Iconic Sheffield "stores"

[shanes teeth]

It's not Millbeach is it?

I've just been looking at some pictures of Union St on Picture Sheffield and as far as I can tell the shop I remember was somewhere between the Nelson end of the street and the Cambridge Arcade.

[Plain Talker]

If so, then the Cambridge Arcade was a real "gem". It went from Barney Goodman's in Pinstone Street through to Union Street, and it was a crime to demolish it in 1973. I suppose it's only us old-timers who remember it...

 

At first,I thought he meant that kind of arcade,but I think he meant amusement arcades!

I agree though,it was one of the worst bits of civic vandalism to demolish such arcades.Towns and cities that retained their's (Norwich and Harrogate spring to mind) have retained real treasures of shopping history.

 

Hillsbro, I wouldn't describe myself as an old-timer, but I certainly remember, very clearly, the Cambridge Arcade, and the Suggs Shop, and the blind chap who sold matches and pens and such like from a tray on the Pinstone Street end.

 

In fact I remember a legend about this gentleman.

 

It was said that his hearing was so acute that he could tell, by the sound of the coins as you dropped them into his cup, how much you had deposited, and whether you had short-changed him!!

 

(PS I thought BG's was at the Norfolk Street end of the arcade, near SUT's shop? - I do stand to be corrected on that one)

 

I do think it's a pity that many of Sheffield's architecturally interesting buildings are being/ were demolished by developers/ were destroyed in the war.

 

l**ds has kept many of its beautiful and ornate arcades, and has made quite a feature of them.

 

In fairness l**ds didn't quite get the decimation that Sheffield got in the war, so didn't lose as much of their handsome, city centre buildings as we did.

 

(They have their fair share of ugly 1960's towers, that's true. Though I hate to admit this, I do think the arcades in the Victoria Quarter in l**ds are very handsome, and ornate.)

[shinysheff]

When I returned to sheffield after a gap of 31 years in 2005 I was disappointed to see the Cambridge Arcade had gone. I worked for George Wood & co.Ltd. Gunsmiths on the ground floor of Sugg's store at the Pinstone st. end in the 60's before first going to Aus. I believe the Sugg family still live out at Edale.

[hillsbro]

Hi Plain Talker - you've reminded me of the old gent who sold matches etc. at the end of the Cambridge Arcade. My older brother remembers the story about his hearing being acute enough to know what coins you had given him.

 

Barney Goodman's was at the Pinstone Street end, opposite Suggs - both shops can be seen on this 1950s photo.

 

It's true that Sheffield lost some of its architecturally interesting buildings in the war, such as the 16th century King's Head (corner of Change Alley) and the early 19th century Angel Hotel nearby (here are "before" and "after" photos). In the post-war period our city fathers seemed determined to finish off what the Luftwaffe had missed..

[willybite]

Hi Plain Talker - you've reminded me of the old gent who sold matches etc. at the end of the Cambridge Arcade. My older brother remembers the story about his hearing being acute enough to know what coins you had given him.

 

Barney Goodman's was at the Pinstone Street end, opposite Suggs - both shops can be seen on this 1950s photo.

 

It's true that Sheffield lost some of its architecturally interesting buildings in the war, such as the 16th century King's Head (corner of Change Alley) and the early 19th century Angel Hotel nearby (here are "before" and "after" photos). In the post-war period our city fathers seemed determined to finish off what the Luftwaffe had missed..

 

hiya i remember most of the 40s/50s shops in town as when my mates and me were 15 or so on sundays there were no cinemas open only for 16 + anyhow we couldnt afford it after saturday dances all we were left with were snooker hall or window shopping, i remember winstons at the bottoom of snig hill was the one for modern gear their shirts ( spearpoint, cuttaway collar, slimjim ties,) their shop sold the shirts for 29s/11d or £1.50p ties were 15s0d or 75p. i saw my first nylon shirt there around 55/56 it was £2. 0d but it was really uncomfortable to wear . now bunnys was different they were cheap,their jeans we only had for workl. as for records we used to listen to records at one of our friends they were the only ones with a record player the 45s had come out a little earlier the records were 6s od or 30p each. i remember the blind chap ouside suggs, i knew another blind chap he went in our local, he could teol what coin would drop on the pub floor if it were half a crown he would offer 2s for it always less than the fallen coin.

