Graves Park, Leave your memories here

[grannypat]

I lived at Woodseats, walked up from Helmton Road through Bluebell Wood, through the farmyard(can't do that now).

In the 60's we would meet in front of the cafe and play football every night and Sunday afternoons. My mates were Roger Buckley, Barry Falcon, Paul Foxton and Dave Smith and too many more to mention, Dave Munks and Mick Hill(ex Sheff Utd) used to join in sometimes, it was great.

But then I discovered beer and women.

I don't know if it's me or not but when you go back to view the places you used to frequent they always look smaller.

It would be great to see my old mates.

 

Hi Billam,

 

You mentioned the name Dave Smith. Did he live across from the park on Meadowhead and did he also work at the S & E Co-op (Arcade) at the bottom of The Moor? A few of us ex-employees from there are trying to get back in contact with each other and that was the name of another of our work colleagues from the 60s. Any help with recent whereabouts would be great.

Not an easy name to research.

My memories of the park was when I was at infant school. As part of the rounders team we used to take part in the Saturday all day knock out tournament on the big field. I remember we used to take sandwiches and usually a frozen Jubbly (remember them?) I also cannot remember it ever raining. Halcyon days.

 

Grannypat

[lovedubai]

Went to Woodseats Juniors in the late sixties.We didn't have a playing field so in the cricket season two of us ten year olds would get the bus at the bottom of Scarsdale Rd with a big bag of cricket equipment and get off at the main park gates.We set up the equipment ready for the rest of the class who were walked up through the woods by the teacher (old man Kelly) Don't think it would happen now without an in-depth risk assessment!

 

Old man Kelly was my uncle.

[Billam]

Hi Billam,

 

You mentioned the name Dave Smith. Did he live across from the park on Meadowhead and did he also work at the S & E Co-op (Arcade) at the bottom of The Moor? A few of us ex-employees from there are trying to get back in contact with each other and that was the name of another of our work colleagues from the 60s. Any help with recent whereabouts would be great.

Not an easy name to research.

My memories of the park was when I was at infant school. As part of the rounders team we used to take part in the Saturday all day knock out tournament on the big field. I remember we used to take sandwiches and usually a frozen Jubbly (remember them?) I also cannot remember it ever raining. Halcyon days.

 

Grannypat

 

Hello there,

 

No sorry he lived at meersbrook.

[HARTLES]

Old man Kelly was my uncle.

 

He was one of those old fashioned teachers who took no nonsense but earned everyones respect.He was very handy at blackboard rubber throwing as well! Remember getting the rounders bat from him for going into the girls playground.(And I don't mean as a present)

[lovedubai]

He was one of those old fashioned teachers who took no nonsense but earned everyones respect.He was very handy at blackboard rubber throwing as well! Remember getting the rounders bat from him for going into the girls playground.(And I don't mean as a present)

 

Yep, that sounds right!

[ptrA]

As a young lad I fished the first two ponds and if the "Parkie" was not around the boating lake too (a breeding pond). Then a few years on it was the Sunday monkey run. Lads a lasses spent the afternoon walking through the park and sometimes we were lucky. Then as a Dad I took my son & daughter on the boats (come in number four) whilst my wife was preparing dinner. I go now sometimes on a Saturday morning to watch my son , "Run in the Park".

[cashmere]

I can remember Graves park because we used to live on Warminster Road which was literally across the road. Spent many days there with the children walking around and looking at the animals in the small farm area they had there.

Its still the same when we revisited it after 10 years abroad. Had a couple of childrens parties in the cafe and went to huge bonfire nights when they still had them there. It was great!

The road outside our house was chock a block with cars parked there for the event.

My kids got into all kinds of mischief around the boating lake messing around. It was finally closed after someone fell in and drowned.

We are visiting in 2015 and will no doubt have a walk down memory lane.

[LAURA4]

Is it my imagination, but on the Chesterfield Road/ Meadowhead side, wasn't there some kind of overgrown concrete amphitheatre ??

 

It's not your imaination,it was an open air theatre,when we were kids we used to have"concerts" there,it had a high bank at the back with long stone tiers leading dow to the stage,in a semicircle.Lgend has it that under the stage was a tunnel leading to Beauchief Abbey.Iwas born about a hundred yards from there, on Harvey Clough Road,Im 76 now but oh! the memories are still fresh.The reason the birds don't sing in Bunting Nook, is because it's haunted as is the bit of the park that runs along Hemsworth roadther used to be two swans on what became the boating lake during the war, called Adolf and Rommel,one of them chased my Aunt,who was pushing my pram at the time,all the way from the lake across the park and up the road

[Billam]

I grew up in Woodseats, Graves Park played a big part in my life. I played Sunday league football there, also in summer Sunday afternoon and night and every night Mon to Friday I met my mates and played football.I have been back, a lot of the soccer pitches are gone, there used to be seats around the trees, no more, no more boats on the lake. They seem to be letting nature reclaim some parts, the grass used to be kept really trimmed..

[parkydave]

Used to love Graves Park . I was brought up at the north side of Sheffield and travelling to graves was a good day out , great park . Then moved to Dronfield 76 and used the park much more but like you have mentioned it is a bit neglected in places now . I have seen . first hand what is happening to parks and it is sad . Not all the demise can be blamed on lack of money in Dronfields case for example its now bad management and a useless council.