Memories of London Rd/Sharrow/Little Sheffield

[jamesstarky]

Hello Eveyone

 

Can anyone tell me how London Rd used to be? Did it always have so many takeaways? I'd love to hear any memories or stories from that part of town.

Are there any businesses that have been there a long time?

 

I'm not from round 'ere, I'm a yellow belly from Lincolnshire. Now I'm doing some research about Sharrow and Little Sheffield.

 

Cheers

James

[hillsbro]

Hi James - well, as one (naturalised) yellerbelly to another.... In my 1950s childhood there were hardly any takeaways apart from chip shops, but in c. 1956 London Road had what I think was Sheffield's first coffee bar - the Disc Jockey at No 64. That's where, aged eight, I marvelled at the workings of a juke box when my grandad and me called in for a cuppa.

 

These scans from the 1968 Kelly's Directory give an idea of the sort of businesses that were on the first part of London Road (almost as far as Sharrow Lane) at that time.

[samp]

the army store has been there a while, also the post office, the photography shop the mens suit shop and of course all the pubs, i do remember dixons chip shop the best chips around we used to have them every thurs lol

[USUK]

"Takeaway" was not in the english language back when. Like hillsbro says there were only Chip Shops and that was a given that you were going to take them away. (except Hopkinsons down by the Midland Station who had a room upstairs where you could eat them)

 

There was a Chinese restaurant at the top of London Road as early as 1960 but I do not believe even they did takeaway's back then. Probably 'cause there were no containers to put chinese food in. (the noo0dle juice would leak through the newspaper if you tried)

[Collingwood]

I grew up just off London Road in the 70's/early 80's and I remember Dixons fish and chip shop well, the other shops I remember are the butchers which is now Kebabish opposite where TC Harrisons used to be, there used to be a small cabin next to it that sold fruit and veg. I'm going off google street maps but what is now the Chinese Community Centre on the corner of Bennett Street was I think called the China shop because it sold china, it also sold airfix models and fireworks around November 5th. Direct Computers just down from there or the shop next door used to be a newsagents, seem to remember the owner was called Ian who played for Hallam FC. On the opposite side what is now Zeugma restaurant used to be a launderette and it's amazing to see Ted Williams is still there and the shop next door was a Chinese takeaway up until 1985 when I left the area.

 

PS The Chinese Community Centre was ironically called the China Shop. http://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?action=zoomWindow&keywords=v01907&prevUrl=ZnJvbnRlbmQucGhwPyZrZXl3b3Jkcz1hbGwlM0JNQVRDSEVTJTNCJTI4JTVFJTdDKyUyQiUyOUxvbmRvbl9Sb2FkJTI4JTI0JTdDKyUyQiUyOSZhY3Rpb249c2VhcmNoJnBhZ2U9MTc=

Edited January 26, 2011 by Collingwood

[Collingwood]

London Road was also renowned for it's pubs and looking back on Friday and Saturday nights they all seemed to be heaving with people. Starting at the bottom there was the Hermitage(now as a different name), if you crossed the road and walked onto the bottom of Cemetery Road you had the Royal Oak(I can't work out what it is now but it's the building with a mural on its side). At the bottom of Boston Street was the Lansdowne Hotel, The Albion, Pheasant, Sheldon, Barrell, Old Crown and Cremorne are still there by the looks of it The Tramway looks in a sorry state, from The Cremorne you had a bit of a walk to The Royal where London Road forks off with Abbeydale Road which is now no more, although starting at The Hermitage we never got that far.

Edited January 26, 2011 by Collingwood

[USUK]

Anyone remember the young barmaid at the Royal Oak in the 60's

[mammybear]

my uncle gordon used to own the china shop. i remember the vets with the split door,we could look over the top and see the animals waiting to see the vet. i remember wigfalls 2 of my uncles worked for them. also the very expensive furniture shop think it was otto's.

[Collingwood]

my uncle gordon used to own the china shop. i remember the vets with the split door,we could look over the top and see the animals waiting to see the vet. i remember wigfalls 2 of my uncles worked for them. also the very expensive furniture shop think it was otto's.

 

Come to think of it I now remember the split door at the vets and otto's. If I remember rightly mammybear your uncle had greyish hair and a beard and was always friendly, even when us snotty nosed urchins used to pop in to look at the airfix stuff at the back of the shop.

[mammybear]

yes that sounds like him. my aunty agnes used to manage the laundrette further up london rd on the other side just past the music box (think thats the right name). there used to be a little bakery shop back down past the china shop, seem to remember it has an old cooking range in the front room which was the shop.