Old Photos For No Reason Whatsoever

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The Valley was fantastic in the early days. We had our own garden and an inside toilet, luxury.

Where Herding's Park is now were open fields. At the edge of Norton Avenue was a copse with two small ponds containing frogs and newts. We spent hours in there wading in our wellies catching and releasing the same creatures time and time again.

Across Norton Avenue, which was single carriageway at the time, was Lightwood Lane, a little bit of the countryside right on your doorstep.

We used to walk to the end of the Lane, then over the fields down to Ford, then walk back up the hill to Ridgeway and then back on White Lane to Gleadless Town End and onwards to home.

Those halcyon days seemed to last forever and it sounds a bit of a cliche now, but they truly were "Happy days."

Lovely stuff mate.

This current sunny, warm weather reminded me of Gleadless Valley in the hot summers of 1976 and 1977. Me and my mates did that walk down Lightwood Lane, past the farms that sold eggs and milk, one had a steam engine in the drive, and down to Ford. On rare occasions, the Water Tower would be open to the public, and you could go to the top and admire the views.

There was usually a fair opposite, with Speedway, Waltzer, etc.

All of the this to the soundtrack of Cockney Rebel, or Disco or Punk.

As you say, "Happy Days".
 
Mucky Duck.

Pistols played there in 76 and the Clash supported at their first ever gig. To my eternal shame I was a silly 12 year old and never went.

I think the knowledge that I misssed this magic moment is history is what has made me such a miserable old wanker.
Bert saw them in May 1976 in Lincoln.
 
We used to walk to the end of the Lane, then over the fields down to Ford, then walk back up the hill to Ridgeway and then back on White Lane to Gleadless Town End and onwards to home.

I was born at Gleadless Town End but moved when I was 7.

I remember playing out on the rec and there always seemed to be a dumped old mini in the woods. I remember the fairs up at the water tower too. Straw underfoot and the smell of candyfloss, hot dogs and diesel.

This is becoming a real nostalgia fest for old farts......
 
I was born at Gleadless Town End but moved when I was 7.

I remember playing out on the rec and there always seemed to be a dumped old mini in the woods. I remember the fairs up at the water tower too. Straw underfoot and the smell of candyfloss, hot dogs and diesel.

This is becoming a real nostalgia fest for old farts......

My second house was just round the corner from the Rec, a great place, right on the edge of the countryside (as I am now, as you know mate, but the other side of the city)
 
Picture011.jpg
At he right side of this photo is the junction of Norfolk Street and Howard Street. The dour shop on the corner became a "boutique" called Lift Up Your Skirt and Fly in the late 60's.

My sister worked there and you could actually gain access to the upper floors of the building. Although it looks impressive from the outside the upper floors were in a very poor state of repair and were quite dangerous to explore.

That whole side of Norfolk Stret was later demolished to make way for the "egg box" Town Hall extension , which, in turn, has also bitten the dust.
 
With 'Pauldens' on the left at the top of the Moor (now Debenhams). If they didn't have what your mum wanted then you schlepped up to Walshes (became Rackhams then House of Fraser then T J HUghes and now Poundland!) or even Cockaynes. If you were lucky she'd stick you in the ABC saturday morning club while she browsed. If you were unlucky, you had to watch your mum trying on 15 pairs of brown shoes that all looked the same.

Then down to the Sheaf and Castle markets. On no account could all fruit and veg be bought from the same stall. Apples here, potatoes there and 'we're not paying 1/3' for a cauli, the robdogs!'

Town with your mum - how the time just flew by.......
Are we related? Or did you borrow my mum?
 
I was born at Gleadless Town End but moved when I was 7.

I remember playing out on the rec and there always seemed to be a dumped old mini in the woods. I remember the fairs up at the water tower too. Straw underfoot and the smell of candyfloss, hot dogs and diesel.

This is becoming a real nostalgia fest for old farts......
I thought that nostalgia for old farts was the whole raison d'etre the Old Photos For No Reason section :confused:
 
I was born at Gleadless Town End but moved when I was 7.

I remember playing out on the rec and there always seemed to be a dumped old mini in the woods. I remember the fairs up at the water tower too. Straw underfoot and the smell of candyfloss, hot dogs and diesel.

This is becoming a real nostalgia fest for old farts......

I grew up just off Gleadless Common when it was a common. They then built the new Central Tech. School on it but when we moved in to our new house it was fields all the way up to Hurlfield schools.
We used to do similar walks down Lightwood Lane and cut across the fields to Ford then catch the 99? bus home.
 
With 'Pauldens' on the left at the top of the Moor (now Debenhams). If they didn't have what your mum wanted then you schlepped up to Walshes (became Rackhams then House of Fraser then T J HUghes and now Poundland!) or even Cockaynes. If you were lucky she'd stick you in the ABC saturday morning club while she browsed. If you were unlucky, you had to watch your mum trying on 15 pairs of brown shoes that all looked the same.

Then down to the Sheaf and Castle markets. On no account could all fruit and veg be bought from the same stall. Apples here, potatoes there and 'we're not paying 1/3' for a cauli, the robdogs!'

Town with your mum - how the time just flew by.......

