Greengrocer? with Brown Bowler Hat?


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#25

 

Monkey puzzle trees seemed quite common in those days. There were a few on Bobbers Mill Road and have a vague recollection of one in front of a house on Churchfield Lane.

 

Yes, I did attend Berridge and then Manning.

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After all the talk of Grimston Road, here's a  couple of not-exactly-brilliant  photos showing the back yard areas on that road.   On the left is my uncle, with next door's back windows over

We had adjoining rooms in Majorca and in the morning before breakfast I would find her on her balcony looking peacefully out to sea. To me it seemed as if she was thinking about her life. What had hap

Thanks to a link on another thread, we finally have a photo of the man in question.      https://nottstalgia.com/forums/topic/17659-old-photos-of-alfreton-road/  

Jill, don't answer about your schooling, I now know. My wife started at Berridge then transferred to St. Terassa's RC, Aspley, but this would have been in the 50's. Went passed the Wheatsheaf on Wednesday, big McDonalds sign on the side, reconstruction well underway. Mick the landlord will be turning in his grave. Had both my engagement and twenty first birthday parties there in the upstairs room. At the end of the night Mick came in with brown paper bags, looked at the buffet that was left and said help yourself. My mates filled the bags from the pumps!! There was a Mr. Alan Parr at Rise Park Junior school and he lived on the next road to me at Rise Park. His children went there as well. That would be in the late 70's. Reading through the school blog you contributed to made me feel old. By 1960 I had visited Floence, Rome, Naples and Pompei with school for two weeks, the cost £27.00 for everything. By 1969 I had seen Bob Dylan live twice. My wedding reception at the Commodore in '69 cost £97.00 for a sit down roast beef lunch, champagne reception and free bar. The wedding had to be on a Monday Because of Harold Wealthall's shop, probably to make sure your mum got her beetroot!!

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Jill, your reply yesterday has only just come up on my computer. So, what I just wrote was before I received your reply. The Monkey tree was in the front garden of the Holt family. Bernard Holt was a friend of Harold's and they both frequented the Grand and Pheasant. The families holidayed together, notably in Skeggy and I have lots of pictures from 1953. I hadn't seen his daughter Pat since my wedding in 1969 and through the post last week I tracked her down and we will be meeting shortly. She was my wife's childhood friend.

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#27

 

Oh yes, lots here I can relate to.

 

I also well remember the Wheatsheaf. There has been much negative comment on this site in other threads about its current fate!

 

I also knew Alan Parr. He never taught me but I remember when he married Miss MacDonald who also taught at Berridge. I sat my 11 plus exam in his classroom!

 

I still have the receipt for my parents' wedding reception at The Palais in 1949. £25 or thereabouts! Incredible!

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I remember Pat Holt very well. We were classmates at FFGS, and were very good childhood friends. I don't think I've seen her since we left in July 62. Hopefully, she's ok. 

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I last saw Pat in 1969 at my wedding, then with time lost contact due to deaths in both families. She was my wife's childhood friend. The earliest picture I have with my wife and Pat was at my wife's 1st birthday party in 1946. Two weeks ago my wife's cousin gave me some fifteen pics of the family holiday of the Holt and Wealthall families in Skegness dated 1953..I sent a letter to the Nottingham Post to find Pat and got a call from her the day the letter was in the Post last week. She now lives in Heanor and I will meet up with her and her husband soon.

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#34

 

The NEP has always produced good results for me when I've made appeals for family information, and quickly too.

 

I'm so pleased you've found Pat and hope you will have a wonderful reunion. It's always a bonus when photos come to light which you've never seen before. 

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Hello Brown bowler and welcome. It was me that identified Harold as the bowler wearing grocer. We lived at the top end of Grimston and I was at the shop often usually early before school. I well remember the bowler and often a neckerchief. With his ruddy completion he was a character. Not only were the beetroots good but I remember the soaked 'mushy' peas too. 

My wife's brother David Flint worked at the shop for a good few years around the early 70's onwards. I know Mr and Mrs Weathall were very fond of him and he of them.  Really sorry to hear of Diannes passing. My wife Jane remembers her very well. Always seemed fashionable. We live very close to Southwell and are often there so it's a wonder we never saw her. Maybe we wouldn't have recognised her as it must be a long time since we saw her. The last time my wife recalls seeing and speaking to Diane and Joan was in the Pheasant one evening soon after Harold had died. They both asked after David (Janes brother). 

I remember the monkey puzzle tree on Churchfield Lane very well. It was the stretch of the Lane that was smooth tarmack as apposed to slabs so I'd run clockwork cars or roller skate down it every other day for years. I only noticed a few weeks ago that the tree was no longer.

I cannot help you with the tailor you mention near the Capitol. Means nothing at all to us.

