Old Photos For No Reason Whatsoever

[Wapping Blade]

May 1993
Millhouses Park at probably its lowest ebb.
I've got so many wonderful childhood memories of that park from quite a few years earlier.. That's where I transformed into Lev Yashin every Saturday morning, wearing the obligatory all-black kit - with black woolly gloves if it was really muddy. We usually only had casey kick-ins but, in my own little world at least, I felt unbeatable in that attire.
The unique combined leather and mud smell still lingers, even now.

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Those big trees in your 4th picture were our goalposts when playing togga with my dad.

 

[Wapping Blade]

My childhood in those pictures ,from the Lido as a pigeon chested tosser thinking I was it to playing paddle tennis and draughts on the big board. My highlight was playing SPOT against the wall across the river on the top field ,they should make Utd players do it ,too soft you had to retrieve from the river, too high you could get it on the railways lines. Great times and look what our brilliant council did to it.

Ha - I’d completely forgotten paddle tennis!

 

[BadgersBigToe]

May 1993
Millhouses Park at probably its lowest ebb.
I've got so many wonderful childhood memories of that park from quite a few years earlier.. That's where I transformed into Lev Yashin every Saturday morning, wearing the obligatory all-black kit - with black woolly gloves if it was really muddy. We usually only had casey kick-ins but, in my own little world at least, I felt unbeatable in that attire.
The unique combined leather and mud smell still lingers, even now.

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Remember as a young un the park in those days, used to get the 56 bus off the Wybourn then a 17or 24 bus to the park.......felt like we’d gone half way across the country...happy days.
Now live a minute or two from the park and walk through everyday, still love the place, a daily coffee from the cafe has helped keep me sane this year.

 

[singaporeblade]

used to be a few skirmishes in front of the old cricket pavilion between united and away fans can remember leeds fans doing that route a couple of times from lane end trying to get on kop and both times coming off second best only time they managed it was at easter 74 when 10k of the b******s congregated on the kop 2 hours before kick off

Derby County was another mob that walked half way round to be confronted by the lads from the kop....the police intervened and both groups returned to base!

 

[ancientblade]

Derby County was another mob that walked half way round to be confronted by the lads from the kop....the police intervened and both groups returned to base!

derbys pop side crew had 3 or 4 goes at getting to united in cup tie 1970 and got sent packing each time they tried it

 

[Hamburg Blade]

May 1993
Millhouses Park at probably its lowest ebb.
I've got so many wonderful childhood memories of that park from quite a few years earlier.. That's where I transformed into Lev Yashin every Saturday morning, wearing the obligatory all-black kit - with black woolly gloves if it was really muddy. We usually only had casey kick-ins but, in my own little world at least, I felt unbeatable in that attire.
The unique combined leather and mud smell still lingers, even now.

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I also have happy memories of Millhouses Park. Goodness knows why they let the Lido go to wrack and ruin. Everybody loved it. Typical Sheffield Council.

 

[BushBlade]

May 1993
Millhouses Park at probably its lowest ebb.
I've got so many wonderful childhood memories of that park from quite a few years earlier.. That's where I transformed into Lev Yashin every Saturday morning, wearing the obligatory all-black kit - with black woolly gloves if it was really muddy. We usually only had casey kick-ins but, in my own little world at least, I felt unbeatable in that attire.
The unique combined leather and mud smell still lingers, even now.

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Wasn’t there a boating lake there? With little boats that had crank handles to turn paddles? I remember that being used as a sort of bargaining tool by my mum when she dragged me round town shopping; if I behaved myself we could go to the park and go on the boats.

 

[Blade.com]

used to be a few skirmishes in front of the old cricket pavilion between united and away fans can remember leeds fans doing that route a couple of times from lane end trying to get on kop and both times coming off second best only time they managed it was at easter 74 when 10k of the b******s congregated on the kop 2 hours before kick off

Remember one Leeds game , not sure of the year but definitely a night match, early 70s . You could see Leeds fans encroaching slowly past the pavilion and getting nearer and nearer to the Kop. They must have made it because it sounded like world war 3 had started at the back of the kop. You then braced yourself for the surge down , you knew that was coming and what it meant was going to happen to your ribs. Oh happy days.

 

[Blade.com]

Those big trees in your 4th picture were our goalposts when playing togga with my dad.

We always called it togga. No idea why though?. Tha Lakin togga. Must have started somewhere.

 

[Wapping Blade]

We always called it togga. No idea why though?. Tha Lakin togga. Must have started somewhere.

Got it off my dad, he always called it that.

