Old Harrow, White Lane, Early 70's

[cuttsie]

Yes, that stream between Seagrave Road and Lister Crescent marks those back gardens neatly, hence the slight meandering. It sourced not much further upstream than where it currently is shown to issue, from precisely behind these homes at Gleadless Townhead (http://goo.gl/maps/z5BZ4). Other streams going in different directions sourced from all around this point of high ground (one forming the Meers Brook after sourcing from springs above Herdings Wood; another sourcing behind Kew Crescent and flowing off through Charnock Hall; another sourcing under Charnock Hall Primary School fields and forming the Robin Brook).

 

The stream in question is a tributary stream that joins another just behind these homes (http://goo.gl/maps/9NKIj). This other stream begins about here (http://goo.gl/maps/7foN9) in Gleadless, flowing in a culvert as the boundary stream between gardens of Kirkby Road and Kirkby Avenue, briefly visible on the surface in back gardens of Seagrave Road and Seagrave Avenue, before going underground again and flowing under the gap between these two homes (http://goo.gl/maps/8Yy9O). The Basegreen Housing Office and amusingly titled Jaunty Springs medical centre (http://www.nhs.uk/Services/gp/Overview/DefaultView.aspx?id=35223) lie directly over the route of the combined watercourse, which pops back out on the surface in Jaunty Park here.

 

In the middle of Jaunty Park, it joins tributary streams from around here (http://goo.gl/maps/FL2Jf), where it becomes the Shire Brook. This is now clearly labelled on most maps, where it flows northeast, then east out towards the River Rother, north of Rother Valley water park. It is hidden underground in culverts for parts of its routes, especially through the old landfills.

When I was a kid there was a stream at the bottom of Ridgeway Park flowing in the general direction of the above ones mentioned so it seems as though that area brought together quite a few waterways.

The stream I am thinking of flowed past the top side of Gleadless School on Hollinsend Road.

[deano]

Wasnt the chippy next to the Arra (now Rainbow Chinese) called the White Hart chip shop? I think it changed to a chinky about 1984?

 

The chipshop was called the White Heather,shop next door used to sell loose cigarettes

[WarPig]

The chipshop was called the White Heather,shop next door used to sell loose cigarettes

 

I recall the shop to the far left of the chippy was a gunsmiths in the early 80's. Me and my mates would ride to it on our bmx bikes to look at the window display.

[deano]

I recall the shop to the far left of the chippy was a gunsmiths in the early 80's. Me and my mates would ride to it on our bmx bikes to look at the window display.

 

Yeah it was,my mate got his air rifle from there,my dad wouldn't let me have an air pistol,probably the correct decision in hindsight.

[manzmanz]

Yeah it was,my mate got his air rifle from there,my dad wouldn't let me have an air pistol,probably the correct decision in hindsight.

 

At some point it was Blodwyns which was a sweet shop who served sandwiches - we used to walk down from Birley School at lunchtime to there. Must have been late 80s or very early 90s.

[zakes]

Old Harrow, White Lane, Early 70’s Part 5.

1. To Mike-S. Ref. post 8.

Ye Gods, that was a long journey to undertake on a daily basis, from Base Green to Bents Green, even on a Sunshine bus. BY the time you got there, it must have been time to come back. Anton (that’s what we called him) was a decent enough type and I got on with him very well. It can’t have been easy for him in the ‘Arra’ (or any pub) though, because we all have something to say and we can express ourselves in words, but he obviously couldn’t due to his condition of heartlessness and speechlessness. Ruddy frustrating what. I found it interesting to see that he moved to the juke box or D.J. Music when it was played. I presume and assume he could perhaps feel the vibrations coming through the floor. Anton often associated with Rodney Hill and Little Frank, who is now silver haired (dark brown in those days) and is now a regular in the evenings at the Hollin Bush. I think he lives on or around the Alnwick Rooad area. He also seemed at times to cut a lonely figure. I think Rod and Frank were ex pupils at Frecheville School. Did you know of Elaine Street who lived next door to Rodney Hill on Basegreen Road?

 

2. To everyone.

One of the names in my original post was a lad known to everyone in the ‘Arra’. This lad who can’t be named for obvious reasons lived on Base Green, and he owned a car (Consul?). This lad and I got on really well together, although we didn’t knock about together much. Now and again he would approach me and ask for assistance with the promise of a cuppla pints for my trouble. I was never a big wage earner and would always be grateful for any free pints coming my way. Anyrooad, after the pub turned out he’d go home to fetch his car whilst I waited at the junction of Basegreen Road and Basegreen Drive. When he arrived, I’d jump into the car then we’d drive off slowly and tour the estate with headlights switched off. When we came to a likely target (car) he’d pull up alongside it. I’d then jump out with a length of hose and a canister, then siphon petrol out of the other car. Eah time we did several cars. Nowt wrong with a few firkins of Fina’s finest. This all usually during the week when few people would be about, because they’d be early in their pits before going to work next morning (if they had any petrol). I occasionally received God’s punishment by getting a gobful of petrol. Aargh.

 

Strange how Base Green is written in 2 words, but on the road sign it’s one word. Huh.

 

Still to come:-

1. Card playing with Big Bill, Benj, Biggs and me.

2. Going to the Phoenix pub for extention Friday and Saturdays.

3. Other bits.

[mike-s]

Hi Zakes, Yes the journey was fun in winter, they often used to arrange for transport early if the snow was coming down hard. I had a good mate called Brian Chapman who lived next door on Basegreen Drive, he could always converse quite well with Anton and picked up quite a lot of sign language, coincidentally I have a daughter who had speech problems and learned makkaton sign language, perhaps I should have taken more notice myself back in the day. I remember Rodney well, the only Elaine I can recall was a girl with some form of learning disability who used to turn up out of the blue on our doorstep and stay for hours until someone took her home! bless her.

[sweetdexter]

Would this be the Pub I saw and heard ,Tubby Hayes & Mark Murphy in 64 or 65?

[greenlandman]

I remember years ago cars used to park in the car park near the the fence my mate and I used to hang the ornamental chains over the bumper bars so when some poor sod set off they left their bumper bar hanging on the chains sorry about that it sempt a good idea after about about 10 pints

[Kidorry]

Hi Zakes, Yes the journey was fun in winter, they often used to arrange for transport early if the snow was coming down hard. I had a good mate called Brian Chapman who lived next door on Basegreen Drive, he could always converse quite well with Anton and picked up quite a lot of sign language, coincidentally I have a daughter who had speech problems and learned makkaton sign language, perhaps I should have taken more notice myself back in the day. I remember Rodney well, the only Elaine I can recall was a girl with some form of learning disability who used to turn up out of the blue on our doorstep and stay for hours until someone took her home! bless her.

 

That would be Elaine Street who lived in the house beside the slip road that went to the garages on base green road,number 36.She is still alive and is now living in a care home because her parents are both dead,Ted & Mary Street.Did Brian Chapman live on Basegreen drive and did his father,Frank,work as a postie on the railway.If it is the same Brian he now lives around the Wakefield area I think but he still comes to see his dad.

Edited March 30, 2014 by Kidorry