Whitefriars Street (inc. Whitefriars Lane)

Dutchman - is that the Hope and Anchor just above and to the left of the 'dome' of the Gaumont?

Here is another angle, this time from May 1939, via Britain from above.

Yes it is Neil and on the far side of Whitefriars Street opposite the pub there is a corner tea shop which also sold sweets.

It appears there was already a gap between the houses on the eastern side and it was not caused entirely by bomb damage. A pair of courtyards nos.4 & 5 next to the Ecko dealer which once formed a square were demolished some time before the war and the site left vacant. Bomb damage increased the size of the gap northwards until just before Court no.3 which survived the war.

Hi Dutchman, is it possible to get hold of a copy of the large scale map you have used for this thread? Is it on sale anywhere?

Hi DBC http://www.old-maps.co.uk/maps.html Click on "Prices" then scroll down to "Town Plans". You want the 1:500 scale version

I used to live in Whitefriars St, can't remember the number, it was on the left hand side almost next to the monastery. Also my mate's dad used to run the Whitefriars pub. I went to St Michaels C of E School & Cheylesmore Secondary Modern. Me & my mates used to play in the old bomb site. I remember bringing a cylindrical object home, gave it to my dad, he nearly fainted. It was a incendiary bomb that hadn't gone off. We had police / bomb squad to get rid of it. There's a lot I can't seem to remember from those days, it was in the 1950s. We had to move due to the new ring road was due to be built. I actually loved it there.

Hi Pete. I remember your sister Wendy. We were playing on the Builders Club when she had her accident. I remember coming to your house, we used to play in the big shed in your garden. The houses up that end had gardens!! Your dad made his own dandelion brew?? I was born in 1946, my sister 1947. My gran was one of the last to leave when the ring road was built. Pauline H.

Well that's a surprise, great to hear from you. Wendy's ok, she lives in Holbrooks. I live in Radford. Will phone her & let her know. Yes my dad did brew a great drink, hic! I remember when Wendy had that accident. I also was born in 1946, though my mental age is still in my teens, lol. Eternally young. Regards, Pete.

Thanks Pete, they were good times, we all had fun. My husband went to Cheylesmore Secondary, he is a year older.

I don't or haven't seen any old school mates for many years. I had a word with Wendy but she doesn't remember much from those days. She's 3 years younger than me but as said, those were great times.

Hi. Sorry Pete, I said Builders Club (Wendy), it was the Boys Club. Pauline H (my sister is Maureen).

petehutt - it seems as if you lived in one of the houses opposite the White Friars Inn where I lived but I Iived there fifteen years before your time. Can you tell me if the houses we lived in had top shops? The photograph of 33 Whitefriars Street shows a row of houses with top shops and I would love to know if I lived in a house with a top shop. I only lived there for about two or three years because I know that we were in Burnaby Road (next house to where the little train crossed the road) when the bombs started to fall.

Sorry I haven't responded to your question, just come back on line. The houses we lived in were quite tall, if I can remember properly we had a cellar then the ground floor front room etc then upstairs to bedroom then again to the attic which had massive long windows both sides with a great view over the bombsite etc. They were workshops as you asked but I've no idea what for. It's possible someone on this forum may know, as I said I loved it there. I think the house number was 116/118 Whitefriars St. Hope this is helpful. Also I can't remember when we first moved in or how long we were there.

Hi Pauline, yes it was the boys or builders club. I do remember a Pauline & a Maureen though I can't remember faces. Hope all's well with you both