Buildings in Mansfield

These photos are part of a collection which were given to Mansfield Museum.

Unfortunately there is no indication of where in Mansfield the buildings are, or what date the pictures were taken. As they appear to be rather derelict the buildings may no longer exist.

Does anyone recognise them?

No 1
Museum Collection
No 2
Museum Collection
No 3
Museum Collection
No 4
Museum Collection
No 5
Museum Collection

Comments about this page

  • Photo no.5 is indeed James’s Yard. Henry Potts undertakers was on the right of the picture, the stone buildings on the left were later used by Scottish coachbuilder Jimmy Stevenson, and the Rock Valley end of the yard was occupied by agricultural contractors Jack and Fred Bird who kept their steam traction engines and threshing machines there. Jack Bird was my godfather.
    In Bridge Street, above the shop can be seen the windows of the billiard hall.

    By philip tatley (19/10/2021)
  • Picture number 2 is the River Maun towards Bridge St. James’ yard as has been said. If it’s enlarged you can just make out the large tank at the gas works behind where the E.M.E.B offices were.
    I remember most places mentioned, lived on Derby St 1943 – 66.

    By Kev Wilkinson (04/03/2021)
  • No2 and no5 are the same place, bottom of Lime Street were I lived, played in the river that runs all the way to Titchfield Park. No5 is looking down to the now Town Mill pub, the opposite way looks towards the Metal Box factory

    By Dave Jervis (18/12/2020)
  • Did Hilary Taylor send you photos of the House at Kings Mill?

    My cousin was asking as she used to visit as a child and remembers the elderly James Taylor.

    By Lisa Hunt (30/08/2020)
  • There seems to be differences of opinion as to the location of the building in picture number one. Not surprising really after all these years. That said I must also go for the building which was stood near to the Sandy Lane / Bath Lane area. I used to play in and around this area in the mid fifties, including Raynors.. (spelling?) field and Carr Bank Park. All the photo’s are very familiar as are some of the names of various business premises of the day! Fascinating stories and memories from all contributors!

    By Steeve Cee (02/01/2020)
  • Picture No 1 is definitely Kings Mill as it was owned by my grandfather. My father (John Taylor) worked there also and I remember emptying his turn ups of corn when I was a toddler!!
    I have photos of both the Mill and the House, before fire burn the Mill Down in 1965.
    My father John Argyle Taylor lives with me and is a very fit 86 year old!

    By Hilary Taylor (04/11/2019)
  • My Grandfather William Gelsthorpe was born at 3 James Yard, his father William John Gelsthorpe kept his horse and cart in one of the buildings he was a carter by trade and cured tripe in another, it was then sold in Gellie’s fish shop facing onto Bridge Street, of which his son Harold and his wife were proprietors.

    By Janet Smith (12/02/2018)
  • Does anyone recall W. Barrows and Company , Boot and Shoe Manufacturer? John William Barrows formerly resided and traded at James Yard. It closed Dec 20th 1907. Any information welcome.

    By Mr.Barrows (10/01/2017)
  • The pictures are all the same place the old scrap yard, there were terraced houses, one Street was called Lime Street I grew up on Lime Street then the streets were set to be demolished in 1970s. I then moved to Gladstone Street off Newgate Lane the river in the picture is the Morn it went under the road and out in-between a pub and an antique furniture shop, there are iron railings you can see the river, on it’s way to Titchfield Park.  Ps I now live in Cumbria don’t like all the changes that’s been made to what was a great town with jobs and friendly people.

    By david jervis (04/01/2017)
  • My mother who is ninty yrs old says her grandmother lived in one of the houses, she said she used to sell balm[yeast] often sitting on a stool outside.

    By Mrs Slack (21/10/2015)
  • My great great grandparents were called Eves and they lived in Walkers Yard, which I think was across the road from the Gala Bingo near the mill think this was a nightclub ?I have tried to find out more about the yard but couldn’t find much. I would be very happy if anyone has any more information on Walkers Yard

    By janice matthewman (12/05/2015)
  • My mum and her family lived in St. James Yard, Ivy, May, Lily & Violet(twins) Tom Renshaw. This is the first time I have ever seen pictures of how it looked,very emotional.

