P&O Cruisers - What are things like where YOU are?

[indiana123]

I went to Newnham Court Shopping/Garden Centre yesterday.  Known to locals as Notcutts.  Near Maidstone.

 

Well, I thought I had walked into Santa's Grotto, it was like a winter wonderland and not finished yet.  Its not in a straight line so you walk round and find more round the corner.  The only lights were from christmas trees and fairy lights.

 

The only thing missing was their all singing and dancing 6ft high  deers that  usually greet you singing christmas choruses AND it was only October 4th!😼

[Adawn47]

3 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

Sorry Avril, thought you were Yorkshire born and bred! If you remember Eldon Street as it used to be in its heyday, though, you’d enjoy the programme. Just needs a free BBC account to log into. It’s Radio 4, so no TV license needed. I did find some fascinating videos from Barnsley Museums online though, digging about a bit.

 

I gather it’s part of a regeneration programme now, but the programme’s a reminder of just what Barnsley used to be like when the miners were free spenders.

I've lived here for 67 years now Harry and feel like a Barnsley lass, so need to apologise. 

The 'old Barnsley' that I remember in the early 60's was a marvellous place. A wonderful real old fashioned market that people would travel miles to visit just for a day, beautiful old buildings, some are still surviving, but for how much longer I don't know.

In the rush to 'modernise' they destroyed the essence of Barnsley, rebuilt modern style boxes, demolished those and rebuilt again. They ripped the heart out of Barnsley when they 'modernised' the old market. 

If they had put the money into restoring Barnsley instead of destroying it, we would have had a town along the lines of Chester.

Barnsley is an ancient town that was first mentioned in the Doomsday book in 1086 and has an interesting heritage. It wasn't always what most people think --- 'a mucky old pit town'.

Sorry about the soapbox rant, but as you can tell, it's something I feel very passionate about.🤫

Avril

Edited October 5, 2023 by Adawn47
added text

[grapau27]

Good afternoon.

We went to our local chippy and took our chips to the beach.

[Adawn47]

2 hours ago, Grandad John said:

Avril

I’m sure many, many years ago there was a menswear shop in Barnsley, Frank Bird, any relation?

No we aren't John, and that shop is still there, just as upmarket as ever.

Avril

[Harry Peterson]

2 hours ago, Grandad John said:

Avril

I’m sure many, many years ago there was a menswear shop in Barnsley, Frank Bird, any relation?

Frank Bird’s son was interviewed in the programme I linked to. His father set the shop up in 1939 with £200 (doesn’t sound much, but around £11,000 in today’s terms) and it did a roaring trade. A lot of money around in Barnsley back then, and freespending too.

[kalos]

19 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

A wonderful real old fashioned market that people would travel miles to visit just for a day,

 

Too true Avril, think Iv'e said this before ,we would go to the top of the market , think 

they were called Oldfieilds ?  Where we went for a deep pudding bowl with a proper 

steak pie submerged in mushy peas and a big mug of tea .Happy days !

As you say our towns had some great buildings flattened to make way for concrete

cubes that are now getting pulled down.  Shame really .

 

[Harry Peterson]

25 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

I've lived here for 67 years now Harry and feel like a Barnsley lass, so need to apologise. 

The 'old Barnsley' that I remember in the early 60's was a marvellous place. A wonderful real old fashioned market that people would travel miles to visit just for a day, beautiful old buildings, some are still surviving, but for how much longer I don't know.

In the rush to 'modernise' they destroyed the essence of Barnsley, rebuilt modern style boxes, demolished those and rebuilt again. They ripped the heart out of Barnsley when they 'modernised' the old market. 

If they had put the money into restoring Barnsley instead of destroying it, we would have had a town along the lines of Chester.

Barnsley is an ancient town that was first mentioned in the Doomsday book in 1086 and has an interesting heritage. It wasn't always what most people think --- 'a mucky old pit town'.

Sorry about the soapbox rant, but as you can tell, it's something I feel very passionate about.🤫

Avril

I think you’d enjoy that programme, Avril, if you get the chance. It’s all about the ‘old’ Barnsley. And I entirely understand why you’re passionate about it. I’m much the same about Colchester and Ipswich. South Yorkshire wasn’t exactly flavour of the month in the 80s and 90s - the Wirral rather more so! Some interesting videos online about the centre of Barnsley in the 60s. It had a reputation over a wide area right up until, maybe the turn of the century. A very upmarket children’s clothing shop too, as I recall. And a fantastic market!

[Adawn47]

1 minute ago, Harry Peterson said:

Frank Bird’s son was interviewed in the programme I linked to. His father set the shop up in 1939 with £200 (doesn’t sound much, but around £11,000 in today’s terms) and it did a roaring trade. A lot of money around in Barnsley back then, and freespending too.

There still is a lot of spending in Barnsley Harry. We're just more careful now, and don't throw it about like a man with 6 arms😁     

Avril

[Adawn47]

20 minutes ago, kalos said:

 

Too true Avril, think Iv'e said this before ,we would go to the top of the market , think 

they were called Oldfieilds ?  Where we went for a deep pudding bowl with a proper 

steak pie submerged in mushy peas and a big mug of tea .Happy days !

As you say our towns had some great buildings flattened to make way for concrete

cubes that are now getting pulled down.  Shame really .

