Matt Harper 6 Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Hello - just discovered this resource when googling my old school (Henry Mellish in Basford). My family lived in Holme Pierrepont from 1968 until 1973, before my dad's job moved us to Yorkshire. I went to the Junior school in Radcliffe-on Trent and then the 'big school' from 1970 to '73. I have many very, very happy memories of living in that part of the world. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StephenFord 866 Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Welcome Matt - let's hear some of your memories from those times. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Welcome Matt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Harper 6 Posted February 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Thank you for the welcome - I'm from a big family (7 brothers and sisters) and growing up together out in the countryside was just brilliant. My parents bought an old house (that was falling down!), but had a massive garden, surrounded by fields - just perfect for children. There was a stream at the bottom of the garden (Polser Brook?) that we spent hours fishing in during the summer. There were a LOT of kids my age close by in Radcliffe and the youth club there was great. We also used to camp at the old gravel pits (now called Finger Ponds, I believe), back then, they were still active gravel extraction workings and the ponds were very deep and quite dangerous, but it didn't stop us swimming, fishing and generally larking about there all summer long. This was the time when they were building the National Watersports Centre, so the place wasn't really on the map at that point in time. I distinctly remember the noise of the trains on the line that ran from Cotgrave Colliery through Holme Pierrepont to Nottingham and the big barges on the Trent. I also recall there was a terrible foot and mouth disease outbreak when we lived there. The local farmer (Hackett) had to slaughter all of his cattle and bury them in a huge pit they dug in the fields adjacent to Holme Lane. I'm guessing the house we lived in (which Dad paid about 5,000 quid for in 1968) is now worth at least 750,000 - it's a beautiful thatched residence now, looking at it on Google Earth, at least. It was an idillic place for young kids to be - out in the countryside, safe and healthy - we all loved it and were really upset when my father's job meant we had to leave. Thanks again for the warm welcome - looking forward to reminiscing about that happy time. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
katyjay 5,090 Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Welcome to another ex-pat living across the pond. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Booth 7,364 Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Welcome to Nottstalgia, Matt Harper. I look forward to reading your posts and sharing your memories. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
... 1,411 Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Welcome Matt ,my dad drove for hovringham gravels and top mix concrete at holme pierrpontat the quarry where you lived ,i used to walk there alot from the meadows but always walked up radcliffe rd way not trent boulevard ,dad worked there before and after water sports centre was built ,my older brother worked on the construction. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LizzieM 9,507 Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Welcome to Nottstalgia Matt, you have lovely memories of your childhood. Around 1969 I used to babysit for a couple who were into water-skiing and they would regularly spend Sunday afternoons over at the gravel pits, taking me with them most weeks. Can't say I was ever any good but I enjoyed it. If we didn't go there we went to Gunthorpe or Hoveringham. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mudgie49 401 Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Hi Matt,welcome,from another ex-pat living across the pond. I live just up the road,in Deltona. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Harper 6 Posted February 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 Hi Matt,welcome,from another ex-pat living across the pond. I live just up the road,in Deltona. Wow! Small world - I live in Belle Isle, just west of Orlando International Airport. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted February 7, 2014 Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 Had to Google that one, never heard of it, but been past many times on Sandlake and the 528. Boggy Creek Road and Jetport Dv, car rental befor Sanford Airport took all the Charter flights. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bilbraborn 1,594 Posted February 7, 2014 Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 Welcome Matt and have fun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Harper 6 Posted February 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2014 Had to Google that one, never heard of it, but been past many times on Sandlake and the 528. Boggy Creek Road and Jetport Dv, car rental befor Sanford Airport took all the Charter flights. Correct - it's a sleepy older neighborhood that surrounds the Lake Conway chain - not typical of cookie-cutter central Florida, in that we have lots of very large oak trees and only one real thoroughfare, so zero commuter traffic - which is all on the roads you mention. It was originally planned and built to accommodate workers at NASA and Lockheed Martin - I have lots of neighbors who actually are/were rocket scientists! All a far cry from rural Nottinghamshire... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 I looked on Google Streets, looks similar to Sanford? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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