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Norfolk Park Estate Early 70s,


s6lad

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OK, we've made a start on the pictures so what about some memories of the place. Although I have many happy memories of friends who lived on these blocks I can also remember.

1) At least 2 suicides / accidental deaths by jumping or falling from balconies on the higher floors.

2) A murder on one of the the St. Aidens blocks in January 1973

3) A burglar known as "spiderman" whose crimes included burglaries on the higher floors of the building which he did by climbing the outside of the block and entering the flats from the open balconies.

4) Several fires on some of the blocks, possibly accidental or maybe arson inspired by watching the film "the towering inferno". These fire must have been very worrying for neighbours, especially those directly above, and must have been a nightmare for the fire brigade to deal with.

5) Being at a friends flat on the top floor in high winds and feeling the whole block physically move and sway in the gusts.

Have any members got other memories like this or can anyone elaborate on any of these.

There was also a murder on St Aidens Mount in 1984. It happened in the next door flat to me. The man who commited this murder had changed his name by deed poll to that of a well known 1950s singer if that rings any bells. He killed the friend he shared the flat with. I also lived on the top floor of Guilford View the tv reception was great i even received tyne tees at the time. Your right the flats did move on there foundations in strong winds, this was a little scarey. Can anyone remember the under floor heating in the flats and the big electric bills ?

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There was also a murder on St Aidens Mount in 1984. It happened in the next door flat to me. The man who commited this murder had changed his name by deed poll to that of a well known 1950s singer if that rings any bells. He killed the friend he shared the flat with. I also lived on the top floor of Guilford View the tv reception was great i even received tyne tees at the time. Your right the flats did move on there foundations in strong winds, this was a little scarey. Can anyone remember the under floor heating in the flats and the big electric bills ?

I don't remember a newspaper headline that said "ELVIS GUILTY OF MURDER ON NORFOLK PARK FLATS!"

Perhaps I will have to go through all the 1950's singers I know, and that's quite a lot until it does ring a bell.

Any chance of another clue?

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Updated.

A / Travelers Rest PH

B / Norfolk School

B2/ Vucan PH

C / Carlton Cinema

D / Arbourthorne Hotel PH

E / Arbourthorne Pond

F / Fellbrigg PH

G / Norfolk Park, Pavilion/Cafe

H / Foot-bridge over Jervis Lum

I / Horse & Lion PH

J / Jervis Lum, wood

K / Bluestone School

L / Black Bank (area)

M / Jervis Lum PH

N / Park Gange Dv Shopping Area,

also on site a Community centre / Social club

O / Midhill WMC

P / SR Gent's

P2/ Olive Grove PH

Out of view to the L/H side is the Captive Queen PH

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OK, we've made a start on the pictures so what about some memories of the place. Although I have many happy memories of friends who lived on these blocks I can also remember.

1) At least 2 suicides / accidental deaths by jumping or falling from balconies on the higher floors.

2) A murder on one of the the St. Aidens blocks in January 1973

3) A burglar known as "spiderman" whose crimes included burglaries on the higher floors of the building which he did by climbing the outside of the block and entering the flats from the open balconies.

4) Several fires on some of the blocks, possibly accidental or maybe arson inspired by watching the film "the towering inferno". These fire must have been very worrying for neighbours, especially those directly above, and must have been a nightmare for the fire brigade to deal with.

5) Being at a friends flat on the top floor in high winds and feeling the whole block physically move and sway in the gusts.

Have any members got other memories like this or can anyone elaborate on any of these.

Hello,

From mid June of 1967 until February 1968, my wife and I lived on the 15 floor of the Park Grange Mount (East Bank Block),

This is shown as Block No. 10 on the photo on Post#34. The flat was on the top corner of the block, nearest to Park Grange

Road.

Sometime between July and September of that summer, there was an "incident" early one morning when a gentleman

fell from a balcony on the adjcent Spring Block (NO.11 on the photo). I don't know any other details

Regards

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Hello,

From mid June of 1967 until February 1968, my wife and I lived on the 15 floor of the Park Grange Mount (East Bank Block),

This is shown as Block No. 10 on the photo on Post#34. The flat was on the top corner of the block, nearest to Park Grange

Road.

Sometime between July and September of that summer, there was an "incident" early one morning when a gentleman

fell from a balcony on the adjcent Spring Block (NO.11 on the photo). I don't know any other details

Regards

Thanks Falls (strange name for someone who puts a post on here about falling off a block of flats!)

