Bulwell

[Chulla 4,946]

OK, we've all had a good laff at the expense of Bulwell. Perhaps it is time to give it a rest. Yes, there are some undesirables living there, but you can say the same for some other areas of Nottingham containing 25,000 people. 25,000 is a lot of people in one area - probably Lenton and Radford or St Anne's and Sneinton would be comparable. Maybe the problem with Bulwell stems from it being a town, not a district, within the City boundary, and this stands out more so than an area full of council houses. Is it the only such town; I cannot off-hand think of another?

The town has a history of low-paid employment - the pits, hosiery and garment manufacture, plant-pots!, much the same as nearby Hucknall; not an atmosphere to engender a high percentage of clever people. But just look at the lovely photographs posted by RGR in the Bulwell Bogs thread, #43, 44 and 70. How many towns in England would give their eye-teeth to have a tree-lined river with a little old stone bridge, right in their town centre.

It is a pity that royalty never visited the town and dangled their aching feet in the Leen. Had they done so then we could rightly call the place Bulwell Regis. Sadly, the nearest it came to this was naming a pub after King William IV! From now on I'm going to give the place a little respect, and find some other subject to take the piss out of.

[benjamin1945 15,474]

Spot on Chulla,

[catfan 14,782]

No royal visits ?.

http://www.nottinghampost.com/Royal-visit-marks-official-opening-multi-million-pound-school/story-12247730-detail/story.html

[benjamin1945 15,474]

Well done catfan, and thinking about it i remember sometime in the 50s the Queen being driven past Bulwell common,don't know where she was going though! probably lost. lol.

[catfan 14,782]

In the 1900s a high ranking royal visited Bulwell Market arriving by Royal Train at Bulwell Station, I have seen the photo on t'net but can't remember where.

Cue Cliff Ton to appear if by magic with the said photo !

[catfan 14,782]

Lets take the p%%s out of Aspley, hate the place !

I see they had gang warfare the other night too.

[BulwellBrian 107]

I grew up in Bulwell and never thought of it as a rough place, admittedly 50 years ago, but we had Bulwell Forest (not Bulwell Common, that was just a railway station) and Bulwell Hall Park to play in, Good trollies to Nottingham City Center and Trent Bridge. Shops that sold all we wanted.I was never ashamed of coming from Bulwell.

[carni 10,046]

I had never been to Bulwell in my life until the Meetup last friday. I probably knew the name in my younger days before I left for pastures new. Not having a car and being so young meant my knowledge of Nottingham was limited to the Gedling side of the City.

I have to say the only people I have met from there, that I know to are the few on Nottstalgia, and if they are anything to go by, then they are very nice people, Brilliant company, which keeps drawing us back for Meetups. So thumbs up for you Bulwellites, Miducks

[The Pianoman 1,480]

I would have to say, I have been in Bulwell plenty when I was younger and never had a problem, but now??? As for Aspley, that's gone the same. Both my Parents and Grandparents have origins in Aspley and I have spent plenty of time there when I was younger - in the middle of Aspley Estate. I'll avoid it now thank you!

Mind you I was always far enough from the Cocked Hat as that did always seen to be a trouble spot!

[Enigma. 1,533]

wot no royal visit Market Place, Bulwell, 1923 The Prince of Wales Edward the VIII leaving the platform after being greeted by the mayor on his arrival at the city boundary

 

[Enigma. 1,533]

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.205557082977000.1073741899.124695851063124&type=3 Royal Visit At Bulwell Album

[Cliff Ton 9,936]

Enough to keep you occupied for hours. http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/results.htm?cx=011325289528552004093%3Aeiv4vi72q50&cof=FORID%3A11&q=bulwell&sa=Search

[... 1,411]

When we were young some of us were from areas where you were branded

because of where you lived and society kept working class people in

limited areas of the city,in todays society classes are not so defined

for example people with privilidged backgrounds can be found on benefits and taking drugs,and people from humble backgrounds are in

affluent areas in business or in high profile jobs.Any reference to bulwell was totally said in jest and infact the humour was purposely

exsagerated,bulwell is not and never as been a particularly bad area

im not ashamed of my background it was not privilidged but it made

me aware of the real world in that when I was younger I had to deal with the environment in which I lived,I did not have to read about it.

Privilidge to a certain extent brings protection and separation from

everyday real time issues

[Robbie 39]

I must admit my experiences of Bulwell are limited but I did find the people I knew to be honest, spoke their mind and some tough, very tough.

In the 70's my dad bought a Vauxhall Viva from the Adelphi Garage, honest dealer.

