Leicester memories
Here are memories of Leicester and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Leicester or a Leicester photo.
Old Leicester
Can anyone please tell me the name of the public house that was next to Marshall and Snallgraves?Opposite Boots?
Memories
As the son of Bill and Madge Sharp I lived there, after the Horse and Groom in Humberstone Gate. I remember my dad having a fair few fights outside. Many war veterans told of their stories. My bedroom was at the back, overlooking the fishmongers. I used to sit and be shown how to play the ukelele in the bar, there was a pianola there as well. Many ladies of the night, as I later learned. Rosie was one, she used to take me shopping on the market for toys, usually to a stall where she "knew" the holder. I got the toys quick so he did not have to explain to his wife!
Woodgate, Frog Island
During the war my grandparents moved from Great Yarmouth to Leicester, my grandmother worked at Freres biscuit factory in Woodgate, my father went to Slater Street School and they lived in Henry Street. It was a cul-de-sac leading on to Central Street Railway Station. Can anybody tell me just out of interest if any of these places are still there today? I also remember my grandfather telling there was a pub called the Ship. It led into Warrington Street.
Fun Days at Abbey Park.
As a young girl, me and my friends used to go on the lake in these boats, we had such fun. It's such a shame it's not the same these days.
Argyle Street
Does anyone remember 'Argyle Street', I used live there as a young girl, now Sainsburys stands on that site in Belgrave. I would love to see any old photos if anyone has any of old Belgrave and the roundabout. It would be really appreciated.
Hard Life
RE: The Eclipse Pub My dad was never out off the Eclipse pub on Saturdays and Sundays and most nights in the 1960s. I remember standing outside as a small boy for about 2 hours for him to come out and take him home. His name was Charlie Crewe, and his nick name was 'Wagy'.
End of War
I used to live in Cheapside, in about 1945.
The Eclipse Pub
The public house in this picture is 'The Eclipse'. I lived in the Eclipse as a small boy in the mid 1950s. My bedroom was on the top floor. I use to lie in bed at night and watch the Bovril electric sign across the road. My grandfather and grandmother kept the pub, their names were Charlie and Elsie Haigue. As small boys we use to take our toys and play in Cheapside, just ouside Walkers the butchers. The Eclipse was a very popular pub at the time, a very busy meeting place. It was always full with many colourful characters. Sadly no longer a pub, the building is still there. I often look up to my bedroom when I am walking past. That was a time when you were safe up town.
Fond Memories of Wyggy Girls'
I well remember starting at Wyggeston Girls' Grammar School in Sept 1968 with my new shiny leather satchel. I was so proud of my black velour hat, black gloves, and 'sensible lace-up shoes'. It had been my ambition to go to Wyggy Girls' from the age of five, when a girl visited class 1, St Joseph's Primary School, Armadale Drive. I fell in love with the uniform. I was so thrilled when I found out I had won a place there! Miss Pedley, our headmistress, certainly knew how to keep control of us. Even the teachers used to tremble! What a great education I got, the very best. It gave me a love of literature, and the French language. What a shame when I visited it in 2003, from New Zealand, where I now live. Miss Pedley would have been outraged at the litter around the grounds! Still, I have very fond memories of old Wyggy Girls'.
De Montfort Rocked
Good to see DeMontfort Hall as it used to be. It was a great venue to see bands there. Once the small blues clubs had ran their course bands needed larger venues to ply their trade, De Montfort was one of the first, I saw Rory Gallagher, John Hiseman's Collesseum,Yes, Sutherland Brothers/Quiver and never to be forgotten Free (when they reformed briefly) the last band I ever saw before the modernisation of the hall was Uriah Heep with a rather drunk David Byron fronting the band. Other major bands to visit DeMontfort were Genesis, Supertramp and the most under rated bunch of musicians to ever grace these shores The Sensational Alex Harvey Band (God rest his soul)
Today Demontfort is an all seater venue, no more standing on the dance floor! I liked the venue but on my last visit it had become a bit sterile with anyone wishing to show any emotion for the music rocking awkwardly in their seats. I'm afraid DeMontfort has obviously needed a make over... Read more
Thomas PritchardChief Constable Circa 1780s
My wife Merlyn's great, great, grand uncle, Thomas Pritchard, held the position of Chief Constable in Leicester during the 1770s to 1790s. He had seven sons, and the youngest, Thomas, migrated to Australia in the Horizon and settled in Bendigo, Victoria in 1857, as a result of the gold rush. He married a Mary Stevenson in Bendigo in 1862, who was born in Leicester. Thomas and Mary had seven children, the first one, died. Thomas was a carpenter and bought and built a home in Stewart Street In 1890 Thomas joined with a colleague Chamberlain to form Pritchard and Chamberlain, Bendigo United Brewery. He relocated to Lucan Street in 1880's. His son Thomas Pritchard joined the firm. He was a well known opera singer in Bendigo. He named his house Leicester after his wife's birthplace. The Pritchard family were highly respected as was demonstrated at the funeral cortege of Thomas when he died at the age of 71 and whose passing was widely reported in both local papers.... Read more
Memories of Life
I was born in 1942 and spent my childhood years living in the way road area of the city. My brother and I were lucky enough to have a family living directly behind us in Homefield Avenue (I think that is what it was called) there were three children. We used to spend many happy hours playing in the brook at the bottom of the garden getting very wet and kindly neighbours used to dry us out so we did not get into trouble. I think I can honestly say that we all had a happy childhood, most of the time was spent outside making our own fun. Our friends' family had a little wooden cabin out at Woodhouse Eves and we used to have weekends there visiting Bradgate Park, which I still do from time to time. When I visit now, we also go to Gibsons Grey Lady. Something else that I remember well was going into town with my mother and Aunt and visiting the shop that is... Read more
New Years Eve
I think it was possibly 1957 when I was at the Clock Tower seeing the New Year in! Lots of fun and no trouble as I remember.
