Bilbraborn 1,594 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 I would think so being as a lot of it was filmed just up the road around Salisbury Street and around the White Horse pub. It was a film about a Radford bloke who worked at the Raleigh Cycle Works. Ilko Road Flicks would be the obvious choice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bilbraborn 1,594 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 For us week-end TV was stuff like the Billy Cotton Band Show, and Sing along with Joe. (zzzzzzzzzzzzz), and maybe later, Sunday Night at the London Palladium. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jackson 301 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 Hi Bilboro-lad and Bilbraborn, great to see the banter between you two. I note that you were both cinema goers at the Ilkeston Road Picture House; can you recall a character, name of Frankie Blower who frequented the place? He was always to be found on the front row, downstairs and was well renowned for his mighty laugh (as well as other things); apparently this was so HUGE, it would make the audience laugh just to hear it! Frankie grew up around the St Peter's Street area and lived in what was once a tiny workhouse on St Peter's Street. He was so well known around Radford that Alan Sillitoe used his character in his writing - short stories, etc. PS: I recall one short story of Sillitoe's where Frankie Buller (note the change of surname) leads a Radford gang against a Soddam one (Kennington Road). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bilbraborn 1,594 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 I only went to Ilko Road flicks with my elder brother and our cousin. I wouldn't have wandered around much and when the film finished we came straight out. I only new the area around Bright St. where my Aunty lived and Salisbury St. where my grandma lived. Bilborough was huge and it was normal to see classes of up to and above 40 kids at Glenbrook. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bing 78 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 According to my genealogy program Frankie Blower was my first cousin, twice removed. His father, Ted Blower was my great-grandma's brother. Frankie lived on St. Peters Street in the old debtor's prison opposite Skill's bus garage. I remember him as being a bit simple but nice enough. There's a picture of his dad and his house somewhere else on this board. I used to go to Ilkeston Rd. picture house. If it was too noisy, or the kids were dropping things off the balcony, the manager would walk down the front, flash his torch up at the projectionist and he would cover the lens but leave the picture running so you'd miss what was happening until everybody quietened down. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jackson 301 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 Hi there Bing, great that you got back concerning Frankie Blower - truly one of Radford's Characters from a bygone age. Regarding Frankie and his relations: Wasn't there a Blower (Tom) who swam the English Channel? Were the Blowers related to the Dewick family (Pine Street), who were related to the Straws? Frankie was regarded as a little simple - gossip cruelly had it that his dad hit him - these days we are more enlightened and could recognise/ diagnose that Frankie could have been Autistic. Apparently the rogue had an eye for the ladies: he regularly waited outside the Player's factories and whistled at the girls as they left at night - I heard a story that he was reprimanded over this (life can be so cruel, taking his pleasure away from him). Isn't it great though that Alan Sillitoe immortalised him through his writing? I will have to search for Sillitoe's short story of our hero. It concerns Frankie being seen around Radford by the younger kids as some kind of fearless warrior, the leader of an army of kids who takes them into battle against the Soddamites (the youth of Kennington Road). I can easily see why kids were fascinated by him: his strength/ fearlessness, did his own thing, lived in a world of his own - Imaginative........ God Bless. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DAVIDW 1,681 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 Bing There's plenty of old news stories of Tom Blower channel swimmer , mentioned by Jackson plus something about a colour film of his achievement . Wonder what happened to that ? RECEPTION AT COUNCIL HOUSE. .........Laurel and Hardy comedy. The greatest interest was naturally reserved for his splendid colour film of Nottingham's Tom Blower swimming the Channel. ........  Nottingham Evening Post East Midlands, England 29/10/1937 Article  More on him here :  http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/content/articles/2008/04/11/tom_blower_feature.shtml  and  http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1075301/1/index.htm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jackson 301 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 Hi David, thanks for the above; after leaving 'Nottstalgia', I googled Tom Blower's name and was surprised to learn of just how famous and well respected a person he was. I'm sure there are family links....................... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DAVIDW 1,681 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 Found where the film is but it hasn't been digitised yet http://www.macearchive.org/archive.html?Title=1189 In the meantime listen to these Notts folk talking about fags http://www.macearchive.org/Archive/Title/midlands-news-15031962-vox-pops-on-smoking/MediaEntry/1570.