The Windmill Café

[Mess 617]

Anyone out there remember The Windmill Café on Angel Row?

As a child in the 50s I was fascinated by the little cream/white model windmill mounted on the wall above Mitsons (hand made chocolates). The sails rotated and were illuminated by clear glass bulbs.

The entrance was in Hurts Yard and it had become a Chinese restaurant when I finally got to visit in about 1968 when I was at Peoples College. The Chinese guy (owner?) would greet you on entering by asking "Table for how many?"

The Windmill remained on the wall outside for many years even though it no longer turned or was illuminated.

When I visited Nottingham a couple of weeks back (to get soaked and freezing cold watching Notts lose 5-1 to Walsall) I noticed the bracket is still on the wall.

I should also ask if anyone has memories related to Mitsons?

My dad used to buy my mum a small bag of Mitsons on Saturday evenings on our way home from the football. Guess it was a peace offering. The bag had thin red and white stripes with a brown string handle and the name Mitsons printed diagonally across the front.

They were very expensive but my mum let me have one once. It didn't do much for me as a 9 year old. I reckon the cost of 1/4 lb of Mitsons would have kept me in Black Jacks for a month at least!

[Cliff Ton 10,464]

As a child in the 50s I was fascinated by the little cream/white model windmill mounted on the wall above Mitsons (hand made chocolates). The sails rotated and were illuminated by clear glass bulbs.

I should also ask if anyone has memories related to Mitsons?

Here's something to read about Mitson's chocolates. http://www.lentontimes.co.uk/back_issues/issue_6/issue_06_24.htm

[Mess 617]

Thanks Cliff Ton a very informative piece.

I didn't know he was a former Lord Mayor or a director of NCFC

[Ben Houfton 0]

Born in Nottingham in 1942 I well remember Mitsons, and at this time of year am reminded of the huge chocolate egg in their window. I seem to remember that they auctioned it after Easter and the proceeds went to The Children's Hospital. My parents used to buy me a smaller version decorated with sugar flowers packed in a green and yellow box. I also remember their wonderful chocolates and the Windmill Cafe. 

 

I haven't been back to Nottingham since the 1970s but I expect it has changed a bit since then!

 

Ben Houfton. Isle of Wight.

[MargieH 7,600]

Welcome to Nottstalgia, Ben.  Whereabouts in Nottingham were you born/brought up?  Please keep posting... you are in my age group!

[Ben Houfton 0]

I was born in St Mary's Nursing Home and christened at The Albert Hall. We lived at number 12 Barrack Lane and moved to Middleton Crescent, Wollaton just after the war, then to Magdala Road, Mapperly Park after the death of my grandfather in 1948. I went to the PNEU School on Waverley Street opposite the top entrance to The Arboretum, thence to be incarcerated at Abbotsholme Boarding School in deepest Derbyshire!  

 

[Cliff Ton 10,464]

9 minutes ago, Ben Houfton said:

I was born in St Mary's Nursing Home and christened at The Albert Hall. 

 

I've never heard of anyone being christened at the Albert Hall; I would've thought it's a bit big for something like that !

 

Where was/is St Mary's Nursing Home ?

[MargieH 7,600]

Being christened at the Albert Hall sounds unusual.. ...

What memories do you have as a child before you went to boarding school?  Can you remember any of your friends' names or do you have any photos?

[Ben Houfton 0]

I agree. It has been mentioned as most unusual, but I was too young to remember! The vicar was the Rev. Osbourne Gregory apparently. This from a little Baby Book made by one of my sisters that I still have tucked away. School friends included Peter Horn, Denise Birkett (father was a consultant at The General Hospital) Vivienne Leigh (who was just as beautiful as the film star!) Patrick Starling (I think became an architect) I have lots of memories, many of them set out in my Autobiography "The end of the Line" published by Peppermint Books. 

I have to say that I am not at all good with computers and social media so any responses from me may be patchy, non-existent or a complete mess! 

With apologies if so.

[Jill Sparrow 10,305]

I had always thought that The Albert Hall was actually a Methodist Church. It was used for concerts, before the advent of The Royal Concert Hall, and various school speech days but it was, I always understood, primarily a place of worship.

 

I'm not familiar with Methodism but always believed Methodists were baptised as adults rather than as babies.

 

As to St Mary's Nursing Home, there was such an establishment in Derby. I know several generations of one family who were born there. The building, I'm told, no longer exists.

[Cliff Ton 10,464]

23 minutes ago, Ben Houfton said:

 School friends included Peter Horn,

 

I had a school teacher - subject was English - named Peter Horne (with an E). Probably born in the late 1930s.

 

8 minutes ago, Jill Sparrow said:

I had always thought that The Albert Hall was actually a Methodist Church. It was used for concerts, before the advent of The Royal Concert Hall,

 

I went to several rock/pop concerts at the Albert Hall in the late 60s-early 70s. The only times I've ever been in the place.

