Historic Mansfield Woodhouse

Does anybody have information about the history of the village lock-up in High Street as in picture above? It does look as though it may now be in private ownership.

The horizontal sliding sash windows shown in the picture of Mossops hairdressesrs in this article are (I think) generally konown as 'Yorkshire-style sash windows'

Re. Clerksons Hall - As a young boy in Woodhouse during the Second World War I remember that the Duke's (Duke of Portland) Steward lived here. I remember visiting and being given an apple by the old man whose name was something like 'Guyler' or 'Gowler'. The Duke of Portland would have needed a Steward as I was always given to believe that most of the stone houses and other buildings and farms in the area were originally built and owned by him. The Hall was converted to Coal Board Offices in the early 1950's.

Re. the building described as a Blacksmith's. This was down the Yard besides Billy Place's Butchers Shop towards the lower end of the High Street. The Blacksmith's Name was Watkinson. I remember harvesting, as a teenager, with his son on the Blacksmith's Brother's Farm down New Mill Lane (The Flood Dykes) . We worked with Horses cutting corn with a Reaper and Binder putting it up into Stooks and later collecting with Horse and Wagon before stacking it in the Farmyard.  Rushpool Farm it was called, another Ducal property I believe, now demolished but its remains can be seen close by the Asda Store car park.

Of interest may be the fact that there was another Blacksmiths at the bottom of the High Street on Albert Square. This was Ted Stokeley's and the 101 106 Mansfield District Traction Buses used to wait here after turning round but before returning to Mansfield (two and a half pennies workmens' return when I first started work!). The Sandersons Tripe Curing place was next door at the end of Lee Lane with further on the field (Savages) where the Fair took place, always for the first weekend in July (Woodhouse Feast)

Hi John White, Are you in your 79th year and went to Yorke St School in 1948? If so we were in the same class, Mrs Simpson's class 1a. My cousin Roy who was also in the class lived in the yard near the Blacksmiths forge. Do you get the Woodhouse Warbler? If not you can access it on line and send articles of your memories to the newsletter. I volunteer in the Heritage Link, Library helping people with Family Research etc. as part of the Old Woodhouse Society.

Hi Tom Shead!

A voice from the past though I didn't know you personally! Yes I was in Mrs Simpson's Class at Yorke Street secondary Modern, Mick Clarke whose Dad kept the Greyhound Inn at the bottom of the High St was too. It was a great School under its Headmaster Sammy Goddard - I remember well on the last day before the holidays, after Assembly, he would lift his Rostrum desk lid and pull out what looked very like a real hand grenade. He would then warn us that if we went out in the woods and found anything like it that we should leave it well alone. Woods around Warsop and Edwinstowe still had Nissen Huts full of stored ordnance at that time as you no doubt recall. 

I also well remember the Yorke Street School Poem which the whole assembly had to know and regularly recite! Viteae lampada by Sir henry Newbolt. 'There's a breathlass hush in the Close tonight,ten to make and the last man's in...............his captains hand on his shoulder smote, Play up, Play up and play the game!  No doubt other former pupils will recall it.

I have contributed to the Woodhouse Warbler a couple of times and often think of doing more. I can still recall some of the stories my Grandfather, Bill Pogmore of Portland Street used to tell like how his Mother used to send him to the Brewery up the High Street for a ha'porth of yeast for her breadmaking.

i also went to Yorke St school but in the early 50s I enjoyed my years there.  My grandparents also lived in Woodhouse on of the houses with double bay windows also built of the same stone. Their names were Derbyshire & my father  & his brothers were all coal miners,if anyone can give me any history of the family I would appreciate it .  Joan Gutzmann 

I was also student at Yorke St. Sec. Mod. between 1968-71. Little did I realise that school was on its last legs at the time. Lived in a pit house on Sherwood St. Fond Memories of the old school. Not much opportunity upon leaving school, Landers bread or the Pit. We left for Canada.

I lived in Parmenters yard in the house with for sale sign in picture with my mum, left around 1959 to live on Collier avenue, some happy memories in that house

I remember well most of the old shops on the High Street, Bett's, where one could purchase so many things with ease. Not so now. The old Army stores, which fuelled many an adventurous trip down Pleasley Vale or Park Hall. I went to York Street school, which back then had so much in common with Tom Brown's schooldays, those dark passage and parquet floors, desks with lift up lids, and the old drama room upstairs which everyone claimed was haunted by a caretaker who had either hung or gassed himself. Never any proof though. The chippy on he middle of Sherwood St, PH fish bar I think it was called. I can taste those chips now after all these years. I remember being taken for shoes to the old Stone house on Albert street just before the Daisy Chain shop, which was a shoe shop back then. Bike parts from Stubb's and Fletchers, and telling the time from Angus Brown's shop clock on Station Street at midday. The bright array of lights in Colin Ashley's on a dark winters day coming past on the bus. The Parliament Oak pub, nicest pint in Woodhouse, enjoyed with my late father on the cross stump over the road. Playing in the garden of rest and calling into Woodhouse library from school to do my homework. Woodhouse carnival on the Lord's ground and the Legion Easter bonnet parade holiday Monday. Folks being in full time work, old people on their gates eager to chat, some lovely old people back then. I would not have been brought up anywhere else if I had a choice. Old Woodhus will do for me.

