RODEN STREET

[colin randell]

 hi rolie there was only one shop in roden street which was a shoe repair i didnt know you were related lets see what i can remember then you can tell me if its the same person it was either his son or relation we were in the same juvenile lodge as denis and myself we were in lol32 sandy row his name is still in the back burner maybe denis will remember now that shop was always the same owner till it closed as i said early on he didnt have a yard door god only knows were he a pee as you know the lees had two gun dogs behind his shop and they hung up what ever killed which always had a bad smell around that entry i used go to into the shop when the son was there he had everything in that shop sorry i dont remember the smell of glue but burning rubber when he sanded the shoes even if the shoes were paid for i used to deliver them as i said when they closed that shop down they opened up again on the donegall road were he must have been there for about 10years if i remember the shop was no26. where was your shoe repair shop? just thinking robert caves was in are lodge also      regards colin   hope denis can come up with the answers               

HEY THINGS COLIN,
 I DON'T REMEMBER THAT SHOP IN BURNABY ST WHERE THE LEE'S LIVED EVER BEEN OPEN

[Farnsbarn]

hi rolie there was only one shop in roden street which was a shoe repair i didnt know you were related lets see what i can remember then you can tell me if its the same person it was either his son or relation we were in the same juvenile lodge as denis and myself we were in lol32 sandy row his name is still in the back burner maybe denis will remember now that shop was always the same owner till it closed as i said early on he didnt have a yard door god only knows were he a pee as you know the lees had two gun dogs behind his shop and they hung up what ever killed which always had a bad smell around that entry i used go to into the shop when the son was there he had everything in that shop sorry i dont remember the smell of glue but burning rubber when he sanded the shoes even if the shoes were paid for i used to deliver them as i said when they closed that shop down they opened up again on the donegall road were he must have been there for about 10years if i remember the shop was no26. where was your shoe repair shop? just thinking robert caves was in are lodge also      regards colin   hope denis can come up with the answers             

   Hi Colin,
                  When I lived in Excise St., there was a shoe repair shop in the first door past the `Blackie' bridge on the left hand side of Roden St. going towards the Donegall Rd. The guy that owned it had a short leg, and wore a built-up boot to correct it. I'm almost sure that his name was McGeghey, and he was a really friendly guy, he always had a joke or a riddle for the kids when we were going past.
          Regards,
                farnsbarn.

[Shylock]

My Uncle Alfie had a shoe repair shop in Roden Street, pretty far down from the Donegall Road on the right hand side of Roden Street and I think if I look thru me old fotos there might be one of him in his wee shop. I still remember the smell of the "solution" they used to glue on the heels and soles of the shoes. Uncle Alfie passed on some years ago now but I often wonder what Roden Street is like - might have to check it out on Google maps street view. -

Have just cut and posted my original post from page one of this thread - I was not aware of any other shoe repairer, but that's not to say there weren't any! I returned to Belfast nearly 2 yrs ago [after an absence of 37 years!] and of course, could find no trace of Uncle Alfie's shop. Uncle Alfie was married to my Auntie Sarah and they didn't have any children.  Below is a photo taken in 1978 am not 100% sure if this was taken in Roden Street or after he moved his shop to the front of the Donegall Road. I'll have to check with my sister who took this photo when she was over in Belfast on a holiday back in '78. Perhaps this photo will help people figure out who we're talking about!

[olelad]

  jamesie mcanally from balmoral street now lives in craigavon the last time i seen him was about 4 or 5years ago my brother should be able to tell you more about him didnt live to far from each orther till the junkies took over then my brother denis moved to portadown maybe get him to answer on jamesie                                                                                                                                                       

ran into james in lurgan afew weeks back. i hadnt seen him in donks. he lives in lurgan these days. i meet him first when they moved to craigavon from beechmount. if memory serves me right they moved from the govenor to whiterock ?  im working around that neck of the woods at the min and the amount of belfast people still living in the craigavon area is amazing.

think rawsons and hustons was from that neck of the govenor rd ?

[colin randell]

 Hi farnsbarn the shop you are talking about was facing milner street i hope and when i was coming up i can only ever remember that shop as a sweet shop when you walked across the bridge and the black gate then this shop there also was yet an other sweet shop or house shop so many doors away from this one.                                                                                                                                                         

   Hi Colin,
                  When I lived in Excise St., there was a shoe repair shop in the first door past the `Blackie' bridge on the left hand side of Roden St. going towards the Donegall Rd. The guy that owned it had a short leg, and wore a built-up boot to correct it. I'm almost sure that his name was McGeghey, and he was a really friendly guy, he always had a joke or a riddle for the kids when we were going past.
          Regards,
                farnsbarn.