I worked at the Le Grand for a few years at weekends and did the disco there. It was when Maurice Keeling was the landlord. I was friends with Paul his son who went out with Janes sister Karen. I can't ever recall seeing Harold Weathall at the Grand but I imagine disco wasn't his thing! I used to see him at the Pheasant though.

 

Jill. I was at Berridge with an Ian Amos. Could this be the same Amos family you mention. I had a very unpleasant few weeks working at Bell Fruit Lenton in 1974 and Ian Amos was working there too. I loathed the job.

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#36

 

Yes David. I knew the Amos family very well indeed.

 

My sister was friendly with Jill Amos. They went to Peveril together although Jill was a year younger.

 

Ron and Irene Amos were lovely people. Their children were Carole, Jill, Ian and Elaine. Ron took over the coal and haulage business from his father. Their yard was on Plantation Side. Eventually, they sold the business and moved to Matlock to keep a pub. Ron died a few years ago in Darley Dale.

 

Ian Amos was a bright lad, probably the brightest of the four children. The last I heard, which was many years ago, he was working in journalism.

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Hi Letshavagoo, you mean little David as we affectionally thought of him. You have stretched my memory, wasn't his mother a customer of the shop and lived on Wordsworth or close by, large family? My name is Derek, ask him if he remembers me or maybe your wife. Diane fashionable, really, I never noticed. Ha! Ha! I would never know which Diane I would meet. The girl with long black hair or the one with short blonde hair or with short black hair. What day of the week is it? In her school days it was long, by 18/19 her final horse riding years it was short, a year before we were married it was short and blonde. in 1969 when we married it was blond. She had the size of Twiggy and dressed in that style. It was 1993 when Harold passed, so that is when you would have met them. If I remember correctly your wife's mum was very bubbly and I hope I have the right picture in my mind.

We moved to Southwell in 2004 and Diane worked at Brackenhurst Uni, she also worked in the Charity bookshop on Queens street and regularly on a Saturday afternoon. Mostly she spent time around the centre in the week leaving the weekend to visitors. She still looked the same and always fashionable.

Harold did use the Grand, he would be in the bar with Bernard Holt, Jack and Harry Simmonds. He also used the Pheasant, especially when the family was young and be happy  out the back whilst Dad was inside. He also used the Wheatsheaf  and the Home Ales pub at the back of the Wheatsheaf.  He didn't like to walk and so possibly didn't go to the Grand as he got older. After they had moved to Woodstock Avenue he had a stroke and his life changed, he also stopped smoking. I can remember going to see groups in the upstairs room at the Grand. Diane's brother is still with us and he lives in Barnsley.

I have tried to download pictures onto the site, but, so far without success. If you wish to see any pictures then send me an email to derek.king 758@btinternet.com and I will send some of the shop, the dogs and later pics so you can see how Diane looked in later life and make comparisons. The family grows with two grandsons five and three with our oldest and a granddaughter two with our youngest, with another on it's way this month. You never know, you may have seen her in Southwell, Give my regards to your family. Talking of dogs, Diane's grandmother and grandfather lived at 47, Grimston, they had a dog with a passion for chocolate. They would give him some money and he would go to the corner shop at the top of Grimston and return with his chocolate all by himself.

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Hello Derek aka brown bowler. Little David is not so little now. Not especially tall but as strong as an ox. He now runs his own business, an MOT and repair garage at Kimberley on the site of the old brewery. It seems you have the right person in mind as to David's mother. Marina was 'bubbly' (understatement). She was a larger than life character and a very attractive lady and well known in the area. I adored her and she was very good to me. She would always take my side if my wife went to her with to moan about me and would get no sympathy even if she was in the right as she usually was. Sadly Marina passed away a couple of years ago. There were 5 children, Jane my wife the oldest. We've been together since she was 11.  A bit on and off at first but now married 42 years. Then Karen, David, Susan and last Joanne. So poor little David had 4 sisters to cope with. No wonder he was at Wealthalls so often. Colin, my father in law is still with us and still lives in the area. Fitter than most half his age. 

The Home Ales pub behind the Wheatsheaf was the Nags Head. I like the idea of a dog that does the shopping. Just wondering when your wife's Grandparents would have left Grimston. I ask because I lived on Grimston and in about 1963/4 a family moved into what I am sure was 47 and the son James Horrocks joined my class at Berridge. He had been at private school and was head and shoulders above his peers. Went to Forest Fields with me but was way brighter. Still in touch. He was a GP in Manchester and now retired from medicine but is a successful musician with a band. I will email you and would love to see some pics. We are often in the book shop you mention in Southwell with our grandchildren. We have one son and 2 grandchildren. Really lovely to hear all about your family. 

