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Abbey Pub, Woodseats


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Just been browsing images on Picture Sheffield of the Abbey pub, Woodseats. Its changed quite a lot over the years. Heres some before and now pictures, all viewed from Chesterfield Road junction with Abbey Lane. The road has since been widened and straightened.....

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Has it always been a pub? It looks a bit isolated and rather a big building for a public house. Was it a horse drawn coach stop for example.

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I moved to Abbey Lane in 1966 and it was my regular haunt till I left in the late 90s

In those days it was considered the jewel in Tetleys crown of pubs in the area. Constantly busy, it had football, golf, angling and bowling sections along with a social club that I was heavily involved with.

It was run by Ernest and Evelyn Johnson who’s son Kevan went on to run the Limit and various other clubs.

It was then taken on by Roy and Janet Jackson then Ged and Dot Limb.

In it’s heyday it really was the most popular pub in the area . No juke box so it tended to discourage the younger element who would go to the Big Tree instead.

In the early years they had a piano in the lounge that was put to good use at weekends but other than that it was a great place to just chat and drink.

Like most places then , they didn’t get in to doing pub food till much later.

It does still have a bowling green despite several attempts by the brewery to to turn it into a car park or worse. 

In recent times it seems to have struggled under a succession of managers like most pubs have but fortunately it still survives 

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I used to be a regular in here years ago when i lived and worked up Grenhill i would walk down to Woodseats for a pint after work. Despite having two different landlords in the time i drank in there it was a nice pub with good ale and didn't attract the trouble the big tree used too. (Which always surprised me being so close to a police station)

At the time it was one of only a few pubs left in Sheffield with a bowling green although i think that may have changed now as i remember the brewery always wanted to do away with it.

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The Mr Awdas mentioned in the newspaper article is my relative Mr James Awdas who was a cartwright / blacksmith based on Rockingham Lane in the 1800's. He was brother to Robert Awdas also a blacksmith based on Sheaf Street at the same time. Robert is my great great great great great Grandad!!

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My late friend and mentor, Colin Deakin used to tell x2 stories about the Abbey Hotel. Firstly, in the 60's when Colin was a painter they were tasked to paint the rooms in the hotel. They didn't clean the cigarette smoke/tar off the walls and just painted over it. Consquently, the paint didn't dry so they had to hire big fans and point them at the walls!                    Secondly, during the same renovation a new alarm was fitter which went off everytime a bus went along Chesterfield Road!

It was Colin who also told me that in the 60/70's the reason why so many Sheffield houses were painted green was because it was paint which was 'aquired' from Sheffield Works Department. At that time any building which belonged to Sheffield City Council, including schools were painted green!

Wazzie Worrall

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