise anything.  

Edited December 20, 2020 by nikki-red

[martin441 11]

17 minutes ago, Margaret Todd said:

Sheffield is a distant memory for me. My Mum, Dad and my sister and I immigrated to NewZealand when I was 9 in 1955.  We lived In Fitzmaurice Road. I Remember the Markets,  Dad buying a dish of whelks, and me boiled sweets in the shape of a fish, going to the Baths, and you could buy a cup of “Boveril” I suppose it was to warm you up, walking a long way to school. ( it felt like it then) to Whitby Road County Girls School. Dad worked at “George Cohens” 

coming to NewZealand was a whole new world. We arrived in NZ in November, summer on the way, blue skies, lots of grass and wide open spaces. And my sister and I getting hives from playing in the long grass.

My husband and I visited Sheffield in 1999, but sadly I didn’t recognise anything.  

Was your maiden name  corker. because I lived at the bottom of that road , and there was a family who emigrated to  New Zealand and they had 2 daughters.

[Margaret Todd 0]

Hi,,

yes you are so correct. Our Surname was Corker, my sisters name is Elizabeth. We lived  at 120. Were you on the same side of the road as us. If so I think I can remember  playing in your back yard. What was your name. Gosh it’s many years ago, I’m 74 now, and don’t think there will be anymore trips to the UK, not that we’re not in excellent health, but it’s such a long trip , and quite expensive, our NZ dollar doesn’t go very far over there. Love to hear from you.

[bassett one 451]

you got a great deal,as i hear its great in newzealand ,i have heard its like england in the 60s now,with a clean place and respect,nice to hear from you,i am 65 and live in lowedges and although i have enjoyed my life for the most,i often wonder ,what my life would of been like in your country,i had a mate in the 60s, part of the thorpe family and they ran a big chain beer off and left for newzealand and often think of him,richard thorpe was my best mate,but they left in about  1966,so nice to hear from someone of another country and i wish you well.

[Margaret Todd 0]

Hi, yes I think our parents did a great thing for my sister and I, though it must have been a hard decision for them to make at the time. My husband and I live in a small city called Dunedin which is in the South Island. Population of about 100 ,000. Situated on the East coast, over looking a harbour, and the sea. We have a world renowned University, and Medical School, with the students adding much colour, and interest to the community. Our climate is not the best, but very rarely goes below freezing , but can get to 25 dec C in the summer.  The population of NZ is now around 5 million,  with 2 million of that living in Auckland. Yes we’re pretty lucky 🙂

[martin441 11]

My grandmother lived 2 doors away from you , in the same yard. their name was Overall .  My name is dave newton  and I lived on Coleridge rd. between Fitzmaurice and Jubilee rd.  I remember you and your sister  , I think you both had blonde hair. I'm  76  now.  And I can remember one of you saying you were emigrating .  

In the same yard were the Hancocks,  Overalls , Swains  I think and and you the Corkers , 

 Nice to hear from you .

[Margaret Todd 0]

Hi I’m trying to put together our voyage to NZ from Sheffield, for my  Children, and the Grand  Children. I remember us getting a ride to the railway station by a man that had a Morris Woody that lived down the road from us  he must have lived across the road from you. Was there a Co-op shop down the road. Cheers for now, I hope you are all safe from the covid virus.

[martin441 11]

On 17/01/2021 at 06:28, Margaret Todd said:

Hi I’m trying to put together our voyage to NZ from Sheffield, for my  Children, and the Grand  Children. I remember us getting a ride to the railway station by a man that had a Morris Woody that lived down the road from us  he must have lived across the road from you. Was there a Co-op shop down the road. Cheers for now, I hope you are all safe from the covid virus.

There was no co-op near us but I'm  wondering if the person who gave you a lift was  Mr. Greenwood  who had a sweet shop  further down the road  and I think he had a car  ; not sure though. 

 How is Elizabeth .

[Jean Booker 0]

Hello Margaret.  My name was Jean Foreman and lived in Barleywood Road.  I remember you, and that you emigrated to New Zealand.  Perhaps we both attended Coleford Road Methodist Sunday School at the same time.  I think my mother wrote to your mother a few times after you left.  I now live in Chelmsford, Essex, and have been doing family history and sharing memories of our childhood with my brother.  We recently came across an old map of Darnall and were looking at places we remembered.  When I went to the junior school it was down Main Road and was not located at Whitby Road, which just had the Infants and Seniors.  I then found this site and saw your message, and I wondered if it was Margaret Corker, then noticed another message where you said your surname was Corker.  I am 76 so we were not in the same class  but I recall that we were friends.  We visited Dunedin on a cruise a few years ago, and went round the town on the open topped bus.

[Margaret Todd 0]

Hi Jean, I have just gone onto the Sheffield Forum and notice there is a message from you.

I do remember going to Sunday School, I Remember the Sunday School concerts,  I remember being in a group of boys and girls singing “ If you were the only Girl in the world & I was the only boy” the song ending with the girls perched on a boys knee as he was kneeling on one leg. ( I bet none of us would be able to get down or up that far now) and the Whitsunday procession.  I can’t remember whether we were called princesses , but I was Princess Carnation  I have a photo of my self dressed in pink, with a thing on my head .

Elizabeth my sister was princess anemone, in lavender.

what a shame we hadn’t contacted each other before you came on your cruise we could have met. Cheers for now keep safe we haven’t received our Covids vaccines as yet, but we have had no Covids out break in our city. margaret

 

[Jean Booker 0]

Hi Margaret - only just seen your post.  I forgot I had visited the site a long time ago.  I was the queen when you were one of the princesses.  I chose carnation as I liked the flower and we all had pink dresses.  I remember that Billy Coles was my King and that he lived on Coleford Road.  I think the following year the queen chose anemenes  so your sister would have been with her.

 

We have had all our COVID jabs.  We caught it last year, 3 days before we were going on holiday, but it was only like a sore throat and cold.  If we were still at work it would not have stopped us. We do not like flying now and are happier cruising direct from Southampton.  In November we are booked on a long one to the Caribbean, but to and from Southampton.

 

We now live in Chelmsford in the south of England but my brother, Arthur, still lives up there, but with family commitments, etc. we do not meet very often.  My sister joined the Air Force and eventually lived in Bristol, but she died some years ago and her son and grandchildren live there.  Her other sons live in Australia and Holland and we met up last year when my brother in law died.

 

I have signed up for a facebook page of Darnall and Attercliffe, and there are lots of old photos posted there.  Recently there was one of St Albans Church where my parents got married in 1940 but it was bombed in 1941.  I thought it was on Coleridge Road but have not been able to find an old map showing its location.

 

Hope you are keeping well.

 

Jean

[martin441 11]

St. Albans church  was at the top of Coleford rd.  It was hit with a land mine  and totally destroyed .