rob237
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Posts posted by rob237
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".....Could that building a little up on the right be Vic Station??......."
Judging by the incline, and the disappearing brow, I'd suggest it is Mansfield Road looking North at roughly the point where Huntingdon Street merges...small bollard just visible?
The Boot's chemist could be on the corner of the short feeder road to North Sherwood St.
Seems the wrong facade, with no high Clock Tower, for the newly opened Vic'.
That could be the present site of Neale's auctioneers....
Main argument against my speculation is that the spire of St Andrews Church is not visible to the right of the Mansfield Road/Forest Road crossing, beyond the brow.
Cheers
Robt P.
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Meccano and Hornby Dublo were ok, but for me, pride of place was Malcolm.
As a kid, my Saturday ritual involved a walk down to the barbers on Broxtowe Lane - armed with written instructions ["short back and sides"] and 2/6d - then a wander down to the library on Nuthall Road for a session poring through the magical National Geographic.
The highlight was always drooling through the window of Lee & Goodjohn's electrical shop at their display of the unattainable Hornby-Dublo model railway stock. So engrossed that one day I didn't even notice the pouring rain, the proprietor - who must have been fed up with my regular appearances at his window - invited me inside for a closer view. He even gave me a damaged wagon, to begin my collection!
Should have been more devious with my haircut money, after a few weeks of saving could have used it to buy a second wagon!
Cheers
Robt P.
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A BBC2 series on words is launched tomorrow evening, entitled Balderdash and Piffle
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctwo/listings/progr...00_4224_8470_50
My late mother’s Nottinghamese produced regular use of the world ‘piffle’, often used in conjunction with ‘rammel’ and ‘twaddle’.
Her word for a fried meal was ‘frizzle’, my use of which at school once caused me to be dragged to the front of the class for the ritual humiliation.
She also used a collection of her own particular local phrases, which both my children revel in repeating to this day.
Some examples were:
“I’d want two of them for that price!”
“Not for the likes of us”
“Yer look like the Devil!”
“I’ll clip yer earhole, in two minutes”
“Stop slopping and slormin’”
“That what yer can’t eat”….. covering any reference to sexual matters.
I’ll get my kids to remind me of some others.
Cheers
Robt P.
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Perhaps the most comprehensive reference website for all Movies, TV programmes, actors, actresses, celebrities, TV personalities etc.
Literally thousands of cascading links within the site!
Cheers
Robt P.
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Can we name the famous Nottingham females, apart from her off Hi de Hi?
Can't think of many beyond Ms Torville and Dame Laura Knight..
From the superb IMDB website, (recommended!) of the listed Nottinghamians there are two ladies on the first page.
Namely, actresses Diane Aubrey and Nikki Brooks.
Two other well known actresses on the next page are Kate Beckinsale and Geraldine Moffat, plus many I don't know...
Note how Viv Anderson, Albert Ball VC, William Booth, Kenneth Clarke & Harold Shipman are deemed to be 'actors'!
http://us.imdb.com/BornWhere?Nottingham,%20England,%20UK
Five of the NET trams carry female names.
Angela Alcock, Erica Beardsmore, Dinah Minton & Mavis Worthington are all prominent charity workers of recent vintage.
Mary Potter was a nurse in 19th Century Hyson Green who, IIRC, also has a local Health Centre named in her memory.
http://www.thetram.net/features/tram_names.asp
How do we categorize Dale Winton?
Cheers
Robt P.
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I also "bumped" into my old elec engineer in charge, Lol Adcock, when I worked at Wilson Ford, who did overhauls of motors and transformers for the NCB Lol was working out of Bestwood HQ at the time.
I vaguely remember Lol from a brief stint that I did at the No6 Area Central Workshops at Bestwood. IIRC, he lived in Hucknall.
My latter NCB days were spent 'pen pushing' in the Engineers Dept.
Should have waited a few more months, as I left of my own volition just prior to my ex-colleagues receiving a relatively handsome pay off!
Still retain the inbuilt ability to pick the wrong check-out queue in a supermarket
Cheers
Robt P.