[Brew 5,413]

The original Albert Hall was started in 1873 as a Nottingham Temperance Hall. Watson Fothergill, a local architect won the commission. On completion the building cost around £15,000 (equivalent to £1,338,900 in 2019),[1]. It was the largest concert hall in Nottingham and a major venue for political rallies but it had frequent financial crises. It was put on the market in 1901 and was bought by a syndicate of local businessmen for £8,450 (equivalent to £924,130 in 2019),[1], opening as a Wesleyan Methodist mission in September 1902.  - Wiki

[Jill Sparrow 10,305]

I have attended many classical concerts there with opportunities to see some of the big names of the classical world, Alfred Brendel and Marta Argerich among them. Fantastic views of the piano keyboard from the balcony and tickets were very reasonable.

 

 

As to Abbotsholme School, a friend's two great uncles (born 1902 and 1908) were day boys there, travelling on the train each day.  Their older sister boarded at The Grange in Buxton, now long gone.

 

I hold the family archive and have many fascinating photographs of both establishments.

[Beekay 5,141]

I went to see Kenny Ball and his jazz men there in 1961. I worked in Production control office at Raleigh and my bosses secretary took me. The only time I ever went to the Albert hall.(she were a bit older than me, but it dint matter. She were paying for the tickets). 

[MargieH 7,600]

@Jill Sparrow  the Anglican Church and the Methodist Church both 'baptise' babies - although they will also baptise older children and adults if they request this, and haven't previously been 'baptised' as infants.  Other churches like the Baptist Church practise Believers' Baptism by immersion (which is the literal meaning of the word 'baptism' as translated from Greek and Hebrew)   When someone becomes a Christian, they can choose to be baptised as a sign of this decision and also as a witness to their friends, relations and the church fellowship.  The Baptist Church does offer a Thanksgiving Service for  a baby, where the parents make their promises to God to bring the child up in a Christian home and all that that entails.   Some churches, like the Salvation Army don't practise baptism at all, although an elderly gentleman from the Salvation Army was recently baptised by immersion  in our church!  

[loppylugs 8,429]

My paternal grandparents were married at the Albert hall.  My mother told me that I had a relative on my dads side that used to preach there on occasion.  I think it was her way of telling me that I wasn't the first oddball in the family.  

[Jill Sparrow 10,305]

That's interesting, Margie. I have trawled through hundreds of baptism registers during years of family research but they were all Established Church. I've never discovered anyone who was a Methodist and therefore don't know much about their ways.

[Stavertongirl 1,719]

The first time my friend and I saw the Rolling Stones was at the Albert Hall, that is where we met them (which at 14 was completely overwhelming, first time I saw my friend speechless!).  It was love at first sight (Mick Jagger not the Albert Hall).

 

From what I can remember BGS had their speech day there I think, can remember sitting on benches without backs for long boring hours with my back aching and my bum numb.

[annswabey 599]

Yes, SG, Bilborough Grammar always had speech day at the Albert Hall.  I remember they were always even more strict about school uniform for that occasion

[Jill Sparrow 10,305]

I remember it well, SG. Manning had its speech day there too. We sat in serried ranks on the horseshair matting of the curved benches in front of the mighty Binns organ. Wore as many pairs of knickers as possible to stop what felt like wire wool sticking in your derriere!  The only time when regulation grey flannel knickers were welcome!

[Mess 617]

Forest Fields Grammar School used Albert Hall for their Speech Nights too. I sat at the side of the organ on a few occasions.

[loppylugs 8,429]

Quite a lot of concert halls have an organ.  That is a nice instrument at the Albert Hall, it would also be highly suitable for a large church.

My first visit there was mid 60s to hear the BRNO Philharmonic.  I remember one of their pieces was the 'Moldau' by Smetana.  Very good and a good acoustic.

[Jill Sparrow 10,305]

It (Vltava) comes from a suite entitled Ma Vlast, Loppy. Just so happens that it was one of the set study pieces for GCE O Level music** when I was at Manning.  Some years later, very early 80s, I was in Prague for the Easter Music Festival. One of my clearest memories is standing on the bridge over the river, singing that melody with friends. When I hear it now, it transports me back either to the music room at Manning or to Prague.

 

**The other set study pieces were:

 

As Vesta was from Latmos Hill Descending - Thomas Weelkes

 

2nd Brandenburg Concerto -- Bach

 

La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin - Debussy

[Cliff Ton 10,464]

It may be a thread titled Windmill Cafe but so far there's no photo to show what it looked like or exactly where it was.

Opposite the Odeon.

[Jill Sparrow 10,305]

1949/50 judging by what's on at The Odeon. The Bad Lord Byron! My parents were married in 1949.