Alwoodley Childhood.

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Johnny39
Posts: 894
Joined: Mon 11 Jun, 2007 3:54 pm

Post by Johnny39 »

Derek wrote: HI, Johnny39. What, only 39!.Yes, I remember being chased by Fanny Gail(wielding a broomstick) when she caught me collecting bilberries in her field. The field had several "shacks" which had been built before Leeds City invaded the area and tried to impose new by-laws! My Dad, Joe, Played cricket with the ACC who used to win matches in those days(ssh!) Due to war injuries received in the Battle of the Somme, he was a very, very slow bowler. At one of the Boxing day matches he bowled out one of the YCC batsmen who returned to the pavilion for duck muttering "Ah've nivver seen such a slow bowler, It shouldn't be allowed." Presumably his tongue was firmly in cheek. Do you remember the Fountain family, Mawsons, Thurgood, Jardine, Hayes, Carries' Cafe, I remember some but my memory tends to go "off-Line" nowadays. Do you remember Mrs. Verity's tea room at the "Slobbering Baby" ? Regards Derek T. Hi Derek. Glad to hear you remember Mrs. Gailes I could see her shack/shop from my back bedroom window together with the other derelect shacks. Do you remember what purpose they served? They were built on what can only be described as moorland and it was full of running springs. Funny enough in the time I lived in Alwoodley I never heard the bridge referred to as Nanny Bridge. I do of course recall the garage, from which I had my one and only ride in an "E- Type Jaguar". That was down to the fact I knew one of the mechanics and he had to take it out on a test drive after repairs. I think I remember Carrie's Cafe. Was it the off-licence at the junction of The Avenue and King Lane? When we moved there in the 50's there was a bus every half hour one way or the other. either coming down the hill or going up the hill. It was 6d from the bus station! I do remember the cafe in Adel Woods very well but it was being run by one of our pal's parents at the time. The Slavering Baby was in the wall opposite and ran very strongly except in the droughts. Alwoodley was only a small place in terms of population but there was always something going on.
Daft I call it - What's for tea Ma?

Derek
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon 07 Nov, 2011 6:45 am

Post by Derek »

Hi, Johnny 39. I see you lived in Alwoodley Gardens. You must have been my neighbour, as I lived in No. 12 until I emigrated in 1957!My Dad lived there until his death 1962. I believe that the house is now No. 20, according to Google earth. Is this due to "panhandle " development?
Derek T

Johnny39
Posts: 894
Joined: Mon 11 Jun, 2007 3:54 pm

Post by Johnny39 »

Derek wrote: Hi, Johnny 39. I see you lived in Alwoodley Gardens. You must have been my neighbour, as I lived in No. 12 until I emigrated in 1957!My Dad lived there until his death 1962. I believe that the house is now No. 20, according to Google earth. Is this due to "panhandle " development? I think this is could be one of those beyond belief coincidences as we lived at No.12 from 1956! I believe my mam and dad bought the house from a Mr. Densley who had a son, surely not you? At the time my parents bought it our next door neighbours across the drive were Mr. & Mrs. Wilson and their son, who I think was named Barry, and on the other side the Hampshires. Does any of this ring any bells?    
Daft I call it - What's for tea Ma?

Jogon
Posts: 3036
Joined: Wed 21 Dec, 2011 1:28 pm

Post by Jogon »

COME ON - ANSWER..! Is it him?This is edge of the seat stuff better than Downton.

