Daybrook barber, Alf.


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Does anyone remember Alf Hutchin(g)'s barber shop just below the railway bridge in Daybrook? I remember my father buying a fishing rod for me in about 1959ish from the shop next door. We fished in Arnold park pond but never caught owt :hooked:

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Just caught this topic whilst browsing Daybrook railway Station Have joined up so that I can contribute. I actually lived in the house on the Arnold side of the bridge with a large "Pork Farms" adve

In reply to a post on the first page of this Topic regarding "Rex's" opposite the "white Heart pub" here's a photo of Rex in his Barbers Chair in 1954, Taken by my late Father. Rex is still alive a

Further to this thread, here are a couple of photos of Daybrook Square. The shop was owned by the wife's auntie, and is just out of view on the left.

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I remember that barber's Compo - and the fishing tackle shop too. I think I've still got a fishing book I bought in there as a kid. Seem to remember Alf's barbershop was on the left as you walked through a covered passageway with the fishing tackle shop just behind it on the left? I could have that wrong though. I also used to fish in 'park pond'!

What were the other businesses on that row do you remember? Recall also 'Steeples' mens outfitters up the road at Daybrook Square.

Do you remember another Daybrook barber, Rex, who was up in the row of businesses which used be opposite Oxclose Lane on Mansfield Road? In the row there was a newsagent, a chemist and a few other businesses.

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Ah yes Steeples had a boys section where I had to go for my school uniform. Next was, I think, a garage and then teh Midland banl. Finally there was a fire station next to the bank. Opposite this little bunch of shops was the post office and a newsagents. There may have been a butcher's and greengrocer's between the post office and the little corner sweet shop at the road up to Daybrook Station and the BeRo factory.

The shops opposite Oxclose Lane on Mansfield Road housed, among other things, a Marsden's Grocery shop, a Newsagent and around the corner a chemist next the small hosiery factory on St.Alban's Road, whose name evades me.

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I seem to recall the tackle shop being across an entry-cum-alleyway from Alf's rather than behind but I could be lying. That shop was to become a Juke box/ Arcade game sales and repair shop in the mid 60s. I know this because I bought an ultra violet light from there for my den and remember wanting all of the machines in the workshop! These shops were indeed just through the arch of the railway bridge. Just a few yards from the car park for the Grove Hotel. On the other side of the arch was a row of terraced housing, boys brigade hall and the Daybrook junior school; there may also have been a carpenter's workshop in amongst that lot somewhere. Memory fading with age :o(

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I'm sure you'e right and I'm wrong Compo, my memory of it is a bit sketchy. I do remember the entry-cum-alleyway though, in fact that's what I remember most about it - walking down that alley. I do remember when the arcade/juke box business was there afterwards too.

On the subject of Arnold barbers, you might remember Len smith on the High Street? ('Back Street' as it was often called at that time). Quite close to the bottom of Chapel Lane. Remember well as a lad, sitting on that plank he used to put over the barber's chair arms to bring you within reach. I also remember being terrified by the sound of his electric clippers to the point of leaping out of the chair and legging it up Chapel Lane with Len finally cornering me behind a dustbin. A friend at school years later told me that he's had a similar experience and actually ran all the way home to Stanhope Crescent half a mile away and hid under his mum's kitchen sink, pulling the curtain across to conceal himself and shouting hide me! hide me! Len had a range of hair styles he could offer the discerning customer. Unfortunately they were all a 'short back and sides'. Meanwhile, the relatively groovy Rex down at Daybrook was offering 'Boston crew cuts' (which were actually still short back and sides).

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Crikey Stu! Now you're bringing back all sorts of memories long forgotten :o) I don't recall Len although I was born at 51 High (back) Street, opposite Wharton's Dairy and next door but one to Harry Fish's bakery. I do recall a women's hairdresser at the end of West Street in a row of shops at the junction with High Street, across from the Liberal? club. Was there not a chippy in there somewhere too? I do remember Rex in Daybrook though. I used to go there for the "Boston" style which, as you say, was little more than a short back and sides. His shop was IIRC at the end of the street (name forgotten) that housed the Crookie Crisp factory. I once (only once) went out with a lass called Janet Oldknow from the houses alongside the barber shop. I also went out with a girl from Stanhope Crescent but for the life of me I can't remember her name. We went to London on the train one day and for a treat I splashed out the extra for First Class tickets. Being late teens and Pirate Radio fans we were somewhat scruffy and were constantly hassled by ticket inspectors saying "This is First Class, what are you doing in here?" It was great to produce the tickets and watch their faces drop!........Arnold Wakes :o))

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Ah Compo, you're bring a memory or two back to me too. just thinking about High Street there (and again I'm a bit sketchy) but just thinking about Harry Fish's bakery and the dairy. i went to school in Arnold with a lad called Brian Fish who lived on High Street on the same side as and midway between the Liberal and the Croft. Has to be the same family I'd say.

