South Road shops

[RAPXV]

I was born in 1938 at Wakley St, between Cundy St and Hoole st, across from what was then the Co op. I have followed The Forum for some time and people often mention the shops on South Rd. Around 1954 between St Joseph's Catholic Home and Walkley Library there were 102 shops; there were another 15 'corner shops' between Cundy St and Industry Street.

I attended Burgoyne Rd County School. At the corner of Burgoyne Rd and Harworth St a bomb fell, we enjoyed playing on the site and made clay models from the orange clay. Another bomb fell near the bottom of Cundy Street; the school stood unharmed. Across from the bottom of Cundy St, Saviours Church stood on Whitehouse Rd, it was unused but we never ventured near because someone said it was haunted.

[Albert smith]

I was born in 1938 at Wakley St, between Cundy St and Hoole st, across from what was then the Co op. I have followed The Forum for some time and people often mention the shops on South Rd. Around 1954 between St Joseph's Catholic Home and Walkley Library there were 102 shops; there were another 15 'corner shops' between Cundy St and Industry Street.

I attended Burgoyne Rd County School. At the corner of Burgoyne Rd and Harworth St a bomb fell, we enjoyed playing on the site and made clay models from the orange clay. Another bomb fell near the bottom of Cundy Street; the school stood unharmed. Across from the bottom of Cundy St, Saviours Church stood on Whitehouse Rd, it was unused but we never ventured near because someone said it was haunted.

Walkley Street from Industry Street to Blake Street was an absolute wonderland full of shops and pubs .

On the corner of Hoole and Walkley Street on the land that is now a car park stood Poppys general store just across the road on the opposite was the Co-Op.

further down on the next corner of Cundy and Walkley Street were two more corner shops and the Royal pub run by Jack and Nancy a good local with a smashing clientele.

 

As you moved further down Walkley Street shops of all descriptions were open for business ,paint and wallpaper shop, Chinese chip oil, cobblers and so on .

So called slum clearance destroyed the hustle and bustle that was the streets below South Road ,although little enclaves still exist in places.

[RAPXV]

Thank you for you reply Albert.

The shop you referred to on the corner of Walkley and Cundy Street was a 'beer off' where I saw a lorry delivering barrels of beer, to my surprise I saw steam emitting from under the green lorry - it was not powered by petrol but by stream. A few doors from the Royal Pub after the chip shop my Uncle Bill baked and sold bread.

[andycott]

You are obviously quite a lot older than me, but my mum walked me to St Joseph's school along South Road every day - that would be 1964-66 - and I remember it full of shops too. The main one I remember was Gierschicks or something like that; a German baker who made Battenberg which we used to buy. also at the end on the right opposite Walkley library was a grocer who used to slice ham on a machine and bag flour up. I also remember a furniture shop near Gierschicks.

[Albert smith]

You are obviously quite a lot older than me, but my mum walked me to St Joseph's school along South Road every day - that would be 1964-66 - and I remember it full of shops too. The main one I remember was Gierschicks or something like that; a German baker who made Battenberg which we used to buy. also at the end on the right opposite Walkley library was a grocer who used to slice ham on a machine and bag flour up. I also remember a furniture shop near Gierschicks.

Hawkworths or summat of a similar name was on the top corner of Hoole Street it became Alberts emporium , the shop had a payment system that run on wires this meant that the staff put your money into an over head container that conveyed your money to the office ,your change and receipt came back the same way , no fiddling by staff at that shop.

 

On Walkley Street the butcher was called Eric? Ambler the ladies of the district loved his sausage .

[RAPXV]

Yes andycott I must be older. There was a bakery in the early 1950s between Greenhow and Fir St opposite the top of Industry St. called Harold Crackel. At the top of Palm St. there was a grocers shop owned by Mabel Philips, two doors along, towards Walkley Lane there was a shop which sold provisions called Saul Junior. I worked on South Road at a butchers, at that time there were 12 butchers along South Rd. Thanks for you interest andycott

[Albert smith]

Yes andycott I must be older. There was a bakery in the early 1950s between Greenhow and Fir St opposite the top of Industry St. called Harold Crackel. At the top of Palm St. there was a grocers shop owned by Mabel Philips, two doors along, towards Walkley Lane there was a shop which sold provisions called Saul Junior. I worked on South Road at a butchers, at that time there were 12 butchers along South Rd. Thanks for you interest andycott

Duggie the butcher ? who's shop was where Sun Kong Chinese take away is now a couple of shops on from the Post Office top of Hoole Street.

[RJRB]

Duggie the butcher ? who's shop was where Sun Kong Chinese take away is now a couple of shops on from the Post Office top of Hoole Street.

 

Eric Smiths and Son was the shop and Duggie Shepherd was the Butcher in the shop.

Bob Clark’s fishmonger ,Mrs Wagner,chiropodist ,a chippy , a sweet shop and Wadsworth cobblers in the same block between Cundy Street and Hoole Street.

[RAPXV]

Moving from Eric Smith's towards Hoole Street -Otto Wegne a Barber and his wife was a chiropodist; Willie Burns electrician; Maypole Dairy; Edgar Sidall chemist, and the Post Office on the corner was run by Harriet Glaves. Bob Clark purchased 14lb. blocks of beef dripping for his chip pan, and were they good, pure beef dripping rendered at Eric Smith's, he also rendered pure lard. Eric Smith purchased another shop In Burgoyne Road and another on Middlewood Road.

[Albert smith]

Eric Smiths and Son was the shop and Duggie Shepherd was the Butcher in the shop.

Bob Clark’s fishmonger ,Mrs Wagner,chiropodist ,a chippy , a sweet shop and Wadsworth cobblers in the same block between Cundy Street and Hoole Street.

A little story about Duggie .

Duggie used to have a dinner time pint in the Rose House.

One Saturday lunch the Landlord Bernard Frith sprinkled maggots into three of Duggies lady customers shopping bags ,all the bags contained Sunday joints just purchased from Duggie.

 

One of the ladies went into her shopping bag to get her purse and let out a loud scream as she spied the maggots wiggling around her shopping.

 

All three then inspected their bags and as they had all just purchased meat from Duggie they went bonkers ,calling him names not mentionable on this forum .

 

Duggie ran out of the Rose House shouting that the maggots were now't to do with him .

 

The fall out from this one of many antics by Frithy the landlord went on for weeks he had to apologize to Duggie and admit it soon after.