I remember well most of the old shops on the High Street, Bett's, where one could purchase so many things with ease. Not so now. The old Army stores, which fuelled many an adventurous trip down Pleasley Vale or Park Hall. I went to York Street school, which back then had so much in common with Tom Brown's schooldays, those dark passage and parquet floors, desks with lift up lids, and the old drama room upstairs which everyone claimed was haunted by a caretaker who had either hung or gassed himself. Never any proof though. The chippy on he middle of Sherwood St, PH fish bar I think it was called. I can taste those chips now after all these years. I remember being taken for shoes to the old Stone house on Albert street just before the Daisy Chain shop, which was a shoe shop back then. Bike parts from Stubb's and Fletchers, and telling the time from Angus Brown's shop clock on Station Street at midday. The bright array of lights in Colin Ashley's on a dark winters day coming past on the bus. The Parliament Oak pub, nicest pint in Woodhouse, enjoyed with my late father on the cross stump over the road. Playing in the garden of rest and calling into Woodhouse library from school to do my homework. Woodhouse carnival on the Lord's ground and the Legion Easter bonnet parade holiday Monday. Folks being in full time work, old people on their gates eager to chat, some lovely old people back then. I would not have been brought up anywhere else if I had a choice. Old Woodhus will do for me.

I remember well most of the old shops on the High Street, Bett's, where one could purchase so many things with ease. Not so now. The old Army stores, which fuelled many an adventurous trip down Pleasley Vale or Park Hall. I went to York Street school, which back then had so much in common with Tom Brown's schooldays, those dark passage and parquet floors, desks with lift up lids, and the old drama room upstairs which everyone claimed was haunted by a caretaker who had either hung or gassed himself. Never any proof though. The chippy on he middle of Sherwood St, PH fish bar I think it was called. I can taste those chips now after all these years. I remember being taken for shoes to the old Stone house on Albert street just before the Daisy Chain shop, which was a shoe shop back then. Bike parts from Stubb's and Fletchers, and telling the time from Angus Brown's shop clock on Station Street at midday. The bright array of lights in Colin Ashley's on a dark winters day coming past on the bus. The Parliament Oak pub, nicest pint in Woodhouse, enjoyed with my late father on the cross stump over the road. Playing in the garden of rest and calling into Woodhouse library from school to do my homework. Woodhouse carnival on the Lord's ground and the Legion Easter bonnet parade holiday Monday. Folks being in full time work, old people on their gates eager to chat, some lovely old people back then. I would not have been brought up anywhere else if I had a choice. Old Woodhus will do for me.

And just a few more small reminiscences, cross country running from the Manor school on Park Hall Road, up to Chestnut Grove and down Littlewood lane, through the vale. The huge puddle just before the quarry which we ran through, ankle deep and filthy, much to the chagrin of the girls stood beside it. Or running around the bottom sports field just before the Manor sports complex, huge mud patch where the field flooded-yuck!! Watching the actual Manor complex being built from our history room, upstairs in middle school. The "Barn" And suitable shelter for the smokers back in the day. Daydreaming and wishing for the day when 16 came around, I could not get up Middleton road fast enough that Easter, when all of a sudden freedom was mine. I started work the following week and came back for my exams. As I remember, school uniforms came from Farrands, beside the post office on Station street, remember well the dread that summer holiday getting kitted out and the eventual arrival at Yorke street after relatively sedate primary school just yards up the road. Pubs, weekend disco in the Portland arms, catching up with my dad in the Anvil, one of the nicest pubs Woodhouse ever had with some grand old characters now dead and gone. Only pub in Woodhouse with a jukebox I seem to recall at that time, except maybe the Greyhound??? Parliament Oak, full of robust men of all ages, old miners, poachers, working men all. Small universities in their own way. Paying the rent at the Manor house, jumble sales at the Turner Hall and so many other places in Woodhouse. Fred Kerry's tool and wood shop, Jeff Carlisle's and Bett's. All seems such a long time ago now.

Does anyone know any thing about the history of Jennings Yard ?   

Does anyone know how old the Wolf Hunt House is? Legend has it that Robin Hood lived there as a boy, but I have no idea how anyone would know that, even if he really existed. But I've heard it dates from the 12th or 13th century.

My Beardall ancestors lived in Clerkson's Hall during the 1700's and 1800's

I kept the Beer Off on Vale Road for 16 years in fact it was in my family for all most 20years as my twin brother had it before myself. It was the happiest part of my life in fact I am now contributing to an article being developed for future publication in the Mansfield Woodhouse Warbler

Can anyone on here tell me any history about 55 High Street, the old Lockup, please?