[Maurice mitchell]

Another memory. In 1949 I reached 11years of age, along with some pals who all lived close to one another. At that age we had to go to senior school which for us on the estate, meant Claremont Secondary Modern boys school which was on Hucknall Road in Carrington. There was no school bus laid on as there had been when we went to Haydn Road Juniors in Sherwood. We had to use the normal corporation service bus. We took the number 18 which took us from Northwood Road, along Edwards Lane to the Five Ways pub, right along Valley Road and then left up Hucknall Road and we got off opposite the old Formans Printing works. The fare was three ha'pence. However, we soon worked out the following. When the bus turned onto Hucknall Road there was a stop where the conductor had to stamp his time table at a clocking machine. The fare to this point was one ha'penny. the fare from there to school was also one ha'penny. Se we got off and waited for the next bus, which I think was the number 6 from Bestwood. So we saved one ha'penny. Do the same on the way home in the afternoon and we were one penny in hand. At the end of the week, of course, we have five whole pence and that bought a lot of peanut brittle in those days. vulcan4

[Maurice mitchell]

Margie, thanks for putting me right about the Ovaltiney song. Something else to do with air raid shelters. Bonfire Night was not allowed during the war but the first one after the war saw an enormous Bonfire in the middle of the road just up from my house. Celebrations went on long after my bedtime but I was eventually tucked in. I went out the next morning to find the bonfire still smouldering and several kids saying that there was going to be another bonfire that night if we could find enough stuff to put on it. Then someone had an idea. All the folks round about brought out the wooden bunks from the air raid shelters and huge cheers rang out as we had a bigger bonfire than the night before. A few days later the council came and cleared up the ash to reveal a large diameter hole several inches deep, in the road where the fire had burnt the tar away. There were several such bonfires around the estate and it was some time before all the holes were repaired. vulcan4

[Maurice mitchell]

MargieH. Yes, I and some pals, did go to Metropole ABC Minors on a Saturday morning. Robbie says he thinks it was about1/- to get in but as I recall we always called it 'the tanner rush' implying the admission was sixpence. I am open to correction on this though. I think the Minors song started "We are the ovaltinies, happy girls and boys" but I can't go any further. I think all of us remember obscure details from the past but can't understand why. This is one of mine which happened just after the war ended. I was standing at the corner of Sherbrook Road and Mansfield Road with my Dad who was talking to a friend. Dad became aware that I was staring across the road at the I & R Morely factory and asked what I was looking at. There was some kind of framework on the ridge of the roof and I said, "What's that thing up there for?" Not giving a fuller explanation he simply said, "that's where they used to put the letters before the war", and carried on talking to his friend. That left me thinking, "why would the postman have to take his letters up to the roof?" It was quite some time before I realised just what letters where actually put up there. Silly isn't It? Perhaps it's part of what makes us human. regards, vulcan4

[Maurice mitchell]

Hi Folks, vulcan4 has landed again with a couple more memories. First, though, thanks to those of you who have said you like what I have been saying. It is pleasing to know that you all find me interesting.

A shopping trip with Mam in the mid '40's. I think Mam always did her weekly grocery shop on a Tuesday. It certainly wasn't Monday 'cos come rain or come shine, Monday was wash day. Didn't like wash days when I was about 7/8. Mam would invite me to crank the handle on the mangle. I rather think it was an order more than an invite, especially if I had been misbehaving: me!!, misbehaving, perish the thought. Anyway, back to shopping. Mam would write her shopping list in a not book and off we would go. Down Sherbrook Road to Mansfield Road and turn left. Not very far and we came to the Co-op. It was a large, double fronted shop. Inside was a good sized open space surrounded on three sides by a continuous counter. Behind the counters were shelves carrying the stock and there was a portable ladder for reaching the higher shelves. I am reminded of Daybrook Co-op whenever I see the Two Ronnies 4candles sketch. Mam would hand her list to the assistant. He looked at the first item and went off to get it and write the price in the book. Then the second item and so on down the list. If the list was a long one the process could take some times. Thankfully, there were a few chairs available for customers waiting while their order was completed. When Mam's order was complete the man would tot up the cost. He did this in his head, no adding machine or calculators then. Mam would then pay the man and hand him the Ration Book for him to take the coupons for that week. Then stuff everything into two shopping baskets and off we went.

Some Saturdays Dad, Mam and me would go into Nottingham for things we couldn't get in Daybrook. Down Wheeler Gate I recall Sisson and Parker, the book shop, C & A, British Home Stores and big Woolworths, so called because there was a Little Woolworths at the bottom of Hockley. My overall memory of those Saturdays was the crowds. People everywhere going in all directions, standing in groups talking, blocking shop doorways. Dad used to say it was worse that going down the football match 'cos, at least there, everybody was going the same way. Tarrah. Back again soon vulcan4

[Maurice mitchell]

To MargieH

Thanks for your observations about my posts. Edwards Lane Estate, where I lived was reached from Daybrook Square at the top of Sherbrook Road. The Grove pub is on one corner of Sherbrook and a chippie on the opposite corner. There was an infants school on the estate. When we reached 7yrs we went to Haydn Road Junior in Sherwood. From 11yrs on the girls from the estate went to Haywood Secondary school on Perry Road and the boys went to Claremont Secondary on Hucknall Road in Carrington.