[colin randell]

  Hi shylock this is your uncle alfie and it is the same person who owned the shoe repair shop in roden street facing neilly street which was beside the police barracks now who was his relation that belonged to lol32 sandy row? would you have somebody belonging to you called hughie? if alfie had no kids whos your dad then or mum they might have that answer for you.if i can find anymore out ill let you kow  regards colin                                                                                                                                                       

My Uncle Alfie had a shoe repair shop in Roden Street, pretty far down from the Donegall Road on the right hand side of Roden Street and I think if I look thru me old fotos there might be one of him in his wee shop. I still remember the smell of the "solution" they used to glue on the heels and soles of the shoes. Uncle Alfie passed on some years ago now but I often wonder what Roden Street is like - might have to check it out on Google maps street view. -

Have just cut and posted my original post from page one of this thread - I was not aware of any other shoe repairer, but that's not to say there weren't any! I returned to Belfast nearly 2 yrs ago [after an absence of 37 years!] and of course, could find no trace of Uncle Alfie's shop. Uncle Alfie was married to my Auntie Sarah and they didn't have any children.  Below is a photo taken in 1978 am not 100% sure if this was taken in Roden Street or after he moved his shop to the front of the Donegall Road. I'll have to check with my sister who took this photo when she was over in Belfast on a holiday back in '78. Perhaps this photo will help people figure out who we're talking about!

[colin randell]

   hi shylock again peter has put a drawing of the old roden street as it was from the grosvenor road to the westlink this was all knocked down and rebuilt for about 100 to 150familys if there is that many built to give you an idea where alfies shop was look up the drawing find burnaby street right hand side can you see the white patch right on the corner well thats were the gun dogs were kept and your uncle aflie owned the shop infront of of that patch.      regards colin                                                                                                                                                                 

My Uncle Alfie had a shoe repair shop in Roden Street, pretty far down from the Donegall Road on the right hand side of Roden Street and I think if I look thru me old fotos there might be one of him in his wee shop. I still remember the smell of the "solution" they used to glue on the heels and soles of the shoes. Uncle Alfie passed on some years ago now but I often wonder what Roden Street is like - might have to check it out on Google maps street view.

[Shylock]

  Hi shylock this is your uncle alfie and it is the same person who owned the shoe repair shop in roden street facing neilly street which was beside the police barracks now who was his relation that belonged to lol32 sandy row? would you have somebody belonging to you called hughie? if alfie had no kids who's your dad then or mum they might have that answer for you.if i can find anymore out ill let you know  regards colin                                                                                                                                                       

Hi Colin,
Uncle Alfie was my father's brother and as both my parents came from large families [9 children on one side, 11 on the other!] I had 20 aunties and 20 uncles and at one stage my daughter worked out I had something like 57 first cousins! The name Hughie doesn't ring a bell but I can ask Dad [whos' now 84!] to see if he remembers. Re the connection to the LOL 32 - not sure but I do have an old foto of my Uncle Trevor [Mum's brother] wearing a sash standing outside my Nanny's house with my Uncle Eddie [mum's sister's husband] who was a member of a 'kiltie' band and now lives in England. Nanny used to live in Wesley Street - the first house in the street on the left hand side coming from the Donegall Road - I also have a foto taken @ Wesley Street when we went to Belfast 18mths ago.  Getting back to Uncle Alfie, I never recall him having any kind of foot deformity but then again, as a young child, maybe I never noticed it? Will check that out with Dad - will be seeing him in the next day or two and I'll ask him bout hughie too. Was just reading earlier posts and was trying to work out how you knew Uncle Alfie - am  i right in thinking you used to deliver the repaired shoes for him? My dad was also a shoe maker/cobbler and used to work alongside him very earlier in the piece I believe, tho not 100% sure on that, will ask dad that question too! My parents both read the forum from time to time, and tho don't often post, they really enjoy reading the posts.
P.S. Just read your recent post that appeared while I was typing this msg! will check out the drawing you mention -I did look before and saw Burnaby street but had trouble working out where Roden Street was! will look again with your pointers in mind, thanks for the help! all the best,
Shylock

[Farnsbarn]

  Hi shylock this is your uncle alfie and it is the same person who owned the shoe repair shop in roden street facing neilly street which was beside the police barracks now who was his relation that belonged to lol32 sandy row? would you have somebody belonging to you called hughie? if alfie had no kids whos your dad then or mum they might have that answer for you.if i can find anymore out ill let you kow  regards colin                                                                                                                                                       

  Hi Colin,
        The shop that you mention facing Neilly St., is at the corner of Burnaby St. and Roden St., and when I was growing up in the 40's it was vacant. The other corner was Ward's Wine Stores. As you move along past Ward's, there was `Curly's' barber shop, the reason it was named that was because he was bald, except for a big curl that was waxed and flattened to the centre of his bald head. Next was Ginny Mennary's shop that sold everything. We used to run by and sing `Ginny Mennary had a canary, etc. etc. etc.
   The shop at the corner of Roden St., and Grosvenor Rd. sold wool and materials. I hope you remember some of these places, because I've lots more.
             Regards,
                  farnsbarn.