 

[Wapping Blade]

Wasn’t there a boating lake there? With little boats that had crank handles to turn paddles? I remember that being used as a sort of bargaining tool by my mum when she dragged me round town shopping; if I behaved myself we could go to the park and go on the boats.

It’s still there. In non-COVID times I meet my mum for a coffee at the cafe next to it.

 

[BadgersBigToe]

Wasn’t there a boating lake there? With little boats that had crank handles to turn paddles? I remember that being used as a sort of bargaining tool by my mum when she dragged me round town shopping; if I behaved myself we could go to the park and go on the boats.

As WB say, it’s still there. Probably going to want dredging prior to next use as hundreds of twigs/branches were thrown on it last week try to crack the ice.

 

[BadgersBigToe]

It’s still there. In non-COVID times I meet my mum for a coffee at the cafe next to it.

Still can mate (unless your mum’s shielding)....had one every day for last few weeks (except when they were closed for Xmas hols)

 

[N20 Blade]

no idea how to make this bigger ............ i am 58 after all

I used to love getting the green un on west street with my dad. My kids' generation just can't get their heads round the fact that we used to get the day's results that way. Absolutely brilliant memories. What I had forgotten was that we were only 4th at that stage of the season. I thought we were second for most of that year after the Christmas/new year wobble. Clearly not! I guess we had games in hand due to the cup run and must have won them?

 

[Wapping Blade]

Still can mate (unless your mum’s shielding)....had one every day for last few weeks (except when they were closed for Xmas hols)

Aye but I used to cycle-train-cycle to there, now I drive to outside her house and we walk from there.

 

[BadgersBigToe]

Aye but I used to cycle-train-cycle to there, now I drive to outside her house and we walk from there.

welcome to civilisation

 

[Robby Blade]

Remember as a young un the park in those days, used to get the 56 bus off the Wybourn then a 17or 24 bus to the park.......felt like we’d gone half way across the country...happy days.
Now live a minute or two from the park and walk through everyday, still love the place, a daily coffee from the cafe has helped keep me sane this year.

Millhouse Park was the highlight of the summer holidays as a kid. A special treat would be getting the tram back home via Beauchief and Abbey Lane to see how the other half lived.

 

[LSF]

I remember the first time off the top splash at the lido. Early 60's.
Queued to get up there, walked to edge, looked down and thought, fuck that, I'm climbing back down steps.
Big kid who was next after me just said, fuckin jump young un, cos you aren't coming back this way!
Gerronimo!
Jesus! It was high!

 

[sitwell]

As WB say, it’s still there. Probably going to want dredging prior to next use as hundreds of twigs/branches were thrown on it last week try to crack the ice.

I got thrown in by my mates on my 14th birthday after getting the bumps. Its only about 3 foot deep and it was loppy.

 

[BadgersBigToe]

I got thrown in by my mates on my 14th birthday after getting the bumps. Its only about 3 foot deep and it was loppy.

Don’t worry Sitwell, we’ll get you out on the dredging

 

[Wapping Blade]

It’s still there. In non-COVID times I meet my mum for a coffee at the cafe next to it.

Knew I had a photo of it, September 2018.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

Not that old in the grand scheme of things but just came across this snap from Duffy's Instagram, in his early days at SUFC. July 2016, so the summer before the L1 promotion campaign.

You look at the squad and there are so many players whose careers have gone in such contrasting directions.



You also look and think, that this is just before the established 'core' that we all identify so strongly and fondly with became exactly that, established. Bash, Sharp, Duffy, Freeman, Fleck, Coutts, This is the final period before the greatness of the last several years began. Not sure who the lad next to Freeman in white is??

 

[Silent Blade]

Not that old in the grand scheme of things but just came across this snap from Duffy's Instagram, in his early days at SUFC. July 2016, so the summer before the L1 promotion campaign.

You look at the squad and there are so many players whose careers have gone in such contrasting directions.

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You also look and think, that this is just before the established 'core' that we all identify so strongly and fondly with became exactly that, established. Bash, Sharp, Duffy, Freeman, Fleck, Coutts, This is the final period before the greatness of the last several years began. Not sure who the lad next to Freeman in white is??

Kieron Wallace

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

Kieron Wallace

Ah brill, cheers Silent. I forgot he existed?!

 

[Bert]

 

[BerksBlade]

Knew I had a photo of it, September 2018.

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That bloke on the left was a bit unlucky to be sat right where the alien death ray was pointing!

 

[JohnDenver]

I also have happy memories of Millhouses Park. Goodness knows why they let the Lido go to wrack and ruin. Everybody loved it. Typical Sheffield Council.

