Christopher Rodgers

Where in Totley was this photograph taken in the 1920s? Read this very interesting letter from Christopher Rodgers to find out.

I am Christopher Rodgers now living in Suffolk. Three out of my four grandparents were born in Sheffield so I consider myself to be a true Yorkshire man. 

As I am now retired I am able to spend some time playing on the internet and I was delighted to find your website. I was especially interested in the range of photographs you had for Totley County School which I attended from 1953 to December 1958. I cannot understand why I did not appear in the June 1958 photograph as I recognise my class mates; perhaps we were on holiday or maybe I was ill at the time. 

I also enjoyed your piece about Grove Road. We lived in number 5, Grove Road but moved to Suffolk in 1958. It had a cellar and also backed onto the stream. Needless to say my brother and I fell into the stream and got soaking wet. I vividly remember the floods in Totley and Grove Road becoming a river. I also remember playing in the aqueduct over the railway line and catching tadpoles in the ponds at the end of Totley Brook Road.

Totley County School circa 1956

I have attached a school photograph which you do not have in your collection. Surprisingly this photograph is the only one I had from the school. I have also attached a photograph I took, probably aged 10 of my teacher who I believe was called Mr Courage. I think I used my mother’s Box Brownie camera for this photograph. I wonder if anyone else recalls him and whether he is still alive.

Mr. Courage, Teacher, Totley County School, circa 1958

Also of interest was the photograph from Miss Trott’s school in Grove Road. My mother is in the photograph you show in the back row. I believe I was told that Miss Trott was given the school by her parents when she was only 21. She later became Mayor of Bournemouth and I think there is also a book written about her life. Whether or not it was an autobiography I do not know.

My grandparents lived on the Quadrant which in the 1930s was way out of town so my grandfather had to use Dore and Totley Station for his commute to work in Sheffield. I remembered there was a small, faded, brown coloured photograph which I had inherited. The photograph was taken by my grandfather, Arthur Lusby, who was an architect born in 1888. This photograph showed a scene somewhere! However due to the wonders of Google Earth I have pinpointed this photograph (attached) to have been taken from the roof line of number 6 The Quadrant. My grandfather must have taken the photograph when the bungalow was being built. I would doubt many people in Totley would be able to pinpoint the location at a first glance. Also thanks to a scanner, editing software and the internet the photograph is available for all to view. As for the date of the photograph, I have no idea except to venture the 1920s.

Kind Regards,
Christopher Rodgers

September 2016