MargieH

Oh nonna, so sorry you've had such a dreadful morning.... is the pain in your back from a strained muscle or from something internal, do you know? I hope it will soon get sorted. And next door's dog being a victim of a hit and run driver - that's shocking, too. I don't know how people can be so heartless.... i really hope tomorrow will be a better day for you xx

That name seems very familiar to me I think my dad did business with him, quite possibly insurance.

The two children I mentioned - Nicky and Stephanie - had the surname Langford I think! I once had my hair cut by Joseph - I seem to remember the salon was at/near Canning Circus, up some stairs and overlooking a graveyard. Does that make sense? Joseph was next door neighbour to the Gisbornes - that's how I got to know him. Pete and Ant Wright did live on Fisher Avenue. I went out with Ant for a few weeks/months when I was 14 and he was 13 (aw, sweet and innocent days)

Socram, I think I can only really remember Rev Widdowson, even though I went to that Church intermittently from when I was about 14 (1957) until I was 17 ish, when I left home to work at Harlow Wood Hospital. My parents still lived on Woodthorpe Drive so I did still go to the church occasionally when I was on a day off.

You are right, David, there was a little wood right at the bottom of Fairview Road but this then opened up into a field which had that lovely feathery grass in summer (loved walking through that!). Some of the parents cut some steps in the bank which led down to Breckhill Road, so their children didn't have to walk the long way round to Arno Vale via Greys Road and Maitland Road, but these steps were very slippery after it had rained... Where on Greys Road did you live? I had several friends/acquaintances who lived on there ... Sally Freemantle who had a younger brother Andrew, Patsy Knowles who had a younger brother David (?) Jeremy Gisborne, Julian Packer who had 2 older sisters I think, Stephanie and Nick (?) who lived in a newer house next to the wood you mention. Phil may be able to remember even more people on Greys Road..

Enjoy your Christmas break, Mary and Ron - sounds lovely x

Phil, so the trucks I played on were just using the track to get on the turntable to change direction. I never realised that... now I come to think of it, that particular place had steep sides but they were partly covered in grass so by then it may have stopped being a working brickyard.. I know the main workings at that time were on the south side of Woodthorpe Drive because it had deep pits and was often waterlogged.

It was still a working brickyard in 1954 because I remember playing in the trucks between Breckhill and Woodthorpe Drive at that time and being shouted at by a workman who told us to get out! I don't know how much longer it stayed open as I found other 'playgrounds' to frequent with my friends soon after that. I did go on the brickyard between Woodthorpe Drive and Woodthorpe Road in 1966 when I collected Pussy Willow to add to the daffodils in the church where we were going to be married. I'm fairly sure the track was no longer there - I just remember the clay was very slippery and there were huge pools of clay water everywhere,

To see the 3D image, start with your eyes very close to the picture, then move back gradually, still staring at it. DON'T try to refocus while you're doing it.. At least, that works for me!

CT that map was way before the 1940s as it doesn't show Littlegreen Road, Wensley Road, Whernside Road, Patterdale Road, Coningsby Road and others in that area. I used to walk down Littlegreen Road to school,and the houses were certainly well established by then. It is also incorrect in that Fairview Road never actually joined Breckhill Road as shown on the map.... when I was little, the part of Fairview Road beyond Greys Road was just a field.... it now continues as a road but ends in pedestrian steps on to Breck Hill

Compo, I bet not everyone will see it! Hope all goes well for you on Friday....

Here's a jungle scene for you (African savanna actually)

We were married by Rev Widdowson in March 1966 at Mapperley Methodist and we visited him at the Manse a couple of weeks beforehand to talk about the service/hymns etc. I know it was somewhere round that area

I watched Sooty only on a black and white TV when I was little, so when my mum showed me a sooty puppet in a shop window, I remember telling her he was the wrong colour. I was sure he was grey and black and not yellow!

I never realised that this song mentioned the Hooded Claw! My kids used to watch Penelope Pitstop..