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I remember in the fifties there were still quite a few streets that were cobbled,especially around Basford, St.Anns,and the Lace Market.

Over the years the roads were covered with modern tarmac with occassional gutters still showing the old cobbles. It's something you never really noticed disappearing as a kid.

I remember coming off my bike on Alpine street Basford just round from the White Swan....nearly broke my neck..God those cobbles got slippery when wet. Must've been ruddy noisy when iron wheeled carts used to trundle along them.

Did you live on a cobbled Street?...are there any left?

Paul.

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Put my thinking cap on trying to remember what was cobbled. It seemed the norm when I was a kid, and like you said, they disasppeared without us noticing. Wasn't Bottle Lane in town cobbled? I remember Alpine St, Basford and can imagine how slippy is was on a bike. My trolley bus went down there [#41]. I should think if that street was cobbled then so was Basford town, round the corner from the Swan pub. Somewhere around Shipstone's brewery was cobbled IIRC. Hubby's grandad worked at Weldon & Wilkinsons, and he can remember it was cobbled there.

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Ayup Poohbear,

Albert street Bulwell had them cobbles as did most of the streets leading off Highbury vale, I remember going to my Grannies on Albert street one summers day and picking the gas tar out of the cobbles to make some marbles, trouble was I got the stuff all over my clothes and me mam went crackers at me, I think she got it off me clothes with some margerine and a lot of swearing,

You mention about them being slippery but I think they were put down to afford some grip for the horses, and stopped them slipping down hills,

Rog

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The tar!...What was it about the tar?...it used to bubble on hot summers days.I think every townie kid in the fifties got loused up and got a clout off his Mother.We amused ourselves in those days 'cause we spent every available hour playing outside.

Paul.

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You hit the nail on the head there Paul, we amused ourselves in those days, we made our own fun and it wasn't at anyone elses expence ie: vandalism and violence, after you had played out all day you were ready for a good nights sleep ready for tomorrow, not up all night causing all sorts of trouble, Bring back the GAS TAR

Rog

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The only street I can recall that is still cobbled today is the lower part of Dryden Street - on the junction with Shakespeare St.

Any more anyone?

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I take it cobbles were made of natural hard wearing granite. Just did a search to see if they are still available...they are...Guess where most come from?....Yep...CHINA :biggrin:

Paul.

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You hit the nail on the head there Paul, we amused ourselves in those days, we made our own fun and it wasn't at anyone elses expence ie: vandalism and violence, after you had played out all day you were ready for a good nights sleep ready for tomorrow, not up all night causing all sorts of trouble, Bring back the GAS TAR

Rog

Here we go again , another brilliant sub topic appearing in another great one.

Last time it was KatyJ regarding the respect we showed for people because we knew their surnames, now Rog hits the nail on the head , in that we made our own entertainments , were always outside in all weathers, kept out of serious trouble , no vandalism. etc

But in our days we did have (Relatively) safe places to play . Old waste ground , bomb sites etc. Hours of entertainment to be had for kids with a bit of imagination!! There are no places like these nowadays. So the little s**ts make their own waste ground and bomb sites out of other peoples gardens and kids playgrounds

Appologies for the expletive but some little B45t4*d has been in my front garden overnight and pinched my Sea holly that came up to show winning standard this year

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Around 1963, I lived in Radford on Hartley Road, Most side Streets around that area

were Cobbles, untill demolition of the terraced houses and building of the Flat Complexes!

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There were a couple off of Turner Street, in the old St Anns, I'd have to look at an old map to name them though

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There are a couple of photos of `how it was done' on the picture the past web site.(think it was Gordon Rd.) In a couple of roads in Melbourne and Adelaide are streets lined with `bluestone blocks' about 12 inches square. I think I heard somewhere that these were used as ballast in the old ships that came out here.

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Ayup all,

Cobbles are still available from most builders merchants/DIY places, they are called Granite sets and cost a fortune, most of those dug up in the late 60s and dumped have been dug up/salvaged and sold back to the local councils for re-use as,,,,,,cobbles, another example of the local authorities not having any foresight, trying to re-create something they once had.

Rog

Beefsteak, sorry about the sea holly, what would the little darlings do with that? can you smoke it?

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The only street I can recall that is still cobbled today is the lower part of Dryden Street - on the junction with Shakespeare St.

Any more anyone?

They're modern cobbles. So they don't count!

When the tarmac wears away you'll still see the cobbles in many of Nottingham's streets built before the Great War. For example at the back of St Stephen's church in Sneinton.

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I noticed when they were digging up the road around the square a while ago there were loads of cobbles

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Also when they were relaying the road surface outside of the midland station cobbles could be seen there too.

Bip.

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I noticed when they were digging up the road around the square a while ago there were loads of cobbles

I read recently that the area of the market square was very boggy donkeys years ago and that they brought in cart loads of Roman stone taken from the Fosse Way near Willoughby on the Wolds.

So it would seem that below the cobbles in the square was an even more ancient surface.

Paul.

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  • 2 years later...

Bannerman Road off Highbury Vale was Cobbled when we lived there and most streets around there. Happy memories of Albert Sreet School, there was a Couple of shops on there, one near the school that sold " Suckers " ( Ice Lollies ) for a halfpenny and a penny, the other shop was Westwoods the beer- off. and of course " Clarys " Working Mens Club. and the Tannery. As for Tar I remember the Westwood boys Michael and Terence got lathered with it when playing on the old " Suncoal " site on Cinderhill road. I believe this was a German undertaking and shut because of the War.

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When I was little in the Medders, Hawthorn Street was cobbled of course and when the men came off shift at Clifton Pit you heard a clattering roar of boots on the cobbles as they came along the street. The pavements were sort of blue-ish bricks with a kind of diamond pattern.

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Ayup danny333

I remember that shop on Albert street, it was owned by a lady called Eileen and she had a Siamese cat she would take for a walk on a lead, quite unusual to see in those days (50s/60s)I also remember the school because my granny lived next door, oh happy days

Rog

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