Doctor's House, Oakdale Road Carlton


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Ayup all,

I'm new here, been reading your forum for some time and am fascinated by the memories people share. Being only 31, I'm hugely nostalgic about my childhood, it seems that so much has chance since I was a wipper!

Anyway, I was wondering if there's anyone out there, who lived in the Carlton/Bakersfield area between 1950 and 1990 (Narrows it down....or not!). A very good friend of mine used to live on Oakdale Road, and as a child I spent a lot of time around there. There used to be a private road called The Broadway, with a large piece of land at the end of it (it was not far past the old Co-Op TV repair centre at the top of Douglas Avenue, heading in the direction of town). On the land was a house, which I believed was owned by a Doctor, but nothing can be clarified.

I am extremely eager to find out more about this house, and it's owner. Private property I know, but as kids we used to play on the land and in the derelict house (this was the 1980's), and build tree houses etc. I have great memories of summer nights/snowy days on this land, back in the days which never end. The land was still in good shape at that time, although the house was a little vandalised, but not to todays standards. We looked after it, it was like another world to us at that age. Unfortunately, the land and house was levelled for a new housing estate sometime in the early 1990's.

So, can anyone shed any light? I've looked everywhere, and even contacted the library, but there seems to be no photographs of the property or area in that time, aerial or ground, and the only name they can come across is a Doctor Saunders, but again this cannot be clarified.

I would appreciate any memories you have, or any information you can share.

All the very best

M

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Ayup and welcome 'Young un'

Although I was born and bred in Carlton, I very rarely ventured over in that direction. I remember the CoOp Tele repair place as I had relatives living down Douglas Crescent (At the bottom of Douglas Avenue) although most of the times we'd visit involved a walk down through the woods .

I do have a good memory from that area though.

There used to be an old man who delivered milk all over Carlton / Bakersfield named Frank (Hickman??) A really pleasant , if not slightly excentric fellow!! One day he and his 'lad' were driving his milk van down Douglas Avenue (Around 1970) when his brakes failed, he careered down the hill through the old fence at the bottom and ' cleared ' the railway line at the bottom !! Miraculously nobody was seriously hurt .

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Ayup Beefsteak

Thanks for your reply! I can't believe you've just told that story! I've not thought about that for so many years. I remember now, in the late 80's every kid who knew Douglas Avenue (Douggo as it was known) knew that story, and I always thought it was frightening but never really believed it back then. Thinking back now though, I believe it was true. It's one hell of a hill, going down it with no hands on the handlebars of your bike seemed a great idea at the time!

It's amazing how I cannot find anyone who remembers the doctors house. Hoping that it will spark a memory from someone on here and put my mind to rest!

By the way, do you remember the Grocery Store on Oakdale Road (Bakersfield side), near the Post Office and Chippy? Owned by another eccentric man, named Malcolm I think (not sure of the surname). Used to go there most days for sweets etc, it's been turned into a house now!? How things change!

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I lived on Marhill Road off station Road Carlton between 1975-1995, at the top was some allotment land with a walk through that came out at the Elwys Arms, Oakdale Road.

In the 1970s I worked for the Coop and spent a few months in the Coop Store top of Doiuglas Avenue, doing maintenance and installation work there. Including when the Coop store closed down and became the Coop TV repair centre.

coopoakdalerd2.jpg

coopoakdalerd.jpg

I am not sure where this house was but must have passed it many times? Perhaps you could post a link to a map of its location, or a Google street view location which might help visualise it and jog peoples memories?

Welcome BTW, and the fact that you are younger than some on here does not mean you can't have Nottstalgic memories :)

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Dr Saunders was a friend of my parents and he did indeed live in that house. He was a GP in Sneinton in partnership with Dr Gendel, their surgery was the large building on the corner of Manor and Dale Streets.

The house was down an unmade track off Oakdale Road. When the estate was built the new road was called Poplar Close.

When my mother was pregnant in 1960 he strongly advised her against taking Thalidomide so I've always thought "there but for the grace of God".

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To concur with you Bamber , my mum DID take Thalidomide whilst trying for me !! (I thought they gave it to help with fertillity ?) I was one of the lucky ones to have been born (As close as matters ) 'normal' !

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Bamber,

Great info, many thanks. When did he retire? Did he sell the house or simply pass away and leave it to ruin? I remember in the late 80's it was in fairly decent condition, i.e some glass was still in the windows/doors, lawn not too long, summer house(s) intact. There were still some items in the house as well, such as toys/kitchen utensils, and even an oven etc. I do remember that when the builders began dismantling it (sad day), they found various items including a train set in the loft. Strange how things like that were left, and bizarre that this Doctors abode for so long became our (illegal!) playground, and the basis of some very strong and fond childhood memories. Hence why I'm intrigued to discover where he died, how long did he live there for etc. And more info bamber?

The land it stood on way a good size, and even though I was young I always imagined it to be a wonderful place to live in its heyday!

Thanks for the pics and info mick2me, I'll get a Google Maps shot and post it on here for location purposes. I presume that the Elwes was called 'The Lodge' in those days?!