    By Margaret Hayes (06/04/2015)
  • Picture 3: The main building facing is the ruin of Mrs Stainforth’s sweet shop on Belvedere Street ( now Belvedere Way) between what was the old Foister Clay and Ward ( later Meridian/Courtaulds) Factory and Henshaws Furniture Store.On the side of the building is the old advertising hoarding which always advertised Cadburys Dairy Milk. The building across the road ( back facing the camera in the foreground) was an old ruined house which was used for storage but which tramps used to break into to sleep. The photo appears to have been taken on waste ground where stone terraced houses across the street had been demolished. To the right of Mrs Stainforth’s house and shop were 3 terraced houses. One was empty but the other two were only ever lit by gas – no electricity connected. To the right of them was Urqharts Chiropodists ( Mr and Mrs).

    By Robert Throw (03/10/2013)
  • Has anyone any pictures of Rock valley cottages next to metal Box factory where I lived as an 8 year old in 1950’s? Would love to hear from someone who also lived there.

    By Kathleen Corbridge (29/07/2013)
  • What a lovely surprise finding these photo’s and the wonderful memories they evoked. Born in Mansfield in early 1943 at Field Mill, next 6 years living in the Catholic flats, opposite the middle set of steps leading up the the flat roof over the shops and beyond to the waste ground behind Peggs transport and warehouses, there was a path between the Brown Cow and the stone wall of the viaduct, also a lower one ( but steeper ) in the middle of the row of shops opposite the gasworks billboards. I remember the two elderly sisters that had the paper-shop just below the Brown Cow, and the motor cycle shop, opposite in a nissen hut, i remember playing under the railway platforms around the rear of the flats, and looking for any money that had fallen through the boards. I remember passing the Mill, there was a pub in front, might have been the Wagon and Horses i’m not sure but i do remember the old Victorian cast iron mens loo, also how the Maun would flood and come onto the road, Stanhope Street billiard hall above the row of shops, where i learnt to play, the shop on the left, opp the Bridge Tavern was a model and toy shop, i saved up and bought a Jetex car from there in the early 50’s, and i still have one now, blue No 16. I too remember Gelsthorpe’s tripe and chips, and i agree with everyone who said it was the best they ever tasted, and the entrance to James yard I’m sure was covered, not open as shown in photo 5 taken much later. I remember taking rags and going inside, watching them bagging up the rags with a large hand operated press, very dusty, there was a scrap yard opposite and was my favourite place to buy the large pram axils, especially sought after as they were square except for the ends the wheels fitted on, and they had screw holes that made them perfect for home made Street carts, 2 big wheels on the back and smaller on the front, by 1950 we had moved to Pollard Drive, and the hills of Recreation St, Goodacre St, and Wallis Rd, perfect for carting, the problem was supply and demand made them expensive in the end. Anyway I left Mansfield and moved to Somerset 1959, retired 2007, used to visit Mansfield when i had family and friends to see, but not been back since 2005. If anyone has a photo of Ratcliffe Gate showing the Catholic Flats i would love to hear from them.

    By Tony Dove (26/12/2012)
  • You’ve made me drool too thinking about Gelsthorpes fish and chips. I remember the shop very well from the 50’s & 60’s when my Mum would take us there for a bag of ‘proper’ chips and tripe! I’d be facinated at watching Mr Gelsthorpe preparing the chips, placing the potatoe into a manual slicer and they’d fill a white enamel basin before throwing them into the sizzling fat. The shop was quite small, and indeed I remember the step down into it. I’ve never had chips since that tasted so good. Oh happy days!

    By Angela Roche (21/12/2012)
  • Picture 5. At the Bridge Street end of this row of buildings or the row the right facing the pavement was Gelsthorpes fish and chip shop, the best fish and chips in Mansfield long since closed, there was a step down off the pavement to get into the shop. I came to Mansfield a few weeks ago and had a walk along Bridge Street, what was Gelsthorpes is still a shop and the step is still there. I wish the Fish and Chips were too. Makes me drool just thinking about them.

    By Peter Bowler (19/12/2012)
  • Ho gosh!!!! photo number 1 brought back memories my brothers, me and sister playing in the ruins, it must have been late 70’s and I being a tom boy had to climb to the top even though I was scared witless I did it and never let on I was scared.. happy days

    By Jackie Marriott (16/08/2012)
  • Looking at the photos I can confirm that the building in photo No1 is indeed the Kingsmill as I was employed and worked at that mill as a rollerman ( in charge of mill on night shift ) at that time . The mill was known as James A Taylor Ltd and it was his grandson John who taught me my job (no apprenticeship’s those days).John’s father was the the owner and was also chairman of Mansfield football Club. They had shops under the same name all over north Notts and in Derbys also , indeed, some still exist today and I believe run by Taylor’s of South Wingfield who was/is a brother to John’s father. I am 71 years old so John will be in his late seventies .

