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Hollinsend Recreation Ground


DaveH

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The path which runs down the park from the Ridgehill Avenue entrance down to the Hollinsend Road entrance follows the course of the stream.

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In the last 2 years the council have cleared and renovated a group of about 10 or so allotments in the park (Hollinsend Allotments) which are situated between the path / stream and the back gardens of houses at the bottom of Ridgehill Avenue.

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My wife was offered one of these allotments but turned it down due to the lack of access to it by car and having to get everything across that stream. The allotments would be ideal for residents of Ridgehill Avenue who could access their allotment through the bottom of their back gardens, but for anyone else access is a real problem. Fortunately my wife found a more suitable allotment elsewhere.

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The path exits onto Hollinsend Road close to Gleadless Nursery & Infant school. The path widens out to road width to allow vehicles to a school side entrance. The stream disappears into a culvert just before reaching the nursery school yard.

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This side entrence over the stream to the school annexe unit clearly hasn't been used for years.

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Gleadless School used to have a portacabin classroom unit in the park over the stream and on the other side of the path. This has now gone and been replaced with these young trees. Having classrooms in the park simply was not secure enough and they were subjected to break ins and vandalism out of school hours.

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Not only is there the stream but other areas of the park are notorious for becoming muddy and marshy and staying that way for a long time after the weather has improved, a major reason for not building on it.

At the southern (Hollinsend Road) end of the park which is the lowest part of the hills gradient there is evidence of drainage not for the stream but for run off from the land.

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These steps at one end of the playground have been there for years and seem to serve no purpose, except for being a falling hazard.

The small area at the top of the steps seemed to be used years ago mainly by young girls to play skipping and hopscotch.

These steps lead to a shelter. It had a bench seat running round the inside and was very useful when it rained. It had a slate roof but no windows just a large entrance space at the front.

jiginc

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The childrens playground has consisted of, for many years

A set of Juvenille swings

A small slide

A set of swings

A very sorry looking playground it is indeed.

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The childrens playground also shows evidence of previous attractions which have been removed (probably for safety reasons).

The areas of patched up ground are the site of a rocking horse and a roundabout.

Swings, Horse, Roundabout, much taller slide - the same stuff to be had in Hillsborough Park playground in the late 60's/early 70's.

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These steps lead to a shelter. It had a bench seat running round the inside and was very useful when it rained. It had a slate roof but no windows just a large entrance space at the front.

jiginc

Thanks for that info jiginic.

Now that you mention it I do remember a shelter being there in the early 1960's.

At that time we lived much further away from Hollinsend and visited it rarely (These days its a handy park for walking the dog so I see it regularly)

The shelter must have disappeared at some time in the later 1960's but I don't know exactly when.

Now if someone can come up with a date or even an old photograph of the shelter that would be something.

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A very sorry looking playground it is indeed.

Like most Sheffield parks it has become very run down and troubled by gangs of youths in recent years although as some of my pictures show although a lot of it like the tennis courts is badly affected there has been some attempt to improve the park recently.

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Swings, Horse, Roundabout, much taller slide - the same stuff to be had in Hillsborough Park playground in the late 60's/early 70's.

A suppose there was a very limited range of playground equipment at the time and you seemed to get exactly the same stuff whichever park you went in. Norfolk Park and millhouses were the same. At least it gave the Council Parks & Recreation Department the chance to bulk buy this equipment and make a bit of a saving.

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Gleadless School used to have a portacabin classroom unit in the park over the stream and on the other side of the path. This has now gone and been replaced with these young trees. Having classrooms in the park simply was not secure enough and they were subjected to break ins and vandalism out of school hours.

I can remember there being four prefab type buildings behind the old school building. When I first went in 1949 they were used as classrooms but later at least one was the dinning room.

jiginc

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I can remember there being four prefab type buildings behind the old school building. When I first went in 1949 they were used as classrooms but later at least one was the dinning room.

jiginc

Interesting jiginc, - I wasn't thinking back as far as 1949, I was only going back to when my son was at the school about 1993 - 4.

It would appear then that the school premises in the park have been there, gone, returned at a later date and are now gone again as I don't remember them being there in the 1970's or 80's.

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Interesting jiginc, - I wasn't thinking back as far as 1949, I was only going back to when my son was at the school about 1993 - 4.

