Bulwell

[benjamin1945 16,163]

Aother old photo of how Bulwell used to be back in the 50s....curtesy of 'Turtons' old bulwell........

This one is roughly where Wilko's now stands previously the Coop...lots of old shops were demolished to make the building which is now wilko's.......among the old shops were a Mens shoe shop...a Gents Tailors where you could buy quality items...shoes...shirts...suits etc...be nice to have them back...but wouldn't last long...as todays Men don't seem to wear quality clothes.........anymore...

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

I think I've mentioned previously that a couple of my best friends and fellow sufferers at Manning lived in Bulwell, so I knew the place well in the very early 70s. In comparison with today, I don't think time has done it any favours. There were lovely shops there once and a vibrant market.

[benjamin1945 16,163]

Some people will say that we ''look back' with 'Rose-Tinted Glasses''.......to a certain extent this is true.......but i do believe the old days were generally much better in many ways........

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

Agree with you totally, Ben. 

[oldphil 331]

52 minutes ago, benjamin1945 said:

but i do believe the old days were generally much better in many ways........

Of course they were. The old days were when we were young enough to enjoy them, and not old enough to appreciate them. Hearing everyone's memories here brings them alive, and keeps them fresh.

[benjamin1945 16,163]

Might have mentioned before ref my second hand shoes...i bought in a Charity shop some 20 years since....for £30........Well took em to the Cobblers up the Alley in Bulwell (naturally)its been there since the year Dot.. last week........picked them up this morning Re-Heeled and nicely polished...last repaired same place 4 years ago......so if i'm lucky shouldn't need doing again...if you know what i mean...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

Come off it. Ben. You'll be philandering into your 90s and beyond.

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

I've been decorating and going through some old files of papers, among which were some old editions of Bygones. I found an account by Alan Gilliver, I estimate he was born around 1933, of his memories of Bulwell from childhood and his years at Henry Mellish.  I'll post some of it tomorrow. It's interesting.

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

As I said yesterday, I've been reading through some old copies of bygones. I'm not sure of the exact date Alan Gilliver wrote his account but things have changed again, considerably, since he did so.

 

The following was written by Alan on his memories of Bulwell, starting with Henry Mellish Grammar School.

 

'In those days the school was single sex and was in stark contrast to the happy times previously enjoyed at primary school. I must be honest and say that although there would be good times and good teachers, in the main it was an unhappy time. I often pass the school these days and cannot help but contrast the position in my day with today, when I see pupils entering the front gate or sitting on the wall! This would have been unthinkable and a disciplinary offence. The only people allowed through the front gate were teachers and the Head Boy.

 

Bulwell Common station no longer exists. It was on Bulwell Forest, next to the golf course. It was on the line between Nottingham Victoria and Sheffield. The line divided on leaving the station. One line went over the bridge to Bestwood Road and the viaduct, which is no longer there, on Hucknall Lane near to Morrison's supermarket and where Marshall's Haulage Company was. The other line went along Bestwood Road and through Bestwood village to Annesley. This line carried the train taking railway men to Annesley and the train was affectionately known as the Dicky Dido. My school friends and I at Lawton Drive spent our lunch breaks waiting for two express passenger trains which passed where today's Springfield Nursing Home stands. These two trains were always pulled by a steam engine named after a Derby winner and they were eagerly sought after by trainspotters.

 

Entertainment was supplied by three cinemas and one music hall. The Adelphi was considered the better of the three and was where Kentucky Fried Chicken now stands. Next in order was Highbury in Highbury Vale, on a site occupied by the Co-op. Finally, The Palace in Main Street, where Wilko's now stands. The Palace was my home on Saturday mornings for the kids' cinema. The Olympia Music Hall occupied the site now used by Woolworth's and was generally not suitable for children: shades of Follies Bergeres.  In those days one was spoiled for choice in Nottingham cinemas: two full columns of the Evening Post every night. How times change. 

 

At that time, Main Street was continuous from The Adelphi to the Marketplace, there being no High Street diversion. Percy Andrews Textile Company stood back from the Main Street, I suppose on the site now occupied by Kwiksave. Opposite The Palace Cinema was Stanley's Chemist and opposite Iceland was Sanderson's fish and chip shop. Opposite was Chambers the Butchers and Boots the chemist. On the site where the Co-op stood (soon to be Wilkinson's) was another Stanley's Chemists and a Home and Colonial Stores. Across the market on the Spielmann's/ Gregg's site, was Marstons' store and round the corner, another chip shop. These were the days of bacon sliced by a machine, as required. Cheese was cut by a wire and butter was made up into packs with the use of wooden sticks.

