My Memories of Tickhill of Old – Doreen Hartley
Tickhill Together spent a lovely morning chatting with Mrs Hartley and the memories below were compiled by Linda Mayes, Lesley Cox and Barbara Butterworth.
Mrs Hartley is Tickhill born and bred (1929). She still lives in the same house as when she was born. It was lovely to hear of how Tickhill used to be and we thought you might find it interesting to know what some of the longstanding buildings/businesses used to be. This is how Mrs Hartley remembers Tickhill. See the map to find the corresponding number.
- Doncaster Road - Opposite Common Lane on Doncaster Road was Ludlam’s General Store, which is now a house. The Ludlam’s daughter married a soldier that she met during the war.
- On Northgate was Jack Liley’s which was a Greengrocers General Store (which is still known as Liley House to this day)
- On the opposite side of the road to Liley’s was Deakin’s General Store and a Bike Repair Shop
- Next door but one to Liley’s was Kate Lee's Fish & Chip Shop
- Higgins Butchers was opposite The Oak
- Mr Boley, The Blacksmiths was based virtually opposite the Parish Room
- Jarvis's the Grocers and Bakery was where Strand Hairdressers is now. Cooplands and Spar was Jarvis's back Garden
- The Vets was a house
- Lloyds Chemist used to be Chemist Gloynes and was much smaller
10. Eatons was Hancocks Haberdashery
11. Taylors was Woolis General Store (only one side of Taylors, though, as the other side was Dawsons Butchers)
12.GT News was Fox's Newsagents
13. REaL was Hunters General Store and were renowned for selling Tea
14. Fentons was Salts Butchers
15. Apothecary Salon was Jenkinson's Corsets and General store
16. Lockwoods Florist was Timpson Shoe Shop and Cobblers
17. Jamps was the Red Lion Pub and in the yard and around the back was where the Soldiers congregated.
18. Mrs Lickiss lived in one of the cottages and she was a wreath maker
19. Michael Gray's Salon was The Paint Pot which was the hardware store
20. Castlegate Cards and Gifts was Winfrey General Stores
21. Further along was The Co-op which had three different stores, one was a Drapers, one was a Butchers and the other was a grocery store and part of this is now Castlegates DIY. It is worth noting that the yard was also used as a recreational venue for non-commissioned officers. Above the grocery department whist drives were regularly held.
22. Gilthorpe's fish and chip shop was a little further along
23. Opposite Castle Close was a small shop called Colbeck's and they sold a variety of bits and bobs and grew their own vegetables and sold them in the shop.
24. Hills Painter and Decorators is now a house and Mrs Hartley recalls possibly a Police House a little further up
25. In the war, it was Tickhill Builders. Clarkes Builders is still, to this day, a builders.
26. Dr Lindsey's Surgery was up towards The Travellers Rest
27. Opposite Clarkes Builders was Herrins General store
28. Next was a fish and chip shop
29. Tomlinsons Sweets and other General Store
30. The Castle was Atkinson Clark and held some functions from time to time
31. Davie Fine Art Gallery was 3 stores, Wombwell General Store, then a Bike repair shop
and finally Winfrow General Store.
32. Abbey Eye Wear was Greenoff s General Store
33. Juicy Fruits is where Walkers Wet Fish shop was
34. Zuvu was the Post Office it was run by two sisters, both Miss Lye and they sold delicious Ice Cream.
Sunderland Street
35. The Lofthouse was Jarvis Brothers Drapers, Haberdashery and Shoes
36. Where Pam's Pantry is, it used to be Lanes General Store
37. Dexter Pollard was Jack Westwood's barber shop.
38. Karen Connolly was the Food Office. This is where ration books were issued and where you went to get your orange juice, tins of milk, rosehip syrup and cod liver oil for the children.
39. Zaras was Pinknies Cafe
Mrs Hartley recalls, the Infant School was up Tithes Lane, the Junior School was on St Marys Road opposite where the Doctors is now. The midwife, Miss Hawksworth lived on Common Lane. There was the Three Crowns Pub next to The Parish Room and The Parish Room was used as a community Hall and NAFFI.
Mrs Hartley's own mother was well known for helping the midwife deliver babies in Tickhill but, she was also called upon to help 'lay out the dead'. The 'Nit Nurse' and School Dentist went to The Parish Room. She remembers there was an Air Raid shelter in the school yard and also an air raid shelter and Siren next to The Carpenters Arms. The Council Offices were Westgate and the undertaker was William Green.
An interesting fact was that you had to register with a local grocer and butcher to be able to get rationed food. The grocer and butcher actually had to get ten customers before he could sell rationed food. Once registered customers had to stay with that retailer for four weeks!