As a teenager I used to go, with some pals, to play football and golf on Woodthorpe Park and also often went to the Metropole Cinema. Thanks again. Best wishes. vulcan4

[Maurice mitchell]

Hi everyone

First of all today I want to say Thank you to Cliff Ton for the picture of Abbot Street, where I was born. You're right Cliff, I never did see it. Me, meMam and Dad lived in Daybrook but Mam still had two sisters who lived in Wickens Terrace which was off Livingstone Street, St Anns. That area and much more of St Anns has, of course, been redeveloped now, When me Mam and I went to visit her sisters we got the bus from Daybrook Square and got off at Villa Road just past St Andrew's Church going down the hill into town. We walked to Elm Avenue and then down to Corporation Oaks then on down Robin Hood Chase to where it ended on St Anns Well Road just opposite Livingstone Street. Walking down the Chase I remember these things which made me think of overgrown pillar boxes but they were black. I asked meMam what they were. She said they were smoke generators that belted out lots of smoke when there was an air raid on, so the ground was hidden from the bombers. Right at the bottom of the Chase, on the left, was a big brick built static water tank. It had a high wire mesh fence around it but it always had some rubbish floating in it - broken tree branch, some old sacking, couple of dead cats etc. The four flower beds in the Market Square were also turned in to water tanks and I seem to remember another behind the Odeon Cinema. I mentioned buses and Daybrook Square above. That brought to mind some thing that happened years later, when I was a teenager. In Daybrook Square two bus routes converged - the No4 from Redhill and the 20 from Arnold. It was around mid day on a Saturday when a group of six of us got to the bus stop on our way to watch Notts County. We were the only ones there. After a few minutes later two older ladies came to the stop. When the bus from Redhill arrived the conductor leaned out from the platform and said. "room for two only." So, being the polite young gentlemen we were, we stepped aside to let the two ladies onto the bus. At that point one of our lads asked the conductor. "How long will the next bus be pal?" Back came the answer, "Same as this one, youth, about 30foot." Our mate retorted, " ooh ah and will there be a s***house on the back of that one an all?" Tarrah for now. Back again soon. vulcan4

[Maurice mitchell]

It's vulcan4 again, this time on aviation. My interest in aviation started at an early age in the last years of the war. Our estate was under the circuit path to Hucknall aerodrome. Me and my pals soon became good at aircraft recognition not only the shape of the planes but we also knew their sounds. Spitfires and Hurricanes sounded much alike but we knew when an Airspeed Oxford, Avro Anson, Douglas Dakota (DC3) etc was approaching. The later 1940's through to the early 60's were, in my opinion, the most exciting times for aviation fans. It seemed that every few months or so there was a new aeroplane launched or some other innovation that pushed aviation onwards. In that time we had gone from the first jet fighters, Meteor and Vampire to the Hunter, Swift, Javelin and on to the truly supersonic Lightning. Bombers too entered the jet age with the Canberra to be followed by the Valiant, Victor and Vulcan.

Since joining Nottstalgia and deciding to put my memories in writing I have had dozens of thoughts buzzing in my head and wanting to come out all at once. However, I shall stand back and collate those thoughts and come back to relate specific events in regard to my interest in, mainly British, aviation. Regards to all vulcan4

[Maurice mitchell]

Hi everyone

My first memories of Nottingham. I was born at 8, Abbot Street, St Anns (demolished late 70's). My mothers family were from St Anns my dad's family from Old Basford. I don't remember Abbot St 'cos when I was 3months old the family moved to the new council built Edwards Lane Estate Daybrook. From about 1943/44 I recall hearing the air raid warning siren, which was on top of Arnold Fire Station, sending us into the air raid shelter in the back garden, where we stayed until the all clear siren sounded. The shelter was a large rectangular hole dug in the garden and had a brick wall built inside leaving room for the door. The hole was covered with that curved wriggly tin and the soil that had been dug out was piled on top. Inside were four wooden bunks, an oil heater and candles for lighting. After a while the air raids got a bit regular during the winter so my dad and other folks got a blasé and said "Sod'em" and stayed in bed. My dad had poor eyesight and was not in the Forces. He was an Air Raid Precautions (ARP) Warden and one night he had just gone out on duty when a bomb exploded not far away and the blast blew him down the side of the house and wrapped him round the dustbin. Daybrook railway station was very close and the bombers targeted trains there. The day after one raid dad was taking me to see granddad, in Basford, and I recall seeing bomb craters in the bowling greens on Valley Road. - to be continued. vulcan4

[Maurice mitchell]

Hi littlebro

Mitchell, Berkut and Vulcan. All aeroplanes, all from different eras and different origins. Do I detect a mutual interest in aviation?

Regards - vulcan4

[Maurice mitchell]

Hi Michael

Thanks for those words of welcome. As for my Nottingham memories. I was born in Nottingham in 1938 so my earliest memories are from around 1943/44. Some of my visions of the last years of the war are still quite vivid so I will take some time shortly to relate them. Also, from my early years, I remember things like trolley buses and shopping, before the advent of the supermarket. If these are things you think readers may be interested in then I will be happy to share the memories. I lived in the Daybrook area of Nottingham unt5il I got married in 1962.

Regards - vulcan4

[Maurice mitchell]

Hi mick2me

I was looking for a name on google and was surprised to find how many people had the same name. Wondering if there were many with the same name as me, I googled my own name. At the top of the list I was most surprised to see a message that a long lost cousin was tracing trace me. . I knew it was me from the details given. I clicked on the item and it led me straight here. So the answer to your query is,' purely by chance'

Regards - vulcan4.

[Maurice mitchell]

Hi Sylvia and Kathleen

Just seen your message of 22 Jan 2015.

Long time no see but trust you are OK. All OK here apart from the ravages of time. I am in Ilkeston and if you want to make contact my e-mail is, XXXXXX I check this everyday and it is the best way to talk to me.

Hope to hear from you soon. Best wishes Maurice

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