I knew a girl who worked in the transport type cafe opposite the Adelphi garage a little further down towards Bulwell centre. I think it's been demolished since

I had a mate who was a bingo caller at the Adelphi Bingo Hall

I remember being warned to watch out for myself if I drank in The Bull and Butcher? and the Scotts Grey plus a few others around the centre

Some good nights down the 360 Club

My brother and a lot of my ancestors are buried in Bulwell.

My good drinking mate and his wife who I haven't seen since the late 70's Eddie and Jenny Scott, they could have both drank for England.

If you are a round Eddie please get in touch!

[catfan 14,782]

There are a few people in Bulwell who are Scum, no doubt about it. Too high a percentage living on benefits who have lost the will to work anymore, a large section of the community who have always lived on benefits, I call these "The Giro Culture". In the 70s & 80s Bulwell was a dumping ground for single girls with kid/s.

Bulwell is a very big place & the examples I have listed are only the tiny minority of the residents, the vast majority of Bulwell folk are decent, law abiding honest people.

If you don't believe me then tell me, which area in Nottingham is crime free ?

[... 1,411]

Funny you should mention the bull and butcher,pulled up in their car park the other daya group of about 10 blokes around a van gave me directions to wetherspoons,they were ok,told me to look out for a couple of hard nuts ,benjemin and catfan,I think they said.

[... 1,411]

Theres nowhere in the country thats crime free,I nicked some black jacks when I was a kid,but dont tell anyone.

[Chulla 4,946]

Well, blow me down; there you are then. HRH the Duke of Windsor - briefly King Edward the Eighth visited Bulwell. No reason now not to call it Bulwell Regis.

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

From a railway nut point of view, I have happy memories from all the stations - Bulwell Common (GCR) Bulwell Market (MR) Bulwell Forest (GNR) as well as Basford and Bulwell which became Basford North. There was also a small Halt at Bulwell Hall on the GCR.

But try this little poem

BULWELL BOGS

The River Leen flowing to the Trent,

Passed through Bulwell on its descent.

Little old ladies walking their dogs

Through the park near Bulwell Bogs.

Children laughing in the playground,

Shouting and chasing each other around

Sat by the river and catching frogs,

Sprawled on the steps at Bulwell Bogs.

People just sitting and resting their legs.

A busker stands near the entrance and begs.

A runner is wearing stretch Lycra, and jogs

Down the riverside path at Bulwell Bogs.

The River Leen draws all kinds of folk

Standing there talking, or sharing a joke.

Children fishing or eating hot dogs

On the Leenside at Bulwell Bogs.

In summer, by the paddling pool, children play.

There is laughter and screaming every day.

Fun loving parents, paddling togs.

In the bright sunshine at Bulwell Bogs.

People have gone there for generations

To the Leenside near Bulwell train station

To sit on the grass using blankets or rugs,

Enjoying a day out at Bulwell Bogs.

[denshaw 2,812]

In 1978 I worked for Cresta Taxis who were based in Bulwell. I got to know a lot of people and never had any problems with any of them. Some pubs were rougher than others and if people had a grievance they would sort it out among themself, most were hard working and liked to enjoy themselves, the crime rate in Bulwell is a lot lower than other parts of the city.

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

My links with Bulwell were quite early in life. My dad worked for Wimpeys as a joiner until he fell off a scaffold and had to leave the industry for a while. When I was about 6 he got a job with an upholstery firm called MBC who were contracted to do the pub seats for Hardy and Hansons Brewery. It was only a small firm situated in a small wooden building on Eastwood Street off Leonard Street. My Dad also had a lot of mates in Bulwell, one in particular was a chap called Tommy Shooter who lived on Deptford Street off Highbury Road, funnily enough opposite Henrietta Street where my son has his Barbers shop.

Dad used to take me into Bulwell a lot when he had a spare seat on his push bike. I remember all the railway bridges and how busy those railways were, mainly with coal traffic. I also remember when Bulwell Market was on a traffic island and the Trolley buses used to park up next to the Island. Years later when I used to go around with my mate Firbeck we walked along the trackbed of the old railway line that went from Basford Junction to Bennerley Junction near Ilkeston. At that time there was still loads of industry like the Plantpot works and Bulwell Bricks. There were also still lots of terraced houses on the west side of Bulwell.

[Chulla 4,946]

The Royal Borough of Bulwell Regis. I quite like that.

[Robbie 39]

I was remembering the old Red Lion pub before it became a community centre. If I recall the landlord at the time I knew used to sit behind the bar and wore a bowler type black hat. Also in one of the outbuildings there was the Red Lion boxing club.

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

I'm sure I've read it somewhere that they are going to dismantle the Dove Cote at Bulwell and re-erect it on the Leenside at the Bogs.

[catfan 14,782]

I think that idea has been scrapped.

That dovecote has stood there for over 400 years & now this loony council want to move it ?????????