Can anyone tell me about the Grand Hotel?

[Texas]

Hola Catmiss, I remember the Museum, it was like next to the last stop before the Lion at the back of the City. It went, coming from downtown, Stone House, Museum, Three Tuns, Lion, City. From Pitsmoor we could get a half in eight pubs or so, before getting in the Lion for the last one,before getting in the queue for the City.

[sweetdexter]

Hi Texas,

Your route sounds very familiar.

We used to visit your pubs .We started at ' the Black Swan'

'Dove & Rainbow' ,'Mullbery',Bell',Then we would take your route.Finishing at the 'Athol'.

My buddy was married so we would head back home.and not the City Hall.

Anyway we were in no shape for dancing.

 

Inspirsed with the half's of bitter would be a few gin& tonic's and Pernod's.

This would be 60-3-4-5

[mojoworking]

Originally posted by Freda

Mind you, working on the lift brought me in close contact with the folk who stayed there, including many big names of the day - Johnnie Ray, Frankie Laine, Guy Mitchell, Larry Parkes & Betty Garrett - and so many more.

 

Freda,

Was that Larry Parkes the actor, or Larry Parkes the famous cartoonist? Or do you mean Larry Parnes the pop impresario who discovered Billy Fury, Marty Wilde etc

[Freda]

It was Larry Parks, he played Al Jolson In The Jolson Story.

He stayed at The Grand with his wife Betty Garrett. They were appearing at the The Empire Theatre. They had a song and dance act together - which was really old hat and didn't go down very well, the theatre was half empty. He was in a terrible mood during the week he stayed - and no wonder!

He was a gorgeous looking feller tho. :-)

[Albatross]

I anyone is interested follow this li9nk for some pics

 

http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl

[owdlad]

Originally posted by Albatross

I anyone is interested follow this li9nk for some pics

 

http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl

 

Twould help if it didn't want a password to get onto the site

[Albatross]

Sorry about that it's because I took it from the pics page itself try going this way.

http://www.picturesheffield.co.uk/

[peterw]

During the war the Grand Hotel’s ‘Round Bar’ was on the left hand side of the hotel’s main entrance, and down a flight of steps — not up! It was so called because the bar was round! Seating was quite posh and it wa mainly frequented by American and Canadian soldiers. Even when beer was in short supply, I don’t think it ever closed for the odd day or two — as many local pubs did.

[CHAIRBOY]

The hotel was much bigger than just the corner bar that came into being near Leopold Street. At the Balm Green end, opposite the City Hall, was an underground car park down the left handside and then two entrances through which cars/taxis could enter and leave (forecourt). Josephine's Night Club was later built on this site. The rear entance, had a revolving door and then steps down on to Leopold Street. John Spitzer, manager of the Empire could be spotted, frequently, exiting from that entrance.

Football clubs either stayed at the Grand of the Royal Victoria. In the 60's they were virtually the only city centre hotels. Artistes appearing at the City Hall also stayed there as did cricket teams playing at Bramall Lane. I can remember an 'A' board that used to advertise the Winston Lee band. It was just inside those aforementioned revolving doors.

I can remember a few of us (still at school) wearing smart raincoats in order to gain admission, as we had autograph annuals of footballers tucked inside them, waiting to be signed!

[Freda]

QUOTE=peterw]During the war the Grand Hotel’s ‘Round Bar’ was on the left hand side of the hotel’s main entrance, and down a flight of steps — not up! It was so called because the bar was round! Seating was quite posh and it wa mainly frequented by American and Canadian soldiers. Even when beer was in short supply, I don’t think it ever closed for the odd day or two — as many local pubs did.

 

I worked at the Grand in 1956, by which time the 'Round Bar' had become a gents hardressers, so I never got to see what it was like down there. Barry was the barber and he occasonally 'came up for air' and to chat to me. I remember Johnny Sptitzer - he used to give me two free tickets for any of the shows I wanted to see at the Empire Theatre. Surprised to hear that he used the swing doors as he was a very large man ;-) I usually observed him coming in the doors at the Barkers Pool side of The Grand.

Whilst I was at the Grand, I met, Johnnie Ray, Frankie Laine, The Platters, The Harlem GlobeTrotters & American Allstars (went to see them play basket ball at the Wednesday Ground - fabulous show) Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers, David Whitfield, Jimmy Young, Lita Rosa, Hilda Baker etc. etc. Sheesh I feel old :-D