-
Welcome to Stafford Forum. Please or sign-up and start posting!
Nostalgia - What are your memories of Stafford?
- Thread starter MISS T
- Start date
gon2seed
(and me! - Ed)
In the 90 s when I worked for North Staffs HA I lead a group of colleagues from the Potteries on a couple of hours guided tour of the town,, had done some work on history/dates & notable events;
didn't go as far as the castle, and spent time in Martin Street & county buildings, but could have saved myself some time and us some boot leather if I"d give em a copy of this and the sheet from Tourist Info', Damn!
BobClay
Well-Known Forumite
When I was a kid we used to camp out on the Rec. (Coton Fields Recreation ground, still there amazingly, not yet discovered by property developers.)
Now camping out there was pretty adventurous stuff back then, I mean, we were nearly 300 yards from where we lived !!!! (Eat yer heart out Stewart Granger.)
My Dad, however, (I suspect in an effort to put me off ... after all, what parent today would let their kids camp out on a recreation field inside the town boundary ?) told me the Rec was haunted by the ghost of the 'Blue Pig.' A fearsome demonic leftover from a bygone age that rooted about on the Rec at night.
Ahhh sod that, we camped anyway, we were Rec kids, we held demons and monsters in disdain. Old style tents without groundsheets (bought at Bedson's Army and Navy Stores) we'd down a bottle of Bulmer's Cider somehow sneakingly bought from Kidmans and challenge any Demon and his bloody dog to do combat, and then we'd flake out.
Mind you, if we heard grunting in the night (probably someone staggering back home from the Prince of Wales or the Gate) we'd all develop a touch of the runs and disappear down the wormhole at the end of our sleeping bags.
Now camping out there was pretty adventurous stuff back then, I mean, we were nearly 300 yards from where we lived !!!! (Eat yer heart out Stewart Granger.)
My Dad, however, (I suspect in an effort to put me off ... after all, what parent today would let their kids camp out on a recreation field inside the town boundary ?) told me the Rec was haunted by the ghost of the 'Blue Pig.' A fearsome demonic leftover from a bygone age that rooted about on the Rec at night.
Ahhh sod that, we camped anyway, we were Rec kids, we held demons and monsters in disdain. Old style tents without groundsheets (bought at Bedson's Army and Navy Stores) we'd down a bottle of Bulmer's Cider somehow sneakingly bought from Kidmans and challenge any Demon and his bloody dog to do combat, and then we'd flake out.
Mind you, if we heard grunting in the night (probably someone staggering back home from the Prince of Wales or the Gate) we'd all develop a touch of the runs and disappear down the wormhole at the end of our sleeping bags.
Gramaisc
Forum O. G.
It was the obviously fake 'Norwegian' sailor that used to scare me...
...he did a fair bit of staggering, as I recall...
The Hawk
Well-Known Forumite
Cheapest price I can find is £10.49 from WHSmith:Appeared in one of the local free ad-mags
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/secret-stafford-secret/9781445675824
Andreas Rex
Banned for smiling
I don't think I'd be too happy to purchase a book where the publisher can't spell the word 'available'!Appeared in one of the local free ad-mags
FFS...I know I'm a pedantic pillock, but come on...
Thehooperman
Well-Known Forumite
Tilly
Well-Known Forumite
When I was a kid we used to camp out on the Rec. (Coton Fields Recreation ground, still there amazingly, not yet discovered by property developers.)
Now camping out there was pretty adventurous stuff back then, I mean, we were nearly 300 yards from where we lived !!!! (Eat yer heart out Stewart Granger.)
My Dad, however, (I suspect in an effort to put me off ... after all, what parent today would let their kids camp out on a recreation field inside the town boundary ?) told me the Rec was haunted by the ghost of the 'Blue Pig.' A fearsome demonic leftover from a bygone age that rooted about on the Rec at night.
Ahhh sod that, we camped anyway, we were Rec kids, we held demons and monsters in disdain. Old style tents without groundsheets (bought at Bedson's Army and Navy Stores) we'd down a bottle of Bulmer's Cider somehow sneakingly bought from Kidmans and challenge any Demon and his bloody dog to do combat, and then we'd flake out.
Mind you, if we heard grunting in the night (probably someone staggering back home from the Prince of Wales or the Gate) we'd all develop a touch of the runs and disappear down the wormhole at the end of our sleeping bags.
I waa disappointed to see the Bazooka Joe dispenser had been removed from the wall in John Street. Would you like to confess?
whitelion
Well-Known Forumite
I also remember Mr Owen and his rather large rotund wife at the Brine Baths. He taught me to swim. His method was to give you a large rubber ring with half a lungful of air in it, once in the pool you were then kept away from the sides with a long pole wielded by Mr Owen. After a number of weeks of shouting and the pole job you learnt to swim fast enough to get to a side away from Mr Owen. You were now a swimmer.
Tilly
Well-Known Forumite
I waa disappointed to see the Bazooka Joe dispenser had been removed from the wall in John Street. Would you like to confess?
It wasn't me. I've got an alibi … I was playing poker with the Blue Pig …. (shit what a giveaway ….)
Mrs Kitley knows
staffordjas
Well-Known Forumite
Only just spotted this.....
I was fished out with a pole like thing on one of the dreaded school swimming sessions. Had to dive in the deep end and swim the length for my green badge. I have memories of crawling around the bottom of the deep end, and then ending up alive on the side of the pool, to the disappointment of most of the class , as a pole like thing hooked me out.
I went for an interview at BRC and got the job, but was also offered a job at MRI at the same time so turned the BRC job down. At least MRI lasted longer as BRC went a few years later . Still think of that interview as I walk to the retail park now, with the concrete driveway entrance off the bridge still there last time I looked ....