John Player's Radford factories


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A short history of Fernleigh Ho. Built about 1857 for William Windley architects Thomas Chambers Hine.

Sold to William Hutchinson Farmer 1885.

Purchased by the original John Player 1896 for £4000.

On his death John Dane Player eventually took up residence after considerable alterations. He lived there until his death at the age of 86 in 1950.

Purchased by the Nottingham Corporation in 1950 as a hostel for the elderly and infirm.

Nott's County Council took over in 1974, this would be around about when I installed the new boiler, it was still a home for the elderly at this time.

At some time it became a children's home, eventually becoming a hospice in 1980.

As an aside Woodborough Rd was originally Goosewong Lane, now there's a name to conjure with.

Colin

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Names are funny things. The name on my birth certificate is nothing like the names I eventually came to be known by both at school then later at work.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I worked at Players from 1969 until 1999. I remember "The Rec" well. It supported a mulitude of sports including football, hockey (a really good field hockey team), cricket etc. There were also other sections devoted to photography, chess, rifle shooting and all sorts of stuff. We had inter-departmental quiz leagues there - all proper stuff - teams up on stage in front of an audience. Buzzers, individual rounds etc. The quiz master was a question setter for the local pub leagues around Eastwood (his name was Dec Ford, if I remember correctly. All quite professional! I think the Rec started to die the death when most of the production moved to the Horizon site near Clifton Bridge. It was no longer easy to call in after work, as it had been when most workers were still based in Radford. Also, the advent of double day shifts meant that some workers weren't "clocking off" until 10pm.

However, this wasn't the only staff "benefit". There was a free dentist service, a medical department team, physiotherapist etc. It really was a good place to work and very well paid compared with the other opportunities in Nottingham.

I, for one, have lots of good memories of Players.

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I used to live near the social club and my kids were junior members, using the sports facilities (not the bar of course). It was a sad day when it closed down as we used to attend a lot of the events there.

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  • 8 months later...

I have very fond memories of Players Rec. I was born in '75. Dad worked for Players all his working life, and Mum did before my older brother came along. They both played hockey and tennis. Myself, my brother, and a group of other kids whose parents were also on the sports team spent many a happy summer's day in those grounds - kids had so much more freedom then. We must have been out of sight for hours!! I also fondly remember the inside of the social club, with Golden Wonder crisps and the coolest of modern inventions - a sit down space invaders machine. I guess that must have been the very early 80s.

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When was Rivermead Flats built?

I am sure they were there in 1963?

I seem to remember gate crashing a party there I think it might have been a party held by Charles Harvey (RIP) or one of the family. Anyway it was one of those parties you picked up on upstairs in the Kardomah on a Saturday afternoon. Great party and generous hosts ...........still they probably had a little more folding stuff than I had then.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello All,

You may have seen a request I posted yesterday, looking for ex-employees of Players, Boots, Raleigh's and the Lace industries, so allow me to introduce myself...

My name is Corinne Sweet and I am an established author, broadcaster and journalist. I am currently researching for a book on men and women who worked in Nottingham during 1930-1960 for a new book due next October.

I am looking for people who worked for Palyers, Boots, Raleigh's and in the lace industry, between 1930-1960. I have done research on the companies and am now looking to interview some ex-employees on their memories and experiences. If you worked in, or know anyone that worked in, any of these areas, please could you contact me on Corinne@corineesweet.com to arrange a chat.

Any leads you could give would be a wonderful help!

Many thanks and a merry Christmas,

Corinne

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Fro Jackson, sorry I'm a bit late in posting

I was a cricket fan since a very early age and Player's Rec was where I used to go as a child. I used to hang around the nets there and there would be the usual league players but often Nottinghamshire players too. I recall John Birch and Derek Randall for two. Both were very generous with their time. I used to go there almost every Sunday except when Nottinghamshire were playing on the Sunday league and usually got a game or at least some net time.

One glorious day in 1973 ish the West Indies team were playing there, and as a "regular" I was treated to the likes of Roy Fredericks, Keith Boyce and Rohan Kanhai teaching what they could to the youngsters. Roy Fredericks has my particular affection as he spent some hours with me teaching me batting. I will always recall him saying, repeatedly, "You dont wanna do dat man, do dis" I recall a spin bowler, probably Alvin Kallicharan, bowling for hour after hour. I do recall Fredericks asking a fast bowler to bowl fast at me as I had never experienced anything like fast bowling. Fredericks was laughing fit to burst - "you like dat man? fast stuff? No one does!" I was 13!

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My sister went to work at players when she left school in the mid 1960's. Players sports ground was brilliant. She played hockey for them and we often went to dances and various functions. I remember a fantastic bonfire night once. In fact growing up in Radford I had often been on the sports ground even prior to family connections and no one seemed to mind. I worked at Raleigh when I left school but left and went to players in about 1973. I hated it although the money was good. I worked on shifts and in the primary dept on Radford Boulevard, down in the basement. I came out one day at 2pm and there had been heavy snow. I was so shocked as I had no idea it was going to snow that I chucked the towel in and left. I just knew I couldn't be cooped up and got a job where I was out and about. I often wished I had stayed and stuck at it but I was young and headstrong. No doubt Players was a very good employer. My sister was there for years.

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I was born in the shadow of the Radford factories and lived right alongside them until I was 16. My mum always told me I was born just after 1 o clock, as Players were coming out. I used to go and stand at the top of the entry which was on Churchfield Lane to watch the crowds go past at 5 pm. I got swept away in the crush one time when I was only about 3 and a woman saw me and took me back home as she recognised me as the lad who stood at the top of the entry every day. Everyone always mentions the smell. I always found it quite pleasant. It wasn't a bad or nasty smell at all. Never noticed it most of the time. My mum, sister and I all worked there. I wasn't there for long but my sister was there for years. Mum was a part timer in No 6 coupons. Didn't like being inside all the time and very boring but very glad I did get to work there for a while. I have seen the photos before but it was a nice reminder to look through them again so thanks.

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My sister in law started her dancing school in the Player's Canteen, she was a secretary there - it took off was a sucess and she went a long way and became a well known Nottingham Dancer with quite a few schools around and about.......

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I was in Nottingham on Wednesday and saw (and smelt) the smoke at Alfreton Road junction with Hartley Road. I was trying to got to the Plough pub, my usual watering hole, and Radford Boulevard was shut. I tried Churchfield Lane, but again shut. Ah, ring road from suicide island and left over the bridge. Success! A pint of Legend was procured against all obstacles. A man and his Nottingham Ales are a hard thing to be separated.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I used to live at 24 Player Street, Radford 1969- 19777 just opposite where the Players Factory Fire engines were situated, used to buy penny sweets from the old sweet shop on the corner. I went to Cottesmore until 1972, worked at Raleigh and the PDSA in Beeston. Remember Any Pattinson and his family, who lived in the terrace behind us and family of 12 who lived on Ben Street think their name was Elliot.

C B

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