Doncaster, Childrens Boating Lake, Sandall Park c1960

My father at Doncaster grammar school

My father John Granville Turner attended Doncaster Grammar School in the 1910s. He was born in 1904 so would have started in the early 1910s, I assume. He was for a time a boy soprano at the school. He also spent at least one Christmas at Shibden Hall but there is no record of him there so I wonder if he visited to sing, as I believe the owner at that time invited a choir to sing carols. If anybody has any knowledge which could confirm he attended the school or visited Shibden - or refute both - I and the rest of the family would be very interested. He died in 1964 and all his immediate family which lived in the Halifax/Tickhill area are now deceased. Incidently, he took my brother and myself to Shibden Hall around 1955 but my only memories are of being scared that the floor didn't look very safe, and of a bus which had crashed off whatever hill we climbing and was at lying on its side far below (to me). Any information would be most interesting.
Thank you.
Richard Granville Turner

Conisborough Castle

I lived in Rawmish, and as a special treat my dad's mate Tony Williams got his mate the caretaker to let me have my own personal look roun't castle. My dad used to work at the pit offices in Denaby. When I used to go and see my dad in't olidays I'd go train spotting to the station and then ride home making sure I went via the castle.

Cricket on the green

I was brought up in Tennyson Avenue off Sprotborough Road and at weekends in the Summer would cycle 20 or so miles all around south Yorkshire. If on the way to Conisbrough, Barnbrough or the River Don we would pass the Ivanhoe Hotel which, to a 14 year old in 1950 looked to be a very grand place indeed. If a cricket match was taking place on the large field at the back of the hotel we would often abandon our planned bike ride and watch the game. I believe that some very famous YCC players appeared in Yorkshire League matches at this ground.

The Hotel was the original venue for the meetings of the Doncaster Motor Club. Founder members of the club included my father Charles Edward (Charlie) Flinders, Dr Burns and the Raynes brothers Cyril and Eddie who ran the motor cycle dealership in Doncaster. The hotel was often the assembly point for "outings" of the Club and on a typical Sunday in the heyday of convoy style day trips to Bridlington, Scarborough or Flamborough, up to thirty solo motor bikes, motor bikes and sidecars and (for the rather better paid) cars, would fill the arena at the front of the hotel.

My father would recount tales of people he met in the Ivanhoe including, during WW11, Douglas Bader and after the war the heavyweight boxing Champion Bruce Woodcock who I believe was very fond of a pint or two, or more.