Lunch at The Pavilion
I was at Wyggy Boys School from 1961 to 68. Usually I went home for dinner (which we always had mid-day) as my father worked nearby and took me. But if he wasn't going home I used to meet my mother or grandmother and have lunch in the pavilion, Usually it was egg and chips for 1s.6d. and a Lyons fruit pie for 6d. No drink because it was too extravagent to buy drinks in a cafe! Sometimes I went round the Vicky Park greenhouses with my grandma before going back to school.
I also used to pass the pavilion on cross-country practice runs round Vicky Park.
School Dance Display
The Wyggeston Girls Grammar School put on a Dance display for Parents. I remember my mum & younger sister coming to watch and my friend and I took them to a local espresso bar afterwards.
I also recall a visit with my dad to see Swan Lake c1949.
And I've seen Ray Charles a couple of times in the 60s, also Oscar Peterson, Jacques Loussier, and Elton John at the start of his career.
I haven't lived in Leicester for many years. All ths events took place in the 50s/60s.
Though I did see the Russian Ballet c1990.
Memories of Leicestershire
I Remember it Being Built
The building in your picture was called the 'new shops'. I recall going up there with my dad, Roy Austin, when it was being built. It must have been before 1960 I guess. I was born in 1949. The shops in that block included Boots, Wilkinsons, Forbouys, Greasleys, and the Co-op I believe. Behind the shops was the library, which was the original Co-op where we (John Hogan and his grand-dad 'Tim') used to go in the last days of rationing after the Second World War). Tim fought in the Boer War and me and John used to play with the sword that he brought home with him from the war. Tim wasn't really John's grand-dad. He'd been taken in by the Hogans (John's family). We lived on Glazebrook Road, a hundred yards or so behind the shops in that photo.
We used to buy cheap stale cakes from Greasleys on our way to New Parks Boys School. (Not John - he went to a Catholic school so we got... Read more
New Parks Boys,
I remember well the tennis courts . We were a secondary modern and our tennis courts were very secondary. Holes and gravel with a perimeter fence that had so many holes in it that about 20% of the balls sailed through it only to be punted down the road by a passing car. Whereas the girls' grammer school next to it had new ashphalt, legible lines and a fence strong enough to keep the boys at bay. We had great sports teams and excellent fields to compensate. We shared with fields with the girls but they rarely ventured out.
Grandmothers House
I loved the Humberstone village and living with my grandmother. I went to Humberstone School. Her name was Maggie Hunt. I would love to hear her and her friends singing all those pub songs at the P lough and The Windmill. She was so sweet and loved my brother and I. I came down Steins Lane to Hungerton Boulevard, she lived directly opposite the end of Steins Lane. I would love to visit her house once more. I live in Texas, USA but my heart will always be there.
Evacuated to Aylestone
After seventy plus years it's very hard to remember exactly what year I was sent to stay with friends of my mothers in Aylestone. It was likely in 1940 as the general panic about getting the children away from the large cities had begun in ernest. Now all I can recall about that time was staying at a lovely semi detached house, on Narrow Lane with a Mrs Powderill and her unmarried son Neville. My mother stayed with me most of the time but over Christmas they sent for her as Dad had become seriously ill and was in hospital.A 4-wheel-drive ambulance was sent to take her to his bedside. Later he was sent to Cromer as he recovered. Finally he joined us at Easter in Aylestone. I can also recall playing in a walled children's playground behind one of the local pubs. There were other children there and we managed to buy special wooden matches that burned slowly in different colours. We were yelled at by some adults... Read more
Court Crescent Junior School And Wellinger Way
I was born at my Grandmother's home at No: 50 Hand Avenue on the Braunstone Estate. When I was about 3 we moved from Grandma's to our own home at No: 9 Wellinger Way. I went to Queensmead Infants School and then to Cort Crescent Junior School. I remember the old wooden buildings that were built on stilts. They were our classrooms. The only brick buildings were the assembly hall and the 'White Hut' which was Mr Worthington's classroom. I was in his class in year 3 and he was one of my favourite teachers. Another of my favourites was Miss Shenton, who taught writing skills and RE and was often known to whack a child over the back of the hand with a ruler if their writing wasn't uniform and neat. I thought she was a lovely old lady and felt I knew her as she had also taught my dad. I also liked Mr James, a welshman with a fiery temper who was my year 4 teacher and... Read more
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