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Keetons Hill


J. Hardwick

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Hello all,

I'm trying to find some photos of Keetons Hill from the 40's or 50's. It used to run under an archway at the side of Roper's motorcycle shop on London Rd. Highfields. After a short uphill stretch it turned sharp right and ran parallel to London Road before turning sharp right to a short downhill stretch back onto London Road, coming out opposite either the Barrel or the Crown.

I've tried Picture Sheffield, but don't get any results. The reason for my query is that as lads, an old friend and I lived nearby, and we were trying to recall that particular area.

I hope someone can help.

Regards, Thorpy.

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Picture Sheffield has 2 photos of Keetons Hill, but only at the point where it emerges back onto London Rd, showing Barlows shopfitters and the restaurant at the other side.

I believe the other end near Ropers was known as Wrights Hill but there are no photos of that end at all.

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4 hours ago, J. Hardwick said:

Hello all,

I'm trying to find some photos of Keetons Hill from the 40's or 50's. It used to run under an archway at the side of Roper's motorcycle shop on London Rd. Highfields. After a short uphill stretch it turned sharp right and ran parallel to London Road before turning sharp right to a short downhill stretch back onto London Road, coming out opposite either the Barrel or the Crown.

I've tried Picture Sheffield, but don't get any results. The reason for my query is that as lads, an old friend and I lived nearby, and we were trying to recall that particular area.

I hope someone can help.

Regards, Thorpy.

Hi J Hardwick. Theses are not old photos, but they are of where you want, hope they help.

PICTURE SHEFFIELD - Ref No: s38532 140 - 162 London Rd inc Frank B Roper Ltd  &  Ref No: s38550 162-176

Ref No: s38570  138 London Rd on corner Keeton's Hill  which is opposite The Old Crown

You can travel round from Keeton's Hill to Wright's Hill on Google Street Map. Ok Heartshome

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Hi Thorpy

The site britainfromabove.org.uk has an aerial image of the area for 1952 which may help - Image ref: EAW042505.

Keetons Hill is in the lower right hand quarter of the picture.

Regards

Leipzig

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22 hours ago, Organgrinder said:

Picture Sheffield has 2 photos of Keetons Hill, but only at the point where it emerges back onto London Rd, showing Barlows shopfitters and the restaurant at the other side.

I believe the other end near Ropers was known as Wrights Hill but there are no photos of that end at all.

Thanks very much, I'll take a look, Cheers, Thorpy.

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20 hours ago, Heartshome said:

Hi J Hardwick. Theses are not old photos, but they are of where you want, hope they help.

PICTURE SHEFFIELD - Ref No: s38532 140 - 162 London Rd inc Frank B Roper Ltd  &  Ref No: s38550 162-176

Ref No: s38570  138 London Rd on corner Keeton's Hill  which is opposite The Old Crown

You can travel round from Keeton's Hill to Wright's Hill on Google Street Map. Ok Heartshome

Thanks very much, I'll take a look, Cheers, Thorpy.

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19 hours ago, Leipzig said:

Hi Thorpy

The site britainfromabove.org.uk has an aerial image of the area for 1952 which may help - Image ref: EAW042505.

Keetons Hill is in the lower right hand quarter of the picture.

Regards

Leipzig

Thanks very much, I'll take a look, Cheers, Thorpy.

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19 hours ago, Leipzig said:

Hi Thorpy

The site britainfromabove.org.uk has an aerial image of the area for 1952 which may help - Image ref: EAW042505.

Keetons Hill is in the lower right hand quarter of the picture.

Regards

Leipzig

Thanks very much, I'll take a look, Cheers, Thorpy.

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19 hours ago, Leipzig said:

Hi Thorpy

The site britainfromabove.org.uk has an aerial image of the area for 1952 which may help - Image ref: EAW042505.

Keetons Hill is in the lower right hand quarter of the picture.

Regards

Leipzig

Thanks very much, I'll take a look, Cheers, Thorpy.

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44 minutes ago, J. Hardwick said:

Thanks very much, I'll take a look, Cheers, Thorpy.

You can say that again.  😆

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Was J Hardwick at Sharrow Lane Juniors up to 1953? The name is familiar. But what is also familiar is the mention of Barlow's Shopfitters. I used to go with a wheelbarrow to the sawmill at the back, at the top of Wrights Hill, to collect "free-gratis-and for nothing" loads of sawdust for use in the cage I kept guinea pigs in.  

And across London Road, Eric Hadfield's where I had my first crew cut!   