 

Proceeding towards the bus station, there was once a large house where the practice of doctors Bartram and Halley stood. The other practice was Dr Wood in Main Street.

 

 Travelling past the bus station to the site now occupied by Burrows Close/ Bradrail would find you at the Co-op with Coventry Road School shortly after and another chip shop. Opposite was Dowen's off-licence near Bulwell Baptist youth club.

 

 Transport in Bulwell was, in the main, trolley buses: number 43 Trent Bridge to Bulwell Market and number 44 Colwick to Bulwell Hall Estate.  There were petrol buses: number 17 Adelphi to Trinity Square and number 7, the Bogs to Wollaton Street.  Makemson Brothers also ran a service from the Market to Bestwood Village.

 

The police station was on Commercial Road near the Old Post Office.'

 

Alan Gilliver came to Nottingham at the beginning of the Second World War when his father's workplace changed from Loughborough station to Bulwell Common station. His family lived at number 2  Moorbridge Cottages, with his father's parents and Alan went to school on Bulwell Hall Estate, Lawton Drive. He remembered the headmaster dying and being replaced by a Mr Hadrill. Alan had a good relationship with one of the teachers whose name was Mrs Hodgson but not so with Mrs Williams, who delighted in administering the leather strap on occasion.  He had a good 11 plus examination pass and went on to Henry Mellish Grammar School.

 

[philmayfield 6,145]

This must have been in the days before Henry Mellish became a county grammar school. Although it was situated in greater Nottingham there was no intake from the immediate local area, the nearest pupils coming from Hucknall or Arnold, both in the county. Similarly the ‘sister school’ of Brincliffe, although just off Forest Road in the city, only took girls from the county. Manning, not much further away only took city pupils. 

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

I calculate that Alan Gilliver was born in 1933, in Loughborough. That would make him a tad older than you, Phil. I'm sure someone on this site probably knows him/knew him.

[Cliff Ton 10,470]

2 hours ago, Jill Sparrow said:

These were the days of bacon sliced by a machine, as required. Cheese was cut by a wire and butter was made up into packs with the use of wooden sticks.

 

He must've known Ben.

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

Quite possibly and I'm sure Ben knew his wife.

[plantfit 7,602]

Brilliant writeup Jill, reading it I was almost there walking around the streets and buildings of Bulwell

 

Rog

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

I was interested to note that my childhood GP, Dr Richard Alphonse Halley, was in practice with a Dr Bartram in Bulwell. I don't remember Dr Bartram but Halley also operated (not surgically!) out of premises on the ground floor of a house on Alfreton Road (which is where my family went) along with Dr Patrick McGrath. I knew they had another practice in Bulwell as one of my Manning chums told me that Halley was her family's doctor and he didn't mind at all making home visits, provided there was a tot of liquid refreshment available! And I'm not talking tea.

[benjamin1945 16,163]

The oldest picture ive seen of Marsdens.........think late 1890's...in Bulwell....the building is still very visable today............

[katyjay 5,091]

Some nice looking buildings on the right. Must have been something royal going on with all the flags.

[benjamin1945 16,163]

Bulwell Market again........Billy Dainty.........remember him..?.....and the chaps face .between the two ladies...on the left im sure is an old friend of mine Mick Potter................would think this was 1960s?

 

Edit thanks to Paul Turton for these Bulwell Photo's

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

I remember Chadbund's ironmongery shop from the early 70s.

[Stuart.C 491]

I'd say later than 1960's Ben.
Top right of the picture is a sign that says Paved Zone, they weren't around in the 60's, but would make it after Bulwell Market place was paved, any takers on when ?

 

Billy Dainty was in Panto at the Theatre Royal in December 1981, can't see he was there in earlier years in their archive.

 

Chaddys hardware is around the back of that shop now, no doubt they'll get a boost in hardware trade when Wilko finally close.
And the Golden Dragon is still the Golden Dragon.

[benjamin1945 16,163]

Would think you are correct @Stuart...

