fox0114 Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 Does anyone remember the Raven pub Barbell body building gym at the top of Fitzwilliam St just off Glossop Road? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Oh yes, indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fox0114 Posted December 12, 2011 Author Share Posted December 12, 2011 hiya Texas, I used to train there at least 4 times a week straight from work in the middle/late 60's. Remember some of the guys who trained there were wrestlers. All gone now with some mod building that has replaced it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I went there from about '54 until perhaps '56. I guy called Charlie used to run it then, a most decrepit place really, weights all over the floor, no changing space at all, but a memorable place for all that. Bobby Graham (Graham Roberts) used it, Harry Henries, sometimes Pete Farrar. The last two being Universe contestants. Louis Martin dropped by one time and he convinced me to pack it in and go for the three Olympics, which I did. There was only one gym in Sheffield more decrepit and that was the 'Sheffield All-Rounders' at the bottom of Broughton Lane. I started there in 1948, a lifetime ago. I wonder if there are gyms like those still in existance. Possibly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeG Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I remember the Raven pub around 1961 with Lawrence Flood as landlord but I never knew it was connected to a gym. Our band used to rehearse there on Sunday afternoons when the pub was shut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fox0114 Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 yes Texas, Charlie still ran the gym when I was there in the 60's. It was pretty tidy and clean as I remember so there must have been some changes made since you were there. MikeG, the gym was upstairs at the back as I recall with showers and changing below so not surprised few knew about it. We always had a couple of pints afterwards. I left before I got married in 1965 after 4 years there so it was the early 60's when I was there - not as originally stated. Also played in a band for a short while at Springvale Tavern and 5 arches on Herries Road, fabulous memories from those days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabitter Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 talking of old gyms.up that rd where stokes is round bottom of moor area there was a old pub called the pheasant [i think] at the side of it you went up a steel fire escape and at the top was a big room full of weights and equipment went there for about a year.the guy who ran it was called dougie this was 1966 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Yes, that was another 'above a pub' type gym. I went to see a guy I knew who trained there. I only went once. What about the 'church hall' gyms? There was a good one on Nursery Street, Holy Trinity church ran by a guy known as Chick, Jackie Hudson used that back in the day. Another up St Philips Road, on the right I seem to remember, another in a chapel down Hillsborough.There must've been more back in the 50's/60's. I remember Samuel Fox's had a gym out at Stocksbridge, a good one too. I think the 'Raven' was the best known though. I had a tee shirt printed with the name 'Raven' on it, many years later of course, it must be the only one in England so Charlie's gym still lives, in memory at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willybite Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Yes, that was another 'above a pub' type gym. I went to see a guy I knew who trained there. I only went once. What about the 'church hall' gyms? There was a good one on Nursery Street, Holy Trinity church ran by a guy known as Chick, Jackie Hudson used that back in the day. Another up St Philips Road, on the right I seem to remember, another in a chapel down Hillsborough.There must've been more back in the 50's/60's. I remember Samuel Fox's had a gym out at Stocksbridge, a good one too. I think the 'Raven' was the best known though. I had a tee shirt printed with the name 'Raven' on it, many years later of course, it must be the only one in England so Charlie's gym still lives, in memory at least. hiya i only went in the gym once i was around eight at the time we always called it harvey floods as this was the name of the landlord at the time, this was 1947, three or four of us went to see jack hudson training , he was around 12 at that time, he lived around bath st then., Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakerman Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 In 1962/63 I worked with a guy (Mick Shaw) who trained there on a regular basis. I was only 15 at the time and he kept asking me to come along with him and do a bit of training myself. I eventually agreed and went along with him. As I say, I was only 15 and just out of school and a bit wet around the ears. When I saw some of the guys that were in there it scared the crap out of me and I never went back again. What a whimp!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.