nottmdon

I remember the “Sambo“ poem but it was “a rat came by and peed in his eye.” Odd as it may seem the man who delivered papers was nicknamed Sambo I recall many years later he was featured in the press as the oldest or longest serving paperboy delivering in the Meadows area. Whenever we saw him we used to call out “eyup Sambo” and he never failed to smile and say hello bless him.

I actually went back there in the late 1980s early 1990s took a bunch of colour photographs of the "Juniors" I have the images in black and white as well. My older brother enticed me to TBJ from "Welbeck" telling me that they gave you fizzy lemonade drinks at dinner times, I should have known better I found it hard to settle in as the "new kid". I was there for just under three years. Class teachers ? I had Mr Griffin, Mr Williamson and Mrs McCarthy the latter positively hated me, I never did find out why. The head was Derek Smith used to walk around in black football kit qu

The "Hopkinsons" actually owned both " Hopkinsons" on Station Street and "Pools Tools" on Carlton Street near the George Hotel at one time. Max Hopkinson ran Pools Tools long after they became separate companies I worked for him,he was a great boss, they moved to the Queens Drive Industrial estate and were taken over by a Sheffield firm "Economatics" not the best of employers to be honest with you. Pools Tools should have stayed where they were they may have survived if they had. It was a sad day when they were taken over.

sincere condolences to Anns family.

Blimey! As you were invoved in the "Music scene" I wonder if you knew David Gaunt at all? He was in a group in the old Meadows, they used to rehearse/Jam at the Old Meadows Boys Club.

Ah So! Not sure if I qualify as being "alive in a country where he is not" but it sounds like "spam" in any language to me lol.

Yes he was thats the guy. He used to play mainly reggae and ska music, Jimmy Ruffin, Jimmy Cliff , lots of Tamla Motown,that sort of thing. As kids grew up they migrated to the Town Arms (as was), more psychadelic lights lol, we used to wear white shirts because if you wore owt dark it showed every speack of dust up and you looked like you were in need of some "Head n Shoulders" lol! The Carousel Club did trade for a while as the "Play Girl Pussycat Club" not the" Playgirl Pussy Club" as I quoted before, anyway it was not used as an offensive term in thosedays, God it makes me feel owd now! l

Yes we spent many happy hours there playing cricket, football and participating in Archery. It was a ground used by the "Meadows Boys Club" on a Friday evening as a rule. The chap who took us for archery was called Bob (cant recall his last name now) I beleive, he was in the auxilary (TA) SAS as well which gave him a lot of kudos even before the SAS made the headlines! Boots recereation ground was at the side of Trent Pool.

Be a story worth hearing I'm sure Beefsteak.

same place as the carousel club on Wilford Crescent just up the road from the Paper shop on the opposite side of the road. Incidently Terry Hefford also lived just a few doors from it and he was also a Scout Master as I recall.

It also opened under the rather grand title of "The Play Girl Pussy Club" as I recall. I lived on Mundella Road and of course I was far too young to venture to the establishment as it was a "striptease club"

Jerry & The Pacemakers, the Beatles, or Freddie and the Dreamers. Jerry and the Pacemakers were the first Liverpool band to have three consecutive number ones weren't they? If so they would be my choice. Freddie Garrety( not sure of spelling) died last year after many years of ill health apparently he was mooted as "Britans Answer To Buddy Holly" all I know is he could sing and make me laugh at the same time, what a brilliant guy he was.

They were nearer the big blocks of flats (Rivermead?)upstream of the spenny bridge. As kids we used to play in the remains of the pools,they were tiled with pale blue tiles. When they built the flats they cleared it all away so that certain residents could use the space for moorings/river access.

