johnl

Reading about pubs and shops closing set me thinking about the local, small garage. There were many of these across Nottingham in the fifties and sixties. One that comes to mind was Frank Widdowson's on Russell drive at Wolaton. I thinks it's a valeting centre now. He had a small showroom with two or three cars for sale, a workshop at the back and a small yard. In the yard there were always interesting old cars and motorbikes that Frank was going to get around to 'doing up' I once bought a car from him, the warrenty was simply, 'if you have any problems just bring it back'. Nothing in writing

This has set me thinking! I had an Italian suit made at Alexandres which, if I rememger, was oppostie Marks and Spencers. It may be the Orange shop now. It was light grey with a black stripe, the jacket had three buttons and small high lapels. I used to get most of my clothes from Continental house on Hockley or Jeffs at the top of Alfreton road. There was also a tailor on the opposite side to Jeffs but a bit further up, he was next to the monumental masons. One of my most prized possesions was a pair of brown cuban heeled boots, with a seam running up the front. They came from Stead & Si

Along fron Stansbys there was an electrical shop called 'Lee and Goodjohns' They sold Dinky toys and always had a big display in the window which each toy sitting on top of its yellow box. My dad used to go there to get replacement valves for the old bush tv. Further still there was a garage which was , I think, Breffitts. Then there was the coal loading hoppers where the line which crossed melbourne road terminated. Cheers, Johnl.

Hello Katjay thinking about shops, what about Buxtons mobile shops? They were old single-decker buses painted red with the windows covered in. There were several of them based at bulwell I think and they would tour the estates. Also another job that has gone was the bakers van, the guy used to knock on the door with a large wicker basket full of bread and cakes. Have a nice day, Johnl.

Hello Frank, I'm still getting used to this! Yes it was my year that made the plaque. The metal work teacher at the time was a Mr Childs. I wonder what became of that plaque when the old acadamy was demolished. I made a set of four tiles based on cave paintings of hunting scenes, they were on the wall outside Henton's office. Yes the prefects did have their own room it was in the arch above the heads office. I don't think they did a great deal of studying there though! Cheers, Johnl.

Hello katjay, I saw on one of your other posts that you were talking about the shops at the lower end of bells lane. I can't remember who ran the grocers shop, i remember Pinkets the newsagaents though. I used to go on errands there on my triang scooter. Can you remember a girl called Denise mc phearson? she lived on eltham drive. It was a nice place to live in those days wasn't it. Was the butchers shop Frank Taylors? Cheers, Johnl

Hi, the headmaster was actually called Mr Henton, I never knew malcolm's name was Pridgeon! Can you remember Keith Brooks, Micheal Leet. The deputy head was called Mr Connell when I was there, I think his wife owned a hairdressers on Aspley lane. Dis you go on the canal trip to Newark? I can't recall Mr Potter. I was 59 on August 3rd. As you say, 'small world' Cheers, John.

Val, I was at Crane from 1959 until 1964. It was a decent school then, it's very sad how it deteriorated.

Hi Robt, the knights had 2 children,both older than me. They were Peter and Maureen.

Good evening, Ive just joined. I lived in two houses at Aspley. 143 Amesbury circus and 14 Rosslyn drive, I went to the william crane school. We went to Amesbury circus when our house at radford (Dennison St.) was demolished as part of the slum clearance program. I guess this would have been 1958 or 59. We moved to Rosslyn drive in 1962. I would like to know what happened to some of the people I knew then. People from Amesbury circus judith Williams who lived next door but one to us, the Knights who were next door. I can well remember playing on the park in the middle of the circus, in fact