WEEK 42

Mad Ron, Swinton

November 5, 2017 — Nikellom

Church Street, Queen Street & Station Street Junction - 13.06.15 (2)

Queen Street Junction, Swinton

2 Church Street is currently occupied by ‘Deb’s Barber Shop’. Previously, a very well known Swinton barber had traded from there who was known as ‘Mad Ron’. Ron was quite a character who anybody having had their hair cut by him knows. Before Ron, there was another eccentric, Scottish, barber trading from the same premises, called Joe Alexander, who lived on Queen Street and would sometimes make cat-like noises whilst cutting hair. Mr. Alexander’s shop was once robbed but the Police caught the culprits on the top deck of a bus on Racecourse Road.

Posted in Swinton, Swinton Businesses, Swinton People, Unrelated. 1 Comment »

Marriage of Miss S. Lee

November 4, 2017 — Nikellom

Saint Mary’s Church

Shirley Veronica Lee, born in 1932 in the Rotherham area, is my second cousin, once removed and great-granddaughter of Albert Rowbottom and Charlotte Yates.

Below is a newspaper article published shortly after Shirley’s marriage to Harry Deeley.

THE ADVERTISER, SAT., SEPTEMBER 20th, 1958

MARRIAGE OF MISS S. LEE.

The marriage took place at the Rawmarsh Parish Church last Saturday of Miss Shirley Veronica Lee, third daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. Lee, of Central House, Wannop Street, Parkgate, and Mr. Harry Deeley, younger son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Deeley of 28, Ingshead Avenue, Rawmarsh.

The ‘Alex’, Parkgate

The Rev. C. Richardson officiated and Mr. Stocks was the organist. Given away by her father the bride wore a full-length gown of white nylon lace with an orange blossom head-dress and a shoulder-length veil. She carried a bouquet of mixed roses. The bridesmaids were Misses M. and P. Lee (bride’s sisters), who wore ankle-length gowns of lemon flocked organza, with sprays of pink carnations and Miss L. Lee (bride’s sister) and Miss J. Haslam (bridegroom’s cousin), who wore full-length dresses of lemon nylon and carried posies of sweet peas and roses. The bride’s mother wore a sage green coat and a small feathered hat and beige accessories. The bridegroom’s mother chose a grey figured dress with a blue hat and beige accessories. The best man was Mr. G. Deeley (bridegroom’s brother) and the groomsman was Mr. J. Wagstaff (bridegroom’s brother-in-law).

A reception was held at the Alexandra Hotel, Parkgate, where 80 guests were entertained. The honeymoon is at Torquay, the bride travelling in a red suite with cream accessories. The couple’s future address will be 186, Fitzwilliam Road, Rotherham.

Posted in Deeley, Lee, Newspaper Article (Marriage), Rowbottom, Yates. Leave a Comment »

The Picture House, Swinton

November 4, 2017 — Nikellom

Cafe Sport, Swinton

This cinema, built in 1929, could seat 1100 people and was opened in 1929 with ‘Battle of the Sexes’ after being built by Wade & Sons of Wath. In 1961, bingo began to played here on up to three days per week. It finally closed as a cinema in the 1970s but reopened as a skate boarding venue, then became Swinton Squash Club before finally being converted into a health gym with a bar, called, Cafe Sport.

Posted in Swinton, Swinton Pubs, Swinton Recreation, Unrelated. Leave a Comment »

Miners Arms, Swinton

November 4, 2017 — Nikellom

Fitzwilliam Street, Swinton

This public house was located at 87 Fitzwilliam Street and on the 1901 Census was occupied by Joseph Purcell and his family.

Posted in Swinton, Swinton People, Swinton Pubs, Unrelated. Leave a Comment »

Clifford James Pinder

November 3, 2017 — Nikellom

Clifford J. Pinder - 69 Bradgate Lane, Rotherham - Circa 1928 (Copyright James Pinder)

Jim at 69 Bradgate Lane, Rotherham, circa 1928

Clifford James Pinder (known as Jim), born in 1916 in the Rotherham district, is my first cousin, twice removed and son of Francis Thomas Pinder and Harriett Amelia English.

Jim, like his sister, Dorothy, was a Teacher in Rotherham, before moving to Lichfield and Burntwood to teach in the Staffordshire area.

Jim was a renowned organ player, a skill inherited from his father and grandfather.

THE ADVERTISER, SAT., JAN. 22nd, 1955

Methodist Organist Leaving

Mr. James Pinder has announced that he is to relinquish the positions of organist and choirmaster at the Kimberworth Methodist Church to become organist and choirmaster at Conisbro’ Parish Church. He will commence his new engagement on Sunday February 13th.

