Ordinary Sheffielders.

[Kidorry]

You are spot on there trastrick. That was when a chicken for dinner at xmas was a luxury. Don`t forget the silver threepenny bits in the xmas pud. As a kid I could never understand how my mother could cut the xmas pud and know where the threepenny bits were. It was years later when it dawned on me that she slipped them in after cutting. Happy days. Just remembered we played chase the ace as well as Newmarket.

Edited December 10, 2021 by Kidorry
Added text

[trastrick]

3 hours ago, Kidorry said:

You are spot on there trastrick. That was when a chicken for dinner at xmas was a luxury. Don`t forget the silver threepenny bits in the xmas pud. As a kid I could never understand how my mother could cut the xmas pud and know where the threepenny bits were. It was years later when it dawned on me that she slipped them in after cutting. Happy days. Just remembered we played chase the ace as well as Newmarket.

Merry Christmas Kidorry, Cuttsie, and all those who have shared their memories here!

[Kidorry]

And the same to you and everyone else on the forum.

[cuttsie]

Alec Caley . Alec lived on Gleadless Crescent in the 40's through to the 60's . He was a drainlayer by trade and a very handsome man with one of those very victorian mustaches that sat on his top lip like a well trimmed hedge .

I was a fostered kid who ended up a neighbour of the Caleys and Alec took to me and if he gave his three kids tuppence or thre pence to get soms spice from Merfins shop on Hurlfield Ave Alecwould make sure he gave me the same .

 

The clock could be set by the time Alec passed our window on the way to the Heeley and Sheffield house , the time was always bang on 8pm , not a minute before or a minute after .

He would pass the New Inn at bottom of Gleadless Common without giving it a glance as the only pub he ever went in was the Heeley and Sheffield .

Alec had his own seat which was in the window of the pub , If us kids happened to be around the area he would give us a wave and some times a bag of crisps would be chucked from the side door because that was what he was like a smashing bloke '

 

Some times Alec walked home unsteadaly through Dobsons fields that stretched from Gleadless Road to Gleadless Crescent . In the field where  horses and cows ,

Alec would stroke the horses as they were used to him and now and then he would attemp to get a ride across the fields on the way home .

One memory thatwas folk lore in our district is Alec sat astride a big mare facing the wrong way , He was happy and and singing telling the old horse that it  infact was going the wrong way  not him .

 Alec is mentioned in a book about old Glealess if I remember right , but all I remember is a cracking human being who was one of my heroes when growing up on that little Crescent at Gleadless now murdered by the Council .

Edited January 27, 2022 by cuttsie

[cuttsie]

Alec  had four kids . Elaine , Grant , Rodger and Carrol Caley , Rodger was a Rodger Moore look alike and a Sheffield car dealer he once asked me "What are you smoking these days " Me thinking he meant Park Drives or Woodbines said "I don't smoke Rodger " "Silly twit " Roger replied "What car are tha driving ".

Grant was a plant operator , diggers , mixers , road rollers etc , A smashing lad to have as a pal when growing up on the Crescent , .

As to Elaine and Carrol lost touch with them over the years .

Alexcs wife was called Florie if i remember right alway a dripping sandwich for us kids when we called at her house .

[cuttsie]

Tom , Snooker hole keeper under the Manor Pictures .

Tom was a little bloke around 5ft 2inches tall , He ran the snooker Hall that was entered by a side door adjaicent to the main Cinema doors at the Manor Cinema .

He always wore a brown smock coat and usually had a fag dangling from the corner of his mouth .

When you entered the snooker hole you descended around twenty concrete steps then entered this dark smoke filled basement that was at least 100 yards long and wide ,it was filled with many tables .

The place was always full and many dodgy characters doing dodgy deals sat around the edges of the room .

Tom was the money taker , that meant you gave him a tanner or a shilling and he gave you a set off snooker or billiard balls , then turned on the canopy light , I never saw a till or any record of the games played but  there must have been some system on place .

 

Tom ruled with an iron fist , no messing about or you were out and barred , after every game he swept the table always with fag in gob which I found quite funney at the time .

He was a fixture on the Manor Top at all times day or night and could often be seen chowing the rag with Joe who was the Manor Cinemas door man complete with uniform and peaked cap .

 

The sight of those two  stood together is a overriding memory of mine  and I wish one of those Sheffield scene artists had painted that scene now just a memory .

 

The cinema is now a super market ......

Edited January 30, 2022 by cuttsie

[Runningman]

Leo, doorman and bouncer at the Heeley Coliseum.

Ex WW1 my Dad told me.

Not a good height or weight, but no to be messed with

Seen him grasp some big lads by the collar who had been messing about and out of the cinema they went

Had a pair of large ears and a face as remote from Cary Grant's  as it could be

Think he lived somewhere near Asline Road

Any body remember him ?

[cuttsie]

There was a Leo who knocked around Town , A market lad , He also was not a Cary Grant and could usually be seen eating a burger or meat pie .

Those picture house attendants had to put up with some crap in the late 50's 60's ourmob used to take a alarm clock int Manor and as soon as hero swapped spit wi heroin the alarm would go off . this always resulted in up roar and Joe would go crackers trying o find culprits .

[Padders]

13 hours ago, cuttsie said:

There was a Leo who knocked around Town , A market lad , He also was not a Cary Grant and could usually be seen eating a burger or meat pie .

Those picture house attendants had to put up with some crap in the late 50's 60's ourmob used to take a alarm clock int Manor and as soon as hero swapped spit wi heroin the alarm would go off . this always resulted in up roar and Joe would go crackers trying o find culprits .

That reight theer Cuttsie......

Me and my mate would be about 15yrs old, (int 60s).

So one Saturday we went into town, and showing at the old Classic Cinema (or was it the news theatre) in Fitzalan Sq. was a horror film about giant spiders.

So us bright sparks had an idea, we went to some joke shop in town, and purchased a huge dummy spider and a reel of cotton.

Next step,

Of to the cinema for Saturday afternoon matinee, 2 seats for the balcony please..

There we were sat just behind the balcony rail, waiting for the appearance of the man eating spider to make his entrance.

 When he did, we went into action, dangling the spider🕷️ on a piece of cotton on to the audience below us.

The yelling and screams were music to our ears, yep we got chucked out and lost the spider, but what a laugh we had.

Happy daze.

[cuttsie]

good un Padders , Joy sticks dropped or balcony brought many a swear word from peasants down below int basement seats