I know some of the old water play stuff was closed as it was fed with river water. I presume the main pool was a chlorinated affair? I only remember going once as a toddler so not sure.

 

[Silent Blade]

The below photo is Harry Taylor who was a well known deaf man who frequented the Sheffield City centre in the 1930s,1940s and 1950s. He was better known as "The Duke of Darnall". My mum, my auntie and my oldest uncle remembered him well regularly directing the traffic in some places of Sheffield until the police would move him on.

Found a summary about his life in the "Sheffield In Days Gone Past" Facebook group

His real name was Harry Taylor, who lived on Darnall Road, and a clue about his daily life appeared in the Daily Mirror in 1939.
“Mr Harry Taylor is out of work and ‘deaf and dumb’, but he’s always immaculately dressed. Usually he takes an airing in black morning coat and striped trousers, with a flower in his buttonhole and carrying gloves. His manners are elegant, in keeping with his appearance.”

It appears that Harry lacked the ability to hear or speak all his life. A sign of our shameful past is that he was sacked as a core-maker at a steel works.

“Being ‘deaf and dumb’ proved a great handicap,” said Mr Antcliffe, a relative, “And he lost his job, but for some time he persevered in trying to talk, in the hopes of getting work.
“He made himself popular in the city and for some years shop managers and businessmen have kept him in clothes.”


As Harry grew older, his style of dress became even more colourful, always well-dressed, and carrying a stick or rolled-up umbrella, with monocle, bright bow-tie, bowler hat and spats.

In the 1940s and 1950s, he became known as the Duke of Darnall, with pretensions of grandeur, habiting the Darnall, Attercliffe and Haymarket areas of Sheffield, often taking over traffic control, much to the amusement of passers-by and annoyance of police, who regularly moved him on.

Harry was also referred to as ‘The Burton’s Dummy’, as he could often be found outside Burton’s on Attercliffe Road, or ‘The Toff of Sheffield’.

According to legend, Harry married a ‘deaf and dumb’ lady, and had a daughter. However, it is also said that one of Sheffield’s other eccentrics, Melanie Birch, known as Russian Edna, lodged with him until her tragic death in 1954, found murdered in a public shelter at High Hazels Park.

The date of his death is uncertain, but stories of his exploits can still be found on social media forums, including the taunts he received from cruel children who found him a figure of fun.

This eccentric old gentleman lived on in name, the Andrew’s Bus Company naming a bus after him, and a canal boat called ‘The Duke of Darnall’. Harry has also been the subject of paintings, brought to life in colour, by artists Brian Wilges and John Firminger.
And so, let us not ever forget The Duke of Darnall, a man once.

Any of you remember him?

 

[Hamburg Blade]

I know some of the old water play stuff was closed as it was fed with river water. I presume the main pool was a chlorinated affair? I only remember going once as a toddler so not sure.

I don't remember. I don't ever remember having that experience of over-chlorinated water that I've had at indoor pools, so maybe it wasn't, or maybe that doesn't mean anything. My guess is that the bill came in for repairs and maintenance and the council just closed it instead.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

The below photo is Harry Taylor who was a well known deaf man who frequented the Sheffield City centre in the 1930s,1940s and 1950s. He was better known as "The Duke of Darnall". My mum, my auntie and my oldest uncle remembered him well regularly directing the traffic in some places of Sheffield until the police would move him on.

Found a summary about his life in the "Sheffield In Days Gone Past" Facebook group

His real name was Harry Taylor, who lived on Darnall Road, and a clue about his daily life appeared in the Daily Mirror in 1939.
“Mr Harry Taylor is out of work and ‘deaf and dumb’, but he’s always immaculately dressed. Usually he takes an airing in black morning coat and striped trousers, with a flower in his buttonhole and carrying gloves. His manners are elegant, in keeping with his appearance.”

It appears that Harry lacked the ability to hear or speak all his life. A sign of our shameful past is that he was sacked as a core-maker at a steel works.

“Being ‘deaf and dumb’ proved a great handicap,” said Mr Antcliffe, a relative, “And he lost his job, but for some time he persevered in trying to talk, in the hopes of getting work.
“He made himself popular in the city and for some years shop managers and businessmen have kept him in clothes.”


As Harry grew older, his style of dress became even more colourful, always well-dressed, and carrying a stick or rolled-up umbrella, with monocle, bright bow-tie, bowler hat and spats.