 

You know kalos, Oldfields is still going strong, it's in the new market now. I doubt you'll get a deep pudding bowl for your pie and peas, or a mug for your tea, but a dish and a cup and saucer. ☕

Avril

[brian1]

Bird must be a popular name oop there.Just looked up Dickie Bird the cricket umpire and he comes from Barnsley.

[kalos]

7 minutes ago, brian1 said:

Bird must be a popular name oop there.Just looked up Dickie Bird the cricket umpire and he comes from Barnsley.

 In my single youth days ,my mate used to say lets go to some of the Barnsley night clubs 

as in his words " A lot of  nice birds in there " 🙃

[Harry Peterson]

40 minutes ago, kalos said:

 In my single youth days ,my mate used to say lets go to some of the Barnsley night clubs 

as in his words " A lot of  nice birds in there " 🙃

Was this the ‘bunny run’?

[bobstheboy]

9 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Was this the ‘bunny run’?

Wednesday night Grab a granny in my Navy days in Chatham 😁

[kalos]

15 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Was this the ‘bunny run’?

 Barnsley had a Bird Cage 🙃

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, Adawn47 said:

I've lived here for 67 years now Harry and feel like a Barnsley lass, so need to apologise. 

The 'old Barnsley' that I remember in the early 60's was a marvellous place. A wonderful real old fashioned market that people would travel miles to visit just for a day, beautiful old buildings, some are still surviving, but for how much longer I don't know.

In the rush to 'modernise' they destroyed the essence of Barnsley, rebuilt modern style boxes, demolished those and rebuilt again. They ripped the heart out of Barnsley when they 'modernised' the old market. 

If they had put the money into restoring Barnsley instead of destroying it, we would have had a town along the lines of Chester.

Barnsley is an ancient town that was first mentioned in the Doomsday book in 1086 and has an interesting heritage. It wasn't always what most people think --- 'a mucky old pit town'.

Sorry about the soapbox rant, but as you can tell, it's something I feel very passionate about.🤫

Avril

It's nor an isolated soapbox rant Avril, it is what many northern townsfolk think was the despoiling of the the Victorian heritage of our town centres that happened during the 60s.  Huddersfield lost a wonderful old market hall and many historic council offices, all to be replaced with drab concrete structures that are now well beyond their sell by date.

[Megabear2]

Up in Fulham, West London we girls were invited to sit and preen on the Parrot's Perch at our local club.

Edited October 5, 2023 by Megabear2

[Adawn47]

1 hour ago, kalos said:

 Barnsley had a Bird Cage 🙃

Also a Penny Farthing and a Tommy Treddlehoyle☺️

Avril

[Eglesbrech]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

Up in Fulham, West London we girls were invited to sit and preen on the Parrot's Perch at our local club.

????

 

reference lost on me?

[Adawn47]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

It's nor an isolated soapbox rant Avril, it is what many northern townsfolk think was the despoiling of the the Victorian heritage of our town centres that happened during the 60s.  Huddersfield lost a wonderful old market hall and many historic council offices, all to be replaced with drab concrete structures that are now well beyond their sell by date.

Barnsley's original open air market was a large area in the town centre, with separate sections for fish, meat, fruit and veg etc, and in the centre of it all was a large old stone cross surrounded by steps that flower sellers would sit on in the Victorian era and possibly earlier. It was bulldozed down without a thought and thrown away.

I know when we were growing up we didn't have what they have today, but I am glad I grew up surrouded by our beautiful  historic buildings and not the cold soulless structures of today.

Avril

[kalos]

17 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

????

 

reference lost on me?

 Could be wrong but as we were talking about birds (in Barnsley ) Think  Mega 

was saying they had a Parrots perch ? 🙃

[Megabear2]

20 minutes ago, kalos said:

 Could be wrong but as we were talking about birds (in Barnsley ) Think  Mega 

was saying they had a Parrots perch ? 🙃

That's correct.  The young ladies with the brightest clothes were invited to sit on the Parrot's Perch so they were on display as a sort of advert.  Free drinks were provided to the lucky half a dozen by the management and competition was fierce on Friday nights as it was pay day.  There was also a cage which was a dance floor.  Imagine the furore if that happened these days!

[Eglesbrech]

24 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

That's correct.  The young ladies with the brightest clothes were invited to sit on the Parrot's Perch so they were on display as a sort of advert.  Free drinks were provided to the lucky half a dozen by the management and competition was fierce on Friday nights as it was pay day.  There was also a cage which was a dance floor.  Imagine the furore if that happened these days!

Never heard of anything like that. Perhaps we were just too Calvinistic up here 😀

[zap99]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

That's correct.  The young ladies with the brightest clothes were invited to sit on the Parrot's Perch so they were on display as a sort of advert.  Free drinks were provided to the lucky half a dozen by the management and competition was fierce on Friday nights as it was pay day.  There was also a cage which was a dance floor.  Imagine the furore if that happened these days!

As a Putney lad I can't remember that.  You must come from the posh end.

[zap99]

1 hour ago, kalos said:

 Could be wrong but as we were talking about birds (in Barnsley ) Think  Mega 

was saying they had a Parrots perch ? 🙃

Talking about birds, I had duck for dinner. TBH, it was a bit dry. A squirt of chocolate sauce sorted that. Duck a la chocolate orange. A squirt of chocolate sauce improves most dishes.

[grapau27]