 

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Yes that's me! I was at Sharrow Lane from 1947 until 1953. A good old school. I too was a regular at Eric Hatfield's, as a young teenager, I had the "Tony Curtis" there. Not a spectacular success, I finished up with a three inch square crew cut at the front, with all the rest of my hair  combed straight back to a "square neck." In hindsight it was expecting a lot to get a mop of curls at the front when my hair was dead straight. Still me and my mates David Vardy and Roger Walker thought we looked pretty good!

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On 06/04/2021 at 17:20, Organgrinder said:

Picture Sheffield has 2 photos of Keetons Hill, but only at the point where it emerges back onto London Rd, showing Barlows shopfitters and the restaurant at the other side.

I believe the other end near Ropers was known as Wrights Hill but there are no photos of that end at all.

Thanks for your help, I've had a look at those now. It's a pity there are no images from further around.

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On 07/04/2021 at 16:10, J. Hardwick said:

Thanks very much, I'll take a look, Cheers, Thorpy.

 

Just now, J. Hardwick said:

Thanks for your help, I've had a look at those now. It's a pity there are no images from further around.

 

On 07/04/2021 at 16:11, J. Hardwick said:

Thanks very much, I'll take a look, Cheers, Thorpy.

Thank you all for your input, I've looked at the sites which were suggested, and the aerial photographs show the exact layout. I'll keep  searching for some old images taken from street level. I also looked on Google Earth thanks. It just seems to be large areas of empty car park these days.

Sorry about my initial brief replies, I've tried to respond to you all individually after the "you can say that again " comment. However I can't seem to fathom out how to do it. I must be losing it, as I've worked for various companies on networked sites during my working life.

Heigh ho, Thanks again!

 

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19 hours ago, J. Hardwick said:

Yes that's me! I was at Sharrow Lane from 1947 until 1953. A good old school. I too was a regular at Eric Hatfield's, as a young teenager, I had the "Tony Curtis" there. Not a spectacular success, I finished up with a three inch square crew cut at the front, with all the rest of my hair  combed straight back to a "square neck." In hindsight it was expecting a lot to get a mop of curls at the front when my hair was dead straight. Still me and my mates David Vardy and Roger Walker thought we looked pretty good!

That would be Roger "Swot" Walker, top of Mr  Foster's class and who went to King Ted's?  And what happened to David?  And do you remember me being appointed class reader and reading Three Men In A Boat every time Fozzy had to leave the classroom ?

 

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No that Walker was Michael, who lived at the top of our Road he did go to King Ted's. The Walker I'm talking about was Roger Walker. David Vardy, Roger and I all lived on Thorp Road. They have both been good friends of mine all my life. In normal times I meet up with Roger frequently for a walk or a drink, and he is in very good health. As for David, I was his best man, and he was mine. We're God parents to his children, and they are God parents to ours.

David and his wife are now living in Leigh, Lancashire. He is not in the best of health, having suffered several mini strokes, so he isn't getting about very well. Hence their move to Leigh to be near their daughter. Again, in normal times, we visit quite often, and are looking back to getting back to those times!

Back to Sharrow Lane, I do very vaguely remember the class reader appointment. Are you Bob Ireland?

 

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No, Bob's a good mate and we both lived on Fentonville St along with Valerie Shaw (who I'm in regular contact with) and Judith Whitehead who is now Judy Coulson  I'm David France....I'm sure you will recall that we had  Wales (David), Ireland and France in the same class. Sadly David passed away a few years ago. Bob lives at the top of the Gleadless Valley and for most of his working life was a mechanic with his own business at the bottom of St Philips Road.   I can't picture Roger Walker.....because the only two Walkers I recall were, of course Michael who I was confusing him with and John Walker from Lansdown Rd, I think, who was a mate of Tommy Tuft  better known in his stage career as Tufty Gordon and who died two years ago. Am I mistaken or am I right in saying you haven't been to any of our reunions at the school in the last decade?   Of course Covid has halted that but I keep getting nudged to organise another as soon as we  are "released". Maybe. 

Since the last I have been in contact with Rod Goodfellow, son of teacher Mrs Goodfellow, who was a couple of years above us. His sister Diana was younger than us but did spend some time with us when we were still in a mixed class in J1 /J2. Diana is now a pen friend of mine and lives on the banks of the Rhine in Germany. The family lived on Ventnor Place off Wolstenholme Road.  Rod is dead keen to have another reunion.  Sadly though the cafe that operated in the old school hall went out of business so we'd be pushed to find a venue. If you search under the Sharrow Lane School sites on this and the other Sheffield Forum there are photos from the last reunions...and there's a short video on YouTube with Elaine 

 Turner  in full flow.....