In the 1940s and 1950s, he became known as the Duke of Darnall, with pretensions of grandeur, habiting the Darnall, Attercliffe and Haymarket areas of Sheffield, often taking over traffic control, much to the amusement of passers-by and annoyance of police, who regularly moved him on.

Harry was also referred to as ‘The Burton’s Dummy’, as he could often be found outside Burton’s on Attercliffe Road, or ‘The Toff of Sheffield’.

According to legend, Harry married a ‘deaf and dumb’ lady, and had a daughter. However, it is also said that one of Sheffield’s other eccentrics, Melanie Birch, known as Russian Edna, lodged with him until her tragic death in 1954, found murdered in a public shelter at High Hazels Park.

The date of his death is uncertain, but stories of his exploits can still be found on social media forums, including the taunts he received from cruel children who found him a figure of fun.

This eccentric old gentleman lived on in name, the Andrew’s Bus Company naming a bus after him, and a canal boat called ‘The Duke of Darnall’. Harry has also been the subject of paintings, brought to life in colour, by artists Brian Wilges and John Firminger.
And so, let us not ever forget The Duke of Darnall, a man once.

Any of you remember him?

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The below photo is Harry Taylor who was a well known deaf man who frequented the Sheffield City centre in the 1930s,1940s and 1950s. He was better known as "The Duke of Darnall". My mum, my auntie and my oldest uncle remembered him well regularly directing the traffic in some places of Sheffield until the police would move him on.

Found a summary about his life in the "Sheffield In Days Gone Past" Facebook group

His real name was Harry Taylor, who lived on Darnall Road, and a clue about his daily life appeared in the Daily Mirror in 1939.
“Mr Harry Taylor is out of work and ‘deaf and dumb’, but he’s always immaculately dressed. Usually he takes an airing in black morning coat and striped trousers, with a flower in his buttonhole and carrying gloves. His manners are elegant, in keeping with his appearance.”

It appears that Harry lacked the ability to hear or speak all his life. A sign of our shameful past is that he was sacked as a core-maker at a steel works.

“Being ‘deaf and dumb’ proved a great handicap,” said Mr Antcliffe, a relative, “And he lost his job, but for some time he persevered in trying to talk, in the hopes of getting work.
“He made himself popular in the city and for some years shop managers and businessmen have kept him in clothes.”


As Harry grew older, his style of dress became even more colourful, always well-dressed, and carrying a stick or rolled-up umbrella, with monocle, bright bow-tie, bowler hat and spats.

In the 1940s and 1950s, he became known as the Duke of Darnall, with pretensions of grandeur, habiting the Darnall, Attercliffe and Haymarket areas of Sheffield, often taking over traffic control, much to the amusement of passers-by and annoyance of police, who regularly moved him on.

Harry was also referred to as ‘The Burton’s Dummy’, as he could often be found outside Burton’s on Attercliffe Road, or ‘The Toff of Sheffield’.

According to legend, Harry married a ‘deaf and dumb’ lady, and had a daughter. However, it is also said that one of Sheffield’s other eccentrics, Melanie Birch, known as Russian Edna, lodged with him until her tragic death in 1954, found murdered in a public shelter at High Hazels Park.

The date of his death is uncertain, but stories of his exploits can still be found on social media forums, including the taunts he received from cruel children who found him a figure of fun.

This eccentric old gentleman lived on in name, the Andrew’s Bus Company naming a bus after him, and a canal boat called ‘The Duke of Darnall’. Harry has also been the subject of paintings, brought to life in colour, by artists Brian Wilges and John Firminger.
And so, let us not ever forget The Duke of Darnall, a man once.

Any of you remember him?

The below photo is Harry Taylor who was a well known deaf man who frequented the Sheffield City centre in the 1930s,1940s and 1950s. He was better known as "The Duke of Darnall". My mum, my auntie and my oldest uncle remembered him well regularly directing the traffic in some places of Sheffield until the police would move him on.

Found a summary about his life in the "Sheffield In Days Gone Past" Facebook group

His real name was Harry Taylor, who lived on Darnall Road, and a clue about his daily life appeared in the Daily Mirror in 1939.
“Mr Harry Taylor is out of work and ‘deaf and dumb’, but he’s always immaculately dressed. Usually he takes an airing in black morning coat and striped trousers, with a flower in his buttonhole and carrying gloves. His manners are elegant, in keeping with his appearance.”

It appears that Harry lacked the ability to hear or speak all his life. A sign of our shameful past is that he was sacked as a core-maker at a steel works.

