Leicester Road c1955, Oadby
Leicester Road c1955, Oadby Ref: O100257a
Memories of Leicester Road c1955, Oadby
Schooldays
Going to Mr Allens chemist and walking to Sandhurst street School'also going to the public library over the swimming baths
Allens The Chemist
I think Mr Allen was succeeded by his two sons who ran the chemists for some years. Presumably gone now. I also have fond memories of the swimming baths where I learned to swim with my friend Michael Tunnicliffe and of the old library above the baths. Wonderful times.
Chemist Shop And Swimming Baths
I think the chemist shop is on this road, along with the baths,
EARLY FIFTIES OADBY
This picture brings back happy memories, I was born in Oadby when it was a village like this picture shows, it was a wonderful time. The picture shows the large building on the corner which was "Allens" Chemist, further down the shops was "Rawsons" which sold bicycles, TV`s, radios and electrical goods, it later became "Dexters" where I worked in in my teens as an apprentice electrician. At the end of the small parade of shops was "Tom Best" the butchers, he was a real character, then the swimimng baths. In the foreground of the picture is "Hassell`s", painter and decorator, their son Willie used to go to school with my brother.
Allen's Chemist Shop
Mr Allen (snr) was my grandpa. As a child in the 60s, the shop was a magical place.
When this photo was taken, the shop was the second one from the corner of Chapel Street (walking towards the church). There was a antique shop on the corner when I first remember it. Later the chemist shop was extended and took over the corner premises. I too remember learning to swim at Oadby pool. I also remember Ellsons bread : )
Oadby & local memories
Read and share memories of Oadby and Leicestershire inspired by Frith photos.
Sandhurst Street
My grandmother, Dolly Harding lived at number one, Sandhurst Street. I was brought up at Davenport Avenue. At that time, before all the new houses were built around Foxhunter Drive and Chesnut Avenue, the way to the infant school was down Davenport Avenue, along Iliffe Avenue, across to Cartwright Drive then up the "Black Pad" to Sandhurst Street. The geese in the field it crossed (Chesnut Avenue) were always a threat! I think they belonged to Billy Goddard. Opposite the school, where the car park is now was a (to me) large glass house that sold flowers etc. Nan's house was a tiny end of terrace house which still had a water pump (though not then used) but on the outside of the house there were the remains of a telephone connection which had been put in when the house was used by the Conservatives on election days.
Fluids Lane
This was a wonderful wildlife haven for children and I well remember playing for hours on end in the stream which meandered through. We lived in the Vicarage at No 1 London Road and had the idyllic childhood that few seem to remember. I think there were army huts or Nissan huts alongside the run of Fluids Lane and I assume these were old Second World War relics. I remember exploring these many a time. Happy days, happy days.
Fluids Lane
A demi paradise, Fluids Lane was at the far end of the village towards Glen Road, I think. It contained a stream, and woods. What wonderful memories I have of that place, nothing can compare, we played for hours damming the stream, climbing trees etc., away from home all day. The lane went on to the fields that housed the air force base, or aerodrome, and also the German prisoners of war that we befriended, hard to believe, but they were free to go to the pictures in the village. That was a little earlier, maybe around 1942 or so. I wish I could hear more about Fluids Lane.
Black Pad
We lived on Greenbank Drive and we used to walk to Langmoor School down the Black Pad, which is now called Lawyers Lane. Farmer Steele had his farm down there and we always used to stop and look at his cows, and, if there were any born, his calves. I can smell it all now. He liked to keep people talking so we were invariably late for school.
SWIMMING BATHS
My twin sister and I used to go to the Oadby baths on a Saturday morning with some friends, and we always used to have a race to see who got in first. Unfortunately one week I forgot to take off my watch before I jumped in and so got a good hiding when I got home for breaking it. I was in the pool first that time though. I can't remember having to go upstairs to changing cubicles though, I just remember being on the right side as you went in.
Swimming Lessons
As a pupil at Launde School it was compulsory that we were taught to swim at Oadby Swimming baths, for those of you who know Oadby today it wasn't the newly built baths on Brabazon Road, the baths were in the centre of the village, it looked like an old theatre or cinema on first glance.
The boys changing rooms were on the side of the baths themselves the girls were upstairs and across a balcony.
The bath was covered in a glass roof, this would get covered in thick black mould and as you swam or doggy paddled it would plop off the roof into the baths and onto us little swimmers below.
Whatever the weather we walked to the baths, so during the winter when you were wet through you had to walk back to school.
