Did you ever live in Parson Cross? (Part 2)

[eightlegger]

Well the Cross had a swimming "Pool" too-- The tongue gutter!

 

If I had a penny for every time Ive fallen in there as a lad I`d be loaded now.

hi,there jabberwocky,you have brought back some memories to me regarding the tongue gutter.i first knew it as THE BROOK,when i lived on HARTLEY BROOK RD,close to BARNSLEY RD,in the early forties. we used to play in the brook down by the bottom of SMITHS gennell.it was made into a big pond to use for fire fighting during the war.we had many great times there catching tadpoles, minnows, sticklebacks etc.we got clay and made TOUCHBURNERS. sometimes we would take them home and put them in the oven to bake. my mother was very understanding .just after the war we moved to the other end of HARTLEY BROOK RD ,near to SICEY AVE. my two pals,dad(a rag man) had an allotment between SHIREGREEN and ECCLESFIELD,with a wooden bridge access over the brook many happy hours were spent at that place. we spent a couple of years on WORDSWORTH AVE at around MARGETSON.a couple of years on the manor,STANGROUND RD.(HOGGS MOVING COULD HARDLY KEEP UP WITH US) then back to HOLGATE RD ,and the tongue gutter.what wonderful memories the brook and gutter both hold for me as BOB HOPE would say {thanks for the memory} bye for now eightlegger

[Richard PX5]

My nan and grandad lived on Mansel Crescent, number 93 at the top beside the school from the 1960s-2000. Cecelia and Paddy Guckion (yes he was Irish). Does anyone remember them? She was the district nurse. They had 3 daughters Philomena, Bernadette (my mum) and Marie (yes they were a catholic family) - all went to Tommy Moores I think.

I spent a fair bit of time there as a kid in the early 1990s. I remember Molly Malone and the yellow Beetle on the drive. Her son David had a mobile shop in an old ambulance for a bit, I think he moved down Ecclesfield. Joyce lived next door and her 'friend' Jim lived on Mansel Ave. I remember Jim Cattermole opposite and Mr Pethick who lived further down the Cres. There was a lady who did my nans hair also down the road, think she was called Anne and she had a black spaniel called Rosie.

Paddy used to take me up to the Cow and Calf by going through the top school (before they put that security fence up) and then squeezing through a gap in the railings to get onto the path up to Halifax Road. We always used to go through the sewer pipe in the playground and have a look at the rabbit round the back at the nursery.

I was passing recently and had a drive up to find half the houses have been demolished and the top school has gone, sad how the area declined, my nan used to say it was the place to be at one time, with long waiting lists to get a house on there.

 

hi danimal. i remember your house at top of mansel. it was that nice one with like a cream deco. my mum used to go to anns to have her hair done and your cecilia was there at the same time. my mum knew your family well. i do remember davids beetle but dont remember the old mobile shop he had. its a shame about mansel and the demolition but had some great times there as kids

[danimal]

hi danimal. i remember your house at top of mansel. it was that nice one with like a cream deco. my mum used to go to anns to have her hair done and your cecilia was there at the same time. my mum knew your family well. i do remember davids beetle but dont remember the old mobile shop he had. its a shame about mansel and the demolition but had some great times there as kids

 

Thanks Richard, what number was your house? I'll ask my mum if she remembers.

93 did stand out because my nan and grandad bought it from the council and had it re-clad while the council kept all the others in the same style. They sold it back to the council when they moved but the cladding is still on.

I also remember there was some kind of childrens home behind their house, must have been on Halifax Rd. You could sometimes hear them playing but never saw them, it was a bit weird. The house right at the bottom of Mansel Cres next to the Chinese always seemed to have an overgrown garden and I remember thinking as a kid it must have been a drugs den or something!

[danimal]

Hi Danimal and welcome

I knew your mum and aunties well. Your mum was in my class at Tommy More's and Marie was in my younger brother's class.

Your Nan was indeed a district nurse, and she road around on a nurse's bicycle!!

The only one I ever saw.

Your mum was lovely. Very quiet in those days - I didn't see her much after junior school. I think she went on to Notre Dame? (or maybe the convent school)

Give her my regards and tell her that Sister Mercy knows everything you do

 

Cheers Bushbaby, I'm too young to have known my nan when she was a nurse but I love the image of her on a bike!

