I was born in 1950 at Hanover Rd. off Brunswick Rd. opposite the old N&N Hospital. Still remember as a child running over and playing on old bomb sites with open basements, on my way to Bignold School. No health and safety in those days. I lived only a stones throw from St. Stephens Road and can still remember the fountain situated at the Y junction of Ipswich Rd and Newmarket Rd. It is now in the grounds of the old N&N, the frontage now transformed into flats. The only shops I can remember in St. Stephens St. were the Maypole dairy shop and woolworths. Fascinating video and have subscribed.
Really interesting. We moved to Norwich from Hertford last March (our timing was impeccable!). These videos are helping us to get to know our new home city.
Great video, interesting to see where war damage happened in Norwich, I don’t think I realised how much impact it had! My Dad has told me about my Grandad doing a pub crawl along St Stephens Street in his youth (1940s/50s), hard to imagine now as it’s all retail, so interesting to see some of the pubs he may have gone to.
Opening onto St Stephens roundabout end (though set back a bit, and with a short street leading to it) was the main staff entrance to the Rowntree Macintosh chocolate factory. (Maybe formerly a Caley factory?) Mum worked there from the 60s onwards until her retirement. A wonderful teeth-destroying source of cheap reject-for-resale "mis-shape" chocolates sold internally to staff. I got my first real job there, working nights (good money) in the summer when starting university in 1972. I would often meet mum at the factory gate when she left off - then a stop-off to do grocery shopping in that incredibly small Sainsbury's on the way to Castle Meadow. It had an elaborate and constrictive system of long metal-barred aisles leading to the individual tills for some reason. Then on to the Number 83 (?) bus home to Tuckswood, from the Castle Meadow bus-stop. No wonder Mum kicked her shoes off when she got home!
Great comment, thank you. I remember those misshaped chocolates, which we referred to as Caley's waste! This video may give a different angle on the area ua-cam.com/video/7CAjRmER2Jo/v-deo.html
Fascinating looking back - how different it is now! I loved how you started, from the 1500's onwards, with royalty processioning along the streets, to the changes that took place over the years. Great video!
Remember the old St Stephens as a child and loved the grand new dual carriageway built in the 60's. I thought it was wonderful and loved the Co-Op department store, BHS, Sainsburys and the chinese restaurant in the multi storey. Drove up and down it many times and sad how it is now.
The old Buntings shop (later Woolworths, not M&S) wasn't destroyed in the air raids, but it was gutted and burned out. What you see now is the original exterior walls but without the roof with its dormer windows and corner third story and dome. Rampant Horse Street was named after a pub, the Rampant Horse Inn.
Thanks for your comment Derek. I got the information from Buntings from what I'd believe to be a reputable source, the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce. As for the Rampant Horse Inn, I believe that was named after the horse market.
@@JohnAtkinsLostNorwich Yeah I see that info on the Buntings website. I don't think it's right though. In all honesty it's not very likely to have been rebuilt in the dame style and there are pictures of the gutted building still standing after the air raid. George Plunkett describes it "Originally built for Bunting's in 1912, architect A.F.Scott. An early example of reinforced concrete. The attic storey of hanging tiles was destroyed in an air raid in 1942 and never replaced. www.georgeplunkett.co.uk/Norwich/sts.htm#Ststs Yes, the Rampant Horse inn was named after the horse market, the street was named after the pub, which is (or was) a fairly normal thing to do. I've always thought it was a great name for a street!
@@NR23derekit's apparently the only street with that name in the UK, despite I believe pubs called the Rampant Horse in Fakenham and Freethorpe. It is a great name, which can easily be taken for granted.
Buntings was not destroyed during the blitz . It was badly damaged but the front was boarded up and the upper storey was used as the American Services Club. When the American forces left it became a NAFFI for a while.
Many thanks for commenting. I actually got that info from the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce website about Buntings. The website did go on to say "The Woolworths and Curl Brother buildings were completely destroyed, however Buntings was able to rebuild from the rubble and was used as a NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) Service club", but I didn't mention that!
In the early sixties, a pal and I spent many happy hours exploring some of the abandoned shops on the north side of St.Stephens, accessing them from Malthouse Lane.
@@JohnAtkinsLostNorwich Another good video John and one from your earlier days that I'd missed. Who needs background music with a voice as good as yours?!
I was born in 1950 at Hanover Rd. off Brunswick Rd. opposite the old N&N Hospital. Still remember as a child running over and playing on old bomb sites with open basements, on my way to Bignold School. No health and safety in those days. I lived only a stones throw from St. Stephens Road and can still remember the fountain situated at the Y junction of Ipswich Rd and Newmarket Rd. It is now in the grounds of the old N&N, the frontage now transformed into flats.
The only shops I can remember in St. Stephens St. were the Maypole dairy shop and woolworths.
Fascinating video and have subscribed.
Thank you, I'm glad you liked it - and thanks for all the additional info!
Always fascinating stuff!
I think wee soaked alley is appropriate for some of the courtyards now
Maybe the City Council would consider renaming!
Why wee soaked alleys now for the courtyards?
@@colinhazell2544 I think one alley in particular is possible wee soaked!
Astonishing historical footage, photo's and memories, many thanks.
Thank you
Really interesting.