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What memories of wastage at Clifton! Thousands spent to start the roadway drivage from the tupton sean to the lower seam below tupton! What promises they gave us, another 50 years of life at the present rates of extraction plus a conveyor drift to the surface and modernisation of the screen/washery.
Problem was, Cotgrave had a manpower problem, and Clifton was old. I often wonder how many stayed at Cotgrave after I left, I know of a couple who didn't stay there long.
Plenty of blatant wastage stories filtered through to us who were working at the Bestwood Area HQ Offices.
Tales of highly expensive mining equipment, AB trepanners etc, left underground for ever were legion.
Perhaps an indication of the general indifference which set in when the industry was in its death throes.
IIRC, the manpower problem at Cotgrave was partially resolved by the recruitment of previously redundant miners from the North-East.
The Geordie twang is still a prominent feature of the village!
So many Geordies went to the Ollerton area Collieries that a fleet of Hall’s Coaches ran to the North-East on Friday evenings, returning Sunday.
I understand their Friday/Sunday service still runs, but in a limited form.
Cheers
Robt P.
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"...What memories of wastage at Clifton!...."
And at most other pits in the area...
Standard excuse for leaving valuable plant below ground was that it wasn't "economic " to retrieve it.
The ultimate 'iffy' explanation...
Cheers
Robt P.
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Drives me up the wall hearing some twat keep saying "Ya'know" . No I don't know, explain is what I'd reply in person to those bozo's! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
"...Obviously, as I just said, yer know, at the end of the day, obviously, yer know [at the end of the day] as I just said, obviously..." is a typical £50K per week footballer TV interview contribution.
Once clocked our esteemed England skipper utter 'yer know' 8 times in 28 seconds.
Puts me in mind of the infamous Ralph Crossland, veteran teacher at Pavement who was feared by everyone - even Headmaster Harry Davies - saying:
"When you boys are about to cast your election vote, summon the candidates to your house and ask them what they intend to do in Parliament about the prostitution of the English language!"
"Yes Sir"....said the petrified class....
Cheers
Robt P.
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Has any Nottingham lady ever been on local TV, or radio, and not used the word "definitely"?
Cheers
Robt P.
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"..there's often an unannounced Spitfire fly around over our place here in Ilkeston during the summertime, always a splendid sight to see.."
A Spitfire that quite often turns up locally - usually midweek - is flown by Carolyn Grace whilst doing her practice/currency flights from Duxford, Cambs.
She flies the plane in memory of her late husband, who was responsible for its restoration to flying condition.
Her interesting website is at:
Cheers
Robt P.
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Did Delia Bostock have an older sister called Valerie? or where you not that close? I have an older sister called June who is in touch with some of the girls from school. June was born in 1941 so she is three years older than I am, judjing by your recent posting then I assume you to be one year my senior, I could be wrong as in the days of the 11 plus, if you didn't pass the first time then you were allowed a second stab at the 14 plus.
What are your views on this, good or bad?
Do you think mixed schools actually worked at that time or did they set todays trend of kids being kids?
A
Vaguely remember that Delia did have an elder sister although Valerie doesn't ring a very loud bell.
IIRC, she lived around the Halstead Close section of Tilbury Rise.
The majority of ladies that I listed were from the Amesbury Circus [higher numbers], Bells Lane and Tilbury Rise area.....
Much of our playing time was spent on the Amesbury Circus Children's Park, opened in the early 50's, or 'Fowler's Pond'.... now the site of that hideous hotel by that even more hideous roundabout!
Doubt that mixed/unmixed schools had much effect. The in school relationships were subtly different to those around our homes.
The 11 plus had an awful 'finality' about it which could often penalise bright kids who simply failed to perform on the day.
Whilst appreciating this is the norm for exams/interviews, the age of 11 or 12 seemed awfully young for this particular curtain to be drawn.
I was born in September 1942 at The Firs Maternity Home Sherwood, as were so very many 'first born's' of that era.
Cheers
Robt P.
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I remember the Spitfire that the test pilot at RR Hucknall used to take for a spin. Being next door at the NCB Hucknall number 1 pit training centre, we used to watch him when ever we were outside! That was in the early 60's.
That would be Squadron-Leader Jeffrey Quill, an ex RAF Battle of Britain pilot.
He lived for some years on Papplewick Lane.
