Base Green history?

[puddinburner]

I just remembered speaking of old pit's, does anyone recall the time when this lad fell down a shaft in Birley wood and ended up being rescued from under the GYM floor at Thornbridge (now Birley school) who was he? what's he doing now?

[Karukai]

Was the name on the sellers bit Fidler? old Frank was the farmer opposite The old Harrow, not sure if he also owned The old Basegreen Farm too or it could have been the other big farming families of Rhodes and cartilledge.

We had real fun School times at Charnock when his cows used to escape onto our playing field..lol They sometimes ventured as far as Jaunty Park too, which was hillarious, seeing the bobbies from Hackenthorpe chasing them all over.

 

Fidler does sound familiar - I'll have a look at the papers tonight and see what I can find.

[Kidorry]

I think the Rhodes family owned the farm opposite the old harrow.I think the Fidlers were more towards Ridgeway.

[GCRL]

I think the Rhodes family owned the farm opposite the old harrow.I think the Fidlers were more towards Ridgeway.

 

Yes. opposite the Old Harrow pub the farmer was called Colin Rhodes he lived there with his sister, he never married he also owned the farm further up the road just before the Phenix pub. Frank Fidler had his farm at the bottom of Carter Hall Lane.

[crookesey]

Yes. opposite the Old Harrow pub the farmer was called Colin Rhodes he lived there with his sister, he never married he also owned the farm further up the road just before the Phenix pub. Frank Fidler had his farm at the bottom of Carter Hall Lane.

 

 

Albert and Zena Fidler (AZENA) lived in a farmhouse at the rear of what was then a field, between the library(then the scout hut) and KwikSave (then the AZENA Ballroom). They sold the field and farmhouse to a builder and moved into a ground floor flat at the rear of the ballroom.

 

Geoff & Pete Stringfellow booked The Beatles for next to nowt for one appearance at the AZENA, they had been appearing in London prior to returning to Liverpool and accepted the Strigfellows offer because they were broke when the offer was made, however they had Love me do in the charts when they appeared at the AZENA.

[puddinburner]

Yes. opposite the Old Harrow pub the farmer was called Colin Rhodes he lived there with his sister, he never married he also owned the farm further up the road just before the Phenix pub. Frank Fidler had his farm at the bottom of Carter Hall Lane.

 

Birdfied Farm?? I remember an old German lady who lived there, she sold lovely eggs:hihi:

Really interesting about Colin, I always thought the lady there WAS his wife obviously not but do recall the Rhodes's from ridgeway having a lot to do with the farm when the old lady passed on, before they sold it to the developers. They rebuilt the house and made the cow sheds/ barns into cottages. I often wonder who would actually buy one, so close to that main road and tram tracks.

[Gemima]

I lived at Birley and went to Thornbridge and Birley Schools. I spent much of my youth at Basegreen and Charnock with school friends. I have fond memories of the area and can remember school trips to the farm opposite the old harrow and the school holidays spent at Ford, Ridgeway and Robins Brook.

 

The farm on Thornbridge Road was called Birley Hall Farm and was bought at some point by Sheffield City Council and rented out. It has now been demolished and new houses have been built on the site.

 

I also can confirm the beatles playing at the Azena. My friends father was a doorman at the time.

[GCRL]

I lived on the Birley in the 50s & 60s, the farmers name was Jimmy Rhodes, you are quite right the farm was compulsory purchased in the early 60s and mr Rhodes bought a farm down Lightwood lane at Norton, i spent quite a bit of time at the farm. The farm was never rented out as a working farm after mr Rhodes left but when the buildings were demolished the large farm house was let to a family called the Skinners. By the way Mr Rhodes favourite saying when anyone had done well was "tha weth a cow lad".

[puddinburner]

In the mid-70's, Sheffield had a good jump jockey who came from Base Green, Steve Taylor, and I think he may have lived on that very road, Lister Way? It won't change your lifestyle but worth a mention in the area's history.

 

LOL well I never!!! I lived on Lister way too, happy memories!!!

[DIDO]

I seem to remember a lad of Lister Way becoming a caddy for a famous golfer, unfortunatley I cant remember his name. This was when i lived on Lister Place, over forty years ago.