Derek
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon 07 Nov, 2011 6:45 am

Post by Derek »

Hi, Johnny39. Confusion has cleared like the old fogs of Leeds! It must have been the tropical midsummer heat and humidity of yesterday that muddled my ancient memory combined with a faulty Google Earth click. However, and I hope I don't disappoint you, I lived in Avenue Gdns, not Alwoodley Gdns. So you see we lived in parallel streets/Universes!    Yes, I remember Mr. Hampshire. also Mr. Thurgood, Mrs. Councillor Whitehead, +dau. Olga, Pat Lucas, the Kemp bros. The Fountain family, Jack Waterworth, the Hayes brothers, Dennis Brunskill. Other names will strike a bell at one a.m. some morning.     Who was the gent who was a collector of snail shells from all over the World? And the famous billiards player, and the rifle shooting champion?? We two were not the only inhabitants of that green and pleasant suburb.
Derek T

Johnny39
Posts: 894
Joined: Mon 11 Jun, 2007 3:54 pm

Post by Johnny39 »

Derek wrote: Hi, Johnny39. Confusion has cleared like the old fogs of Leeds! It must have been the tropical midsummer heat and humidity of yesterday that muddled my ancient memory combined with a faulty Google Earth click. However, and I hope I don't disappoint you, I lived in Avenue Gdns, not Alwoodley Gdns. So you see we lived in parallel streets/Universes!    Yes, I remember Mr. Hampshire. also Mr. Thurgood, Mrs. Councillor Whitehead, +dau. Olga, Pat Lucas, the Kemp bros. The Fountain family, Jack Waterworth, the Hayes brothers, Dennis Brunskill. Other names will strike a bell at one a.m. some morning.     Who was the gent who was a collector of snail shells from all over the World? And the famous billiards player, and the rifle shooting champion?? We two were not the only inhabitants of that green and pleasant suburb. Oh well, Avenue Gardens was, as you say Derek, near enough. Some of the names you mentioned sound familiar but I couldn't say with certainty that I knew any of them. We did have quite a wide selection of Leeds' celebrity sportsmen of the time living close by. Brian Bolus, (Yorks & Notts + England), Fred Goodwin (Leeds United), Wilbur Cush (Leeds U. & Eire). Arthur Luty, the referee, lived in the Buckstones. I think perhaps you may be slightly older than myself consequently different aquaintances. Alwoodley in those days, though a little cut off, was a great place to spend your youth. Happy days.    
Daft I call it - What's for tea Ma?

adelwoods
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat 25 Feb, 2012 7:13 pm

Post by adelwoods »

does anyone know the origins of the babbling baby? I always thought it must be really old. I went back looking for it on a trip to the UK some years ago and it had been buried behind a load of brambles and nettles. Also some fill had raised the floor level up a couple of feet from where it was when the cottage was there. Glad to hear it is in sight again.

Johnny39
Posts: 894
Joined: Mon 11 Jun, 2007 3:54 pm

Post by Johnny39 »

adelwoods wrote: does anyone know the origins of the babbling baby? I always thought it must be really old. I went back looking for it on a trip to the UK some years ago and it had been buried behind a load of brambles and nettles. Also some fill had raised the floor level up a couple of feet from where it was when the cottage was there. Glad to hear it is in sight again. When I lived in Alwoodley the Slavering Baby, as we called it, was built into a dry stone wall opposite the tea room.
Daft I call it - What's for tea Ma?

DerekT
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri 17 Feb, 2012 4:47 am

Post by DerekT »

The Slavering Baby is illustrated in "Old Alwoodley" by Steven Burt.As is Mrs. Verity, (and me queueing up for Mrs' Verity's STRONG tea!) I found the water sweet and never suffered any ill-effects from drinking it, but I bought the tea when I was showing young ladies the beauty of Adel woods - No H20 for the Alwoodley lasses. They liked stronger stuff.

Johnny39
Posts: 894
Joined: Mon 11 Jun, 2007 3:54 pm

Post by Johnny39 »

DerekT wrote: The Slavering Baby is illustrated in "Old Alwoodley" by Steven Burt.As is Mrs. Verity, (and me queueing up for Mrs' Verity's STRONG tea!) I found the water sweet and never suffered any ill-effects from drinking it, but I bought the tea when I was showing young ladies the beauty of Adel woods - No H20 for the Alwoodley lasses. They liked stronger stuff. There were some grand lasses who went to the High School on King Lane. Attended one or two dances there, always glad I went. I especially enjoyed the walks back home over the golf course!
Daft I call it - What's for tea Ma?

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