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The Hole in the Wall Pub


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Hi RichardB,

I think I might be right in saying that the Hole in the Wall was so named because of the "hole in the wall" oposite the pub. There was a railway sidings or something years ago and futher along, behind the Vauxhall dealers, is a tunnel that leads to the railway line that goes over the Wicker arches. It was a double line tunnel so was obviously quite important, maybe it was used to get the steel onto the other main lines ? Does any body know? My brothers and I used to frighten outselves silly walking through it saying things were waiting to get us in the passing bays :) The worse thing that happened for me in there though was standing on what was left of a HUGE rat (it seemed like it to me anyway). I only had my 'Jesus sandals' on and no socks - Ugh!!!!!

The tunnel was bricked up in the 80's when the site was being developed. With a bit of forward thinking they could have used it for the new ring road :)

Can anyone point me to the thread about the railway tunnel - theres bound to be one somewhere.

We used to go in that pub most dinner times up until the mid 60`s. I just assumed that as it blended in with the line of buildings either side of it, the door that you went in was "the hole in the wall" and that was how it got its name. There was definitely no sign outside calling it "Hole in the Wall" at that time.

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I only went in once. I had been invited to a birthday bash in 1985 and it was there we were asked to meet before moving down Wicker. I remember the landlady introducing herself as Pandora. We only had a couple of drinks but the atmosphere was OK, as were the customers.

I believe Pandora and her husband then moved on to the Silver Fox at Stocksbridge where they carried on the sing along.

A nice couple who before having the Hole in the Wall they had the beer off shop on Bolsover St.

What I remember of the landlord [can't recall his name] he always wore a dicky bow even in the beer off shop.

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The last pint I had in there was in 1986. I had just got back from taking 69 lesbian's on a day trip to London, as a thankyou a few of them insisted I had a drink with them, while the bus 1944 I think was was parked outside. I must add that no one else would volunteer for that job, but they were a very pleasant, nice, and well behaved lot. Happy days. W/E.

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The last pint I had in there was in 1986. I had just got back from taking 69 lesbian's on a day trip to London, as a thankyou a few of them insisted I had a drink with them, while the bus 1944 I think was was parked outside. I must add that no one else would volunteer for that job, but they were a very pleasant, nice, and well behaved lot. Happy days. W/E.

As I remember from my last visit, the pub was managed by two lesbian's, sorry I don't recall the year.

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When the new office block was being built on the site of the pub, the developers were complaining that the old buildings at the back were listed and they were having to take special precautions to stop them falling down. They had the story that the pub's name was changed in the '70's after the gasometer on Effingham Road exploded, and a piece of the debris knocked a hole in the back wall.

Nigel L

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The last landlady I recall there was one known as the "Rhode Island Red"...she certainly had the right colour hair!

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Don't know where the name Pandora sprang from but the landlord and landlady who moved fro The Hole in the Wall to the Silver Fox at Stocksbridge were Roy & Paula Johnson.

A lovely couple and good singers too who joined in the singalongs. A lovely little pub all round and quite busy usually.

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On 17/02/2009 at 09:59, Guest Diz-e-dee said:

 

 

 

Hi RichardB,

 

I think I might be right in saying that the Hole in the Wall was so named because of the "hole in the wall" oposite the pub. There was a railway sidings or something years ago and futher along, behind the Vauxhall dealers, is a tunnel that leads to the railway line that goes over the Wicker arches. It was a double line tunnel so was obviously quite important, maybe it was used to get the steel onto the other main lines ? Does any body know? My brothers and I used to frighten outselves silly walking through it saying things were waiting to get us in the passing bays :) The worse thing that happened for me in there though was standing on what was left of a HUGE rat (it seemed like it to me anyway). I only had my 'Jesus sandals' on and no socks - Ugh!!!!!

 

The tunnel was bricked up in the 80's when the site was being developed. With a bit of forward thinking they could have used it for the new ring road :)

 

 

Can anyone point me to the thread about the railway tunnel - theres bound to be one somewhere.

My Father was the Assistant Station Master for a while at Victoria Station and had a regular job within the Wicker Goods Yard in the 50/60's era. I remember him talking about the tunnels and said they were for servicing the arches, but I never was shown them. The tunnels followed the whole length of the Wicker Arches right from Furnival Street all the way out to the last arch somewhere on Brightside Lane. He used to take me through those gates at the bottom of Spital Hill and professed many stories of The Hole In The Wall.. One was related to cowboy films having hideouts called Hole in The wall. He always said it was due to the Sheffield Mafia/Gansters frequenting that area along with the Norfolk Arms at Norfolk Bridge just up the road. But alas, only stories from dad. But one never knows.. Also.. There was a car scrap yard in one of the arches on Furnival Street (Spitfire Graveyard) The car, not the fighter plane)) I can't remeber his name (may have been Richard) that owned the place but I used to get spares off him and at the back of the arch was a square door half way up the wall that was bolted up.

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1 minute ago, Navvy said:

My Father was the Assistant Station Master for a while at Victoria Station and had a regular job within the Wicker Goods Yard in the 50/60's era. I remember him talking about the tunnels and said they were for servicing the arches, but I never was shown them. The tunnels followed the whole length of the Wicker Arches right from Furnival Street all the way out to the last arch somewhere on Brightside Lane. He used to take me through those gates at the bottom of Spital Hill and professed many stories of The Hole In The Wall.. One was related to cowboy films having hideouts called Hole in The wall. He always said it was due to the Sheffield Mafia/Gansters frequenting that area along with the Norfolk Arms at Norfolk Bridge just up the road. But alas, only stories from dad. But one never knows.. Also.. There was a car scrap yard in one of the arches on Furnival Street (Spitfire Graveyard) The car, not the fighter plane)) I can't remeber his name (may have been Richard) that owned the place but I used to get spares off him and at the back of the arch was a square door half way up the wall that was bolted up.

I do appologise for a mistake... It should read Furnival Road not Furnival Street..

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On 15/02/2008 at 18:58, RichardB said:

That is fantastic ! Couldn't imagine anything further from the "truth" lol

 

Enjoyed reading it, looking forward to other suggestions ... Hope you enjoyed looking, as much as I enjoyed reading it :rolleyes:

No it wasn’t the hole  across the road . It was because there was what you might call a giant hatch between the two rooms on the right hand side of the front door.

it had folding doors to close it off from the other room - the hatch was at probably waist height. 

When the pub was updated the two rooms were made into one . Then when the steel works closed it went into decline . The regulars in the sixties , who used to come in in the daytimes came back at nights, after going home to change etc., and brought their wives and girlfriends with them , were the ones who called it hole int wall. But it was always the Wicker Brewery Hotel until someone decided to change the name outside . Probably in the seventies . The sixties were when Don was the landlord . Happy Times with June the barmaid . 

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