Kimberworth Methodist Church

Mr. Pinder, who is a native of Rotherham, has been a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists since 1952, and a Licentiate of the Trinity College of Music since 1948. he has held the joint offices of organist and choirmaster at Kimberworth since about 1946.

Mr. Pinder is also the Sunday school superintendent at Kimberworth, and has been a local preacher in the Rotherham Methodist Circuit for about eleven years. He is music-master at the Spurley Hey County Secondary School.

Saint Peter’s Church, Conisbrough

Mr. R. Newton, an assistant organist at Kimberworth, has been appointed to succeed Mr. Pinder as organist.

I only met Jim once, in 2009, and he passed away six months later.

Following Jim’s death, some of his music was sold in order to help the Lichfield & District Organists’ Association.

Posted in English, Newspaper Article (Misc.), Pinder. Leave a Comment »

Greno House, Swinton

November 3, 2017 — Nikellom

Location of Greno House

In the 1870s, Thomas Hattersley (one of the founders of the Queens Foundry on White Lee Road) arranged for Greno House to be built on Fitzwilliam Street. Greno House was still occupied by the Hattersley family as late as the 1950s. Circa 2000, Greno House was demolished to make way for a new block of apartments.

Posted in Swinton, Swinton Residences, Unrelated. 2 Comments »

Burrell’s Row

November 2, 2017 — Nikellom

Burrell’s Row in 1937

Burrell’s Row, off Westgate, in Rotherham, is an important location in regard to my family history.

My second great grandparents lived and died on Burrell’s Row; Joseph Burton (son of Thomas Burton and Ann Pickersgill) died there in 1922 and his wife, Alice (nee Walker), in 1935. My nan was taken to see her grandmother after she’d passed away on this row and described her as looking like wax.

In addition to the above Joseph and Alice, other members of my family also lived on Burrell’s Row as well as being born there.

Joseph Burton’s Death Certificate

My nan told me a story once, of how on a Sunday afternoon, in the 1920s, after her dad had gone to Clifton Park Museum, the sky went dark, as though the end of the world was nigh. There was then much commotion on Burrell’s Row as somebody had said that they’d seen a ghost at the bottom. It transpired to be a swan, but the incident was even reported in the Rotherham Advertiser.

Burrell’s Row in 2005 & 2011

My nan also recalled how the bottom of the row once flooded when water levels were high and household debris could be seen sailing past in the river.

I wasn’t born when Burrell’s Row was demolished, but I did visit the location prior to it being tarmacked over in the late 2000s.

Below is a letter sent to the Rotherham Advertiser regarding the origins of this little row; the tablet mentioned was lost when Newspaper House (31 Westgate) was demolished in 2012.

Burrell’s Row in 2004, 2011 & 2013

THE ADVERTISER, SATURDAY, JULY 20th, 1935.

“OLD ROTHERHAM.”

To the Editor. – In reply to your correspondent “Don,” in your last issue, I may say that Burrell’s Row was named after the late owner, Mr. Geo. Burrell, of Sheffield, and was built in 1857.

Burrell Street, Rotherham - 10.09.06 (2)

Burrell’s Row in 2006

A tablet is still fixed over 31, Westgate. Mr. Burrell also owned the property in Leopard’s Terrace, which was demolished in 1907. He was a boot factor, and his daughter married the late Mr. Edward Langton, of High Street, Rotherham. We were tenants of his over 50 years ago, being established at 21, Westgate, on February 13th, 1876, and removing to 31, Westgate, on February 1st, 1907.

I remember the old nail shops in Oil Mill Fold, also Sheffield Road, and have a list of the old shops in Rotherham from 1880. –

Burrell’s Row in 2017

Yours, etc.,

A. Bewley.

31, Westgate,
Rotherham.
July 18th, 1935.

Posted in Burton, Newspaper Article (Misc.), Rotherham Streets, Walker. Leave a Comment »

Burton – Rodgers

November 1, 2017 — Nikellom

Peter Burton & Arlene Rodgers

Peter Burton, born in 1938 in the Rotherham district, is my third cousin, once removed and son of Leonard Ernest Burton and Dorothy Ivy Hudson.

Below is a newspaper article published shortly after Peter’s marriage to Arlene Rodgers.

THE ADVERTISER, SAT, JULY 18th, 1964

Married at the Greasbro’ Congregational Church last Saturday were Miss Arlene Rodgers, of 27, Coach Road, Greasbro’, and Mr. Peter Burton, of 71, Watson Road, Kimberworth, Rotherham.

Burton – Rodgers

The marriage took place last Saturday at the Greasbro’ Congregational Church of Miss Arlene Rodgers, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Rodgers, of 27, Coach Road, Greasbro’, and Mr Peter Burton, only son of Mr. and the late Mrs. L. E. Burton, of 71, Watson Road, Kimberworth. The organist was Mrs. J. Drury, and the bride’s brother, Mr. Keith Rodgers, was soloist.

