Penistone Pictorial Guestbook

Guestbook contents - May 2002 to Sept 2003

From the First Guestbook
Here are a few old guestbook messages from an amazing and interesting bunch of visitors. These came from all over the world but particularly from Canada, the USA and the antipodes. Unfortunately, I have lost a couple of years' pages from this website's launch in July 2000.

Some of the early ones were very witty. One suggested that we are all inbred, live in a one-street town and are over-friendly with the sheep. Another came from royalty (oh yes), with mention of what the corgis might like to do to me. Sadly, I also lost one from someone who died recently. Raymond Smith had a tv shop on Market Street for many years and was a radio ham. These are not strictly in date order. First, another J Briggs....

Jack R. Briggs

U.S.A. - Tues 21 May 2002

I encountered this website as I was searching out persons with my name. This site is fascinating!! I
spent way too much time on my job browsing your site, but I just couldn't stop it. Nice work.

I found another J Briggs who was an Indian Chief.

Chris Moores

England - Sat 1 June 2002

Organising a bike ride on the Trans-Pennine Trail that will end at Penistone. Hope it is a good place to get wrecked. Will post notes about the ride and subsequent roister when completed. Hotel review also.

The Stanhope Arms at Dunford Bridge is a good place to finish the ride. Or to start it (good car park). It takes me about 40 minutes from Penistone to Dunford on my rather old 'Palm Beach' bike, with 3-speed Sturmey-Archer cogs..

Cynthia Kimpton

New Zealand - Wed 24 July 2002

An interesting and enjoyable visit. My 3 x Great-Grandparents farmed in the area, and 3 x GGPa William Bagshaw was at one time the publican of the Plough and Harrow at Fiddler's Green. I hope to visit the area - one day.

I think it is some kind of code from 'Lord of the Rings'.

Paul Hepworth

UK - Sun 14 July 2002

Stocksbridge ex pat (sorry!) But as a nipper I regularly biked to train spot at Penistone station. A heady mix of electric, diesel and steam abounded. Returned as pupil at Penistone Grammar (1962-68?), travelling daily by YTC bus from home. Day's highlight came if the driver could be persuade to take us home via Gilbert Hill instead of the Flouch! Now employed by Railtrack in sunny York, as a Signalling Engineer.

I recall enjoying being on Penistone station as a kid. All that sulphurous smoke and steam under the passenger bridge.

Marc Smith

U.K. - Sat 13 July 2002

I am an ex-Cubley resident, a descendent from the the Fowler family, who still live around and about Penistone. My great-grandfather used to own the farm opposite Cubley Hall, which I can remember being a derelict "Haunted"! house. I am now 30 and live in Kent, where my house is called Pengeston! A good site which brought back many memories.

Good of Marc to keep the old Pengeston name going. There are no derelict houses up Cubley now.

Hubert Alsop

Canada - Fri 21 June 2002

Enjoyed your site very much. Brought back many memories - not a native, I worked with many lads from your area at Hepworth Iron Co. from 1938 to 1958 when I (and family) emigrated to Canada.Now returned and living in Nova Scotia on the east coast. Best wishes

Hepworth Iron Co. was a clay works for most of its years, making pipes, but kept the old name until it became Hepworth Building Products in more recent times. Oddly, it used to give the address as Stocksbridge.

Reg Horne

UK - Wed 21 Aug 2002

Hello, I was evacuated to Penistone during the war. I went to Hoylandswaine school & then to Penistone. I lived with my uncle & aunt, who lived out in the country. Later moved to 10 Bridge End, Penistone. I was also a choir boy at the church in Hoyland. My aunt was the daughter of the Mathers who had a farm at Silkstone.

There are a few Mathers in Penistone and possibly Oxspring.

Bill Warren

UK - Fri 15 Nov 2002

We like to drive up to Penistone from Darton now and again. It's a different world really. On market day we like to hear the farmers having a "kall", and then go for a fish and a few at the excellent chippie. I keep promising to repeat my bike ride to Dunford Bridge and back.

