Commo

Dick, I wonder if the place you mention on Alfred St was Bob's,Spares? His place was on the corner of Alfred St Central and Northumberland St and was there certainly from the Forties through to the Sixties redevelopment of St Anns. The premises could have originally been a grocery store as it was fitted out with long wooden counters and shelving like a Marsden`s or Home and Colonial,and the rear which Bob had as his workshop was perhaps the original stores and delivery area. He occasionally had a bike for sale in the doorway of the workshop on Northumberland St.

The compilation of those photographs of Sankeys brought back memories of my first employment. Do you know when the fire occurred and how extensive it was? Thanks for posting that Rog.

So good to see that you are able to post again Gem, you have been in my thoughts and prayers. G

You are correct Margie, and Uncle Les did maintain a small mound at the bottom of the yard which weren't too bad until the weather warmed up, and you had to hope that he used it fairly quickly. On the plus side however, being in the middle of St Anns you did catch a drift of what it was like to live in the countryside!

After a delivery of Shippos at The Freemans, bottom of Gt Freeman St, always in those halcyon days from a dray pulled by a pair of Shippos greys, my uncle who lived next door to us in Comyn St would give me 3d to collect a bucketful of their natural fertiliser to dig into the small raised bed in the backyard where he grew his roses. You had to be quick with your bucket and shovel cuz it were a highly prized commodity in them days!

That's a wonderfully evocative image of our Square, but when did QV return from the Embankment? I mean, it must be a recent photo because you can see the tramlines!

Yes it was Ketty Lester, just yet another of my all time favourites, has a really good piano arrangement.

Loved his work from seeing him at the Empire in the 50`s billed (no pun intended) as the "original sweater boy" through to his Greengrass. Thanks for the laughs Bill.

The TPS remit applies only to organisations in the UK, so has no authority over calls emanating from overseas. Don't think that there's much you can do to stop them, so be positive Lizzie and see them as a good way of venting any pent up anger!

The building which is now a Pakistani centre was originally Woodborough Road Baptist chapel, corner of Alfred St North. I believe it is a Watson Fothergill design.

Still got my Scalex up in the loft. I was great on the straights! Mind you, I was 19 when I was bought it as a Chrissy present by my wife. There was a model motor racing club in the 60`s above a shop on St Anns Well Rd with a good track layout, anyone remember it?

Loppy, "Honey" sung by Bobby Goldsboro and also Andy Williams and other Country artists. A sad song when I first heard it but unfortunately in later years so true for some of us.

Welcome to the Forum Mary, you connected no problem and hope that you find plenty to interest you. Keep posting, there's plenty to recall about Mansfield from the 50`s and 60`s. My late wife used to talk about a coffee bar she frequented in her teens I think near Market Place, was it called The Swiss Cottage?

I am so sorry for your loss Katy, my condolences are sent to you and all the family and I will hold you in my prayers. It was such a shock to see this on opening the Forum site, we knew he had been struggling bravely with his condition for some time but didn't expect to read this news. He was a great contributor to the Forum with a fund of knowledge on so many topics and his admin skills in controlling members for meet ups were formidable! We will all miss him and I am so glad that I was able to get to the meet last October and shake his hand. Graham.

And how upset when the brown paper tore along the crease and wouldn't work anymore.

Started my stag night in The Hearty G F on the 29th August 1968 and if I remember correctly finished up eventually in Yates. To tie in with the thread on Mansfield and Sutton, was wed at St Mary's in Sutton on the 31st, still suffering from the effects of the pub crawl 36 hours earlier! The Reception was held upstairs in The Denmans in Sutton and I did not imbibe any alcohol other than the glass of bubbly for the toasts.

Just realised why I can't find myself or friends as the photos are from June and we didn't start until the the next intake in September. Recognised all the guards and warders though!

Looking forward to the next three sections, I was at BHGS in 1958 and will be intrigued to see if I can find myself and friends, will we be recognisable one wonders, after all it's only 60 years ago!

Happy Birthday Margie, have a lovely day. G xx

Definitely Ian, it wer in black and white and I saw it happen at The Empress!

I'm afraid that I never forgave Sylvia Sims for letting that ambulance roll all the way down the sand dune after John Mills, Harry Andrews and Anthony Quayle had wound it all the way to the top on the starting handle so had to do it all again!

Chulla`s recollections of Teresa Brewer on another thread set me thinking of all the music that meant a lot to me as a child and that I still remember today. In the early 50`s my music came from the Light Programme and Dad`s keyboard sheet music and I list just a few of the tracks from my virtual CD compilation, in no particular order, and these may stir some memories for some of you as old as me! I see the Moon - The Stargazers Shrimp Boats - Jo Stafford Finger of Suspicion - Dickie Valentine Rock and Roll Waltz - Kay Starr Softly, Softly - Ruby Murray O Mei

Loved the Gran Shan, always a treat to have a bottle. It was when we lived in Comyn Street so definitely in the 50`s.

I have a mild condition of the tremor in my right hand which makes quick Travis picking on the guitar somewhat difficult, and thanks Compo for the tip on pea eating. I switched to shaving with an electric razor some years ago, reckon that a cut throat razor would be just that, even a safety razor not always fool proof!

As someone with a passing interest in classic cars, I knew little about the Salmson apart from the name, so have just been informed by Mr Google that only about 15 of the model shown were made and therefore quite a rarity for being on ciggy cards. Thanks for that Chulla, now know something of which I was unaware of 10 minutes ago!