The Francis Frith Collection.
You are here:

Mansfield

Mansfield photos

Displaying the first of 19 old photos of Mansfield.   View all Mansfield photos

19
View all 19 photos of Mansfield

Mansfield maps

Historic maps of Mansfield and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis.   View all Mansfield maps

Mansfield area books

Displaying 1 of 5 books about Mansfield and the local area.   View all books for this area

Memories of Mansfield

Mansfield memories
Read and share Mansfield memories

Displaying a selection of personal memories of Mansfield.
Add your memory of Mansfield or of a photo of Mansfield.

 

Mansfield Market

I have some lovely memories of Mansfield market place. My dad, George Fisher, my mum, Margaret, and my lovely Uncle Johnny stood the market for many years. My grandad started the business many years before selling fruit & veg. I spotted the picture of Mansfield and was amazed to see the photo of my grandad next to his wagon. If you look carefully you can see the name Fisher on the side of the wagon. I was about 12 when I used to stand the market, we now sold tinned food,such as Chatka crab, salmon, tuna, tarentella tomatoes and good old-fashioned Camp Coffee. We had queues all day long and this learned me from a very young age to add up! The winters seemed to be a lot colder then, I can remember my dad having to put ta arpaulin from the stall to his van to protect customers from the heavy snow. Many a time did we have to take a different route home to Nottingham because the roads... Read more

It Was A Miracle

Harlow Wood Orthopaedic Hospital c1950
Enlarge photo |  More about this photo

I entered Harlow Wood in December 1939. I was 3 at the time. I left 3 yreas later unable to walk but cured of TB. I was under a Mr Campbell, the orthopaedic specialist. When I returned fro frequent checks. I remember he always greeted my mother and me with the words "Here comes the miracle boy". Thankfully I have had a full & happy life and God willing have a few more miles to cover yet.

Nursing

Harlow Wood Orthopaedic Hospital c1950
Enlarge photo |  More about this photo

I was nursing at the hospital from December 1952, and the photo that is shown is of the old Nurses' Home, which you went into in your second year, or when on night duty in the part of the building at a right angle on the left. This meant that you had a single room instead of sharing. All the sisters also had rooms in this building as did Matron. The posts in the foreground are around the tennis courts, indicating that the picture is taken from the main Mansfield-Nottingham Road, the A60. Happy days. Why did they have to close such a highly respected place?

My Time in Harlow Wood  

Harlow Wood Orthopaedic Hospital c1950
Enlarge photo |  More about this photo

I was in Harlow Wood Hospital on and off for about 3years, first in Ward 1 which was a boys' and men's ward, it was also called Portland Ward, and Sister Langton was in charge. I was about 10 and when I first went in I was surprised that they had school every day. Then I went into Ward 9, Sister Williams was in charge there. Both sisters were brilliant and looked after me really well. I am now 65. I think the the picture on the website is Ward 2 which was the girls' and women's ward, behind that was Ward 1. You could see the main road from both wards. Mr Jackson was the top orthapaedic surgeon.

Nottinghamshire memories

Shops

High Street c1955
Enlarge photo |  More about this photo

I can distinctly remember visiting Marsdens with my gran, she used to buy loose butter and loose lard, it was cut from a large block. Te guy who worked there had been there years, I think his name was Geoffrey. Greens shoe shop, where I was measured and fitted for new school shoes, was run by Mrs Green, that was the shop next door (the other side of the jitty). Pure simple times, pure memories.

Cobblers

The Market Place c1955
Enlarge photo |  More about this photo

The shop on the corner of the market place was a cobblers, A very small shop, ran by a Mr George Green as I can recall. Mr Green had a bad foot and had to have one shoe built up. He used to work with a dirty apron on.

Evacuees

My brother and I were evacuated to Mansfield Woodhouse in 1940 from Southend. We came with our school, London Road Primary School, and some of our teachers including the wonderful Miss Whisker.
We lived with various families - the Cookes at Sunnydale Poultry Farm, the Marchants at 6, Coke Street, the Owens in Tennyson Avenue and the Colliers in Stainforth Street. All organised by the redoubtable Mr. Hudson
I went to the National School and my brother to Oxclose Lane School. I remember walking along the long lane from Sunnydale to school and later along 'Bedstead Alley' to Oxclose Lane School.
Our memories are very vivid - and not altogether happy. Our mother joined us in 1940 and was soon taken to Ransom Sanatorium where, eventually, in 1942, she died. Our grandparents also came to MW but they fairly shortly after returned to London. Our father, who was working on munitions elsewhere visited us once or twice while we were there.
At Christmas 1941 we returned to London.
Amongst... Read more

© Copyright 1998-2012 Frith Content Inc. All rights reserved.