[colin randell]

  Hi farnsbarn now im curious im from roden street between excise street and buckingham street the people you have mentioned you must be older than me all my playing was done in excise street till i grew out of that stage i left roden street in the seventys sorry i still cant break your code                                                                                                                                                                 

   Hi Colin,
                  When I lived in Excise St., there was a shoe repair shop in the first door past the `Blackie' bridge on the left hand side of Roden St. going towards the Donegall Rd. The guy that owned it had a short leg, and wore a built-up boot to correct it. I'm almost sure that his name was McGeghey, and he was a really friendly guy, he always had a joke or a riddle for the kids when we were going past.
          Regards,
                farnsbarn.

[Shylock]

   Hi Colin,
                  When I lived in Excise St., there was a shoe repair shop in the first door past the `Blackie' bridge on the left hand side of Roden St. going towards the Donegall Rd. The guy that owned it had a short leg, and wore a built-up boot to correct it. I'm almost sure that his name was McGeghey, and he was a really friendly guy, he always had a joke or a riddle for the kids when we were going past.
          Regards,
                farnsbarn.

Hi Farnsburn, pardon my 'butting in' to your comment to Colin - perhaps the bloke with the short leg sold/rented the shop to my Uncle Alfie when he retired? or maybe Uncle Alfie learned his trade from the Mr McGeghey you recall? Will definitely have to chase dad up for some questions, re Uncle ALfie's shoe repair business! Funny, I never remember hearing the dogs you've all mentioned! I guess that's just one of the quirks of the human mind!

[colin randell]

 Hi farnsbarn i knew you were older than me mckinley owned the wool shop on the grosvenor his store was in roden street or door maybe a flat at one time next opening was danny farrs kept oilcloth and orther things in there then you had tommy sloanes barbars shop i used sloanes till one day he had missed a long hair so he singed it with his fag and burned my neck that was are parting next door was wards across next was alfies shoe repair shop next shop to that was winddrums at the corner of excise street                                                                                                                                                         

  Hi Colin,
        The shop that you mention facing Neilly St., is at the corner of Burnaby St. and Roden St., and when I was growing up in the 40's it was vacant. The other corner was Ward's Wine Stores. As you move along past Ward's, there was `Curly's' barber shop, the reason it was named that was because he was bald, except for a big curl that was waxed and flattened to the centre of his bald head. Next was Ginny Mennary's shop that sold everything. We used to run by and sing `Ginny Mennary had a canary, etc. etc. etc.
   The shop at the corner of Roden St., and Grosvenor Rd. sold wool and materials. I hope you remember some of these places, because I've lots more.
             Regards,
                  farnsbarn.

[jemmy hope]

Hi farnsbarn i knew you were older than me mckinley owned the wool shop on the grosvenor his store was in roden street or door maybe a flat at one time next opening was danny farrs kept oilcloth and orther things in there then you had tommy sloanes barbars shop i used sloanes till one day he had missed a long hair so he singed it with his fag and burned my neck that was are parting next door was wards across next was alfies shoe repair shop next shop to that was winddrums at the corner of excise street                                                                                                                                                       

Was Danny Farr's not on the other side of the Grosvenor facing Linview St?

[colin randell]

 Hi jemmy hope danny had two shops if you would call it that his main shop was facing roden street one side of him was the venus pub or hannaings on the orther side of him was a house next was a sweet shop then fuscos chippy at the corner of mcdonnell street his second shop was a storeroom were he kept all oilcloth and mats for round your fire plus storage space for his main shop the shop you are thinking of was a hardware but was two shops you could walk from one to the orther and the post office was in the middle cant recall there name at the minute farnsbarn were are you help,sometimes you have to call on the older ones   we have to many dead cells never mind the grey ones lol                                                                                                                                                               

Was Danny Farr's not on the other side of the Grosvenor facing Linview St?

[Farnsbarn]

Hi jemmy hope danny had two shops if you would call it that his main shop was facing roden street one side of him was the venus pub or hannaings on the orther side of him was a house next was a sweet shop then fuscos chippy at the corner of mcdonnell street his second shop was a storeroom were he kept all oilcloth and mats for round your fire plus storage space for his main shop the shop you are thinking of was a hardware but was two shops you could walk from one to the orther and the post office was in the middle cant recall there name at the minute farnsbarn were are you help,sometimes you have to call on the older ones   we have to many dead cells never mind the grey ones lol                                                                                                                                                             

    Hi Colin, The sweet shop next to Fusco's was a newsagent and tobacconist, it was called Nelson's. When I was an apprentice, I painted the sign above the shop, it was just at the tram stop (no, not the horse tram) and when the tram stopped, I could feel all the faces staring at my neck, I always had to clean my brush when that happened, I could reach out and touch the tram, it was so close. My Dad asked me had a fly fallen into the paint and landed on the sign. Years later, when I was a journeyman, I went back and painted it again for nothing. About the post office, there's a picture of it in the Excise St. thread, I think it's called Grosvenor St. Post Office, it was facing Arundel St. Next door was an undertakers, and there was a young girl lived there called Valerie Cook. Wasn't there a pawnshop at the corner of McDonald St. and Grosvenor Rd.?
             Ask me another!
                Farnsbarn.