“Being ‘deaf and dumb’ proved a great handicap,” said Mr Antcliffe, a relative, “And he lost his job, but for some time he persevered in trying to talk, in the hopes of getting work.
“He made himself popular in the city and for some years shop managers and businessmen have kept him in clothes.”


As Harry grew older, his style of dress became even more colourful, always well-dressed, and carrying a stick or rolled-up umbrella, with monocle, bright bow-tie, bowler hat and spats.

In the 1940s and 1950s, he became known as the Duke of Darnall, with pretensions of grandeur, habiting the Darnall, Attercliffe and Haymarket areas of Sheffield, often taking over traffic control, much to the amusement of passers-by and annoyance of police, who regularly moved him on.

Harry was also referred to as ‘The Burton’s Dummy’, as he could often be found outside Burton’s on Attercliffe Road, or ‘The Toff of Sheffield’.

According to legend, Harry married a ‘deaf and dumb’ lady, and had a daughter. However, it is also said that one of Sheffield’s other eccentrics, Melanie Birch, known as Russian Edna, lodged with him until her tragic death in 1954, found murdered in a public shelter at High Hazels Park.

The date of his death is uncertain, but stories of his exploits can still be found on social media forums, including the taunts he received from cruel children who found him a figure of fun.

This eccentric old gentleman lived on in name, the Andrew’s Bus Company naming a bus after him, and a canal boat called ‘The Duke of Darnall’. Harry has also been the subject of paintings, brought to life in colour, by artists Brian Wilges and John Firminger.
And so, let us not ever forget The Duke of Darnall, a man once.

Any of you remember him?

View attachment 102670

The below photo is Harry Taylor who was a well known deaf man who frequented the Sheffield City centre in the 1930s,1940s and 1950s. He was better known as "The Duke of Darnall". My mum, my auntie and my oldest uncle remembered him well regularly directing the traffic in some places of Sheffield until the police would move him on.

Found a summary about his life in the "Sheffield In Days Gone Past" Facebook group

His real name was Harry Taylor, who lived on Darnall Road, and a clue about his daily life appeared in the Daily Mirror in 1939.
“Mr Harry Taylor is out of work and ‘deaf and dumb’, but he’s always immaculately dressed. Usually he takes an airing in black morning coat and striped trousers, with a flower in his buttonhole and carrying gloves. His manners are elegant, in keeping with his appearance.”

It appears that Harry lacked the ability to hear or speak all his life. A sign of our shameful past is that he was sacked as a core-maker at a steel works.

“Being ‘deaf and dumb’ proved a great handicap,” said Mr Antcliffe, a relative, “And he lost his job, but for some time he persevered in trying to talk, in the hopes of getting work.
“He made himself popular in the city and for some years shop managers and businessmen have kept him in clothes.”


As Harry grew older, his style of dress became even more colourful, always well-dressed, and carrying a stick or rolled-up umbrella, with monocle, bright bow-tie, bowler hat and spats.

In the 1940s and 1950s, he became known as the Duke of Darnall, with pretensions of grandeur, habiting the Darnall, Attercliffe and Haymarket areas of Sheffield, often taking over traffic control, much to the amusement of passers-by and annoyance of police, who regularly moved him on.

Harry was also referred to as ‘The Burton’s Dummy’, as he could often be found outside Burton’s on Attercliffe Road, or ‘The Toff of Sheffield’.

According to legend, Harry married a ‘deaf and dumb’ lady, and had a daughter. However, it is also said that one of Sheffield’s other eccentrics, Melanie Birch, known as Russian Edna, lodged with him until her tragic death in 1954, found murdered in a public shelter at High Hazels Park.

The date of his death is uncertain, but stories of his exploits can still be found on social media forums, including the taunts he received from cruel children who found him a figure of fun.

This eccentric old gentleman lived on in name, the Andrew’s Bus Company naming a bus after him, and a canal boat called ‘The Duke of Darnall’. Harry has also been the subject of paintings, brought to life in colour, by artists Brian Wilges and John Firminger.
And so, let us not ever forget The Duke of Darnall, a man once.

Any of you remember him?

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Yes , I saw him around town on many occasions and as the article says he was always immaculately dressed . There is mention of a black morning coat etc . but I remember him mostly wearing a very expensive looking light tan coloured overcoat with a red silk handkerchief in the top pocket , Homburg hat ,spats and two tone shoes polished to perfection .

His traffic control routine was very popular and would attract a quite considerable audience . As to the annoyance this caused to the police mentioned in the article , this was not my experience . The officer who was normally on duty in Fitzallan Square , himself a colourful and well known character , would often stand aside with a smile on his face and let him get on with it .

Happy days .