[Brew 5,421]

55 minutes ago, katyjay said:

Some nice looking buildings on the right. Must have been something royal going on with all the flags.

QV !897 Golden Jubilee?

[The Engineer 614]

Says "LONG LIVE THE KING" on Horse and Jockey so maybe August 1902 (Edward VII coronation) or June 1911 (George V coronation).

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

Reading through my pile of Bygones, I came across an article from October 2004 relating to Bulwell. I thought I'd reproduce the memories here:

 

Past Lures Me Like A Magnet

 

I was born in 1945 on the Bestwood Estate and I went to the Henry Whipple School. In those days, the address was Bestwood Estate, Bulwell, Nottingham, so I class myself as a Bulwell lad.

 

My mam and dad's families were all from Bulwell anyway. I was five when I was christened at St Mary's church. In fact, Bulwell town is where we all went for everything as kids. It was tadpoling at Jelly Lake (Moorbridge) and Bulwell Common was our Wembley or Lord's untll it got dark; also to watch the annual Hucknall air display (with a picnic).

 

 Fishing with a net on Bulwell Bogs or skating on the ice in our wellies in the cold winters. Back then, the River Leen actually froze!

 

 Once or twice a week, mam and dad took me to the pictures at the Adelphi or Highbury. My first bike was from Glenn's, Main Street and the first juke box to take my money was the one in Penguin Cafe, Marketplace. My first haircut was at Croome's at the corner of Bestwood and St Alban's Road. Bulwell market itself was an island that the trolley buses went round.

 

I played football for Henry Whipple School in the first Redfern Cup Final in 1958. Redfern's were a Bulwell soft drinks company. It was played in front of about 600 people on the Springfield ground against St Mary's School I lost the team photo of the day but still remember all the Whipple lads who played: Stan Sheard, Tony McNickel, Tony Leatherland, Pete Musson, David Churchill, Terry Dexter, Paul Scriven, John Hickman, Mick Disney and Jeff Jenner. I can only remember two of the St Mary's lads: Chettle and their captain, Peter Smedley. Smedley was a really good all-around sportsman. Sadly, though, he passed away in his teens. I believe his family owned the cobblers opposite the Adelphi.

 

On leaving school in 1960, I went to work for J D Marston's the grocers on Bestwood Estate and in Bulwell market place. The manager in Bulwell was Jack Pinder, although in those days it was strictly Mr Pinder. He was still the manager when Marsden's closed in 1966/7 and reopened as Savemore. Savemore was probably the first supermarket/self-service store in Bulwell and it was sited where Farm Foods now trades. In those days, there was a pub next door, as well, known as the King Billy. In the Marston's days, we would weigh and wrap (in the shop) such things as butter, lard, dripping and dried fruit. We would also bone, roll and slice the sides of bacon. A special offer the shop ran was 2lb of sugar plus 1lb of lard for 2/6. It was really popular and people stayed healthy as well (I think!) 

 

My dad and grandad both worked on the railway for over 40 years: much of that time at Bulwell Common station where they both used to catch the train known as Dicky Dido to Annesley. Grandad, Ben Scriven, senior, was the Bulwell secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen from 1936 to 66. His presentation plaque has pride of place in my home now. In the latter years, their meetings were held at the BRSA Club on Bestwood Road in Bulwell. I have very fond memories of the BRSA Railway Club. All my old uncles and aunts, plus grandparents used to meet there on Saturday nights. In the 60s, there was dancing and turns and I never remember any trouble. Ken Breward was the steward and a lovely ex-railwayman. There was a committee and a few names I can remember such as Pete and Margaret, Stan Long, Doug Wilson, Roy Willetts, Nev and Helen, Jack Moody, Do and Joyce Richards... too many to mention. They also had a good football team and a few more names which come to mind are John and Colin Turner, Paul Davies, Shaymus, Dave 'Barney' Eastwood, Billy Matthews, Billy Wilson, Steve Ashdown and Jed Saunders. Happy days. Great people. I could go on and on about Bulwell but I'd better not! 

 

 Just to finish, I moved away, down south, for a few years but my roots called me back to where I started and belong: working in Bulwell once again.

 

The author of this meander down memory lane was a Paul Scriven. Wonder what happened

to him? 

[trogg 2,017]

What is missing from the text is this persons dalliances with the fairer sex or was there a limit on the amount of column inches the writer was allowed for this article.