Given away by her father, the bride wore a full-length classical style gown of white silk grosgrain with a short train and a lace overblouse. She wore a head dress of flowers, crystals and pearls, and carried a bouquet of deep pink roses, stephanotis and lilies-of-the-valley.

Cooperative Society

She was attended by Miss Judith Ann Baker, Mrs. Joyce Rodgers (bride’s sister-in-law), and Miss Susan Jervis (bride’s cousin), who wore dresses of white cotton broderie anglaise with blue under-skirts, and head-dresses of blue carnations and lilies-of-the-valley. They carried bouquets of blue carnations.

The best man was Mr. Terry Wright, and the groomsmen were Mr. David Rodgers and Mr. Peter Rodgers (bride’s brothers).

A reception for 60 guests was held at the Co-operative Cafe, Rotherham. The bride’s mother wore a dress and coatee of green floral silk with gold and black coloured accessories.

For the honeymoon in Cornwall, the bride travelled in a lemon coloured suit with white accessories. The couple will live at 19, Vesey Street, Parkgate.

Posted in Burton, Hudson, Newspaper Article (Marriage), Rodgers. Leave a Comment »

The Grange

October 31, 2017 — Nikellom

Herbert Mollekin (centre)

Herbert Mollekin, my great grand uncle, and his wife, Bertha, had a very large family. They had sixteen children, although two died in infancy. Such a large family necessitated a large house. Around 1921, the family moved into The Grange at Maltby, just off Rotherham Road. The family remained there for about ten years.

Below is a newspaper article pertaining to the planned demolition of The Grange, which was used by Maltby Council after the Mollekin family had left it. It even had a morgue,

THE ADVERTISER, FRI., JULY 17th, 1970

Aged people’s bungalows to be built on site of former council offices

The Grange

Maltby Urban District Council’s former offices at The Grange, Rotherham Road, are to be demolished and aged people’s bungalows will be built on the site.

The Grange, now empty and suffering from the attention of vandals, was bought by the council in 1931 from the Maltby building and contracting firm of C. Mollekin Ltd. It was used as Council offices until March, 1967, when the Civic Centre was opened.

Demolition work is expected to begin in the next few weeks and the building of bungalows will take about eight months to complete.

Carr Lane (site of The Grange)

In all, 12 units and a communal centre will be provided. But other aged people in the Rotherham Road/Rolleston Avenue areas will be allowed to use facilities as well. A similar system applies on the Cliff Hill Estate.

Mr. B. W. Ellis, clerk to the council, said the scheme would enhance the appearance of the particular part of Maltby. The nearby Maltby dyke would also become a much more pleasant stretch of water with the completion of the Abbey Lathe sewage scheme.

The council will go ahead with the scheme despite the financial restriction imposed by the West Riding County Council with regard to old people’s warden’s schemes.

At present, there are three warden’s schemes in operation in Maltby, and another four are envisaged.

Posted in Maltby, Mollekin, Newspaper Article (Misc.). Leave a Comment »

Larkin – Burton

October 30, 2017 — Nikellom

Glasshouse Street, Rotherham

Celia Burton, born in 1932 in the Rotherham area, is my third cousin, once removed and second great-granddaughter of Thomas Burton and Ann Pickersgill.

Below is a newspaper article published shortly after Celia’s marriage to Alan Larkin.

THE ADVERTISER, SAT., JULY 3rd, 1954

LARKIN – BURTON

The marriage took place on Thursday at the Northfield Parish Church of Miss Celia Burton, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. Burton, 2, Field Place, Greasbro’ Road, Rotherham, and Mr. Alan Larkin, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. E. Larkin, 15, Glasshouse Street, Rotherham. The Rev. A. E. Rose officiated.

The bride, given away by her father, wore a gown of white net and lace, with head-dress of orange blossom surmounting a full-length veil, and carried a bouquet of pink roses.

Junction Inn, Rotherham

The bridesmaids were Misses Betty and Ellen Larkin (bridegroom’s sisters) wearing dresses of blue net over taffeta, with flowered head-dresses, and carrying bouquets of sweet peas and roses; and Miss Jennifer Larkin (bridegroom’s sister) in a dress of white voile over satin, with head-dress to match, and carrying a posy of sweet peas and roses. The page boy was Master David Burton (bride’s brother).

The bride’s mother wore a powder blue costume with beige accessories, and the bridegroom’s mother a navy blue two-piece, with accessories to tone.

The best man was Mr. Peter Crookes and the groomsman Mr. Rex Slack.

A reception at the junction Inn was attended by about 40 guests. The honeymoon was spent at Scarbro’.

Posted in Burton, Larkin, Newspaper Article (Marriage), Pickersgill. Leave a Comment »

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