School & Childrens Games Menu

Happy days at Jesse Boots Infant school, Colwick, early 50's.

Streets & Places Menu

The road was very quaint with little shops on either side, I am sure they must have used that road for the film "Sons and Lovers" the book from D.H. Lawrence, and most of all I remember the little dress shop which was situated on the left hand side as you walked down the hill. I had a number of dresses from the shop and aways received many compliments from my friends. I think it was a shame to demolish such a wonderful road, which was about 1965.

Outings & Trips Menu

The first time I went to a concert with shool and afterwards was aloud to go to the pictures in nottingham with out an adult. I was 15 years old.

30 July 1966 when England won the World Cup! We were on the top of a Nottingham Corporation bus when we found out they had won. We had been travelling back from honeymoon all day and got no sense out of the Barrow Boys as we passed through London. They all gave us different scores. We spent 2 nights of our honeymoon watching the semi finals (having missed the1/4 finals because of our Wedding Day and I STILL haven't been forgiven for arranging the Wedding that week after 38 years.

Sunday School outings with soggy sandwiched and warm ginger beer! Great fun though with all the games.

The Nottingham Arboretum, I used to go there with my Gran. There was a talking bird - a macaw I think - housed to the right of where the little girls were in the photo.

Summer sunday afternoon when all the family went for walks.

Schooldays in the 1940's. While attending the Nottm Technical school for Textile Trades (in the Tech. College on Shakespeare St), we often used to spend our lunch hours in the Arboretum. Although our dress was not so formal as those in the picture, I clearly remember hanging on those same railings looking at the various birds in the aviary. Somewhere along from the viewpoint in the picture - near the top of the hill - was an old cannon from the first world war (or was it even the crimea?) with a great pile of cannon balls too heavy to lift ~ Yes we tried!

This reminds me of happy courting days at the Arbouretum, off Mansfield Rd (North Sherwood Street),. Margaret, my first love, where is she now????????

I remember the freedom of the road at 16. Lousy photo, but a great first bike. A 350cc Gold Star. Petrol was cheap, the roads were almost empty. In those days if your bike broke down, you would have at least three offers of assistance before you rolled to a stop. How people have changed.

Trams with seat backs that could be swung back or forward depending which direction the tram was going.

I went to the Salvation Army in Radford (1948)and took two bus loads of children to Wipsnade Zoo about 70 children in Trent buses and I think that was the first time many of the children had been away from home, if any of them remember those days I can be contacted by Email they all had a great time.

Trades & Characters Menu

His wife would put another one on her back. He would put his hand on her shoulder and off they would go

We had a local shoemaker/mender in Chilwell who could repair almost anything and cheaply. Used to love the smell of leather when you entered the shop down some steps. Fascinated to watch them put the shoes on the metal shape, strip off the old sole and hammer on a new one. Even to this day the smell of leather takes me right back.

River & Parks Menu

I remember Forest Dene - it was a unit for testing for TB oposite the Goose Fair Ground - my Dad was born in 1901 and was a miner who was in the Ransom Sanatoriom with TB - my older sister also had it - I have a photo of her c.1947 where she is in a tent - sleeping at night on next doors lawn (we didnt have a lawn) so she could get 'fresh air' to this day she lives in the countryside because of this - she is now 76.

Hiya, I'm Don Keating, late of Nottingham, born in 1947 in Carlton, dad still in army. Born to Doris, my mum and still is I'm pleased to say, she now lives in Sherwood. Due to lack of housing so soon after the war, mum and dads first marital home was "Up the Camp" that is how I remember it being spoken about. The "Camp" as it was affectionally known was a small estate of Nissan huts, situated in Colwick, not far from the race course.

The "Nissan" huts were a half round, tin huts being used as emergency accomodation for the influx of troops returning from service in the forces. The hut consisted of 4 rooms, the only heating was a pot bellied stove in one of the rooms, the rest of the rooms were always bloody cold.I remember standing on my bed and being able to see over the wall into the next room. No proper roads outside, only ashfelt tracks, which either led down to the woods, or alternatively, if you turned left as you left your "house" to the communial toilets and wash houses, not very user friendly in the dark winter months, aspecially in the early hours of the morning. I remember having many a wee-wee up the side of the hut (outside, I might add)in the early hours of the morning.

However, what a beautiful place to live in the summer, I still have a great love of things of the countryside, aspecially Wild Flowers and I put that down to living so close to Colwick Woods.

Many, many, many happy hours fishing at the foot of the Trent Bridge on the opposite side to the picture. Hours of fun, but some not so nice times as well. Sometimes when fishing as lads we would be there on a Saturday afternoon when Forest supporters were heading home and they'd spit down on us until we were soaked through. I also remember being thrown in the river, by the same supporters, luckily I could swim!!!!! Who said they were the good old days?????