    By Alan Brewer (18/06/2012)
  • I was born in 1950 and at age 9 we would take rags to the building in picture No5 and maybe get a bob or two. Across was a scrap yard and some houses at the top of the lane.

    By Mr C Eaton (03/05/2012)
  • Photo 1 is definitely Kings Mill. The fire happened in the early 1900’s and I found another old photo of it that confirmed it was Kings Mill.

    By Sarah Wagstaff (20/01/2012)
  • I second John’s conclusion that Photo 1 is the old mill at Kings Mill. I remember it having caught fire though I do not remember the year. He is also correct about the geography of the site.

    By Jim Callaghan (03/01/2012)
  • Photo 1 I believe was taken about 1972 and is taken from the old rail viaduct at Kings Mill looking towards the old burnt out mill. The foreground looks like it has just been infilled (which I believe was done about 1970) and the tree in the background on the left could therefore be one of the old willows at the side of the dam on the reservoir. The fall of ground on the right goes to the gorge under the viaduct if I’m right. John

    By John (25/12/2011)
  • Greenwoods Yard was between Ratcliffe Gate, and Pelham street. Access to it was made from Ratcliffe Gate, in between the shops just below the Brown Cow.

    By Angela Roche (07/12/2011)
  • No.2 The gabled building in the centre of the picture was once Maltby’s School, in Rock Court. In the 1920’s my mother’s family lived there before moving to a brand new council house on Ravensdale Rd at the start of the 30’s when my mother was about 12.

    By Darrell Jones (06/12/2011)
  • Old maps and directories are a good source for discovering where places were, these can be found in the Local Studies sections of Mansfield, and Mansfield Woodhouse Libraries. Nottinghamshire Archives Office also has some maps, and additionally try looking for old maps on the internet.

    By Editorial Team (05/12/2011)
  • Hello, Can somebody help me please? I am trying to find out where Greenwoods Yard was in Mansfield. I would also like to know about Walkers Yard and Claytons Yard. I would be most grateful of any help, many thanks

    By adrian clarke (27/11/2011)
  • You are right about photos 2 and 5. Living in Broxtowe Drive this was my play area! I live in Devon now but wonderful to see these memories. Mansfield has changed so much when I last visited in 2009

    By Jon Hardy (formerly - Tracey Hodgkinson) (01/04/2011)
  • Picture 2 is the view down the Maun from what is now called Rock Valley (similar view can be had now from the top of the stairs adjacent the housing association flats) looking towards Bridge St. The old school at the back of the chapel on Bridge St is the building at top left. Pictures 4 and 5 are in a similar location but much closer to Bridge St, looking down to where the Bridge Inn is now (the building in picture 4 is the same one to the right of picture 5).

    By Darren Turner (31/01/2011)
  • I think picture No2 is of the rear of Bolton’s second hand furniture shop in Bridge Street

    By Bob Wilson (29/01/2011)
  • 1) Is Stanton Mill, viewed from the Sandy Lane direction looking up Bath Lane. 2)Is the undertakers that was adjacent to Rock Court. 3)I’m not too sure about. Could it be one of the buildings demolished on Wood Street. 4 + 5) Are both James Yard looking towards Bridge Street, just like Angela points out.

    By D Minett (19/01/2011)
  • I Think the Building on he Left is the Old Meadow Foundry and the Large Building with the two Chimneys at the back on the left is The Brewery

    By Mgr (02/10/2010)
  • I think no 1 is the old Kings Mill after the fire in the late 60s

    By keith wright (23/08/2010)
  • I think the building in picture 1 is of Stanton Mill on Bath Lane Mansfield.The number of windows along one side on the top floor match previous pics I have seen and it also had the large window in the apex

    By larry Burton (16/08/2010)
  • I believe photo no2 is Rock Court the building is Maltbys school and the building at the back I believe is the undertakers .

    By Pam Kitchen (25/07/2010)
  • Could photograph 2 be the River Maun from Tichfield Park looking towards Littleworth.

    By K Marriott (24/07/2010)
  • Photo no.2 I believe is looking up the River Maun towards Bridge Street from Rock Valley. Roughly from where St. Peters Way is now dead ahead is one of the gasometers at the gas works

    By Martyn Brown (22/07/2010)
  • I believe that photo 5 may be Jame’s Yard, just off Bridge St/Ratcliffe Gate. Looking down towards Bridge St.

    By Angela Roche (17/07/2010)
  • Photo 4 and 5 are of Jame’s Yard, looking down towards Bridge Street. This Yard existed up until the 1970’s.

    By Angela Roche (17/07/2010)

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