Remember this shop?

[Texas]

Does anyone remember a secondhand furniture shop/junk shop at the junction of Abbydale Road and London Road, opposite a Chinese Restaurant. This is back in the late 50's early 60's. I seem to remember it was run by a guy called Ralph, second name, maybe, Wardley. Anybody remember what happened to him, cause I've heard a lot of rumours over the years.

[hillsbro]

Hi Texas - directories from the 1960s and 1970s show "Wardley's Furniture Mart" at 20 Abbeydale Road (corner of Crowther Place). The BMD indexes show Ralph Wardley, born Sheffield 8 December 1936, evidently married Barbare E. Honeybell in Jul-Sep 1970, children Robert, born 1973 and Anna, born 1975. Ralph died Sheffield August 1985.

[DUFFEMS]

Hi Texas - directories from the 1960s and 1970s show "Wardley's Furniture Mart" at 20 Abbeydale Road (corner of Crowther Place). The BMD indexes show Ralph Wardley, born Sheffield 8 December 1936, evidently married Barbare E. Honeybell in Jul-Sep 1970, children Robert, born 1973 and Anna, born 1975. Ralph died Sheffield August 1985.

 

Thanks hillsbro, we've been wracking our brains here, we could only place Funnell's which was located 315, London Road back then.

[Plain Talker]

It was definitely Wardleys, at the bottom of Crowther Place. It was run by an old chap who looked scarily like Harold Wilson (he seemed very dour).

 

He was such a "funny beggar". (And that;'s putting it mildly)

 

When my honorary Gran, who lived next door to us collapsed (and subsequently died) I ran to his shop to ask him to call an ambulance for her, and he wouldn't do it.

 

I had to run on another few shops to Malcolm, who ran the Newsagent. He came back with me to see what help he could give (I understand he was ex-ambulance) whilst his Missus called 999 for us.

 

Our yard was at the top right hand side of Crowther, looking up from London road. out yard opened just where the street lamp is.

 

Funnells sold new furniture, not second hand.

 

I believe Terry Funnell sold his shop, and turned his hand to writing.

[only_me]

It was definitely Wardleys, at the bottom of Crowther Place. It was run by an old chap who looked scarily like Harold Wilson (he seemed very dour).

 

He was such a "funny beggar". (And that;'s putting it mildly)

 

When my honorary Gran, who lived next door to us collapsed (and subsequently died) I ran to his shop to ask him to call an ambulance for her, and he wouldn't do it.

 

I had to run on another few shops to Malcolm, who ran the Newsagent. He came back with me to see what help he could give (I understand he was ex-ambulance) whilst his Missus called 999 for us.

 

Our yard was at the top right hand side of Crowther, looking up from London road. out yard opened just where the street lamp is.

 

Funnells sold new furniture, not second hand.

 

I believe Terry Funnell sold his shop, and turned his hand to writing.

 

Funnels did sell seconhand furniture PT, they did house clearences etc. We could only afford seconhand lol. Of course your right they did start selling new furniture mostly sofas and suites later on.

[Plain Talker]

Funnels did sell seconhand furniture PT, they did house clearences etc. We could only afford seconhand lol. Of course your right they did start selling new furniture mostly sofas and suites later on.

Really? colour me astounded! I only ever remembered them doing new! wow!

[sharrovian]

Broadly speaking I lived in the area from 1937-1960 and remember Funnels shop as it was opposite the entrance to Brunswick Trinity Youth Club where I first became acquainted with Terry Funnel, at that time I'm sure they only dealt in second-hand items. Terry now lives in Nether Edge but sadly does not enjoy the best of health. These kind of shops were popular in those days and there was another one opposite the top of Wolseley Rd named Jacks, his surname was Sheldon, they thrived in the austere times after the War and in fact his son Richard started another one more or less opposite a car repair business a little further along Abbeydale Rd. Straying slightly I remember one bonfire night a fire was lit at the top of Farrar Rd and running out of fuel later in the evening a couple of youths took a wardrobe and a table from outside the shop (Jacks) and kept the fire going, in those days there was a lot of furniture just secured outside with a rope, it wouldn't happen today. I never remember anyone saying anything about it and doubt that Jack even missed the items.

