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Pick Just One Building From When You Were Growing Up In Sheffield


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For me it would be the old Norfolk Market Hall in Haymarket.

I remember visits with my mother to buy biscuits from the stalls of the Caledonian Biscuit Company.

In the fifties the wooden stalls were getting very dilapidated and the smell from the stall-holders lavatories situated by the central fountain could knock you down at fifty yards. I think the last time the upper parts of the building had a dusting down was in December 1940 and provided by that chap called Goering.

In spite of this the building had an ambience all of it's all.

A side entrance on Exchange Street had one of the machines which had tiny light bulbs inserted in a street map which were linked to buttons on an index below. This machine pre-dated the ones on Flat Street and the end of Surrey Street.

Of course the high spot of the excursion was a visit to Maces pet shop in white-washed cellers underneath the market hall.

I recall visits to a Bunnies shop on the top external corner to be kitted out in horrible itchy serge trousers.

Outside the market hall you could fill your nostrils with the wonderful aroma of boiling hops and malt drifting up the hill from Tennent's and Gilmours breweries.

HD

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I may have childhood memories mixed up with the Whitby stamp shop regarding the window.

As a kid I spent a lot of time in there whilst on holiday.

As an adunt, I excused myself from my family, walked in, asked the owner to step to one side behind his counter to view the item behind his bonce - then I left the premises £300 lighter and the owner of the King of all stamps ... which would be .... ?

There you go Number 17 Figtree Ln blue door nearest the camera

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Guest RichardT

Stamp shop, Figtree Lane (Philately).

No idea what it is now.

My mum was manager of the Sheffield Stamp Shop during the late 70's-early 80's. They also dealt in coins too.

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It would be Firth Park Library on Firth Park Road , couldn't get enough of reading books .....any books,

still the same now !!

Look at the differance between then c 1950's ? and now.....all shut down & forlorn !! The new site is in the old Co-Op building at the bottom of the gennel in Firth Park.

I haven't been to Sheffield in nearly forty years now. I spent hours in that Library. Why was it shut down, too far to walk from Firth Park shops?
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I haven't been to Sheffield in nearly forty years now. I spent hours in that Library. Why was it shut down, too far to walk from Firth Park shops?

That's pretty much it Ian. People and usage patterns change. The replacement is in the old co-op right in the middle of Firth Park shopping centre. The same applies to Hillsborough Library. It's been mooted several times over recent years that it's now in the wrong place, and should relocate to somewhere in the shopping centre. It's away from the shops, parking is very limited now the tram runs past, and in the winter, people already loath to come out after dark won't make the long trek down from the road along the lonely path.

In the summer, whereas people would often combine a trip to the library with a trip to the park, both Firth Park and Hillsborough, they now don't have the time to sit and while away a bit of time.

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I think that I too would like to say "Redgates", the old one, that is, the one that was down on The Moor itself, as for kids of my generation, Redgates was Zanadoo, the Golden Fleece, the golden pot at the end of the Rainbow, etc, etc, etc!

But then again, I did seem to spend a lot of time in the Children’s Hospital opposite Weston Park with broken bones, deep cuts, various infectious diseases, all of which probably came about as a direct result of my own reckless behaviour!

Because, a trip to the Children’s Hospital, with it's tropical fish tanks, also [usually] meant a trip to Weston Park, the boating lake, the ice cream vans, the museum and also to see, “THE BEAR”.

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On 22/06/2012 at 18:59, hilldweller said:

For me it would be the old Norfolk Market Hall in Haymarket.

I remember visits with my mother to buy biscuits from the stalls of the Caledonian Biscuit Company.

In the fifties the wooden stalls were getting very dilapidated and the smell from the stall-holders lavatories situated by the central fountain could knock you down at fifty yards. I think the last time the upper parts of the building had a dusting down was in December 1940 and provided by that chap called Goering.

In spite of this the building had an ambience all of it's all.

A side entrance on Exchange Street had one of the machines which had tiny light bulbs inserted in a street map which were linked to buttons on an index below. This machine pre-dated the ones on Flat Street and the end of Surrey Street.

Of course the high spot of the excursion was a visit to Maces pet shop in white-washed cellers underneath the market hall.

I recall visits to a Bunnies shop on the top external corner to be kitted out in horrible itchy serge trousers.