It would appear then that the school premises in the park have been there, gone, returned at a later date and are now gone again as I don't remember them being there in the 1970's or 80's.

When I was there in the 70s there were four prefabs in the school grounds, presumably the ones jiginc remembers, and the two portakabin-type classrooms actually in the park appeared whilst I was at the school (I think - they certainly seemed new). I remember thinking it odd that to get to these classrooms it was necessary to leave the school grounds and go into the park.

Can't add any more info about the park execept memories - it was always Hollinsend Park or just The Park (certainly not a Recreation ground) to me, and it was the preferred route home rather than walking up Hollinsend Road. In half-decent weather our games lessons took place in the park, which shortened them because of the walk from the school to the park, but it was better than using the school playground.

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When I was there in the 70s there were four prefabs in the school grounds, presumably the ones jiginc remembers, and the two portakabin-type classrooms actually in the park appeared whilst I was at the school (I think - they certainly seemed new). I remember thinking it odd that to get to these classrooms it was necessary to leave the school grounds and go into the park.

Can't add any more info about the park execept memories - it was always Hollinsend Park or just The Park (certainly not a Recreation ground) to me, and it was the preferred route home rather than walking up Hollinsend Road. In half-decent weather our games lessons took place in the park, which shortened them because of the walk from the school to the park, but it was better than using the school playground.

Perhaps the portacabins had been there all the time then, for around 50 years or so. When my son was there I can only really remember either 1 cabin containing 2 classrooms but it may have been 2 cabins with 1 classroom in each.

To us it was Hollinsend Park as well, but I think Hollinsend Recreation Ground is the councils title for it. However my picture of the entrance in post #2 has a sign up calling it Hollinsend Park.

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Perhaps the portacabins had been there all the time then, for around 50 years or so. When my son was there I can only really remember either 1 cabin containing 2 classrooms but it may have been 2 cabins with 1 classroom in each.

To us it was Hollinsend Park as well, but I think Hollinsend Recreation Ground is the councils title for it. However my picture of the entrance in post #2 has a sign up calling it Hollinsend Park.

It was the Rec to us.

I used to live in there when a lad. Many's the time I got a clout for being late getting home after playing on the rec. Two if, as was the norm, I was up to my eyes in mud after playing in the brook.

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Guest Touche

what a wonderful and memory provoking post, thank you! Jigink, I remember those prefab huts as classrooms, we were taught by Mr Iosson, always dressed in a tweed suit it seemed. Back to the park, I remember playing up at the top of the park in the wooden hut. Probably around '67-'70. The main Pavillion was wooden and always reeked of wood preservative each summer. When it was hot we'd queue round the water fountain around the back. There were two bowling greens, one slightly higher than the other, one being a crown green pitch I think. In hot weather spectators sat all around the greens wearing hats made up from newspapers. There was one particular bowler who was 'legendary' to us little 'uns. Little Plum was our nickname for him, I think he lived just by the entrance to the park on Hollinsend Road next to what was then Gleadless County School. DaveH, is there still a plaque on that entrance to commemorate the death of the Headmaster, Mr Spurr, who was killed there after being knocked down by a car? As for the portacabin type classrooms in the park, I remember a particularly violent teacher called Mr Thraves. He would belt you at a moments notice! We used to call him 'Ralph' as he had a remarkable resemblance (or so we thought back then) to Ralph Coates who played for Burnley then Spurs and had a shock of red hair in a comb over. I'm rambling on now, but good to hear about the park. Its probably much worse for wear now sadly but we had happy days there. Many thanks

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what a wonderful and memory provoking post, thank you! Jigink, I remember those prefab huts as classrooms, we were taught by Mr Iosson, always dressed in a tweed suit it seemed. Back to the park, I remember playing up at the top of the park in the wooden hut. Probably around '67-'70. The main Pavillion was wooden and always reeked of wood preservative each summer. When it was hot we'd queue round the water fountain around the back. There were two bowling greens, one slightly higher than the other, one being a crown green pitch I think. In hot weather spectators sat all around the greens wearing hats made up from newspapers. There was one particular bowler who was 'legendary' to us little 'uns. Little Plum was our nickname for him, I think he lived just by the entrance to the park on Hollinsend Road next to what was then Gleadless County School. DaveH, is there still a plaque on that entrance to commemorate the death of the Headmaster, Mr Spurr, who was killed there after being knocked down by a car? As for the portacabin type classrooms in the park, I remember a particularly violent teacher called Mr Thraves. He would belt you at a moments notice! We used to call him 'Ralph' as he had a remarkable resemblance (or so we thought back then) to Ralph Coates who played for Burnley then Spurs and had a shock of red hair in a comb over. I'm rambling on now, but good to hear about the park. Its probably much worse for wear now sadly but we had happy days there. Many thanks

Pleased that you enjoyed the post Touche.

