Sheffield Retro: Eight fascinating schooldays memories, from Herries' air dome to stale cakes at Ecclesall

They say your school days are the best days of your life.

That may not always be true, but for hundreds of thousands of us those school days were here in Sheffield, and led to us soaking up some unique experiences.

We went out to find residents' fondest memories of their time at school in the city, throwing out stories ranging from unique, canvas sports halls, to stale cakes on the way home from lessons, and great school yard games fixed firmly in history.

Charles Bell, of Low Edges, told us about his time at Castle College - and remembered how supportive the teachers there were of him when he arrived speaking only a limited amount of English.

He said: "I went to Castle College, now called City College. So memory of it was I remember being looked after very well by the teacher there, because I was new in the country. My English language wasn't that brilliant. I got the support I needed to succeed in my course."

Adrienne Brooks, of Lodge Moor, went to Ecclesall Church School as a child, and remembers the journey home. She said: "My first school I went to was Ecclesall Church School, which was very nice. It was nice and everyone was friendly. With it being a church school, we were near the church, and used to come home walking through the church yard every day.

"And then when we got through the church yard, there was a bakers shop opposite called Rosa's, and we used to go in and have a penny worth of stale cakes. That's the best thing I remember about going to Ecclesall School!"

Sarah Griffiths of Parson Cross remembers playing games at Hartley Brook Primary School in the yard, based on 80s television.

She said: "I went to Hartley Brook Primary School, in Shiregreen, and my fondest memory was playing TJ Hooker, which was a television programme, and we played that in a school yard at break time all the time, a few girls and a few boys. That's my fondest memory, running round the yard, playing that."

Robert Wild, of Wadsley, said his fondest memories were related to talking football with pals.

He said: "It was City Grammar, when it moved out to Stradbroke." Asked what he enjoyed the most there he said: "It was probably the fact that United were going through a good spell and we all United fans at the time. It was 70-71 season that. Tony Currie Alan Woodward, all those."

Joan Murray, of Woodhouse was a pupil at Coleridge Wood school, remembers the games.

She said: "We had more respect for the teachers, and they showed you more. There used to be cookery lessons, that they don't do any more, and games, and needlework, things like that, and art. When you listen to the children now, they don't know about that lot. They were my favourite memories."

Neil Hall, of Attercliffe, went to Herries School, and remembered the school's 'air dome' - a sort of giant canvas sports tent, where youngsters did sports.

He said: "My fondest memory was that we had a big 'air dome', which was like a sports hall, but it was very unique, no other school in Sheffield had got one, and it felt rather special.

"I played volleyball at school, and it felt rather special to be like that. it felt like an occasion rather than anything else."

Terry Hudson, who was brought up in Darnall, but now lives in Glossop, went to Hammerton county junior school, in Darnall.

He said: "It was a nice local school, so we knew everyone body, because they all came from the surrounding area."

Karen Hudson, also now living in Glossop, also grew up in Darnall, but she attended Whitby Road School there. She has fond memories of being taken to the park during the school day.

She said: "I remember going to High Hazels Park, and jumping over a skipping rope."