That hairdressers at the end of West Street is still a shop as far as I remember (I will be walking past there tomorrow night and have a look). It was a little furniture shop for some time but I remember it as a hairdresser's shop. Not sure about a chip shop on that row but you will probably remember an off license?

Rex's barber's was on Mansfield Road not far from the junction with St. Alban's road. Behind Rex's was Duke Street.

Down at the end of Arnold that you lived are a couple of the most popular watering holes in Arnold these days. The Ernehale is a Wetherspoon pub http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/home/pubs/the-ernehale and is situated in the old Co-op building which is opposite where the Carnegie Library was. For many years it was Simpson's furniture store (they also sold records). A few doors up towards where you lived is the Home Bar http://www.homeloungebar.co.uk/ which is a bit more of an upmarket bar. You might be pleased to know that the Liberal is still there!

Good luck to you up there in John O'Groats. I visited there once on a long drive round from Ullapool and was fascinated by the place.

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Brian Fish rings a bell....

Ok who was the barber I am thinking of? On Nottingham Road opposite the park entrance? I remember Duke street but thought you were talking about the Nottm road barber, sorry about the mix up.

Now that you mention it, I do remember the offy. I also remember the church/chapel across the road and up a bit. They used to put a float into the Whitsun parade each year (or was it May Day?).

An uncle of mine had a wedding reception in the upstairs of the old Co-op. The last time I visited it had just become Wetherspoons.

The drive around to ours from Ullapool is one of the great European drives. The scenery is ancient; Torridonian Sandstone (c700-1400 million years old) peaks dominate with Lewisian Gneiss (C2800 million years old) forming the lower hummocky ground. Towards our end the land changes shape with Old Red Sandstone measures (400 million years old) causing a flatter less severe landscape.

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Not sure about that barber's name opposite the park but I remember him right enough. He used to have a 'Haircut Sir' sandwich board placed outside the shop or on Mansfield Road to advertise his business. The chap I remember was a stocky guy with a southern accent, that would have been around late sixties/early seventies.

Remember a couple of chapels on Furlong Street. 'The Tin Chapel' rings a bell? Went on a Whitsun parade or two with my big sis on the back of one of those lorries on the Bank Holiday.

Loved my many trips in the past up to the Highlands. Generally I would stay in Ullapool or Gairloch area. One of my favourite places in that part of the world is Durness and the approach from the south with it's almost 'lunar' looking rock. Gorgeous white sands, Smoo Cave et al. Interesting memories of visiting Rossal clearance village site on the way to John O'Groats.Over in the east from Ullapool I'd often visit places like Rosemarkie, Strathpeffer and the Black Isle. How about the old 'Clootie well'. My interest in Scotland is that I was born and bred there in Musselburgh near Edinburgh. Still my place after all the years.

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Never visited the "Clootie Well" in Munlochy but promise to make time for it when next spending a day in Inverness.

Smoo Cave is great. If you look out towards the sea you can judge where the cave once extended to by the height and steepness of the cliffs for about a hundred yards or so. They still do the boat trips deep into the cave. In all, a bit bigger than the sandstone caves in the city of Notty.

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I have, as mentioned, tended in the past to stay in North West Scotland on my various jaunts to that part of the world. On very wet weather days when walking was not such an attractive proposition, I'd often take the drive over to the east around Inverness and upwards and was seldom disappointed. There is so much of interest to explore. The North West may have the edge on sheer scenic grandeur but it's opposite side has much to commend it, especially if one is interested in history and in particular the Picts.

Back to Arnold for a moment and I'm not sure if you have ever happened across the two following books by former Arnold FC player, Roger Rann, Compo? maybe don't be too put off if football is not your bag as not only do they chronicle the life and times of the local football club but they document well, a time and events in Arnold that might be of interest to you.

