Lost Buildings of our past

[LizzieM 9,511]

Going back to my birth 70+ years ago I find it so sad that buildings and venues that shaped my life are no longer around.  

The first house I lived in in Netherfield was demolished to make way for the Colwick Loop Road.

My first school, Ashwell Street Infants in Netherfield, has been demolished.

My second school, Kingswell Juniors in Arnold, has been demolished

My Senior school, Carlton-Le-Willows Grammar, is still standing but hardly recognisable from my time there in the 1960s

I then spent a year at Arnold & Carlton College of FE (Digby College) on an Intensive Secretarial Course, that’s been demolished.

My only employment in Nottingham was at Thorn Bendix on Beech Avenue, New Basford.  That building was demolished soon after I left and moved south in 1975.

Then there are the places in town where I spent great times, the coffee bars (Lyons, Kardomahs, 4 Seasons in Griffins, Causerie, L-Shaped Room.

The Old Market Square, such a great area to meet up with friends, with plenty of areas to sit around.  The place is now only good for skateboarding, but I’m a bit past that now.

The clubs, all disappeared many years ago.

Sherwood Rooms and Palais, buildings still there ……. for now

My favourite pub, Flying Horse where I met my future husband ….. well the facade’s still there but it’s been turned into a shopping arcade that’s not well used. 



 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

Kev and I were discussing Cottesmore School, where his mother was a pupil and where my mother did shorthand at night school, yesterday at the meet up. Cottesmore was one of the many single storey, so called 'fresh air' schools built throughout Nottingham in the 1930s. Manning was another. They housed both primary and secondary pupils and I think most, if not all, have gone. I suppose schools of that design would be unable to cope with today's much larger school rolls.  It's a rare school that's survived, certainly from among the buildings we knew as children, although Berridge is one of them. So many others are either redundant or long gone.

[LizzieM 9,511]

My Dad was at Cottesmore in the 1930s too.

 Surprisingly all the houses he lived in before he married my Mum are still there, all around Lenton. 
Rolleston Drive, Toston Drive and Devonshire Promenade, from the 1920s through to the late 1940s

[Cliff Ton 10,470]

There are quite a few buildings from my earlier life which are no longer around.

 

The house where I grew up in Clifton is still there, but my infants school was demolished around 20 years ago, and my secondary school - Fairham - bit the dust a few years ago. Yet surprisingly, they were both built after I was born.

 

I can think of two places where I worked which have now been demolished, and none of the other buildings where I worked are still being used for the same purpose as when I was there.

 

Yet both my grandparents houses in Lenton and Radford - both built early 1900s - are still standing.

[Beekay 5,155]

Spent quite bit of my secondary school years at Cottesmore. Radford blvd., used part of it as extra classrooms. Not only that but that was also where we went for school dinners. At one time my mum got a job as a kitchen assistant, when I stayed for dinners, my mum would come out into the dining area and shout 'Barrie do ya want some more taters, veg, or custard eg'. I would look for corner to hide in.

( She was the same if she got on my bus, then tell everbody "That's my son drivin' "! ! )

[philmayfield 6,144]

My alma mater Henry Mellish was demolished some years ago after its closure and I believe this was due to some arson attacks. I hear the site is now earmarked for house building. It was a magnificent edifice which should have been put to good use after it closed as a school. My primary school, Arno Vale at Woodthorpe, built before the war, is still flourishing. I’m often tempted to stop and have a look as I regularly pass by but fear I might be mistaken for a child molester! 

[MargieH 7,601]

I’d love to look inside Arno Vale to see how much has changed.  I expect they’ll have the toilets inside tne building now!

I did go inside the school briefly in 1976 when our children attended there  for 6 weeks (we were staying with my parents as we were ‘between’ houses)

it did look brighter than I remember and the headmistress was Miss Lee who used to teach the second infants class.

 She obviously didn’t remember me - well it was 27 years since I was in her class - but I remembered her as she was very nice and wore a red jumper which I liked!

