Frecheville shops of days gone by.

[Cookingfat]

my ex wife worked at the co-op mr twig was her boss she hated him if i remember right a few years later he had a leg amputated , and i used to go to the laundrette and the lady there would do my washing for me while i went over to the club for a couple of pints, if any one remembers at the teminus there was jack clarks cabin i went out with his daughter jean in the early 70s before we split up after 7 yrs together wish i knew if she still lives on mansfield rd opposite noahs ark pub would love to konow how she is, she had a son called stuart, when paper lads didn"t turn up i had to deliver the papers. jack was a very generous man unlike his wife kath who you count every penny

[serelle]

I lived at Birley in the late 60s/early 70s and used to go to Frecheville shops regularly.I once bought a lovely bag from Hawnts and for grocery shopping Dels Supermarket at the end of the shops were usually cheaper than Fine Fare who were further back. The shops at the end of Birley Moor Cres were good too- Co-op, Browns Butchers, grocery shop, fruit shop and a chippy.....

[mindyw]

Mr Makin the dentist on the end of the shops .... he died the morning I was there waiting for my appointment. It was taken over by a nutcase called Laurent who had an aversion to using anesthetic!

 

mr makin always seemed to have just had a fag before he examined your teeth....and yes i agree with you bout laurent.i soon swopped dentists!!

[paulo n]

anyone remember harold in the 60s and 70s. he did the rounds on frechey with an old bedford bus selling fruit and veg !

[RaverBabyD]

I remember it from the mid 80's,

i can remember the wool shop and its counter and recently got all nostalgic when i saw a similar counter for sale

for a short time there was a cheap sweet shop that had out of date stuff at a reduced prices which i loved cos i could get more for my oney but my mum didn't like

the video shop (now the admiral) was brown painted wood cladding from what i remember, quite a gloomy shop and i believe that you could also go upstairs.

and the post office on the end next to the chinese takeaway (that was closed every other week for food poisoning etc) that had proper 10p mix ups and a fantastic sweet selection

[meggymoo]

Hello coop,

I don't know the origins of the pond, but it was a great place to play during the 50's/60's.

We used to say that the water came from a natural spring somewhere in the middle. At some times of the year water came out of another natural spring nearby, at the entrance to what used to be 2 rows of garages (since demolished and now called Churchdale mews). The water would come up through the broken tarmac and slowly run out onto Churchdale Road.

On the southern side of the pond (Brackenfield Grove side) was an overflow drain set into the pond edge which seemed to regulate the water in the pond.

Periodically this was opened up to allow the pond level to go down exposing all the edge walls and allowing the pond to be cleaned. The pond just seemed to refill on its own.

 

The natural spring is on the park side/hopedale rd part of the pond. I remember they was millstones and rocks scattered all around the sides to stop it from flooding, then they had to spoil it by building up the paths (which are now falling in). 70s hot summers used to lower the water lvl where then we used to see the water trickling in on that side. The water then used to trickle from the pond at the garages side. They used to be a grate at the front of the garages just down the hill from the pond and we used to see water trickling into it coming from the pond side from underneath. Sometimes frogs or small fishes used to get sucked out and we would be there waiting for a chance to catch one. When my dad was a child they used a corner side of the pond (park side looking towards the jennel going down to brackenfield) was a paddling pool, it was cordoned off from the rest of the pond with a fence so no kid could go further out and drown. The park, football patch and basketball courts they was all tennis courts and the park was on the grassy bit at the side of the jennel. The grassy hill all the way along between the tennis courts and the pond all the way up to the steps and was full of bushes and trees. We used to make our dens in there. The steps used to go up to the entrance to the pond where they was a big gate. Within that part was where the grounds keeper used to maintain flowers and shrubs. Before the estate the pond was a farm and farmland.

[robertl]

My parents had the fish and chip shop and we lived above it.. I have fond memories of having free suppers etc and of being called down from the flat to do more chips or make more fish cakes in the 'fish house' across the yard Mother and father unfortunately now dead Many happy hours spent at the Rex cinema

 

I went to school with Patricia Bradley! who's parents ran the chippy. is this Pat?

 

Robert Larson (Melbourne, Australia)

[Jackslad]

Sgt Rayson-Lived in the police house on Fox Lane / Thornbridge Drive junction and yes he was big ! Played there as a young un with his sons John and Chris and Sheila.Remember his black Ford Prefect on the drive.Nobody messed with Sgt.Rayson !!

 

I realise this post dates from 2007 but I'm sure my dad would have laughed to see himself described as the King of Frecheville! Sadly he is no longer with us along with my twin sister Sheila. Myself and brother Chris are still about though.

The Ford Prefect was YRB 510 so digger digger was spot on! Not sure whether it's possible to get in touch on here but I'd love to hear from you.

 

---------- Post added 17-01-2014 at 14:37 ----------

 

anyone remember harold in the 60s and 70s. he did the rounds on frechey with an old bedford bus selling fruit and veg !

 

Harold Price from Eckington...my brother Chris had a Saturday job on there.

 

---------- Post added 17-01-2014 at 14:40 ----------

 

My parents had the fish and chip shop and we lived above it.. I have fond memories of having free suppers etc and of being called down from the flat to do more chips or make more fish cakes in the 'fish house' across the yard Mother and father unfortunately now dead Many happy hours spent at the Rex cinema

 

They were proper fishcakes, real fish between two potato slices.....and a bag of scraps. Food heaven.

 

---------- Post added 18-01-2014 at 09:37 ----------

 

I see Dentists are mentioned on here but am I alone in thinking the school dentist was an absolute butcher. Took me years to get over going there and the visits to the school clinic. The T.B. jab (or was it smallpox) was a breeze after that.

 

On the subject of the school, does anyone remember the School Ship, SS Flamenco? I can remember a big model in the school hall and there was a trip once to Liverpool to see her. The crew even put tea on, fruit salad out of a tin!

 

Happy days...

 

---------- Post added 19-01-2014 at 16:28 ----------

 

I've been corrected by brother Chris regarding Harold the fruit and veg man....Harold Knight is the correct name. Must have been getting him mixed up with Prices fruit and veg in Eckington! Old age that's what it is.....

[patb22]

I went to school with Patricia Bradley! who's parents ran the chippy. is this Pat?

 

Robert Larson (Melbourne, Australia)

 

Hello Robert

I didn't place the post it must have been my sister, I remember you from Thornbridge. I was just searching and found your post.

I am still in the U.K. occasionally seeing people I recognise from school which as we are all much older is quite amazing.

Best wishes

 

Pat