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bilbraborn 1,594 Posted September 11, 2013 Report Share Posted September 11, 2013 Although my parents both started their lives living in Radford, the only deep rooted Radfordonian in my family was my Aunty May (long deceased), who was the youngest of 23 surviving children. She was a Pinfold. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bing 78 Posted September 11, 2013 Report Share Posted September 11, 2013 Yes, Frankie Blower and Tom Blower the channel swimmer were related. Their grandads were brothers so they were second cousins. The brothers were born in Wednesbury in the west midlands, moved to Swanwick to work in the pit there then moved to Radford for the pit. The family of one brother moved to the Hyson Green area and the other to the Radford area. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jackson 301 Posted September 11, 2013 Report Share Posted September 11, 2013 Good of you to get back Bing. What was sad, was that Tom (Blower) died at such a young age and through the sport he loved - swimming. I'm sure you've read all the info. on 'Google' - such a fitting tribute to this remarkable man. I'm sure there's a family connection somewhere on my side. PS: Please don't think it bad mannered of me to correct you but in case you're collating your family research, Frankie Blower's place of abode was the small, old workhouse on St Peter's Street - comes from a reliable source. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dizzy-dee 3 Posted November 23, 2013 Report Share Posted November 23, 2013 I was an ABC minor in town on the corner........... went downstairs think it was 6d....... remember if it was ur birthday you went on stage with ya birthday card............ hated flash Gordon but loved the songs they used to play.... (first time I ever heard the song Dizzy and loved it ever since) .......... Used to have a "FAB" sucker every week........ Think it was about the first place I was allowed to go to without my parents even though I had to go with my older brothers....... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted November 23, 2013 Report Share Posted November 23, 2013 Boy that takes me back Dizzy-dee . Like the new ;Tinkerbell' avatar BTW 1969 +43 years http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc2KJypPQ64 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted November 23, 2013 Report Share Posted November 23, 2013 Does anyone remember the adventures of Hiram Holiday? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tomlinson 879 Posted November 23, 2013 Report Share Posted November 23, 2013 Great T.V. series based on the book by Paul Gallico but as is often the case, Hiram had far more talents in the series than in the book. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dizzy-dee 3 Posted November 23, 2013 Report Share Posted November 23, 2013 Fanx Mick Fanx 4 posting Dizzy clips, the sound is a bit clearing than when I play it on vinyl lol but then again I guess the amount of times I play my records they are bound to get alittle worn. Must admit though the hissing and crackling only adds to the memories lol................ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Adrian Adams 17 Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Was there one in Arkwright St , down near London Road and Trent bridge. Remeber every Sat morning seeing Flash Gordon , being resurected from certain death the week before. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Booth 7,364 Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 It was the Globe, ADI. Here's a photo of it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
... 1,411 Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Knew a Adams family on corner of wilford grove near the phone box,that wasn't yours was it Adrian. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HowardSt 0 Posted April 4, 2015 Report Share Posted April 4, 2015 Been reading the forum and it brings back many memories! I went to The Empress Minors (with my older sister) and have this memory of Roy Rogers and Trigger appearing in the flesh! This fading memory also tells me that my sister won some competition or other and collected ?a signed photograph? from Roy Rogers in person, on the stage. Can anyone out there confirm anything of this, please or am I just imagining it? Cheers. John. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tony1 118 Posted April 4, 2015 Report Share Posted April 4, 2015 Nah, Definitely imagining it, John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 5, 2015 Report Share Posted April 5, 2015 I think howard- even in those days' anally' trigger might have been a bit dodgy on the health and safety front! You sure you did'nt scoff to many wine gums and fail to notice it was a panto horse? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Commo 1,292 Posted April 5, 2015 Report Share Posted April 5, 2015 Hi John and welcome to the Forum, hope you enjoy all there is to find here and do let us have your memories of Nottingham. Roy Rogers and Trigger did tour the UK in 1954 and made many guest appearances at cinemas around the Country. Mrs Commo remembers seeing them in Mansfield and got an "autograph" of Trigger's hoof print, she wasn't bothered about Roy himself! Although I went to the Empress Saturday morning pictures I didn't see them there, but like you I do believe that The Empress was on the itinerary of the tour. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Commo 1,292 Posted April 5, 2015 Report Share Posted April 5, 2015 Memory correction to #67. It wasn't Mansfield but Edinburgh !! Not much difference there then! 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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