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Redgates Toy Shop - Sheffield - Photos


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Does anyone remember the small shop they had in Fitzallan Square? They also had a shop in Chesterfield that closed early on. Redgates was founded by Councillor Nunn and the business was carried on by the Nunn family. Councillor Nunn's wife was a Miss Redgate, so he named the business after his wife's maiden name.

My father was a friend of Frank Nunn as they were both members of the Sharrow Cycling Club. Frank ran the Chesterfield shop until they decided to close it then he came back to the Sheffield shop.

After my father died my mother worked in the accounts department at Redgates

There was a toy shop in Fitzalan Square called Wilson, Gumpert & Co which was "controlled" by Redgates at some stage.

Wilson Gumpert on Sheffield History

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Guest Peter Hoult

We are having this conversation in the "chesterfield old pics" group on Facebook. I seem to think I visited the Sheffield Redgates shop in 1986 when we came over from Canada to visit. I remember going to Redgates at Sheffield, Chesterfield and Doncaster also in about 1982 before I moved to Canada. I think I may have read that it got taken over in about 1990? Weirdly, I always thought it occupied the curved building on The Moor where McDonalds is now (or a similar looking one!). Although having said that in 1986 I seem to think that we went to Redgates, and then McDonalds so that couldn't be the case! Unless of course I am "mixing up" 2 of the Redgates sites in my mind from 2 different years and Redgates did used to occupy the McD's building in the early 80s but not in 1986?

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Guest Peter Hoult

Hi there.

Heres an old Redgates paper bag I have.

redgates.jpg

Ah yes I remember those bags! I think I may have bought some Lundby Doll's House Electrical items and possibly LEGO train items and they were put in one of these! Before you ask I wasn't into the dolls houses, only the lighting and electrical stuff that went with them!

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On 9/4/2011 at 19:09, Sheffield History said:

post-1-0-51715600-1315159771_thumb.jpg

 

Redgates Toy Shop Lift Doors

My big sister used to work at Redgates when I was a kid.

She had a mortal fear of Darth Vader from Star Wars and one day there was a promotion at Redgates with an appearance by Darth himself.

She was getting this very lift when Darth got in and she had to travel all the way from top to bottom floor with him.

I still don't think she's ever recovered from this. ;)

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Not having lived in Sheffield for over forty years, I couldn't recognize the photograph of Redgates at all.  When I was a child in the 1950s the shop was in Fitzalan Square next to the bus station and opposite the General Post Office and the News Theatre.A marvellous shop where I used to buy additional bits for my Bayko set. Does anyone remember those? Happy happy days.

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28 minutes ago, Cousin Kay said:

Not having lived in Sheffield for over forty years, I couldn't recognize the photograph of Redgates at all.  When I was a child in the 1950s the shop was in Fitzalan Square next to the bus station and opposite the General Post Office and the News Theatre.A marvellous shop where I used to buy additional bits for my Bayko set. Does anyone remember those? Happy happy days.

The one in Fitzalan Square was Wilson Gumperts who at one time were owned by Redgates. After being bombed in the Sheffield Blitz, Redgates moved to temporary premises on Ecclesall Road before moving back to The Moor in 1954. They also had a shop at the top of Fargate on the corner of Surrey Street but that was much earlier.

Wilson Gumpert covered here    ------http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/topic/1359-the-other-toy-shop/

And details here including the picture below  ----------   (c)   http://www.welovesheffield.uk/magazine/history-nostalgia/77-remembering-redgates-memories-of-sheffield.html

 

redgates-sheffield-painting.jpg

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18 hours ago, Cousin Kay said:

Not having lived in Sheffield for over forty years, I couldn't recognize the photograph of Redgates at all.  When I was a child in the 1950s the shop was in Fitzalan Square next to the bus station and opposite the General Post Office and the News Theatre.A marvellous shop where I used to buy additional bits for my Bayko set. Does anyone remember those? Happy happy days.

Yes indeed - I had Bayko and loved building houses with it. Apparently it was owned by Meccano. I think that a new upstart competitor was just starting off, but I couldn't see how bricks with knobbles on them would ever catch on. That was Lego.

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Going back to the 50s, there was a toy shop I used to love near the town hall. From Google Maps/Street View, I think it was on St Paul's Parade. The arched shop windows seem familiar. Does anyone remember it? I remember getting an Airfix Short Sunderland Flying Boat kit there.

Also a toy shop in Firth Park, quite local to both sets of grandparents. It was near the bottom of Stubbin Lane, on the left facing uphill towards Barnsley Road. I've got the name Kenyon's in my head, but I'm not sure aout that.

 

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Hi malc b;  I think the shop you mention first on St Paul's Parade is Hobbies, balsa wood,fretwork saws etc for model enthusiasts.

Kenyons shop was at the bottom of Bellhouse Road near its junction with Firth Park Crescent not very far from Stubbin Lane.

The post by boginspro on March 9th included part of a picture of The Moorhead in 1938. This featured on a Christmas Card in 1989 from an original painting by local artist Terry Gorman.

More detail on this scan:  hpqscan0001.thumb.jpg.6938a41e6f2513f3fa6c413bc8de2d0e.jpg

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Belated thanks, Voldy. I mis-remembered Kenyons - Firth Park shops were down Stubbin Lane from one set of grandparents (Hereward Road) & down Bellhouse Road from the other (Bracken Road). 

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I can remember getting my Mamod SE2 steam engine there.  I think it was downstairs in the basement.  It was the most expensive present I'd ever had, but then Dad also played with it!

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55 minutes ago, MartinR said:

I can remember getting my Mamod SE2 steam engine there.  I think it was downstairs in the basement.  It was the most expensive present I'd ever had, but then Dad also played with it!


Happy times!


The basement - was that the downstairs bit with the train set going round above your head?

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I vaguely remember a train set going around above my head, but to be honest I couldn't say where, possibly even Hamley's in London.  It's over half a century ago now!

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On 03/09/2017 at 18:29, malc b said:

Going back to the 50s, there was a toy shop I used to love near the town hall. From Google Maps/Street View, I think it was on St Paul's Parade. The arched shop windows seem familiar. Does anyone remember it? I remember getting an Airfix Short Sunderland Flying Boat kit there.

Also a toy shop in Firth Park, quite local to both sets of grandparents. It was near the bottom of Stubbin Lane, on the left facing uphill towards Barnsley Road. I've got the name Kenyon's in my head, but I'm not sure aout that.

 

That was. Hobbies model shop.

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I remember going in on a few occasions. But the only thing I remember buying is a Clash of the Titans poster and getting laugh at by some other kids. 

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