[hillsbro]

Hi willybite - a few memories there! Yes I remember Bunneys in Waingate; it was a regular port of call on Saturdays when I wasn't broke, and if I was 'flush' I'd get something from Winstons. We thought 45 rpm singles and long-playing albums were great when they replaced the old 78s. We also didn't have a record player but a (very popular) school pal of mine did. Later when my dad bought a Dansette I remember queueing at Cann's in Chapel Walk for Lonnie Donegan's My Old Man's a Dustman. According to Wikipedia that was in 1960. Memories...

[Plain Talker]

Hi Plain Talker - you've reminded me of the old gent who sold matches etc. at the end of the Cambridge Arcade. My older brother remembers the story about his hearing being acute enough to know what coins you had given him.

 

Barney Goodman's was at the Pinstone Street end, opposite Suggs - both shops can be seen on this 1950s photo.

 

It's true that Sheffield lost some of its architecturally interesting buildings in the war, such as the 16th century King's Head (corner of Change Alley) and the early 19th century Angel Hotel nearby (here are "before" and "after" photos). In the post-war period our city fathers seemed determined to finish off what the Luftwaffe had missed..

 

thanks, for that, hillsbro, I did say I was prepared to stand corrected about the positioning of BG's.

 

I may be getting confused with (was it? Ray Allen?) the tailors opposite on the corner of Cambridge Street?

 

So, your brother also heard the legend of the Blind gentleman's acute hearing, too? it's not just something I thought I heard or maybe mis-heard?

 

I actually remember the Chap living in St George's sheltered OAP accommodation in the mid/ late 1970s, (near the old Jessops) with his wife (who I think was also visually impaired.

 

I remember walking up to Crookes Valley park, from my Gran's in Martin Street, and coming across him and his wife, at the top end of the Ponderosa, by Winter Street Hospital. His wife was in a state of collapse.

 

His poor wife had taken quite suddenly, and quite seriously ill. We got her an ambulance, and tended to her whilst we waited. ( Sadly,we never found out how she was afterwards)

[willybite]

Hi willybite - a few memories there! Yes I remember Bunneys in Waingate; it was a regular port of call on Saturdays when I wasn't broke, and if I was 'flush' I'd get something from Winstons. We thought 45 rpm singles and long-playing albums were great when they replaced the old 78s. We also didn't have a record player but a (very popular) school pal of mine did. Later when my dad bought a Dansette I remember queueing at Cann's in Chapel Walk for Lonnie Donegan's My Old Man's a Dustman. According to Wikipedia that was in 1960. Memories...

 

hiya hillsbro the bunneys i used was ont moor around the bottom of young street ,bensons carpets were in a prefab shop first across young street was sharpes fruit shop across the moor was millets,back to bunneys further along was the moor post office, then halfords, then a bank on the corner, then a shoe shop, up ecclesall road was redgates, then franklins, i remember the big building facing ecclesall road brunswick chapel and i remember three or four small shops next up london road, there was the red circle library, and a fruit shop then on to m and s (locarno later). then further up london road was wigfalls.

[hillsbro]

Hi willybite - yes, a few more familiar names there! I seem to recall that there was a Red Circle library in Snig Hill as well. The shops at the bottom of the Moor were demolished some time in the 1960s. As you say bensons was in a temporary building (here's a photo). Milletts and a few more shops on that side of the Moor can be seen here (click on Zoom to enlarge). London Road didn't suffer quite so much from demolition but of course the businesses have changed almost completely. The Locarno might now be a branch of Sainsbury's but at least the building survived. Although the Albion (where I've enjoyed many a good pint and game of snooker) had a "business opportunity" sign up when I was there last, at least it's still there. Ron Harrison's camera shop (established 40 years ago when Ron left Woodseats Photographic and struck out on his own) has been in at least four different locations, but all in London Road within a few yards of each other. And you can still have a pint in the Pheasant Inn - albeit under its new name of Barry's.

[hillsbro]

Hi Plain talker - yes, my brother Roy (currently staying here with us at Chateau Hillsbro) says he can remember a blind man who knew which coin had dropped into his cup, and he's pretty sure it was the one we both remember who stood at the end of the Cambridge Arcade. Not sure about Ray Allen but I remember (mid-1970s) Harris's tailors opposite the Arcade on the corner of Cambridge Street.

 

It all seems such a long time ago. I must be getting old....