Memories of Pitsmoor

[fleetwood]

Hi Tex - I don't know if it was on this particular Pitsmoor thread where you mentioned knowing a Dennis Owen or not, but I am sure this will find you OK. If you remember, we had talked about Dennis or Denis on the 'City Hall' thread many months ago. *** The guy I knew was'nt a tall lad, oval face with thin shortish hair. I worked with him at one point and we attended night school together at the city grammar, on Thursday evenings we used to try and leave a little early and whip over to the City Hall dance for the last hour or so. *** Dennis was funny and clever, he could do impressions of some of the film stars, his favourite being Robert Mitchum. He dressed in the fashion of the times and was very popular with ladies, I think Mr Owen eventually started his own business. *** Tex, he was from your neck of the woods, is it the same person?

[Texas]

OK fleets, I'm going to stop being evasive here. You almost got me on the City Hall dances thread but I told a 'porky'. Denis and me hung out during the 50's until he got married, I was his best man, and I haven't seen him much since. Your description of him is close apart from the hair bit, and he wasn't short in stature. Also I don't remember him being overly talented in the impressions department, but he did a fair James Dean, in fact he's probably still doing it. He was very good at his job, sheet metal work, and I do believe he eventually started his own business.

[fleetwood]

Hi Tex - That's amazing! It is the same person, Denis might have had a younger brother also. *** It was Denis who got me going to a new barber in Pitsmoor, apparently he had previously worked for some larger outfit in town and was starting his own shop, his barber friend almost looked South American in appearance. *** I remember bumping into Denis and another friend of his in the Walkley area (it was a few years after working together), his friend was a body builder and it showed, the friend also mentioned he was learning to play the trumpet. (I can visualise the friend and what color hair and suit he was wearing at the time). *** Texas, I remember you saying you had fooled around on the trumpet, might you be one of the same? *** One last thing, was Denis ever in the forces?

[Texas]

Hey fleets, first the barber man. That sounds a bit like a guy called Reg Lacelles. I'm not saying Reg looked obviously latino, he didn't have the 'bigote y patilas', (?) if you get my drift, but he did look a bit, well, South American I suppose. He was a very cool character, very hip, hung around with Brian Mooney. I suppose the other guy could've been me, sounds like me, but I wasn't tall or anything. Still ain't. Denis did his National Service like everyone else, served in the Yorks and Lancs' or the West Yorks', and went to Aden in the mid-fifties.

(?) Moustache and sideburns.

[fleetwood]

Hi Tex - The barber was a cool guy, you have to be careful when talking about ones ethnic background, so I know what he did'nt look like. Believe it or not, he told me he was trying to figure out a machine for doing crew-cuts, like an electric shear on a floor mounted track or something, I kid you not. *** Now getting back to Denis's elusive friend, this guy would have been around 5'-10" or so, he had on a nice light colored suit (beige comes to mind), the suit did not come off the rack (had to have been tailored), I said he was a body builder (or Denis did), he had a pretty good physique with broad shoulders. *** As I recall, he had blondish or light colored hair in a short style, (possibly combed down) that was very popular around that time. *** Tex as you say, i'm scaring myself now, so I will close.

[Texas]

Did the barber guy start a business on Catherine St, or was it Nottingham St? It was one of those two, down toward the bottom.

[fleetwood]

Hi Tex - I've forgotten how the streets place around that area, all I can say it did'nt seem far into Pitsmoor but somewhat closer to Burngreave Rd.

[Texas]

That would be it.

[rabitter]

anyone from danville st remember gumbys shop and sledging down danville st

[grahamh]

I lived in Pitsmoor from 1938 to 1949, attending Pye Bank's wartime nursery from 1941 and then the school. As a first timer on this forum it has roused many memories and a recent visit showed that my old homes at Brackley Street and Fox Street still stand. The latter was next door to Levick's relocated shop.

I still have a book signed by Margaret Braun as a gift. Mr Speight and Miss Smith I still remember from my later days as two wonderful helpers. I was also the one who almost drowned in the water tank on the corner of Fox and Andover streets. Had there not been a teenager there to whom I was demonstrating my skills on the ice I should not have been pulled out.

I also remember the rec behind the school with its black grit and gravel and also the huge air raid shelter which was built beneath it. Opposite the front of the school was a grass area known as the "Old Gardens", very good for sledges and catching various creeping things. Sledging was best on Andover St, straight across Rock St, then a bus route. Fitzalan St was the real sledge Mecca, heaven being a pull home by my dad.

Burngreave cemetery housed several of my ancestors and we used it as a bird's nest hunting ground so it wasn't too creepy.

My favourite spot from my Pitsmoor childhood was up the road alongside Firshill school to Roe Woods where a large patch of allotments housed seven ponds containing small fish which we spent ages catching.

The friends I remember from Fox St were the Eades (David, Alan and Michael) and the Hammonds (Neville and Barry) from fishing and birdnesting expeditions. Does anyone know if they are still about?

Keep the memories coming and thanks for them!