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Old driving instructors and lessons!!!

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I had driving lessons with ERIC ABBEY he never advertised word of mouth was his way of getting customers.i remember the first lesson it was a mini to my horror it was not duel controlled,Erics reply was i,am not learning to drive so he did,nt need any controls.I was in my 30s when i learnt to drive,but thanks to the best instructor ever,. i passed 1st time.All the family son,s son,s girlfriends were taught by Eric.Ithink his son also went on to be a Driving instructor anyone else taught by Eric?

 

I was and so was my Mum, unfortunatley i didnt pass my first test (horrible spotty old bloke at middlewood test centre) i was 17 at the time, i was gutted :(, so i gave up !! couldnt afford a car anyhow , start again when i was 22 eric had retired, so i then had Harry brooks, he was lovely really help boost my confidence, however when i passed my test second time round the the very nice man that passed me asked if i had been taught by Eric Abbey, apparently he could tell this by my driving ??? :huh:

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I was taught by Mel Travers, when he was based at Crookes. Think it was called Safeway driving school, back in 1986.

 

He still teaches today but works for someone I dont wish to speak about Lol

 

Caz

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Myself, my wife, and my sister were all taught to drive in the 60s by a chap called Peter (I think surname Elliot) who originally worked at Bert Fell's Driving School, which was based at the Highfield end of Abbeydale Road.

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Anyone on the forum beat this iv'e had a license to drive for 67 yrs the only blob on my record was a fine for speeding in 1965 ,a fine of ten bob on my motorbike in 1947 for creeping though an halt sign, otherwise a clean license,37 vehicles in those years and never had a test, Cheers Arthur.

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I was taught by Ben of Ben's School, of Motoring, he was based at Greenhill or somewhere near, a one man band at the time and I learned to drive in an Austine A40 Farina (sought of estate car). 17s6d per lesson (88p in today's money). How much is it today?

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I was taught by ELLA HAMILTON of Nether Edge. She was brilliant. Passed first time in 1976 and never looked back. Always think of her when I am driving too!

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I didn't look back either and the bloody examiner failed me.

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I was taught by Ken Whatham who lived on Ellesmere Rd in Pitsmoor he was a great instructor and a good laugh as well. Learnt in a datsun 160j I think it was.

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1980/1, my driving instructor was Arthur Birch from Chapeltown. The guy was crazy he would scream and shout and on the way to my test he drove and told me there was no way I would pass, I was the worst student he had.

 

I went ahead and passed, and he just sat in the car shaking his head. Three weeks later I put my first car through a stone wall on Hagg Hill, maybe the old man knew what he was talking about.

 

StJohn

Cincinnati kid

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I was taught to drive by Rodney Garside and his father in 1956/7. Depending on their workload, it would be either one or the other. Rodney, a larger than life character, was also a continental tour driver for SUT and he sported a magnificent ginger beard. I think a lesson was 17/6 for an hour and pick-up was somewhere in town, perhaps the bombed site at Moorhead, by the British Restaurant. The car was a black Morris Minor.

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Rodney Garside, thought I knew the name but the red beard clinched it, I can picture him strolling through SUT's depot at Charlotte Rd. A great character he was.

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Hi Neil,

 

I worked briefly at SUT in about 1955 during the school holiday when I was in the sixth form. I forget what the office was called but I worked on statistics calculating milages against fuel consumption etc. I worked with Tom Robinson, Ted ?, Tony Boretti ?. The thing that impressed me most was the canteen; quite a treat after school dinners! That is how I came to know Rodney Garside.

 

Mike

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