The replies I have received have helped me remember extra bits I thought I had forgotten, like the shelter near the playground and the drinking fountain near the pavilion. There are still 2 bowling greens, the "one higher than the other" is visible in several of my pictures as it is more open. The other is directly in front of the pavillion and appears in one of my pictures. it is difficult to get to as it is fully fenced off. Obviously the "best" competition standard crown green, the other higher one being a second green for friendly matches and practice.

I don't know anything about a plaque to a former headmaster at all and know nothing of the story even though I do through my son have a connection with the school. If you let me know more accurately where this memorial was I will take a look a for it, and if possible a photo to post here, next time I go down.

I hope to be doing a few more of these "park tours" in this area of Sheffield to add a bit of interested to the newly started A -Z of Sheffield Parks. I am hoping that this will encourage other members in other areas of the City to do the same for other parks.

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Guest Touche

The Hollinsend Road entrance, at the side of Gleadless nursery & infant school.

Hello DaveH, now, as far as I can think back.....! If you stand on Hollinsend Road facing the school, the gennel is on the left, just about where you took the above photo (left one). The plaque was on your right on the school wall. I think it was brass, with an engraving or lettering saying that Mr Spurr, headmaster, was killed outside the school. It may have been....the late sixties is the best I can do I'm afraid. If it was brass, especially nowadays, it would have been stolen ages ago, sadly. I think he was a very tall thin person with a bald head. Something tells me somewhere that this was the reason for having the lollipop lady on Hollinsend Road at the junction with Jaunty Lane. The 'orchard' as we called it, was across the road before the middle school was built. We used to go across there for science lessons and make clay dams and waterwheels in the stream that ran through it. If you need any more I'll dredge the old brains. Thanks for the photos you posted, I enjoyed seeing them. Its all changed now. It was unimaginable that the bowling greens would have to be completely fenced off for their own safety! Back to the gennel by the school, 'Little Plum' lived on the first house to the left of it (if you are facing the park). He'll be long gone by now. Thanks.

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Hello DaveH, now, as far as I can think back.....! If you stand on Hollinsend Road facing the school, the gennel is on the left, just about where you took the above photo (left one). The plaque was on your right on the school wall. I think it was brass, with an engraving or lettering saying that Mr Spurr, headmaster, was killed outside the school. It may have been....the late sixties is the best I can do I'm afraid. If it was brass, especially nowadays, it would have been stolen ages ago, sadly. I think he was a very tall thin person with a bald head. Something tells me somewhere that this was the reason for having the lollipop lady on Hollinsend Road at the junction with Jaunty Lane. The 'orchard' as we called it, was across the road before the middle school was built. We used to go across there for science lessons and make clay dams and waterwheels in the stream that ran through it. If you need any more I'll dredge the old brains. Thanks for the photos you posted, I enjoyed seeing them. Its all changed now. It was unimaginable that the bowling greens would have to be completely fenced off for their own safety! Back to the gennel by the school, 'Little Plum' lived on the first house to the left of it (if you are facing the park). He'll be long gone by now. Thanks.

According to Pauline Shearstone's book Old Gleadless, Mr Spir (spelt that way twice in the book) was killed on 30th October 1964. There is a picture in this book, thought to be from 1946 (and certainly before 1949) of the school staff, one of whom is Mr Iosson. No wonder he seemed old to me when I was there in the early seventies!

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According to Pauline Shearstone's book Old Gleadless, Mr Spir (spelt that way twice in the book) was killed on 30th October 1964. There is a picture in this book, thought to be from 1946 (and certainly before 1949) of the school staff, one of whom is Mr Iosson. No wonder he seemed old to me when I was there in the early seventies!

Madannie/Touche

My aunt is married to one Mr Iosson's sons. You'll be pleased to hear he's still alive - 5 years off his century not bad for a chap who flew sorties over Arnhem 60 years ago! :)

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