Old Photos For No Reason Whatsoever

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Hamburg Blade said:
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.
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Seem to remember it was down to cost. Not surprising given how many days a year it was able to sensibly open and be used in Sheffield climes, possibly less than 20? (or have I become soft living down here?)

I remember at school a pronounciation debate.

Was it pronounced Lie-do or Lee-do?

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Isaw Joeshaw said:
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 .
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About that time you mention there was, I believe, another character around Darnall, nicknamed "Joe Bug" I am told he wore a large tan overcoat, any one know about him?
 
Silent Blade said:
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
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He looks a sad figure in that photo SB, I vaguely remember his traffic directing on the High Street in Town, although he was not from my side of the City.
Many people still talk of him with affection, but I believe he could also have suffered from erratic behaviour. I think at some time he lived near Whitby Road school in Darnall, and was subject to abuse and ridicule from the local school children and probably, not surprisingly due to his circumstances reacted as such.
 
Canterbury Blade said:
Seem to remember it was down to cost. Not surprising given how many days a year it was able to sensibly open and be used in Sheffield climes, possibly less than 20? (or have I become soft living down here?)

I remember at school a pronounciation debate.

Was it pronounced Lie-do or Lee-do?

Views?
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Maybe not surprising, but also not surprising that the council didn't take a wider view on something fairly special and loved by many.
I pronounce it Lie-do.
 
Wapping Blade said:
Knew I had a photo of it, September 2018.

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Talk of the boating pond and cafe reminds me of another stunt we got up to.
At that time, early 60's, most pop sold from the cafe was in glass bottles, with a refund given for returns ( 1d, or maybe 3d 🤔)
At first we used to scour the park for empties and then return them. We soon spotted that the ladies in the cafe then stuck the empties outside the back of the cafe in crates..
So. ..from then on our scouring trips became much shorter - our version of recycling, way ahead of time.. It took them a couple of weeks to cotton on.
Below, a couple more pics, including the remains of the draughts board.
Again photos from May 93

Millhouses park M May 1993.jpg

Millhouses park J May 1993.jpg

Millhouses park L May 1993.jpg

Millhouses park T May 1993.jpg
 
JohnDenver said:
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.
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I dont know if this would be appropriate but couldnt they have had a salt water pool ? We converted our chlorine pool in Buffalo to salt water 5 years ago ,so much cheaper and easier to maintain and much better on your skin . Just dont swallow it.
and it was Lie -dough.
 

HodgysBrokenThumb said:
That is a strong army team. Please tell me Hodgy kept a clean sheet.
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Like the Coronation St character, who's name alludes me, "I don't really know", but will endeavour to find out.
I would like to know the Naval ranks, if any one knows, don't think Pommpy slums it on here too often. He'll know.
PO, Petty Officer only one I can decipher.
 
XM657 said:
Like the Coronation St character, who's name alludes me, "I don't really know", but will endeavour to find out.
I would like to know the Naval ranks, if any one knows, don't think Pommpy slums it on here too often. He'll know.
PO, Petty Officer only one I can decipher.
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Mavis Riley XM657, happy to help 🙂

As for Naval rankings, no idea either. I happen to know that Watton isn’t on the coast, it’s on the broads somewhere, I had no idea that there were ever Naval bases inland, perhaps that’s where they post the sailors who get seasick?
 
ancientblade said:
that double save by montgomery still one of the best 3 saves ive seen in 60 years others both banksy pele in world cup and geoff hurst penalty in league cup semi about 72
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Does anyone else remember Jim Brown’s fantastic double save against Chelsea when tipped a vicious low drive onto the inside of the post then hurled himself back across the goal to save from a Chelsea player who had smashed the rebound from 6 yards out ?

As good as any I’ve ever seen .
 
Isaw Joeshaw said:
Does anyone else remember Jim Brown’s fantastic double save against Chelsea when tipped a vicious low drive onto the inside of the post then hurled himself back across the goal to save from a Chelsea player who had smashed the rebound from 6 yards out ?

As good as any I’ve ever seen .
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was probably there but cant remember it he dropped a few clangers anall did jimbob lol alan kelly also made some amazing saves for us
 
Isaw Joeshaw said:
Does anyone else remember Jim Brown’s fantastic double save against Chelsea when tipped a vicious low drive onto the inside of the post then hurled himself back across the goal to save from a Chelsea player who had smashed the rebound from 6 yards out ?

As good as any I’ve ever seen .
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Not forgetting his penalty save from John Hollins. He also knocked himself out on tbe post making a blinding save against Wolves the same season. Still my goalkeeping hero for that one season alone.
 

Greenwich Blade said:
Not forgetting his penalty save from John Hollins. He also knocked himself out on tbe post making a blinding save against Wolves the same season. Still my goalkeeping hero for that one season alone.
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Gave the best goalkeeping display Ive ever seen from any keeper at St james Park in a 1-1- draw boxing day in 1975. Both teams and the ref applauded him from the pitch.
 
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