Ex St Roberts Catholic School Harrogate

A Memory of Harrogate.

Born in Waterloo Street, Harrogate, in early 1940s. Attended above school until left in 1956. Started work at J.S.Driver, grocers on Beulah Street, Stan Wood manager.
Remember 'Syncopated Sandy,' playing piano for whole week at St. James Cinema! Apparently, he didn't move from the Piano Stool for all the week, & earned the nickname, 'Constipated Sandy!
Uncle Jim worked at St. James' Cinema, Father at Ritz Cinema, where he had to place the Stylus on the Shellac Disc, which contained the Film, then run to the stage, to open the Curtains, & run back to the Projection room! Grandmother & Mother worked at ABC 'Regal' Cinema, & many years later, my Step Bother, Kevin, was the Projectionist at the Odeon! Not all at same time!! Would love to hear from any old school/ pals if still around, ones remembered are Howard Wilkinson (his father taught music lessons, lived first house on left after church on Bilton Lane), Elizabeth Hudson, Teachers, Mr. Suttil, Margaret, 'Maggie' O'Hanlon, Miss Whelan,( in whose class I 'wet' myself, when it was my turn to read out my own, 'Composition/Essay,' & spent lunch time, drying out in the Boiler room!) Mother St.Vincent, Miss Dawson who had a wooden, pointed short stick, for naughty boys & girls! We boys would sometimes take the stick, & throw it on the Railway Line, whilst playing on the Stray! Also the Nun Teacher, who used a 'Jam Spoon' for punishment, who broke the Spoon, on the hand of one of the boys! Friends & neighbours on Ainsty Road etc; remembered, Alan Barker, (15, Ainsty Road), The Sheilds family, The Sipsons, Bennisons, Smiths, Newmans, Wendy Wheatley, whose Father I think, was a 'Lamplighter,' Nortons, Petch's, Manby's, Fletcher's, Francis Allen, John Holdsworth, John Hammond etc: I might be better remembered then, as Anthony. Other memories of Harrogate, Lindy's Cafe, Chequer's Cafe, which had a 'reputation', if you visited when first opening, you could watch Mice running around, including on the counter, plus, the same knife would be used to butter bread, & slice Onions! Countdown dance hall, with 'Chicken-in-a Basket.' Bilton Hop, Baines Bike Shop, Gaumont Cinema, where as Children, we saw the 1953 'Coronation' on the big screen. The ABC, or Regal, & St, James' Cinema, with the beautiful Organs, that played Music during the interval. If a member of the Sat morn' Club, at the Odeon, you got in free on your Birthday, invited on to the stage & given & free Lollipop! The Bus Station, with the Clock! I worked for the West Yorkshire Bus Company for many years, as a Bus Conductor, with Mick Fletcher, Pete Stothard, recently deceased, (owner of the Stothard's Pet Shop on Commercial St), Pete Foy, Pete Tucker recently deceased, & many more! Any one remember the 'Tape Recording Club,' on the corner of Tower Street, & 'Wee Willie Harris', with his, 'Beetle Crusher' shoes, playing/singing at, 'The Ship Inn?' Hope this not too long & rambling, but it's one way to keep the memory working! May be more to come, as my memory keeps being 'jogged,' by people, places, music etc!
Anyone written a book about their experiences in Harrogate, during the 40's, & 50's, & could add to the above? Anybody any memories/info about Maureen Dignam, who lived at Marton-cum-Grafton, during the 60's, I
think her Father was the Pub Landlord?
Any responses to this, as Memory aids, while some of us are still around, will be very welcome!

---

---