Balloon Woods Flats

[salty 0]

I am a firbeck legend, any questions about the firbeck estate or ballon woods...... ask me lived there from 1967-1988 my brother still lives on birchwood rd ans is now the crowned price of firbeck......

[mick2me 3,014]

"crowned Price"?

[Fynger 841]

nowt comes without a price around there.

[Chad Piranha 0]

was at firbeck school when 'miss trunchbull' was head - in mr galloway's class - met him 40 years later - very interested in balloon woods / jacko's oller / wollaton canal area in 1950s

also written book : A Grisly History of Nottinghamshire in Ten Spine-Chilling Chapters'

would be really interested to hear memories anecdotes re this area plus see any old photographs - still looking for one of the jacko's 'oller gypsy camp 1950s which appeared in a display at the city library about 20 years ago

trowell avvy lad

[mick2me 3,014]

Welcome Chad Piranha

[Michael Booth 7,359]

Welcome to Nottstalgia, Chad Piranha. I look forward to reading your posts.

[Mary P 0]

Hi there.

I'm pretty new to wollaton, only lived here about 3 years. I was intrigued to know why the area was called balloon wood, so found this forum fascinating. I had no idea of the flats, and really interested about the old pubs you mention. Can someone point out where exactly the flats/estates were? Were they behind the Gondola pub, or did it all just sort of straddle the top of wollaton vale area?

[Fynger 841]

As you go up wollaton vale once you cross the railway bridge the flats took up the whole area on the left all the way up to the Gondola you can see on the pic below that the railway bridge has not appeared yet but you can see the railway and the small black bridge.....hope this helps

[Michael Booth 7,359]

Welcome to Nottstalgia, Mary P. I look forward to reading your posts and sharing your memoris.

[Mary P 0]

thank you that's a great picture, gives a good sense of the scale. I think I get it now - cheers!

[Guest]

Had some bad experiences with BW inmates!

[Nottinghasm 3]

Hi folks, what an intriguing thread this has proved to be! I was born in Balloon Wood flats but don't remember them as we moved out to Lenton Abbey before my earliest memories.

 

If any former BWF dwellers have more stories to share on here, I'd love to hear them

[crankypig 451]

Not sure if I've mentioned this before.

I once worked at the care home that is built on the site that was ballon woods flats.

An old lady who lived in one of the upstairs rooms used to ask if we could 'get those children out of her room' they were keeping her awake.

We just put it down to her imagination.

When she passed away and someone else moved into the same room,they also complained that there were children running around in her room.

[radfordred 5,571]

Looks like former pub The Gondola & Indian restaurant Spices is to be demolished, should be listed?

[atlast 0]

hi im trying to find anyone who lived at the old balloon woods around 1975 - please. also trying to find dennis storer for an old friend.thank you.atlast.x

[katyjay 4,584]

On 192.com there are 3 Dennis Storers in Nottingham. 

[Martin Lock 31]

Lived in the flats (Newmill) in 81.

I remember a giant of a man lived in a block near the Gondola. He was a proper 'greb'. Long hair tied with a band around his head. All the denim and sewn on badges. Stunk of greb oil too. Saw him run for a bus on slab square only to miss it. He shouted expletives at the top of his voice. Always thought he was an intimidating man, but probably cos I was so young.

[BigOzzy 3]

Former BWF inmate from approx  75 til '78  - 513 or 315 Hartington Walk Ground floor. Me and my brother had a great time growing up in the flats as we played football both on the tarmac rectangle in the play area about 25 a side one summer shirts vs skins. At other times it was across the road on the proper park on grass, same thing but with goalposts. I went to Firbeck and remember Mr Walker and Mr Parkinson and Mr Lomas and a welsh teacher who taught my class to sing happy birthday in Welsh. Winter on the top playground was great fun as I remember when it was frosty cold and icy all the kids would create a slide and if you had the right shoes on would glide across the playground for quite a distance.  The flats were ok to live in as far as i remember but the lifts always had a stink of urine and every now and then some idiot would lob a telly or mattress off the upper floor walkways. Went to the caravan shop plenty of times and had a coke and bag of crisps once or twice at the Gondola.  Climbed the nets at the adventure playground and went down the zip wire a couple of times. My brother and I would walk around the other blocks to see what they were like in terms of play areas.  We left for Bilborough eventually and went to William Sharp comp. Saw this site trawling for BWF pictures and thought I would pass by with a few memories.  Kind regards  Ozzy 

[radfordred 5,571]

And the above is why I joined the Nottstalgia site, quite sad to see it’s slow demise   

 

Used to love listening to my Dads stories from “dahn the pit” his 9 sackings from Raleigh & the other shit jobs he had, the yanks on Wollaton Park, his time in the navy the only action he spoke of was in the brothels of Europe! 

[Beekay 3,028]

Mate of mine had a milk round at Ballon woods flats. Invariably, he would be delivering on the upper flats and when he got back to his float he would notice that 2 or 3 crates of milk had gone. Ironic thing is, he lived there so quite often knew who'd nicked the milk.