His R-R test pilot predecessor - whose name escapes me - had died in the aforementioned Syerston Vulcan disaster.
Cheers
Robt P.
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Hi Rob..
and whilst we mention aircraft...
during the early sixties I was a member of 138 sq ATC and I recall our hq at Trent Lane being home at the time to a dismantled jet Vampire, the history of which, and how it got there I have no idea.. the hq has now been long gone and the Vampire probably sold for scrap, but a few years ago I recall Anchor Surplus at Ripley having a Vampire on display . I wonder, could this be one and the same?
Link to an Anchor Supplies Vampire here:
http://www.anchorsupplies.com/rippic8.htm
Although no indication of their acquisition source!
Their final paragraph on the page seems to infer that they have had several....
Cheers
Robt P.
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I left Crane in 1955 to go to Peveril Bi-Lateral. You must be raound about the same age as I am. With Crane being a school where the sexes did not mix officially, the culture shock of going to a mixed school was tremendous.
Amesbury Circus is a place to avoid, the time elapsed has not been kind to the whole area. Do you recall an female names from your schooldays?
Ann
Irene Halford, June Houlton, Rosemary Morley, Diane & Georgina Childs, Celia Hufton, Jacqueline Searle, Jill Roberts, Gillian Twigger, Gloria? Timmins, Valerie Grace, Janet Oswin, Eunice Parr, Jean Waller, Isobel Ratcliffe or Radcliffe?, Delia Bostock, Yvonne Unwin, Sandra Watkins.......and some others that I didn't fancy
Cheers
Robt P.
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Whilst recently driving past the Newark Air Museum at Winthorpe, and seeing their Avro Vulcan on display there, I was reminded of the time in the 1950’s that the prototype Vulcan VX770 was an almost daily sight in the Nottingham skies, until the spectacle was ended in such tragic circumstances.
It flew from the Rolls-Royce plant at the site of the former RAF Hucknall airfield on Watnall Road and was used as a flying test-bed for their new Conway engine, which became a precursor to the Concorde power plant.
From the vantage point of my desk in the NCB’s Bestwood Colliery offices it was sometimes an alarming experience to watch the giant white bomber, seemingly, almost clip the nearby village Clock Tower upon its descent to the Hucknall runway. It’s ‘touch and go’ takeoffs from the airfield could often be heard as far away as Sherwood and Woodthorpe!
Certain reservations were sometimes expressed that, due to the experimental nature of the flights, why it was permitted to regularly over-fly densely populated areas of a large City on its low anti-clockwise circuits?
These doubts came home to roost when, in September 1958, it disintegrated in mid-air – due to metal fatigue imposed by the four ultra powerful Conway’s – whilst approaching RAF Syerston, between Bingham and Newark, to do display passes at their annual Air Show.
The onboard Rolls-Royce civilian crew were all killed, as were several Air Cadets on the ground. The unfortunate young lads were acting as stewards at the show and were taking a break in an airfield Portakabin, which was totally destroyed by the falling Vulcan debris.
Anyone else have any memories of this episode from the late 50’s?
Cheers
Robt P.
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My late Mother used to be a conductress for Nottm City Transport in the mid 1940's towards the end of WW2. She was only about five foot tall and on the trolley buses.
One tale she told me years back was when the poles came off the rails, the drivers wouldn't get out to assist the conductors, she being short and light in weight, often ended up elevated off the ground, with a helpful passenger or passer by grabbing her and hauling her back to ground level!!
Travelled on many trolleybuses or as me Mam used to call them Trackless's".
Certainly true that the regular disconnection of the poles from the wires caused much all round entertainment and mirth !rotfl!
During the mid 50's I remember riding on a city-bound 41 on Alpine Street, when a pole came off with such violence that it finished up embedded in the roof of a nearby building!
The present day Health & Safety Executive Mafia would have had a fit.....
Cheers
Robt P.
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Some scenes towards the end of the film show elevated shots of house building on the expanding Clifton Estate.
A large name board identifies local builders Sims, Son's and Cook who were major contactors for the site.
Did not their involvement with the project lead to their eventual bankruptcy?
Cheers
Robt P.
