Franks Fishing Tackle shop, Attercliffe Road

[foxxy]

Hi does anyone remember Franks Fishing Tackle shop which was in Attercliffe Road, left hand side when going out from town, starting about 1954/5? I would like to hear from anyone who has details etc of this shop and when it closed or moved.

Thanks, Charlie

[maggie007]

near the old brightside and carbrook i bought my first set of schofield darts there about 1972-3

[foxxy]

Hi Maggie, thanks for your reply. Do you know when the shop closed and if it was still owned by Mr Franks?

I opened the shop with him when I was about 16 years old and used to make the rods and tackle etc. I got the job through a chap called Jimmy Farrell who was on the Council of Sheffield & District Anglers Assoc. who met at the pub by the Wicker Arches. I had won some matches and got a bit of a reputation so it stood me in good stead for the job.

Mr Franks was a Londoner and he had the newspaper shop a few doors along. Fishing was a big thing in those days and I think he saw that Stamfords who were along the road somewhere where making some money and fancied getting into it, although he did not know anyhting about fishing himself.

He and his wife had 2 babies I think aroud that time and there was a lady called Mrs Crookes who came from Sheffield Lane Top who worked in the paper shop as well. Men from the steelworks would come into the shop to talk fishing during there dinner time and watch me making rods etc and talk about where we had fished the previous weekend etc. Within the first year of trading we were selling 60 gallons of maggots per week. A great success!

I left because I wanted a rise and Mr Franks wouldn't give it to me. I then joined English Steel Corp at the end of Petre St. until going in the forces for National Service. If anyone out there has info on the shop and area it would be great to hear from them to refresh my memory. I live in North Wales and never went back to Sheffield to live after the Forces. Charlie