My mum did indeed go to Notre Dame and then on to university in Liverpool. She moved to Barnsley where I grew up but I now live in Sheffield, alas not at Parson X.

Marie lives in Leicestershire now, she always reminds us that Peter McNerney was in her class at Tommy Mores and he became a newsreader and then producer for Calendar. She says he lived on Wheel Lane.

Philomena is still in Sheffield, she teaches at a Primary school in Barnsley.

My nan and grandad moved to a bungalow in Elsecar in 2000 but Celia passed away xmas 2003, Paddy got alzheimers and had to go into a home, he died in 2005.

[Richard PX5]

Thanks Richard, what number was your house? I'll ask my mum if she remembers.

93 did stand out because my nan and grandad bought it from the council and had it re-clad while the council kept all the others in the same style. They sold it back to the council when they moved but the cladding is still on.

I also remember there was some kind of childrens home behind their house, must have been on Halifax Rd. You could sometimes hear them playing but never saw them, it was a bit weird. The house right at the bottom of Mansel Cres next to the Chinese always seemed to have an overgrown garden and I remember thinking as a kid it must have been a drugs den or something!

 

hi danimal. we lived at 66 mansel crescent, the last house at the bottom of mansel, 2 doors away from the chinese. my mum was called tina mcgowan and they moved onto mansel in 1969 and left 2 years ago under the demolition. she worked at the papershop for many years on chaucer when it was foggs and gt news. the neighbours was ok as bill johnson his wife and kids lived next door and they had phillip, paul and debrough,,they moved in the early 80's. then it was all downhill fot the new neighbours,, they was dave and lorraine branna who had an american car the other johnsons which was ok and after that a physcho nutter moved in but she hung herself in the bathroom. no-one moved in after that,,it was boarded up till the demolition,, i remember mr pethick and mrs cattermole was a dinnerlady at mansel infants for many years but molly malone was great. do you remember paul and vicky healde?? they lived at the top of mansel on the same side as you about 10 houses up??

[Bushbaby]

Cheers Bushbaby,

Marie lives in Leicestershire now, she always reminds us that Peter McNerney was in her class at Tommy Mores and he became a newsreader and then producer for Calendar. She says he lived on Wheel Lane.

She's absolutely right about Pete Mac

His dad, Jim, was that rarity, a teacher who inspires - he is featured in my Blog (follow the link below)

Your mum might be interested in it too as there are a few references to life under Der Fuhrer (or Sister Mercy as we new her) in the 60s

[Bushbaby]

first knew it as THE BROOK,when i lived on HARTLEY BROOK RD,r

 

It is called "The Hartley Brook" at Hartley Brook Rd. It is the origin of the street name.

It is only called "Tongue Gutter" from Wordsworth to Holgate

[GUZZIOWL]

I think it's known as 'Sheffield Lane Dike' from Holgate to Barnsley Rd / High Greave .

Edited September 22, 2010 by GUZZIOWL

[Bushbaby]

I think it's known as 'Sheffield Lane Dike' from Holgate to Barnsley Rd / High Greave .

 

That's absolutely right

 

Now, "Hartley Brook" I can understand

"Sheffield Lane Dike" - Yep - I get that too

 

But "Tongue Gutter"?? How on earth did they ever dig a name like that up?

 

BTW - If anybody finds a half-crown in the "Tongue Gutter" at the bottom of Trevor Jarvis's garden, it's mine. Had to go without my Woodbines that day - ended up knicking ten No6 Plain from the garage

[Richard PX5]

i have just found out that the parson cross hotel is in a right state at moment. the upper windows are falling out and its a mess. the function room upstairs has had to close and there is only the bar area when you walk in thats open. the rest is closed and has 6 people in on a good night. what happened to the the icon PARSON CROSS HOTEL ??? we went in back in the 80's and we was waiting 10 min to get served as was packed out. now it looks like it will be closing soon and probably be demolished soon like the rest of the cross. what a massive shame as it was a great estate years ago which all genuine people respected and loved. now its the yobs which brought down the estate. why cant they just respect where they live like we did.