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Hello David,

You may recall we exchanged posts on Sheffield Forum re. old class mates. I did attend the last reunion, Roger Walker was with me as were Ian Brelsford, Frank Turner and Dave Storff. Those three were in the year below us. The only one I could pick out from the video was George Jones. The list at the end mentions Bob Hemstock, but I can't pick him out.

Roger didn't start at Sharrow Lane until J1, About 8 years old I think. He moved to our Road from Meersbrook. We always laugh about the fact that he started in J1A in the morning, and was demoted at dinnertime! Like one or two of my friends from that era, he didn't pass the 11 plus, but has gone on to be very successful.

Regarding the last reunion I attended, Tony Foulds was there ( the man renowned for his dedication to the bomber crash site in Endcliffe park). I wasn't aware  that he was at Sharrow Lane, although he is probably five or six years older than us.

David Wales, I think, joined the navy, later becoming a fireman. Ken Winterbottom, who died a couple of years ago, joined the army.

As we said previously Mick Walker passed for King Ted's. I remember the day we got our results letters, I was at the top of our road with Mick (I'd passed for Nether Edge). Who should come careering round the bottom corner, but Mike Baggaley, waving his letter, he too had passed for Nether Edge. Where did you finish up?

Mike lived on Bramall Lane, opposite the football/cricket ground. When the test matches were being played, we used to sit at his bedroom window watching the games. Another bonus was that his dad worked at Richdales brewery( RICH(D)ALES FOR RICH ALES), so we had unlimited free pop. Happy days.

Regards, Tony.

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I do apologise for not remembering your presence at a reunion....I must be getting old!  Your recollection of Michael Baggaley is spot on...I wasn't a soccer or cricket fam but I do recall his house very clearly. It's amazing how we all used to go visiting other schoolmates. Frank Wheata was in Edmund Road....and below is a list of classmates and I could pretty well put street names alongside all of them.  

I was pleased as punch to find that I got to my choice of school, at High Storrs. King Teds always seemed too formidable for me and I liked the idea of High Storrs being almost out in the country....and an older neighbour Philip Stansfield who went there entranced me with tales of happenings on The Roughs.  I hate to say this but in the last year at Sharrow Lane I was 2nd in class, just below Michael Walker. My good bits were English and "General Knowledge" with "Comprehension" and "Nature Study". Sadly I did not continue my success at High Storrs, leaving with only two O levels, English and Geography. But the class reader experience was to come in handy much later in life when I became a BBC News reader.  Much of my downfall at High Storrs was, I claim, due to the extraordinary level of bullying that was almost condoned there with an all male, ex wartime exploits, staff who freely used the slipper and cane. That and coming from a poor working class background unable to afford sports kit, musical instruments, French exchange visits etc and having a distinctive Wigfalls blazer rather than one from Walsh's.  These things counted.   But in life I climbed back....and the story from there is now a book. 

Sharrow Lane was a great school and Fozzie Foster, who these days might attract a questioning look, especially as he was also a scoutmaster, was a great teacher and we were lucky to have him for two years in succession in J3 and J4. I wish he could know how much he contributed to my life story. 

So here is the list:

Barry Knowles - Hill St
Peter Crowther - Bennett St
Billy Gillot = ditto
Frank Wheata - Edmund Rd
Michael Bagguley - Bramall Lane
Michael Walker - Thorp Rd
David Vardy - ditto
John Rutherford  - Smeeton St
Jack Colbridge - Cecil Rd
Bob Gorrill -  South View Rd ?
Ian Beale - 
David Wales - Vincent Rd
Bob Ireland - Fentonville St
Roy Whittaker - Franklin St
David Jackson - London Rd
Tom Tuft - Pearl St/Fieldhead Rd
Michael Green  - South View Rd ?
Roger Holden - Steade Rd
Derek Nutton - Langdon St
Trevor Bingley - Mackenzie St
John Walker - Pearl St ?
Keith Spooner - 
Michael Folger - Grange Cres
Rodney Furness - Washington Rd ?
Raymond Tomlinson  - Kearsley Rd?
David Hardcastle -
Gordon Fleming -    (emigrated about 1951)
Robert Moody -  South View Rd?

 

I hope someone can complete this list !

 

D. 

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