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None of the folks mentioned in this thread mean anything to me, but I am so enjoying reading these memories. Brown Bowler, you should find and read Jill's earlier postings about Manning School. The word Entertaining doesn't start to cover them!

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#42

 

Well, I'm glad they entertain someone, KJ, because I can assure you they didn't bl99dy entertain me at the time!

 

My father instilled in me the virtues of humour. "To those who think," he often said, "life is a comedy. To those who feel, it's a tragedy!" Or, I suppose, laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry, and you'll cry alone.

 

Many would disagree but humour is, I find, essential to my sanity!  :rolleyes:

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After all the talk of Grimston Road, here's a  couple of not-exactly-brilliant  photos showing the back yard areas on that road.

 

On the left is my uncle, with next door's back windows over the wall behind the flowers, in the late 1930s-early 40s. On the right is me, my sister, mum and dad in the same back yard about 20 years later; I appear to have taken a strong dislike to the photographer. The high stone wall and rooftops on the right of that photo are the rear of houses on Wordsworth Road.

grimston_zpsp6cx64nz.jpg

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Hi everybody I am pleased to be able to discuss the Wealthalls with you all. If Diane was still here she would say I am crazy. But then I was a salesman selling coal mining machinery in overseas markets, When you do biz in China you have to be crazy. So, letshavagoo, yes it was marina and I am so sorry you lost her. She was always full of life and we often had a joke or two. I thought she had a big family but didn't like to say. I was in Kimberley yesterday watching my two grandsons at football training. I need an MOT, not my car, me, so I will try to find time to pop in to see David. You are quite right about Horrocks, they did move into 47. I got it wrong, I lived with Harold's mum and dad on the opposite side of the road. I remembered that Diane made mention of number 47 in a poem she wrote and I have just looked at the poem to confirm it. It was a classic case of how you can be at a high and suddenly fall in the case of the Horrock's. Harold Snr passed away in 1972, his wife Norah in 1973, so, that is when they left Grimston with a big smile. Our Eldest son Oliver was born on Norah's birthday in 1972. We have two sons, Oliver who I have mentioned, he is 44 and married to Ashling an Irish girl. They have two sons Ronan almost six and Aaron almost four. our other son, Jeremy, was 41 last week and has a daughter Eadie who is two on Christmas Day. He is married to laura who is expecting their second daughter this month. Our boys were late starters and it's sad that Diane will never see the grandchildren grow. She only really had chance to know Ronan as he grew. She wrote a poem about him too. I can remember Marina's children when they came into the shop you are bringing back so many memories, thanks. I am often in the book shop, I go to see Diane's friend Doreen on a Saturday afternoon when I am not at Meadow Lane. The family, even the grandsons, are season ticket holders. Well, it's now wine o'clock and I have to cook the dinner. Sorry to all that I have singled out one member but the families have previous. I will solve the picture problem Jill, but you can email me if you want a speedy response. I have spent a week trying to file all the family photos and finding more and more daily, particularly older pics of the shop. Bygonnes also ran articles on the shop in Past issues. I have some beautiful ones at Christmas time In 1968/69.

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As a child our family did not own a fridge as indeed many didn't. Not in Radford at least. Shopping on a daily basis was the norm hence me often having to run down to Weathalls before school several times a week. This was fine and I didn't mind at all but on the corner of Wordsworth Road was Waldrens butchers. Now there was Mr Waldren senior and Mr Waldren junior. I dreaded if I had to go to the butchers before school. I'd go in and it was always the son serving. He'd look at my note and then carry on scrubbing or sawing or doing whatever he was doing and take an age before he actually got around to serving me. I'd be getting more anxious about being late for school. One time he asked me if I had a cowboy hat. I did and he asked to borrow it for a fancy dress and after that service did improve a bit. I met him many times in later life as we both worked in the City centre and got on very well. I looked forward to meeting him. This was long after the business had been sold. He was really pleasant and I wish I'd told him the hell he'd put me through waiting for him to serve me all those years ago but never did. I've not seen him for a long time and know he'd had major heart problems. Could have left the area or passed away. 

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#46

 

I remember Waldron the butcher but my mother always shopped at Cantrell's just along from FLY's parents' fish and chip shop. I usually waited outside as I hated the sight of carcasses and the smell of meat.  I've been a vegetarian for most of my life.

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Whilst not being a 'Vegetarian' I eat very little meat,...........my philosophy being if I can't bring myself to kill it.........I shouldn't eat it.

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Yes it was Cliff Ton and I know who owned it as the brother lived in the same village as me but the  Waldrens family had sold out years before. Maybe the name was kept as it was long established but it wasn't the same owners. After Players closed I should think business took a dive.

I think in turn they sold out and it is or was a Polish butchers.

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