Old ladies often stand about kalling on street corners. Yes, it is a different world.

Dan Bowden

Lincoln, U.K. - Mon 20 Jan 2003

I lived in Penistone from 1985 - 1994. We lived on Bluebell Avenue on 'Heron Heights'. My father ran a Taxi business called 'Journeys'. I had my own business at 17, delivering takeaways called 'Junior Journeys' on my motorbike. My friends & I had Scramble bikes and used to ride on the disused railway which is now called the Penistone Trail. We were even in the Barnsley Chronicle. Email me & I’ll tell you more about Penistone.

'Journeys' is still running. I wonder if the takeaways contained scrambled egg.

Mike

England - Sat 15 Feb 2003

Hi, Philip and the rest of the people interested with the area of Penistone. There was a film made a few months back about a time-travelling boy going back to 1940's England, in the middle of the Second World War. This film was made around the area of Penistone, more specifically Thurlstone, and some scenes from Penistone Grammar School. It was shown on TV at Christmas time, it weren’t a bad film, more for children I suppose. Anyway you can read a review of it here: http://us.imdb.com/Title (Link no longer applies - JB)

It's great to see films being made just a few hundred metres from my house and in the area of Penistone. I have a copy of this film if anyone is interested.

I missed this film but I recall that a very bleak tv advertisement was filmed near the church, for British Railways.

Paul Oliver

Australia - Wed 29 Jan 2003

I am a former landlord of the White Hart. Interested to view your website. Haven't been back to England in 26 years. I left the White Hart in 1978. I have other interesting info on White Hart if you want to update your details.

It's great that Paul still keeps an interest in Penistone. The current landlord, Sam, would be very interested.

Peter Taylor

England - Mon 20 Jan 2003

Mr Briggs, do you or any other local historians know whether there is any legal impediment to prevent Barnsley MBC selling off Penistone town hall. The library element was built with Carnegie money and local subscriptions for the use of the Penistone people. Barnsley never bought it, it was transferred to Barnsley in 1974 when Penistone became a part of Barnsley MBC.If BMBC no longer need it I would have thought it should be transferred back to Penistone free of charge.

Penistone people are very interested in how Barnsley MBC wield their demonic powers. We pay for them.

Glen Cheney

USA - Thurs 27 Mar 2003

Greetings from Harrisburg Pennsylvania. Found your site whilst checking if the Grammar School had a website. I was looking for an old-boys page, Miss Stead used to have that task and published a summary in the year-book. There was a boy on my school bus (Baddelys not Yorkshire Traction) called Peter Wall who left after A-levels in 1971 to join the army as an officer. On TV today from Kuwait, there was a Major-General Peter Wall. Could this be the same guy?

I was at PGS 1966 to 72, but had Mr. Childs as my woodwork teacher not Mr. Jagger. Browsed the guestbook and saw a couple of names that I recognised; Trevor Senior, Susan Proud. One of your other contributors called our old headmaster Mr Simms - "Tyrannical" - I didn't think so. He was an old fashioned Headmaster trying to keep 1700 pupils in order. My wife is a Headteacher, (or rather Principal as they are called here in the States), and she has to project an image of toughness to keep her bunch of inner-city students in line.

Some good PGS names here. I remember Wilfred Burgess Simms, Spurler Jagger and Miss Stead. I agree that Mr Simms was not a tyrant, in fact he was well-regarded. Mr Childs was not one of my teachers.

Alan Wadsworth

London - Tues 15 Apr 2003

I've been doing some research into my family tree, and discovered 3 generations of my family lived at 32 Green Road, Penistone, from about 1870 to 1920. Another branch lived at 10 Downing Square around 1900. I'd love to know if these houses still exist, or have they been torn down by developers? Do these addresses ring a bell with anyone?

In perhaps the oldest corner of Penistone. No Green Road houses were demolished as far as I know and the Downing Square houses are all still around. Crossland's corner shop is long gone from that area, though.