I reckon the pub between Arky via Ryehill cottages to London road was the "Greyhound" there used to be like a little enclosed village of Almshouses on the left which I suppose was the nearest thing they got to "warden aided" in thosedays. They knocked down those houses and put an ugly grass hill there instead, what a waste of a lovely lot of little houses that was. Blimey I remember the Stewt/miners welfare, I boxed there as an amateur and drank there once or twice during my misspent youth lol! My Mum was brought up on Briar street and I still have fond memories of that part of the Medus as

Hello Dodie youre right about that, I do miss the old Medus though when whole extended families only lived streets away from each other, some lived next door to each other as did my grandfather and great grandmother so us kids had to be on our best behaviour because there was allways someone who would see you if you got into any mischief and the parents would soon hear of it! I think the thing I miss most is the sense of "belonging", whilst modern parlance calls it a "sense of community" I think it went a lot deeper than that. I havent found that feeling since childhood, the nearest I came

I'll definately make a note of that Rob, many thanks. Yes there was a William Hamilton as well. I'll certainly have another look at the "Mayes" name now as well.

I understand that the choir as an excellent reputation as well. Its the brass band that I had a lead to, I have some names and dates and will look them up. From what I have gleaned one of the "Hamiltons" apparently was in charge of the brass band at the colliery, he later emigrated to Australia or America. I take nothing as gospel on my searches as often such leads come to nothing.Having said that its heartening to know just how close and tight knit the mining communities used to be and activites such as the choirs and bands show this.

Many thyanks Ayupmeducks I have found several images on their site just recently. What would be even better is a photograph from someone who worked there or had relatives from the early days of the colliery working there and maybe had a photograph with a name or two on it.Bit of a pipe dream really I suppose. I imagine not too many colliers from the 1860s to the very early 1900s had their own cameras, something one as to keep in mind when looking for such photographs. Thank goodness I have always had an interest in photography and also keep written records on the backs of most of my pictures

Well you could have knocked me down with a feather Rob! Margaret Hamilton married a William Mays and lived on Park Road and worked at the Post Office. They had two sons William and Frederick and a daughter Susan who became a JP in 1952. It seems you were surrounded by my ancestors during your time at Bestwood HQ offices! I have the spelling as "Mays" not "Mayes" and when your searching for people a slight spelling error can lead you off at a tangent and have you chasing your tail like a rabid dog lol.

Thanks Rob I had seen those and wondered if they might be the ones I was looking for, time for a closer look I think.

Thanks Stuart. I think they have been called the "Railway Cottages" certainly look like the style of houses that were often found near railways. Just before those is a tunnel set back from the road, well more of a bridge I guess, I have often looked at it but as there appears to be some kind of farm buildings on the other side I havent trespassed to have a peek.

That ties in with what I found out Robert. The Hamiltons lived in the village, some on what is now called "Park Road" others on "Moor Road". I have an address for "Moor Cottages" but have been unable to find it so I imagine it was either demolished or renamed. The widow of the NUM area president lived on Ravensworth Road in Bulwell and since that was where the family first came to live (Quarry Road Bulwell) when they moved down here from Scotland it seems about right. One of the women lived on Park Road( with her husband I imagine) in the village and worked at the Post Office for 30 years as w

I had a few ancestors who worked in many of the pits in Notts coalfields. Alexander McLean Hamilton 1891-1974 worked at Bestwood for 50 years, he was the area president of the NUM and also played football for Forest (in goal) in about 1911. Robert J (Jimmy) Hamilton was an electrician down Bestwood pit he was born in 1880 another Alexander Hamilton born 1860 also worked down Bestwood pit. Apart from those I have numerous ancestors who according to the census documents were aged 10 and 11 years old their occupations being coal miners and setters on?! My uncle Swinton Butt finished his working

Yes thats the feller! I didnt know he had passed away, he really was a great coach, he did several sessions with us at the Meadows Boys Club (indoors) and at Trent Pool near ladybay bridge(outdoors). I doubt there were many more approachable pro footballers although Terry Henessey also stopped and spoke to us younguns and had a lot of time for us. Strange how these things stick in your head. RIP Mr McKinlay.

I wonder if you recall "Ron Allsopp" the groundsman at the club for many years? Hes the wifes uncle by the way.