Anybody ever frequent Bellhouse WMC

[jgill506]

I've just seen this thread. I played football for Bellhouse WMC in the Amateur league in the early seventies. The Manager was Ernest Bates and I remember one or two of the players at the time : Big Fred at centre half, Trevor Chetwynd, Dave Bills and John Penistone.

[JohnB_Zurich]

In the early 70s I was on Tyneside, playing college football in the Northern College's league and the Newcastle Sunday Leagues - not for the faint hearted.

 

Trevor Chetwynd's name from Sheffield rings a bell but I can't say for what. The John Peniston I knew and I both went to Charnock Hall Primary School and then transferred to Woolley Wood Primary. There were several Peniston families on Shiregreen. I didn't play football in those days, there again the lads in the college team claimed I didn't play football either - my captain's instructions were either the man goes past or the ball does but not together.

 

John Penistone lived on Sycamore House Road, just below the Concord Road entrance to Concord Park.

 

I think I only went in Bellhouse Road a couple of times, I mostly was in Hartley House and The Limes, occasionally the WMC down the Wicker on Stanley Street for meetings.

[jgill506]

Hello Johnbz, the John Peniston you mention, of Sycamore House Road was the one I knew, but we have since lost touch, as you do.

Did you know Bill Mayor ? he was my uncle and used to go in Hartley House (and The Penguin ).

[JohnB_Zurich]

I saw John Peniston is on Friends Reunited under "Shiregreen School" and "Woolley Wood" if you wanted to re-establish contact.

 

I used to live up from the Penguin, I can remember the green space there before it was built. I can remember them building the Penguin. The space it was built on and the rest down to Ecclesfield Road was called "The Ravine", not just the road, that was because there was a ravine and in the 50s it was used by the council as a tip. There was a stream ran in the bottom, then it was enclosed in a concrete culvert, now some 30 feet or more below ground level.

 

I don't remember a Bill Mayor but I've always been very bad at remembering anybody's name. Calling a fiancée Sue when she's actually Lis was not conducive to prolonging a relationship. That and the 60 changes of address I've had probably accounts for why I never married. A tip, never tell a girlfriend you're being transferred to the other end of the country when she's giving you a lift home on her motorbike.

[zepstox]

My Grandad was a regular there in the 60's through to the 80's. His name was Bernard Hodgkinson, a little bloke, cantankerous but a good family man. He played a bit of snooker and thought Peter Bardsley would be a pro one day. He took me on a couple of fishing trips and to Cleethorpes once for the club trip. He was the first bloke on Shirehall Road to have a car and him and his wife must have been one of the first to have a telly as well, my Nan used to tell the tale of watching the Coronation with a big magnifying frame and loads of neighbours in to watch it.

He moved to Grenoside in his later years and frequented the Olde Red Lion. His best mate in Bellhouse WMC was a bloke called Chris Marshall and I think Chris's missus, Lily, used to work behind the bar.

[redted50]

I got a football team started there in 93',when I cleared out the old changing rooms below the club I found a bit of memorabelia such as,an old minutes book from the 1940s,a load of cricket caps(with the names in them) and about 6 or so old football team photos with Ernie Bates,Bill Short & Jimmy the drummer(goal-keeper)think his surname was Dickinson or Whitticker?Anyway,I gave both him & Bill a photo & Ernies widow got wind of em & asked me for one as well.We moved up to Hartley House till about 2004/5 then moved on down to Firth Park W.M.C.where we still operate from.

[spingoboy]

Terry Heald was part of that foorball team with trevor chetwyn in the 60s....

[spingoboy]

when i used to go in on leave from the navy, Les was the steward for many years. eric davis, john Fowler, Jack Warner all on committee....and cockney Mick...........

[HI WAISTERS]

Me and my missus used to go in pretty regular on weekends during the late 80,s early nineties.

Always used to be full with a good atmosphere and plenty of decent turns.

 

Things started to deteriorate though and our visits became less frequent.

 

Last time we went in was about 6 month ago and in all honesty i was appalled...............the place was filthy and whilst i,m no shrinking violet i dont want to hear young 20 something female bar staff using the F and C words for all to hear.

 

No wonder it was almost empty , we quickly supped up and left and , sadly we probably wont be back

[trickyob]

Sign of the times I'm afraid. I went in occasionally as my father was the resident organist there for 30 odd years and yes, it did seem a friendly club..........He worked 6 nights a week plus Sunday lunchtime for all that time. He eventually retired through ill health.......following all these years of service, after he left, he never received a single phone call or an enquiry about how he was, so I'm not so sure about 'friendly'.

 

hi handy was your dads name ernest, if so, i remember him well, great organist, with jimmy whittaker on drums, sorry to here your dads not very well hope he improves, i believe he was a talented artist (painter)