[philmayfield 6,144]

I remember Miss Lee. I believe she came from Calverton on the ‘bus each day. Only Mr. Turner, I think, arrived by car. He came all the way from Cropwell Bishop where I gather he was known as ‘the Bishop’. The names I recall were Mrs Lockwood, Miss Lee, Mrs Hatter, Mr Tilley and Mr Turner. The head was Mr Brace. Who have I forgotten? I must have been a ‘trusty’ as the head used to give me the school mail to post on my way home. A separate infant’s school was subsequently built in the field on the far right of the main school. On snowy mornings I recall making giant eight foot snowballs on the school field by rolling the snow from a small ball. We didn’t all go to Berridge you know! 

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

Margie and Phil, why don't you ask the school whether you can visit? That's how the Berridge visits began, with my curiosity about what the place is like today.  It has become quite a useful part of their history topic to ask us about our experiences of life there. We also get a tour down memory lane.  I doubt they'd refuse your request.

[philmayfield 6,144]

I’m sure they wouldn’t want to meet a doddery old fart like me. I’d frighten the children!

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

On the contrary, they'd find you fascinating, Phil. The world of your childhood would be infinitely interesting to them. You're an historical resource on legs. Go on. I'm sure Margie will hold your hand if you're a bit nervous.

[philmayfield 6,144]

Me shy, nervous! You gotta be jokin’. Having run a multimillion £ company nothing phases me. The problem would be that I would tell them where they were going wrong and that would upset them! Never go back ‘tis said!

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

Looks like just Margie, then.

[philmayfield 6,144]

I'm sure she'll see my name written on the roll of honour or the toilet wall.

[MargieH 7,601]

I know there’s at least one other person on NS who went to ArnoVale - but they are quite a bit younger than me.    I think I’ll just keep the interior of the school in my mind as I remember it….

i think Phil is making excuses as he doesn’t want to see me, or perhaps he doesn't want me to see him?

I don’t mind @philmayfield perhaps it’s better just to remember the sweet little children we once were 

 

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

15 minutes ago, MargieH said:

think Phil is making excuses as he doesn’t want to see me, or perhaps he doesn't want me to see him?

Ah, well Margie. Someone who shall remain nameless promulgated the notion at Wednesday's Meetup that perhaps Phil Mayfield doesn't actually exist but is a creation of AI.  Food for thought.

[MargieH 7,601]

He’s definitely real’.  We were in the same class at school and were both sweet and innocent little children.  I can remember him very clearly ……

he must have somehow made an impression on me as I can’t remember all the children in our class
 

[philmayfield 6,144]

‘Promulgated’ is a word I use often but others do rarely. I’m delighted to meet a fellow user if only across the airways.

[philmayfield 6,144]

Just look on me as a happy memory. The passage of time has stolen my sweetness and my innocence. I’m not the skinny waif I used to be. The nurse put me down as ‘stocky’ at my last medical!  Rog has met me. He can vouch for my existence.

[MargieH 7,601]

@philmayfield None of us is the same as we were - in our case 70

years ago.   But I can still relate to the little 11 year old ME sometimes.  She is still part of who I am now x

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

Have you a photo with the elusive Mr Mayfield on it, Margie?  At least we could see him as he once was.  I confess it was I who promulgated the AI theory in response to a suggestion that a meet-up at a hostelry within walking distance of The Mayfield Estates might persuade him to attend.  It's somewhat akin to my obsession with Mr Spock in the 1960s. Sadly, he doesn't actually exist. 

[plantfit 7,602]

28 minutes ago, philmayfield said:

Rog has met me. He can vouch for my existence.

Yep definitely real, there's nothing AI about Mr Mayfield

 

Rog

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

Plantfit is certainly real. I've seen him with my own two eyes. Seen the elusive @benjamin1945 too. 

[Dark Angel 138]

   @Jill Sparrow :- Romantics have the blood line of Jesus as the Holy Grail. 
    He is reputed to have sired a daughter. At some point being brought to The Dragon Isles, ( now known as Great Britain/Albion) as an infant.

     Later, allegedly moving to a remote part of France.

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

Yes, I've read about this. Quite fascinating.