I am aware of several incidents of this nature but I have not come across that particular one before.

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Thanks Falls (strange name for someone who puts a post on here about falling off a block of flats!)

Hello,

I use the name "Falls" because I once lived in Niagara Falls.

Regards

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I lived on the 5th floor of Spring block for four years during the early '80s. I can recall there was a limited colour scheme with some of the panels in my block being red.

I enjoyed my time there, felt very safe (despite claims of violence being on every street corner) and only suffered one bad incident when a mattress was set alight in the basement. The fire itself wasn't much of a threat but the fumes from other items which caught fire were putrid.

One incident which reinforces the safety of the flats was that I was working in London during the week, and only returning to Sheffield on Friday nights. One week I forgot to lock my flat door, yet everything was intact when I returned on the Friday night.

Not everything about those flats were good however. The heating was underfloor electric (expensive and useless) and a 3 bar electric fire. Consequently not only was the flat cold in the winter but it suffered badly with condensation and consequently mildew on the walls. The damp atmosphere also encouraged silverfish and I was constantly at war with them.

The good thing however was that my flat overlooked Sheffield so getting home on a Friday night and sitting on the balcony with a glass of beer (or 3) was good for the soul.

Tazz

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I lived on the 5th floor of Spring block for four years during the early '80s. I can recall there was a limited colour scheme with some of the panels in my block being red.

I enjoyed my time there, felt very safe (despite claims of violence being on every street corner) and only suffered one bad incident when a mattress was set alight in the basement. The fire itself wasn't much of a threat but the fumes from other items which caught fire were putrid.

One incident which reinforces the safety of the flats was that I was working in London during the week, and only returning to Sheffield on Friday nights. One week I forgot to lock my flat door, yet everything was intact when I returned on the Friday night.

Not everything about those flats were good however. The heating was underfloor electric (expensive and useless) and a 3 bar electric fire. Consequently not only was the flat cold in the winter but it suffered badly with condensation and consequently mildew on the walls. The damp atmosphere also encouraged silverfish and I was constantly at war with them.

The good thing however was that my flat overlooked Sheffield so getting home on a Friday night and sitting on the balcony with a glass of beer (or 3) was good for the soul.

Tazz

Welcome to SheffieldHistory Tazz, and thank you for your imput into this discussion topic. It's nice to know that many ex residents in these now gone tower blocks have very positive and happy memories of them.

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Thanks Falls (strange name for someone who puts a post on here about falling off a block of flats!)

I am aware of several incidents of this nature but I have not come across that particular one before.

As examples,

In the late 1970's early 1980's my wife lived on the second floor of Beechwood (block 3 in picture). She got up one Sunday morning around 1980 and on opening her curtains witnessed a woman falling past her window at high speed. She had fallen / jumped from the 10th floor. Of course the poor woman came to an abrupt halt on the ground not far below my wifes window, - it certainly upset her a lot.

In early 1972 a girl who was in the same class as me and Stuart0742 was summoned to the headmasters office because her father had just committed suicide by jumping off the top of Mickley (block 5 in picture). Her mother had died several years earlier. Another very sad and upsetting incident.

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Guest SheffBlade

Would love to see pictures or read memories of the council estate. I lived there as a kid from 1967 to 72 amd really loved all the green space and lots of other kids my age. I lived on Samual Drive just above the Horse and Lion pub. I have looked on the pictures sheffield archive as i thought that there would be plenty of planners pics etc but no luck.

The Horse and Lions stood for years though is now sadly all boarded up and for sale. Here it is just before they put the shutters up

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The Horse and Lions stood for years though is now sadly all boarded up and for sale. Here it is just before they put the shutters up

Great embedded picture of the Horse and Lion to add to our collection of Norfolk Park estate boozers.

I have mentioned elsewhere that the photo we are short of is one of the Captive Queen, anyone got one?

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I'll nip and take one if you like in the next day or two

Could do, but we would really prefer a picture of the Captive Queen as a pub from the period 1973 - 1999 rather than a picture of the Church of the Nazareen which it is now.

Still be interested to see it though.

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Not much to look at these days

I wonder if the church still has the same BT telephone that Stuart0742 fitted in 1973

The second picture taken from behind the building in the old quarry shows where the chip shop behind the pub used to be.

(behind and actually under it due to the quarry hillside)

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