Belinda Sant

Australia - Tues 8 Apr 2003

Just a huge thanks you have been a big help to understanding the town 'Penistone". Your wonderful job has helped amazed me and I printed this off so my boyfriend's family can see what their ancestors originally owned. They are Penistone's and my boyfriend has recently be informed of all this wonderful history from his ancestors. We live in Sydney, Australia and hope one day to travel to your town to see all this history. One question: Do you have a statue monument in the town?

Always good to be of service. Our monument is not a statue but a war memorial.

Alan Reed

Canada - Tues 10 June 2003

As an old Penistonian, I found the pictures very nostalgic. The photo of "Rompticle Crossing" is where Roper House Lane (the lane which goes south and west from the top of Thurgoland Bank) crosses the old railway line. Thanks for an entertaining and enlightening website. - Cheers

I'll have to seek out some more old pictures for my older visitors - who are a mine of useful knowledge.

Joanne Stables

UK - Fri 6 June 2003

Thank you for creating this site on Penistone. I grew up in Penistone and attended Penistone Grammar School. Currently, I am in Peru (where I have been traveling for over 8 months), and have found the site a nice reminder of the place I call home!

Another example of this aspect of the internet is when I temporarily put a friend's wedding pictures on a hidden page. The couple enjoyed seeing their first wedding pictures whilst on honeymoon in Bali. Their distant relatives liked it too.

Heidi White

USA - Thurs 5 June 2003

Hi,
Ok, so here I am, sitting here in Corpus Christi, Texas (USA), surfing on live news feed services for a web site, and I am suddenly transported to a lovely English town. Don't you just love the internet! Maybe someday I will be able to visit Penistone, I hope so, it looks charming. I can almost see myself at the Spread Eagle Pub sipping a beer.. Ahhh. Might have to take a pass on the "mushy peas" though ; )

Cheers to the British! Thanks for the mini vacation,

I had a great buzz from reading this message. I would really like people in every town and every country to make websites like mine so that I can tour from home. It is a wonderful way to see the world and a good use for the internet, provided it is not pure 'selling'.

Christine Wright

USA - Mon 11 Aug 2003

I'm a friend of Eric ("Jeremy") Cutts who's living in Penistone/teaching in Barnsley. I met him when he came to the U.S. for a year at "my" university. He directed me to this website. I like how honestly and unpretentiously things were reported. It sure is more enjoyable to read than a slick travel brochure that only tries to sell and magnify the good points. This makes me WANT to visit!

Jeremy, the Friday night karaoke man at the White Hart, does not follow this message. There must be another one about of the same name.

Pol (Website - Email)

Holland - Sun 27 July 2003 & Fri 1 Aug 2003

Hi there ... a little comment from the singer, guitar player of the band Penistone. Really nice site of this town. Hope I get a reaction from the webmaster for further introduction. We are planning to visit your town to make some pictures for the band. Well, hope to see you soon and keep Penistone informed about our band. Maybe we can someday give a gig in your town. Check it out when our website is online ... thanks. - See you...bye

(Later message) Special message from Penistone (band).
We want to thank you for the great links to our website and yes we will visit Penistone soon, even if we can not come and play our music!!!! - Greetz, Penistone

Let's hope that our Paramount will book this talented band, they would give us good entertainment. Have a listen at their website: http://www.penistone.nl/

Peter Lawford

Canada - Thurs 2 Oct 2003

I worked at the Vinegar Brewery from 1970 to 1974. Moved to Canada in 2002. My e-mail has changed this last year. Anyone from the brewery ??? - Great site, love to have a look in from time to time.

Peter continues to keep in touch from time to time. And still nobody admits to working there.

Pigasus

UK - Sat 6 Sep 2003

Moving to Penistone (fingers crossed) by the end of the year - this site has sold us the town, thank you! Looking forward to meeting some of the locals who make this part of the world what it is. Meet in the pub?! ;o)

Hic!
A man after my own heart (or was that Dr. Christiaan Barnard?)