Spring Vale?
First, the name. An Ordnance Survey map from the 1950s calls it Spring Vale and some 1980s news items in the 1984 Penistone Almanack also use the old name, rather than Springvale. I accept that the latter has become more or less standard now - but I think that the older form has more charm. It was probably a sign-writer's error that brought in the new style.
Spring Vale Junior School
The top two wide pictures of the old junior school are from 2005, not long before it was demolished. Four pictures were taken and stitched into two panoramic views. It hadn't changed much since when I was a young 'un there. A well-attended school reunion took place 22nd October 2005 and was organised by its alumni for anyone who attended before 1980. Some interior shots can be found on the 2005 reunion page.
Demolition of part of the old school started late 2005 and the rebuilding work made progress through 2007. The school was completely rebuilt using additional land from the defunct WMC site and it looks 'the business'. The new school was officially opened Monday 10th September 2007 by Penistone Mayor Joe Unsworth and Barnsley Mayor Len Picken, with Headmistress Hilary Smith in attendance. Various children's favourites such as Scooby Doo and Jack Sparrow helped the event to go well with the children. As the old school had started in 1909, they held a centenary event in the new school on Friday 8th May 2009 and it was well supported.
The third picture below is a panoramic and slightly distorted view looking through some netting. It was taken in 2011 and shows the front part of the new School.
Around Spring Vale
This area is only fifteen
minutes walk from Penistone centre. The first picture below is looking up Sheffield Road towards the school and shows the Britannia pub. Next to the pub but off the picture is Dave Bailey's Paint Spot, where you might have your car re-sprayed or touched up. Jackie's is another business by the pub. It is the only fancy dress hire shop for miles around. A side road, modelled on Beirut, leads down to the dumpit
site. It is often very busy at weekends.
The old railway bridge on Green Road looks down towards Spring Vale. It now carries the Trans-pennine trail but used to have the wonderful sulphurous smell of smoke from steam locomotives. Kids all walked to school in those days and four-wheel-drive vehicles were only for farms. At the other end of the bridge was the only working public gas lamp that I ever saw in actual use, with its eight-day clockwork timer wound up each week. This bridge has now sprouted traffic lights.
A large red-bricked housing estate sprouted up opposite 'Birdcage Walk' and near the bridge in recent years. 'Birdcage Walk' is shown top-right. It acquired its nickname from white-painted wooden railings that used to adorn every house. The sad and abandoned Spring Vale WMC has now been demolished. It was a thriving centre for all manner of entertainment, with bingo, live shows, line dancing, aerobics classes and disco nights but it has gone now. It seemed impossible for it to fail, but fail it did. Next is another view of the Brit looking back towards Penistone and then another feature which has now gone. Hinchliff's family butcher hed been there for donkey's years.
Spring Vale Methodist Church is opposite the junior school and was built in 1927. The original "Tin Chapel" on this site was built in 1860. Have a look inside the modern Church on my 'Chapels' page. They don't like to call them chapels any more. That's why I do it. This is a personal website, you know. It's my ball...
