Smugglers Cave Cafe,Middlewood Rd, early 1960s

[hillgirl]

Margaret was a lovely girl as Bullerboy said. Douglas died in a road accident many years ago now.

[susie1]

Susie1

I went around the same time as you to the smugglers plus the speedway plus club 60 most saturdays. I was born in 45 so a bit older than you.

Bunny was a pal of the "infamous" Keith Littlewood" who would fight anyone.

I don't think he had a bike accident i think he was born with the limp etc.

 

Did you also go to the Lomas Hall on Friday nights, Memo Tuesdays, Park Cinema Sundays?

Can anyone remember what the proprietors of the Smugglers' were called? The man had dark-rimmed glasses and was quite a big chap (Fred? Ex army?) and his wife had shoulder-length blonde hair. It was the only place I have ever drunk coffee regularly, remember the Pyrex-type glass cups and saucers?

 

Hillgirl, yes, I heard many years ago that Douglas had died; so very, very sad, and a big shock, it really upset me, because he was my first serious boyfriend. About 25 + years ago, quite by chance, at a children's "do" at Bramall Lane, a friend's daughter came with a friend who, I was told, was Lucy Lightning, Douglas's daughter.

Edited November 14, 2014 by susie1
Punctuation and syntax

[bullerboY]

I remember the barrels used as tables in there,I also went in the Squirrel down the road.We went to the Park cinema every sunday and sometimes in the week,I met my late first wife in there in November 1960 also went in the Kinema a lot as well.Neither of the coffee bars were as popular as the Coronation down Infirmary Road though for bikers.

[arrodbo]

Yes Susie1

I went to the Park cinema,Lomas Hall and never missed Tuesdays at the Memo, me and about 7 mates always went to the memo in suit and tie to "bop" with the girls.

I remember the cups an saucers (pyrex) in the smugglers.

[JayVee]

Yes Susie1

I went to the Park cinema,Lomas Hall and never missed Tuesdays at the Memo, me and about 7 mates always went to the memo in suit and tie to "bop" with the girls.

I remember the cups an saucers (pyrex) in the smugglers.

 

Lomas Hall Fridays - what memories!!Used to go to the 'top house' first,landlord wouldnt serve us pints so we ordered 2 halves each,he didnt seem to catch on!!

Coming back down Stannington Road after with a girl on your arm,sometimes two! Arrodbo will remember!!

Memo Tuesdays was the midweek bash in more than one way - never scrapped

as much anywhere!!Lost a brand new Crombie overcoat one night running from

the 'bobbies' - I was climbing a wall and the 'bobby' caught me by the coat and

I had to shed it to get away!! Best was that I went to Hammerton Road police

station next day and asked at lost property if they had a Crombie coat.the sergeant rooted at the back for ages then appeared with my coat and the lunatic gave it back to me!!! Mum,who bought me the coat,probably with her last tenner,never knew. God bless her.

Must write the stories down before the dementia kicks in!

ps Hows it going Arrodbo?

[arrodbo]

Its going well JAYVEE,had some great times didn't we? we are all well and hope you are too.

Saw your old mucker Mick Riley earlier this year...never alters

[speedway fan]

did you also go to the lomas hall on friday nights, memo tuesdays, park cinema sundays?

Can anyone remember what the proprietors of the smugglers' were called? The man had dark-rimmed glasses and was quite a big chap (fred? Ex army?) and his wife had shoulder-length blonde hair. It was the only place i have ever drunk coffee regularly, remember the pyrex-type glass cups and saucers?

 

Hillgirl, yes, i heard many years ago that douglas had died; so very, very sad, and a big shock, it really upset me, because he was my first serious boyfriend. About 25 + years ago, quite by chance, at a children's "do" at bramall lane, a friend's daughter came with a friend who, i was told, was lucy lightning, douglas's daughter.

 

the original proprietors were a young couple,his name was george,can't remember her name but she was a really good looker.they emigrated to australia and it was taken over by an elderly couple,i think his name was fred and i believe he had been steward at the walkley reform club where we went to play snooker.

 

---------- Post added 16-11-2014 at 16:44 ----------

 

A coloured lad called brian and his mate Bill went in there and had Triumph Tiger 110s,Malcolm Allott with his Gold Star and Allan Fowler with his Royal Enfield Crusader sport also Pat Ransome she was Brians girl.

I remember Malcolm Allott really well,I knocked about with him for about 18 months.In fact we both worked together as Motorcycle Patrols for the RAC.When I first met Malc I had a red Crusader Sports which I later swapped for a green 500cc Norton and then again swapped for a BSA Shooting Star.During most of this time Malc had a Velocette Viper.However there is something niggling at the back of my mind saying Malc did eventually buy a Goldie.I seem to remember a race between him and Phil Sharman who had the Triumph (PVO 42)which was eventually sold to Spud.The race went from The Smugglers to Oughtibridge and back.Malc won but Phill crashed out on the way back and I believe spent a night in hospital.However there were two other lads with Goldies.Alan Howard,who lived at Oughtibridge,and a little guy called Maurice.Maurice could ride the bike but used to fall over with it at traffic lights.He went with a girl called Babs.I new a lad called Brian who had a blue Crusader sports.I think I knew Allan but I am not 100% sure his surname was Fowler,he had a Matchy/AJS twin and his mate was Bill Dale who had a Triumph twin.Neither of these two would ever wear crash helmets.We also used to go to the Flamingo on Abbeydale Rd and the Disc Jockey on London Rd(remember SUE there)?There was also a coffee bar up Stocksbridge we used to visit regularly,I think it was called The Rainbow.There were a few more lads but I just can't remember their names,old age is now creeping on.

Edited December 19, 2014 by speedway fan
spelling mistake

[ivan edake]

Yes I remember all of these people.What about the lasses?Little Joan,big Joan(Langston),Janice,Caroline,Rita,Carol.all of these used to go on the back of the bikes.

[rossyrooney]

Mention of Dick Lightning brought back memories to me, I worked in a dairy on Borough Road making ice cream and the compressors needed to do so ran on ammonia, when we had the ocassional leak we were supposed to evacuate the premises and send for the Fire Bobbies, usually a quick call to Dick saw him come round in a matter of minutes and walk straight into the gas filled compressor room and stay in there until he had found out the fault and rectified it.

 

The bloke had no adverse affects from the ammonia while the rest of us stood yards away with stinging tears flowing down our cheeks.

 

He used to say his chat up line was " my name's Dick, do you like it ".

 

Happy days.

[Janet Olsen]

Bunny that you mentioned was actually a lad from Stocksbridge called Russell (first name)sorry can't remember his surname. Also not sure but think the limp was from Polio as a child. I am sure someone from Stocksbridge who reads this will know.He used to catch the 57 bus, usually the last one when we were all coming home from a night out in Sheffield. He would tell jokes like"knock knock" "who's there?" "Wigfalls" :come in love, take a chair" "no we've come fo lot".

He was quite a likable lad. Very friendly.