Outside the market hall you could fill your nostrils with the wonderful aroma of boiling hops and malt drifting up the hill from Tennent's and Gilmours breweries.

HD

My dad managed that stall in around 1959-1961 until he bought a shop on Wolfe Road

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Bit of a hard one to decide! So, so, many good places, but one immediately jumped to mind 

for me and that was the CASTLE MARKET.  For a little girl shopping with Mum, it was just a

'Wonderland' of so many shops, on different floors and then there were those on the balcony. 

Best of all was the 'Treat' of tea and toasted tea-cake at the 'Cafe'.  Mmmmmm lovely!

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My late beloved grandfather had a weakness for anything served in small white dishes sold in the plethora of stalls in the Fish Market. Tripe, muscles and oysters were his favoured treats, whilst cockles and muscles were mine, this was in the 1950’s and I’ve never lost my liking for shell fish, sadly not served in small white dishes.

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1 hour ago, DaveJC said:

My late beloved grandfather had a weakness for anything served in small white dishes sold in the plethora of stalls in the Fish Market. Tripe, muscles and oysters were his favoured treats, whilst cockles and muscles were mine, this was in the 1950’s and I’ve never lost my liking for shell fish, sadly not served in small white dishes.

The Americans in Alabama made the same spelling mistake by naming a part of Sheffield Alabama  Muscle Shoals instead of Mussel Shoals. 

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Firth Park Library.... Back in the 40's Mum and I would go every day ( well almost) to look at the public notice board where a newspaper ( can't remember which one) had a list of troopship arrivals...hoping that the one Dad was on would appear. I especially remember all the blacking out on the newsprint....  to remove adverts!

The library was a wonderful place....absolute silence was essential at all times and, as I grew older, taking the wooden blocks to the counter for the actual book ( I imagine they were deemed not for general circulation) was a young teenager's challenge.

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I mentioned Firth Park library too ages ago but also Andrews in town. I went to the CGS and would spend my dinner hours and dinner money in there as I loved books so much. No wonder I always felt sick on the tram on the way home having managed on a slice of bread and jam all day. Silly girl. 

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Andrew's was, perhaps, the only place in our City where one could buy many of the books used at school. Yes, Lyn, another wonder of our childhood which provided us withe means to do things without the "benefit" of electronics and technology. The Methodist Bookshop was another place where "bookworms" could indulge themselves before going into Cann's.

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21 hours ago, tozzin said:

The Americans in Alabama made the same spelling mistake by naming a part of Sheffield Alabama  Muscle Shoals instead of Mussel Shoals. 

 

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21 hours ago, tozzin said:

The Americans in Alabama made the same spelling mistake by naming a part of Sheffield Alabama  Muscle Shoals instead of Mussel Shoals. 

I stand corrected, my spelling skills are nothing compared to those of my dancing. 😜

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1 hour ago, DaveJC said:

I stand corrected, my spelling skills are nothing compared to those of my dancing. 😜

Exact opposite of mine Dave.

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I at first thought of two that have already been mentioned the Norfolk Market Hall and the Fish Market but I finally decided on my fathers and later my favourite pub the Adelphi.

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I recall Manor Lodge, when there was far more of it standing, the council have a curious habit of deciding to preserve something when there’s little left of it. I further recall it having a resident couple who charged folk to show them around the remains, whilst telling fanciful tales of Mary, Queen of Scots.

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Must say in my life time it's always looked much the same ,from the exterior that is. Much demolition/dismantling was done in the past with materials being reused for new construction in the area.

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Going to cheat and have 2.

Central Library - went every few weeks on a midweek evening with my parents and was left to wander round by myself. The marble and high ceilings always fascinated me and it had a particular smell and atmosphere about it. Spent many a happy hour looking at the pictures in the railway books.

Sheaf Market - Was taken in there from about 5 years of age (probably earlier but can't remember it). The bustle and range of shops made an impression on me. In the centre by the steps were 2 static childrens 'rides' one of which was a lifeboat that if you put a coin in would gyrate. Very impressive to a 5 year old.

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Extremely hard one to choose. Loved Sheaf and Castle Market. But one place stands to mind is a second hand shop on Infirmary Road which I loved going to. 

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It's not so much one shop but it's the old rag and tag market going round it with my mum on Saturday afternoon. Loved that place when you were young it was magical.

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