We moved to Norwich from Hertford last March (our timing was impeccable!). These videos are helping us to get to know our new home city.
Thanks Jan! Welcome to Norwich, and I'm pleased the videos are helping!
Great video, interesting to see where war damage happened in Norwich, I don’t think I realised how much impact it had!
My Dad has told me about my Grandad doing a pub crawl along St Stephens Street in his youth (1940s/50s), hard to imagine now as it’s all retail, so interesting to see some of the pubs he may have gone to.
Thanks for your comment. I read somewhere there were twelve pubs down there. I think this video shows four of them.
Nicely presented and very interesting, John.
Thank you Alfred.
Opening onto St Stephens roundabout end (though set back a bit, and with a short street leading to it) was the main staff entrance to the Rowntree Macintosh chocolate factory. (Maybe formerly a Caley factory?) Mum worked there from the 60s onwards until her retirement. A wonderful teeth-destroying source of cheap reject-for-resale "mis-shape" chocolates sold internally to staff. I got my first real job there, working nights (good money) in the summer when starting university in 1972. I would often meet mum at the factory gate when she left off - then a stop-off to do grocery shopping in that incredibly small Sainsbury's on the way to Castle Meadow. It had an elaborate and constrictive system of long metal-barred aisles leading to the individual tills for some reason. Then on to the Number 83 (?) bus home to Tuckswood, from the Castle Meadow bus-stop. No wonder Mum kicked her shoes off when she got home!
Great comment, thank you. I remember those misshaped chocolates, which we referred to as Caley's waste! This video may give a different angle on the area ua-cam.com/video/7CAjRmER2Jo/v-deo.html
Fascinating, John. Thanks for creating this content.
Thanks John!
Thank you brilliant yet again :-)
Cheers Andy
Fascinating looking back - how different it is now! I loved how you started, from the 1500's onwards, with royalty processioning along the streets, to the changes that took place over the years. Great video!
Thank you. It's quite staggering how long these streets have wound their way to the city.
Remember the old St Stephens as a child and loved the grand new dual carriageway built in the 60's. I thought it was wonderful and loved the Co-Op department store, BHS, Sainsburys and the chinese restaurant in the multi storey. Drove up and down it many times and sad how it is now.
I agree, at this moment, but hopefully when the road works are complete, it might be improved somewhat. We'll have to see!
Thanks for the video.
Interesting and informative as usual.
👍👍
Thanks Adrian for your comment.
The old Buntings shop (later Woolworths, not M&S) wasn't destroyed in the air raids, but it was gutted and burned out. What you see now is the original exterior walls but without the roof with its dormer windows and corner third story and dome. Rampant Horse Street was named after a pub, the Rampant Horse Inn.
Thanks for your comment Derek. I got the information from Buntings from what I'd believe to be a reputable source, the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce. As for the Rampant Horse Inn, I believe that was named after the horse market.
@@JohnAtkinsLostNorwich Yeah I see that info on the Buntings website. I don't think it's right though. In all honesty it's not very likely to have been rebuilt in the dame style and there are pictures of the gutted building still standing after the air raid.
George Plunkett describes it "Originally built for Bunting's in 1912, architect A.F.Scott. An early example of reinforced concrete. The attic storey of hanging tiles was destroyed in an air raid in 1942 and never replaced.
www.georgeplunkett.co.uk/Norwich/sts.htm#Ststs
Yes, the Rampant Horse inn was named after the horse market, the street was named after the pub, which is (or was) a fairly normal thing to do. I've always thought it was a great name for a street!
@@NR23derekit's apparently the only street with that name in the UK, despite I believe pubs called the Rampant Horse in Fakenham and Freethorpe. It is a great name, which can easily be taken for granted.
what a shame so many of the lovely old buildings were demolished or war damaged
The street certainly appears to have had a great atmosphere to it.
Buntings was not destroyed during the blitz . It was badly damaged but the front was boarded up and the upper storey was used as the American Services Club. When the American forces left it became a NAFFI for a while.
Many thanks for commenting. I actually got that info from the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce website about Buntings. The website did go on to say "The Woolworths and Curl Brother buildings were completely destroyed, however Buntings was able to rebuild from the rubble and was used as a NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) Service club", but I didn't mention that!
In the early sixties, a pal and I spent many happy hours exploring some of the abandoned shops on the north side of St.Stephens, accessing them from Malthouse Lane.
Sounds interesting! Maybe tell us more!
Thank you John...
☺️
Very interesting Went there once before it was altered in about 1960 Remember it being narrow 👍
Thanks for your comment. Not many people remember it!
@@JohnAtkinsLostNorwich I was about 9 or 10 I think staying at my aunts in Avenue road
@@johnmortimer1308 well remembered, from childhood.
@@JohnAtkinsLostNorwich thank you It left a lasting impression
Such a change now. So much due to the war. Street names from the 1500s even.
I know. It always amazes me!
Very informative but that background music is dreadful and distracting
Thank you - I no longer put background music in videos, having had that pointed out more than a few times!
@@JohnAtkinsLostNorwich Another good video John and one from your earlier days that I'd missed. Who needs background music with a voice as good as yours?!
@@peterjameson321well, I don't know how to answer that!
It’s a hideous street now and one I avoid when possible.
It's really been turned into a bus station, as has Castle Meadow, and I guess there's no easy way to do that!
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