Harrogate memories
Here are memories of Harrogate and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Harrogate or a Harrogate photo.
Saturday Dance Nights
Does anyone remember the Saturday dances at the Grand Hotel? I loved the Jazz dances, especially Acker Bilk, The Temperance Seven and others. The dance floor moved and we hopped jived. What a lovely memory!
Montpellier Night Club
Montpelier night club down the hill from the war memorial. Does anyone remember the club in the 1960s? The night club was one of best late night spots in Yorkshire. Dance floor, meals, bar and gaming room. Cabaret artists each week. 5 bob to get in, 1/9d half a pint. Very dear in those days. Jimmy Cummings was the pianist, Jim Overton the compere and singer, Mick Kean drummer. The club went downhill in the early 1970s and was sold. But in the 1960s it was great. Does anyone remember or have any photos?
George James McConney
Ironically this picture represents two important monuments relating to my maternal uncle. At St. Peter's Church on the right is where he sang as a choir boy. The war memorial on the left immortalizes his death in 1943 at age 20. His name appears on the side facing the church. He served in 1st Airborne, Division Signals, Royal Corps of Signals and gave his life in Tunisia. He grew up nearby on Harlow Moor Drive. I bought this picture on my visit to Harrogate in 2005 and it hangs in my Mum's bedroom.
Harrogate Station Square
Here is Station Square appearing as its architects intended, an open airy town centre piece. The gardens in the foreground are the Coronation Gardens of c.1953, which complimented the Victorian square admirably. Just as this picture was being taken, the lovely old and deliberately 'low roofed' railway station was being totally ruined by the new overscale Station Tower and new station foyer. Looks like Checks' Cafe in the background is boarded up and it wouldn't be too many years hence that the Market Hall and the Coronation Gardens (and their useful public conveniences) would be swept away in the name of progress, with the gross criminal loss a bit later of the re-buildable Victorian Lowther Arcade and the West Yorkshire Road Car Co bus station, where we all met our dates on a Saturday night under the clock. Harrogate needs to move with the times but didn't deserve this onslaught. These are some of the fond memories of a 1950-born Harrogate child coupled with a heavy heart!
Relatives of Charles Alan Foster
Would like to get in touch with anyone related to or having known Charles Alan Foster's family. He was born in 1906 - married to Edith E Cooper and went to Australia in 1950. I believe this to be my father and know his last address was 51 St Clements Road. He also had a business in John Street (he was a plumber). If anyone knows anything or anyone who may be able to help me put the pieces together I would be most grateful. I also have an older brother Charles Paul Foster and older sister Sylvia Elizabeth Foster. He died in 1971 in Burwood in Australia and I believe his wife returned to yorkshire and died in 1975.
St Robert's Catholic School - 1951 Festival of Britain
This is my Dad's memory and my search for anyone who may have a copy of the photograph explained in the information he gave me which follows. I would love to get a copy as a surprise gift for him, can anyone help me please? Here is the memory:- This is the true story. It was the 'Festival Of Britain' year 1951, (the previous one being 1851 Crystal Palace etc., but I don't remember that one?), anyway, it was the summer of 1951 around the month of June, the Senior class went on a coach trip to mark the occasion (Miss Dawson's class 14 and 15 year olds). We visited Kirkstall Abbey, Howarth Parsonage and then to Leeds where there was a display of inventions for the future, i.e Jet Aircraft, Motor Vehicles Domestic items etc., etc. It was a long day and if I remember rightly we were all tired out by the time arrived in Leeds. The photograph I told you about was either taken before we set off,... Read more
Ex St. Robert's Catholic School, 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! Uncle worked at St. James' Cinema,Father at Ritz Cinema, Mother at ABC 'Regal' Cinema, 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), Alan Barker from 15, Ainsty Road. I might be better remembered as Anthony. Back in Harrogate after 11 & 7 years away. Remember Lindy's Cafe, Countdown dance hall, Bilton Hop, Baines Bike Shop, Gaumont Cinema, Etc:
Muriel Currie''s Memory of Living in Harrogate.
I remember working at the Stylo shoe store on Cambridge Street, also at the Timpsons shoe store on Cambridge Street and later on at the Robert Hirst raincoat factory in Oatlands. Hello to anyone who remembers me, my E-Mail address is: smokeycat66@yahoo.com My home address is 2960 Gold Rush Lane, Heritage Ranch, Paso Robles, California 93446, U.S.A. I would like to hear from you.
Church on Kings Road?
Does anybody have a picture of the church on Kings Road that was knocked down to build the International Hotel?
Pen Pal
I remember corresponding with a lad named Malcolm Richardson at 2 Claro Ave
County Estate during WWII. I have often wondered if he is still alive and where he is. I understand that children were brought from the larger cities to Harrogate to protect them from the bombing by the Germans. I was a school boy in the US and names were given to us by the Red Cross so that we might correspond with each other.
Memories of North Yorkshire
My Birthplace.
I was born at 228 Springhill Cottages, Haverah Park, Beckwithshaw in 1939. I don't remember anything about Beckwithshaw as we moved to North Shields and lived at 3 Vickarage Street for a while,then came back to live at 23 Brunswick Drive in Harrogate, then to 87 Hookstone Avenue in Oatlands. I emigrated to the USA in 1965. My name is Muriel Grasso, maiden name Muriel Currie. I attended Harrogate Grammar School. My Email address is Smokeycat66@yahoo.com I would love to hear from someone in Beckwithshaw or Harrogate.
Muriel Currie's Memory of Living in Harrogate.
I worked at Robert Hirst rain coat factory in Oatlands Harrogate until I emigrated to America
Park Mount
House on the right looks similar, as it did when I used to live there in the mid 70's - just missing the white wash look.
Balcony House
The taller light coloured house on the left, near the centre of the picture, is called Balcony House. The balcony was removed, I believe, in World War 11. The house was built in the mid 19th C by the local apothecary. I lived there c 1977-1982. The shop belonged to a butcher. The four small cottages are older than Balcony House, and behind them lies a farm belonging to the Spinks family.
Birstwith Remembered And Cherished
I was born in Birstwith and lived there until I married and my ancestors for several generations lived, farmed and owned the flour mill. In 1964 I was a member for the church choir and rang bells, they were such happy times. The choir mistress was Peggy Myers (nee Hewitt) abd we had such fun on the choir trips and festivals, we never stopped laughing. At Christmas the vicar Rev Capel Cure took us carol singing but he used to get so drunk we had to walk home but again I had some great times as a youngster. I was married at St. James's Church in 1981 and both my children were christened there even though we lived in Harrogate. My daughter was married there in 2008 and hopes to have her baby christened there too. Things have changed a lot in Birstwith but whenever I return to the church where my parents are buried I go inside and sit in the choir stalls and quietly reminisce, there is... Read more
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