LongJohn

Thanks for the info about Navvarra, Rob L - grazie mille! And Cliff Ton must have the most amazing photographic archive in his attic! LongJohn

Just discovered this topic, which has answered a curiosity of mine. Some years ago, I was taking a walk down Oakdale Road Carlton while I was in Nottm. I called into a sweet shop, and wondered if they were Italian. I spent my teenage years in Colwick; I seem to recall that the summer of '59 was sunny and hot. One day I volunteered to act as a ball-boy for a neighbour who was playng tennis on the court behind the Vale Social Club. She was about 19, seriously gorgeous, called Olga Bertilasso - anyone heard of her? BTW#1: there was/is a highly-praised Italian restaurant on Oakdale;

Jill: Julian Bream is a splendid musician, but ideas about playing the lute have moved on. Can I recommend you listen to these two:- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Wilson_(lutenist) https://www.shazam.com/track/56307370/1-allegro-giusto I used to have lessons with Tom Finucane, poor man! I also used to go out with a lady in Birmingham who ran (runs) a Renaissance dance group. I have danced in Catherine the Great's throne room in St Petersburg.

I wish I had known Jill Sparrow when I lived in Nottm! I used to make and play the lute, and still love early music above any other kind (except perhaps a bit of proper 50s rock'n'roll! Anyone who loves the mediaeval era and cats must be a good person.

LizzieM: might as well hang on to that book! I could get in touch with her nephew, if you want. I met her in a cafe/Christian bookshop - I heard her give her name, and cheeky-daft I started talking to her. You can get away with that sort of thing in Devon.

I remember Stan Williamson: when I was 18 I had an ex-WD rigid-frame Matchless 350 - road holding absolutely vile, and the exhaust valve used to seize open now and again. Stan had a wonderful line in invective - my favourite was "Never while you've got a hole in your a***!".

Just now seen a post from Margie H nearly a year ago (I don't look at this site very often, as I only know two people in Nottingham now). I was at Carlton-le-Willows 1957-64, and can honestly say I detested every second - when were you there Margie? Having said that, I went back there for a visit about 5 years ago - I came across a bit of metalwork I made as a 12yo in 1958 - I was treated like royalty. My German teacher, Eileen Scorer, moved here to Tiverton Devon. She died a year ago, and at her funeral, members of her family couldn't believe that a pupil of hers 1959-

I lived in Colwick 1955-64. Mile Run in Colwick Woods had the reputation of being the next best thing to the Cresta Run! When it snowed in the winter of 62-3, I took a sledge onto Mile Run, and found it utterly tame - sigh!

Cliff Ton: you are a star! When I was in WB a couple of weeks ago, and walking along Rectory Road, it was obvious where that embankment had been. In your photo, the building you can half see in the foreground was a sweet shop. Yet sweets only came off ration in '53. You are right about the line.

Well done Carni! I was on a flying visit to Nottingham over the bank holiday weekend, and managed to see the Bestwood pit-head (new to me), the Ruddington frameknitters' museum (on the to-do list for years), and Papplewick in steam - totally magnificent!

When I was about 8, and at Patrick Road WB infants' school, the GC embankment was on a level with the upper floor classrooms. That, plus when our family moved to Colwick, we lived in a cul-de-sac with the LNER(?) and Midland lines at the end of the road, is why I love steam trains to this day. On a tangent, I have spent the last year trying to stop the Education Funding Agency from knocking down an Edwardian school with far better architecture than Patrick Road - no justice!!

Beyond the Fringe: I think it was on about '63 - I was in the U6th

I know Merthyr Imp doesn't share my taste in music - but no matter! Did he see the provincial touring version of "Beyond the Fringe"? (I think at the Theatre Royal)

Can't think why Merthyr Imp won't go and hear early music. Orfeo, either by Gluck or Monteverdi, is wonderful stuff. Here in the south west, the musical highlight of the year is English Touring Opera's visit to the Northcott Theatre at Exeter university - late November, just in time for driving conditions to be awful. I even missed Monteverdi's Coronation of Poppea the other year because it was sold out. I bet Jill Sparrow likes this sort of music!!

I've not logged into this site for ages. Amazed to see a reply from Voysher Piat(kewicz) #31. I used to know you and your brother Wojtek when we were at Colwick Cowsheds (sorry, St John's C of E primary!) Then about 40 years later I used to go out with a lady who lives in Birmingham, who taught both of you at the Catholic grammar school on Carlton Hill. She was amazed [a] because I had known you, because I could pronounce your names. No trick there - my sister's married name is Mielcarek [should be Mielczarek, but the Z fell off a couple of generations ago].