Memories! Castle market for meat, fish and then fruit and veg. Always tried to get her to go upstairs in the sheaf market to the café, as they did massive chip butties. Rarely happened, if I was lucky I might have got a bag of broken biscuits. I miss loose biscuits!

 
Memories! Castle market for meat, fish and then fruit and veg. Always tried to get her to go upstairs in the sheaf market to the café, as they did massive chip butties. Rarely happened, if I was lucky I might have got a bag of broken biscuits. I miss loose biscuits!

My dad used to bring home a paper bag full of broken biscuits from Woolies on the Moor every friday night.
By the time I had a saturday job at Tescos they were all in packets so we could really only break one type of biscuit at a time, which wasn't nearly as enjoyable
 

Memories! Castle market for meat, fish and then fruit and veg. Always tried to get her to go upstairs in the sheaf market to the café, as they did massive chip butties. Rarely happened, if I was lucky I might have got a bag of broken biscuits. I miss loose biscuits!

I used to get a bag of scraps from Freidricks? pork butchers ont Wicker. I’d stand outside the shop whilst my mum and grandma bought bacon etc for the week and watch out for trains going over the arches.
 
What did he tell you they were like?

(Sorry couldn't resist, but on this occassion I won't post the Chris Hoye quote).
He said that they were paid £50 and were nowt like he'd seen before.
 
My dad used to bring home a paper bag full of broken biscuits from Woolies on the Moor every friday night.
By the time I had a saturday job at Tescos they were all in packets so we could really only break one type of biscuit at a time, which wasn't nearly as enjoyable

That pic was taken at Woolies on Haymarket, I understand.
 
My dad used to bring home a paper bag full of broken biscuits from Woolies on the Moor every friday night.
By the time I had a saturday job at Tescos they were all in packets so we could really only break one type of biscuit at a time, which wasn't nearly as enjoyable

That pic was taken at Woolies on Haymarket, I understand.

I guess it would be this Woolworths, the building that was the old market before it was demolished.

 
I grew up just off Gleadless Common when it was a common. They then built the new Central Tech. School on it but when we moved in to our new house it was fields all the way up to Hurlfield schools.
We used to do similar walks down Lightwood Lane and cut across the fields to Ford then catch the 99? bus home.
Catch a bus home? BUS? Shank's pony for us every time. Or, if we wanted to express ourselves a bit, we would do a pretend gallop by holding out one hand ( as if holding reins) while simultaneously slapping your arse with the other and and shouting, "Hi ho Silver, away." That always got you home a bit quicker.
 
Catch a bus home? BUS? Shank's pony for us every time. Or, if we wanted to express ourselves a bit, we would do a pretend gallop by holding out one hand ( as if holding reins) while simultaneously slapping your arse with the other and and shouting, "Hi ho Silver, away." That always got you home a bit quicker.
My kids do that now
 
Catch a bus home? BUS? Shank's pony for us every time. Or, if we wanted to express ourselves a bit, we would do a pretend gallop by holding out one hand ( as if holding reins) while simultaneously slapping your arse with the other and and shouting, "Hi ho Silver, away." That always got you home a bit quicker.


Getting on and not enjoying walking so much these days, I get around with a hoop and stick. Had them stolen once, l had to walk home, which was a bit of a bastard.
 
Here's a different angle from a bit later. I'd make it mid-70s

Thanks again SEB, got this one but not the previous one. I prefer the Xmas one to any others I've seen because with the lights on there is much more detail of the shop it's self. The entrance was somewhat unique with a horseshoe shaped area, open to the public 24/7,the doors being set well back in the bend of the horseshoe. Great on a wet night traversing City Hall/cinemas to Pond St. with a nice girl and a little time to spare or any time for that matter, memories eh.
 
This ones a cracker too, can see the bloody dress as well
:rolleyes:
, wonder what year it is? Saw this after I posted about previous one may be confusing certainly is to me. My typing skills are close to zero, finger ends getting sore have to put Marrigolds on, like being back at work again. Thanks again.
 
Len Badger looks a bit like Billy Sharp
Do you mean they are related? I do believe when Birch' first came to United he billeted with Badger's mum on Newlands Rd/Drive/Grove Sheff12 area.
 
Do you mean they are related? I do believe when Birch' first came to United he billeted with Badger's mum on Newlands Rd/Drive/Grove Sheff12 area.
Just seems to be a resemblance
 
Thanks again SEB, got this one but not the previous one. I prefer the Xmas one to any others I've seen because with the lights on there is much more detail of the shop it's self. The entrance was somewhat unique with a horseshoe shaped area, open to the public 24/7,the doors being set well back in the bend of the horseshoe. Great on a wet night traversing City Hall/cinemas to Pond St. with a nice girl and a little time to spare or any time for that matter, memories eh.

I remember it vaguely from my early days. I think it closed as a bridal shop some time in the late 70s, early 80s. Then, of course the Orchard Square development changed that area completely.
 

Mucky Duck.

Pistols played there in 76 and the Clash supported at their first ever gig. To my eternal shame I was a silly 12 year old and never went.

I think the knowledge that I misssed this magic moment is history is what has made me such a miserable old wanker.
My first ever album was bought up on the gallery at Castle Market, I hunted everywhere for that album "Rock 'n' Roll Swindle" it was 1976 (I think), can't remember the record shop name.
 

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