Smith's Field or Smithies Field near Petre Street

[glen]

What were the names of the Cowley family.I lived at 84 Petre st till 1949.ours was the last yard before sutherland rd.There was a fish shop on the corner,opposite was pashleys bakery,corner of Earldom Street.Regards Glenda:confused:

[glen]

hi bushi I remember all of those places,I lived right next door to the tailors,Opposite was a bakery called Pashleys.Oh the tailors was a fish shop called cottons then.I also remember the fish and chip shop near all saints school ( i went there) I am looking for a photo of that junction showing the tailors shop on the corner as it was in the 40s,Anyone help me.I have been in ausie for 43years and i am having a ball finding all about the past.Thanks Glenda

[dadoronron]

I went to ellesmere rd school and remember most of the names posted by "double", I lived on grimesthorpe road just above the normanton inn and in the yard next to sellans the paper/sweet shop.I remember playing on the "wreck" as a kid that was across the road from "the tea garden terrace" pub.We used to play in the old church just inside osgathorpe park and hang around on the "devils elbow", We used to "penny for the guy" outside the buckingham pub and wait for the drunks to drop you a halfpenny or so.The woman who lived on smiths fields was called mrs taffinder, she used to work at the swimming baths with "baldy fred" and mr scott.I liked baldy fred, if you cleaned the baths sides with that pink soap, you could stay in for an extra swim

[Arfer Mo]

Who knows anything about the history of Smith's Field or Smithies Field between Petre Street and Grimesthorpe Road?

I played there and picked blackberries in the 70s and 80s, and always wondered why there was an open space of this size there, next to factories on the one side and the then new Carwood estate on the other. My family, who lived in the area before the slum clearance, remember from the 40s and 50s, and I think they mentioned sonething about a cricket pavilion.

 

Here's a picture

 

Why is the field there?

Why has it never been built on?

Does anyone else have memories of it?

I remember the pavilion used to have seats in front, watched many matches, there was a family of smiths lived in a big house at the top of the field, on grimesthorpe rd if its not been built on the decendants perhaps still own it. there was a balloon barrage at the bottom during the war Idid a bit of snogging in the sand bag shed with lovely waff called Bobby

[Arfer Mo]

Nah den Double,

I am 51, did we tread the same turf at the same time?. I Lived at 179 Grimesthorpe rd from 1954 to 1971, 120 Ellesmere rd 73 to 75ish and Abbeyfield rd which was my first house purchase, we were there for approx five years. Left Pitsmoor around 1980 to Woodhouse. Does Tutsy ring any bells.

 

Do you remember the mad pavement cyclist. He use to live with his parents on the right hand side of Sutherland rd just below the jnc of Petre st. Below the old Methodist church, Boys Brigade underneath it.

Anyway he used to fly out of the house on the bike which was one of your extra heavy duty wiggys gas pipe type, complete with umpteen mirrors,bells, lights and flags of all nations wafting in the wind. He did not care who was in the way, old biddies chatting or kids playing he would just steam through the lot. He wore in all weathers, a waterproof black flying helmet and long heavy gaberdine overcoat. Even with this handicap he would pump up and down the hills of Pitsmoor, England missed out on a potential Tour De France winner Im sure of it.

The last memory I have of him I must have been around 14 and he was no young man but he was still carving up the pedestrians of Pismoor legs going fifty to dozen with that mad determined look on his face.

Just one of Pismoors many colourfull old characters.

well after my t ime [33to48] lived on earldom st ,

[Arfer Mo]

Hi thanks for your great reply.We must have walked the same turf, you reminded me of a lot of other people&places.like the parky who worked the wembley playground (strange job full employment post war policy)he was Scottish i think and didn't take any shi.... rubbish.and the Junk shop on the junction of Ellesmere Rd and Petre St.Which never seemed to be open and had a large golden Labrador as a guard who would bark at anyone who came anywhere near the shop. I also rember playing football in the play ground of Ellesmere school for hours on end, if we could get a ball,and the peace gardens of the community club. And the Palfreymans who owned the corner shop.As I remember she was a small blond lady who wore glasses and he was quite tall (I was a 5 year old kid everyone's tall)and enjoyed a cigar.they also owned a Rover car I think.

I came in to contact with a family called Palfreyman a few years ago, from Eckington I wonder if their related.........

WhenIwas a lad the junk shop was owned by mr andrews and did agood trade,but i recall it always shut after he died, recall all those places, lived on earldom st before and after the war

[Arfer Mo]

My Great Gran lived at 99a Petre Street ..... looking at Matt1889's link to the Burngreave Messenger, was wondering if anyone knows which junction the photo is of ..... if its Petre St & Sutherland, then I can see her house & its the only photo I've seen ... can remember playing when I was very young.

 

Shaun

Hi Shaun, Yes that is the shop on the lefthand side of the picture where your Gran Mrs Clarkson lived, at the time it was a butchers shop Mr Edy ran it, the shop on the right was owned by Sam, DEMOCRITOUS, Davies, and sister Liza, where Glenda used to go and was affectionately called Blondie, Cheers Arthur.

[glen]

Uncle arty.My nick name was snowball,not too long ago when i was nursing,one of my patients yelled hey snowball,i stopped in my tracks as nobody over here in Aus knew that.Strange feeling that was.

[Arfer Mo]

Sorry Glen [or S NOWBALL]have you got the petre st pictures yet

[double]

Pitsmoor Camera By JR Wrigley is the book to buy for all persons who have memories of the Ellesmere Area