[Texas]

Hi Texas - directories from the 1960s and 1970s show "Wardley's Furniture Mart" at 20 Abbeydale Road (corner of Crowther Place). The BMD indexes show Ralph Wardley, born Sheffield 8 December 1936, evidently married Barbare E. Honeybell in Jul-Sep 1970, children Robert, born 1973 and Anna, born 1975. Ralph died Sheffield August 1985.

Yes hillsbro, thanks for the info'. To tell the truth, I didn't know Ralph all that well but I did know a cousin of his who knew a little about antiques and used to frequent his shop from time to time, you know, sniffing around. I know he used to deal a little in repro' stuff.

It was in the early 70's somebody from Sheffield, entirely unconnected, told me Ralph had died in tragic circumstances, and it was something that always stuck in my memory. So it just goes to show, never listen to rumours.

He belonged to the Wardleys who lived at the top of Fowler St in Pitsmoor, and I seem to remember they were always dealers, so it ran in the blood.

[hillsbro]

...He belonged to the Wardleys who lived at the top of Fowler St in Pitsmoor, and I seem to remember they were always dealers, so it ran in the blood.

Yes - the 1942 and 1954 directories show "Sidney Wardley, haulage contractor" at 247 Pitsmoor Road (corner of Fowler Street) and, curiously, the 1942 directory has three Wardley entries under "Furniture removers":

 

.Leonard & Wilfred Wardley, 72 Woodhead Road

.S.F. Wardley, 764 Chesterfield Road

.William Henry Wardley, 928 Ecclesall Road

 

and also Mrs Nellie Wardley, house furnisher at 928 Ecclesall Road.

 

I wonder if there could be a link with William Farewell Wardley (1849-1941), an early trade unionist and Liberal Party stalwart who was Lord Mayor of Sheffield in the 1920s?

[Annincanada]

Because I saw a post about the Wardleys who were dealers and some folks wondered about Ralph...here goes In Memory of Ralph Wardley his life and his shops. Ralph was born Dec 9th 1937 the 3rd child of Joe Wardley who was the sixth Son of Emma Wardley ( furniture mover ) and Issac Wardley (Stone mason ) of Woodseats ...son of Issac Wardley of the Salt Box Cottages Psalter Lane

Ralph had a genius I Q and was an avid reader of ancient and scientific books He had a brilliant mind and a crazy sense of humour and was a fantastic swimmer as most of that family of Wardleys were. I loved him like a brother, he was my first cousin. He was in the Merchant Mariners during his National Service in the Engine Room I believe. He had a great lust/love of the Sea, boats and life, in fact an insatiable curiosity of life, science, history and art which I believe came from my father who passed it on to Graham Wardley, ( European Removals ) myself and Ralph and 4 my kids now in their 50s My Dad Wilf Wardley was our Mentor. He was the one you made us all swimmers because as a poor bare foot kid he had nearly drown in the Abbeydale Weir. Ralphs daughter Anna Wardley is the Brit Channel Swimmer.

Ralph opened the first of his 4 Antique shops on Abbeydale Road at about age 2O whilst he was still worked at YEB; where he is still legend I was told in 2004. He had only been at YEB a few weeks when he saved Sheffield from a massive power crisis with a unique idea. He spent most of his High Storres school years at my home at Banner Cross our house was quieter than his for his homework. My Dad Wilf had an antique and new furniture shop there it's now Lloyds Bank

 

Ralph switched from Antiques to Repro furniture after he married Barbara, they were a good team and they became very successful. In 1985? Ralph had a massive stroke which took away most of his eye sight and because he could not read his beloved books he committed suicide... RIP dear Ralph and thanks for the Memories. Barbara recently closed the 4 shops..