Kings of the Recs! An Evolving History of Football in Arnold, Nottingham. Rovers' and Marys' Battle for Supremacy 1946-1958

When Marys Were Kings!: Volume 2 in the Kings of the Recs! Series: Lady Chatterley, The Beatles, Arnold St Marys FC...and much, much more

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Will check out the books Stu, thanks. I once spent an afternoon watching Arnold St. Mary's losing 1-3 to Bristol Rovers in the third round of the FA Cup at home. That must have been about 1967ish. I had an uncle who played for the Pakamount (sp?) team. Their home ground was somewhere in Basford I think. Having said that, I'm no fooptie fan really. Used to watch Notts County occasionally; was sworn at by the opposition goalkeeper once - sound carried over a near empty stadium :-(

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Re the barbers shop near the bridge...still there in '71...the opposite side of the alley was a cafe at that time.The amusement machine place was entered through a door in the barbers doorway and ran all the way down to the brook..Woolhouse and Co.

Also entered from that barbers doorway was the upstairs premises of a spiritualist church.Down the alley was Walkers garage (ground floor) and Majors engineering works.The whole block was owned by an old guy called Dencher who lived in Skegness...a sort of older lookalike of Old man Steptoe.The whole block was made out of demolition junk...how he got planning God only knows.Looking up, the first floor had doors in it with letterboxes.. :wacko:

I rented the bottom workshop off him overlooking the brook and cricket field.It was made out of old crap timber and had a tin roof.My dogs used to run across the brook and play on the field.He sold the site to B&Q for their car park for 120 grand.

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.Down the alley was Walkers garage (ground floor) and Majors engineering works.

Was Walker's garage a motorbike dealers?

Back in the early 60s when I was a kid, my dad owned motorbikes and I can remember going with him round the various bike dealers looking at what they had in stock - usually on Sunday mornings. So we went to places like Kingstons and Dawsons in town; but we also went to one at Daybrook - just on the Nottingham side of the old railway bridge.

And I've never been able to remember the name of that place - my dad just referred to it as "Daybrook Bridge"

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Apologies if this appears twice - I tried to respond via email and it hasn't appeared:

That's a fascinating account Poohbear; excellent gen. I had been

thinking about asking of the Garage but you answered the question of

who the owners were. Did Walkers also own the garage across the road

adjacent to Bedale Road and the works next to the aforesaid building

block?

Cheers,

Compo in Caithness

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Ditto this post:

I bought my Lambretta from Jocelyn's. In it's later years it was

owned/managed by a Morris Dancer who's name escapes me for the moment

although I recall, his wife was known as Maz. There was a motorbike

shop at the junction of Morris Street and Mansfield Road not far from

Hammond's Garage and the shops at the foot of St Alban's Road.

Cheers,

Compo in Caithness

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The Old Map from the 1960s might answer a few questions. You can see the word "Garage" twice in the area on the east side of Mansfield Road, as well as the "Garage" on the Bedale side, which is now (still?) a Kwikfit or something similar.

So what were the group of buildings right up next to the railway bridge, which include the place shown in Stu's photo?

I think the motorbike place I'm trying to remember is the site of the two "Garages" opposite Bedale (where a row of garages backs on to the Day Brook)

daybrook.jpg

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Vale motors it was! Well remembered that man :o) Ah, just had a thought.....was Vale motors on the same side as the Vale hotel or was it on the Bedale Road side? Or did they both belong to the same owner?

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Vale motors was on the same side as the vale pub, probably where they got the name from.

At about the same time Comet had a repair place at the back in an old brick building, that is when thay actually fixed things. They had a shop there in the 80s, but I think it is a carpet shop now, they are on the small retail park opposite.

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Regarding the 2 filling stations, being opposite each other, sadly there is only the 1 left. Along Mansfield road from Sherwood there was

just past Woodthorpe drive 1 on right side

the 1 where Frank keys is on Mansfield road

Where Nottingham vw is at junction of Oxclose lane, used to be hammonds

I seem to remember 1 on the right hand side at Redhill

I am not sure if the Shell station at Redhill is closed as well.

I suppose once supermarkets started selling fuel the smaller retailers could'nt cope

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There were two on the east side of Mansfield Road at Redhill, Ray. The premises on the corner of Redhill Road and Mansfield Road which is now a car rental business used to have pumps when it was owned by the Hutchinsons and chiefly sold VW motors. There was also another one just beyond The Waggon and Horses which is now a second-hand car sales business. The one on Lea Poole roundabout is still there. So many have disappeared

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