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Talbot Street/Hanley Street:
Having recently visited the Talbot Street area, for the first time in more than 40 years, I was reminded of the NCT buses (Services 1,7 and 22) which formerly terminated on the sloping Hanley Street.
Due to the steep incline there, it was usual practice to place a wooden block (shaped like a cheese wedge, kept in the drivers cab and attached to a chain) beneath the front offside wheel whilst stationary and loading.
Notice there is a 1950's picture, elsewhere on the Forums, of a No 1 standing at Hanley Street - but unusually devoid of it's block!
Wasn't this system in use throughout the City? ...... especially in the more hilly areas such as those Carlton routes, off Porchester Road and also some Sherwood terminii stops.
Anyone recall where else the blocks were regularly used?
Cheers
Robt P.
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Did anyone go to either William Crane on Minver Crescent or William Peveril on Robinswood Road? (now The Manning School for Girls.)
Peveril opened in 1955, while William Crane has recently closed its doors for the last time.
A
I left William Crane Juniors in 1954 and went on to High Pavement, at the Stanley Road site for my first year and then to the 'new' school at Gainsford Crescent, Bestwood Estate - recently raised to the ground!
Recall that the rather surly headmaster at William Crane Junior was Arthur Smith from Sutton-in-Ashfield - a pioneer commuter in his bullnose Morris - who had even taught my Uncle in the early 1920's!. Quite masochistic on his day as he often kept the keen sport scholars off the playing field by singing obscure folk songs ('Raggle, Taggle Gipsies O' etc) in an impromptu choir, and vice versa.
Other teachers that I remember were Peter Saunders and Eric Murphy....Eric being an avid soccer fan, and on the Notts Schools FA executive.
I lived on Amesbury Circus until I was married at 24, and recently made the great mistake of revisiting the area for the first time in 40 years.
Many cherished childhood memories shattered by the run-down nature of the place - quite depressed upon my departure.
As they say...."Never go back....!"
An old friend from Pavement, Keith Skilbeck, taught at Peveril for many years.
Reckon he retired a while ago......
Cheers
Robert Pollard
Bingham, Notts.
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As a frequent user, might I suggest that the service which ran to Cinderhill was the 41 - from Trent Bridge.
To a young lad the turning of the 'trackless' at the Bell's Lane/Nuthall Road roundabout was a sight full of wonderment with the conductor pulling the rod to activate the overhead pointwork enabling the vehicle to turn tightly around the roundabout, which was about 5% the diameter of today's monstrosity!
Regular entanglement of the poles often ensued, requiring the use of the special re-railing pole which was located in a tube stored along the length of the trolley.
The 37's route was King Street to Haydn Road.
The wires certainly ran all the way to Ripley, and the MGO - in their dark blue livery - trackless service was the A1.
Link to an excellent site on the "Ripley Rattlers", in their pre war form as trams:
http://uk.geocities.com/jg4fun2001/contents.html
Especially recommend their Rattler Trail section which refers to the Alpine Street, Basford tram disaster of 1917 - in which, apparently, many perished.
That section also has some interesting pics of buildings on the route.
Further claim to fame for the Nottingham - Ripley service was that it was mentioned by Eastwood's DH Lawrence in a couple of his novels, and several of his short stories. Specifically recall a Lawrence reference to 'Dark Lane' which took the trams behind Cinderhill Park, adjacent to the modern day college, and is pictured on their site.
Cheers
Robt P.
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Does Radfordred Know?
The players pictured with the 'Shippo's' dray are, from left:
Charlie 'Chick' Thomson, Roy Dwight, Jeff Whitefoot, Bob McKinlay, Joe McDonald, Tommy Wilson, John Quigley, Jack Burkitt (captain), Bill Whare, Billy Gray and Stewart Imlach.
Sadly, and perhaps somewhat surprisingly, 8 of the '59 team have now passed away.
The only survivors being Thomson, Whitefoot & Gray.
Cheers
Robt P.
Mansfield Road 1908
in Images of Nottingham
Posted
Yes, on reflection, could well be your Shakespeare Street junction suggestion.
It's width would suggest so...rather than my short feeder road idea.
Isn't the pub on the right the former "Yorker"?
Cheers
Robt P.