Best

M

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It was one of 'Shipo's' cough, cough, improvements from the very early 80s. I used to walk up there quite regularly in around 84.

If you recall they turned a lot of their pubs in to 'fun pubs' around that time. The Shoulder of Mutton,(Where MacDonalds is on the ring road now ,The Grey Goose , (Gedling) The Nags Head , Carlton Hill, The Inn for a Penny (Formerly the Royal Oak) on Burton Road etc.

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Dr Saunders was a bomber pilot during the war. As I understand it he was quite badly burnt on one mission but was lucky that when he bailed-out it was into the sea. This helped to reduce the extent of his injuries.

I recall that he had quite a colourful private life but what really sticks in my memory is the the donkey that lived in the field behind his house. It made a hell of a racket.

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A very good friend of mine used to live on Oakdale Road, and as a child I spent a lot of time around there. There used to be a private road called The Broadway, with a large piece of land at the end of it (it was not far past the old Co-Op TV repair centre at the top of Douglas Avenue, heading in the direction of town). On the land was a house, which I believed was owned by a Doctor, but nothing can be clarified.

So, can anyone shed any light? I've looked everywhere, and even contacted the library, but there seems to be no photographs of the property or area in that time, aerial or ground, and the only name they can come across is a Doctor Saunders, but again this cannot be clarified.

I don't know the area very well but I've been following this thread, and finally i couldn't resist looking at the Old Maps site to find out what everyone's talking about.

This may be telling you what you already know, but here's a map from the early 1950s of the area in question, and I guess it shows the house you are referring to (although I don't know which one)

douglas.jpg

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It looks like the big house that had access from Oakdale Road. This is now Poplar Close.

Thanks denshaw

Here's a close up of it. On this version you can see the place has a name but it's blurred and fuzzy, but looking on other maps I can see the place was called Dunluce if that rings any bells with anyone

dunluce.jpg

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  • 1 year later...

I knew dr saunders,had his surgery in sneinton with dr gendle.dr saunders had a burn scar on his face and he was a very matter of fact doctor,he would say excactly what he thought,he lived with his family in the big house off oakdale road,complete with 2 rescue donkeys,rabbits and chickens,he sold out to developers when the poplar road housing development was built,and dr saunders and his family moved abroad

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  • 3 years later...

Dr Saunders celebrated his 94th birthday last week.  Dunluce, his house in Carlton, was purchased from another GP called Harry Sparrow, an Irish man who went to live in Wales when he retired.  Dr Saunders sustained his injuries and burns whilst landing a Tiger Moth plane after a training flight at Gaydon; his co-pilot was killed.  He was initially treated in Birmingham where he met his first wife.  They had 3 children and that's who the menagerie of animals belonged to (plus 2 goats not previously mentioned).

 

He conducted a torrid affair with a colleague and walked out on his wife and children on Christmas Day (although I can't remember the year at the moment). He went to live in a flat on Wilford Lane, leaving Dunluce to his wife who sold it some years later to the developers for about £768,000.

 

He married a second time to a lady from Adbolton, and again in 2008 at the age of 85! 

 

I shall be seeing Dr Saunders on Thursday and try and borrow some photographs of Dunluce to post here if anyone would like to see them.

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Welcome Vita . Sounds some good gossip there :)

Not so easy to post photos here , they ideally need to be uploaded to a host site like Photobucket or Flickr first . 

You then post the URL of the photo into your message .

Just ask if you need help doing this .

 

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6 hours ago, DAVIDW said:

Welcome Vita . Sounds some good gossip there :)

Not so easy to post photos here , they ideally need to be uploaded to a host site like Photobucket or Flickr first . 

You then post the URL of the photo into your message .

Just ask if you need help doing this .

 

 

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1 hour ago, Vita said:

 

Many thanks for your offer of help – if the images (which I think I’ve successfully posted) don’t appear I shall be taking you up on it!  Fingers crossed that I’ve mastered Photobucket and you can see the pics.  Don’t hesitate to let me know if they aren’t properly visible. 

 

Please find below a snap of Dr Saunders at his current home enjoying lunch on the patio, July 2015.  Still a very enthusiastic gardener, he recalls the hot house, fruit cages and vegetable patch at Dunluce with great fondness. 

 

1167jpg_zpscsy7burj.jpg

 

November 11th 2016 – a story attached to this photo and link to some websites; post in this thread or send me a message if you’d like further info.

9276_zps66zwqk2n.jpg

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Well done for posting the photos and bringing back an old thread .

Just having a quick look back through the messages , not many of those contributors still post so don't expect a great response but it may arouse memories to someone , if not now , maybe in the future . 

Keep on posting your memories .

 

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  • 1 month later...

Fingers crossed that those seeking info come back at some point and find these late posts.

Shortly after posting my first reply here I showed Dr Saunders (aka “Sandy”) this forum and the thread; he was amazed that anyone remembered him and incredibly touched to learn that he was held in such fond regard by his former neighbours and patients.

 

Attached below should be a photo of Dunluce, the property which was the original subject of the thread.

 

Sandy passed away on 26th February and I miss him tremendously.

 

Dunluce_zpsiv5cwliy.jpg
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