Retro: Sheffield Star team have a great time at Moor Market meeting readers

Lovely to meet you all! Retro readers flocked to the Moor Market this week to share their memories and photographs.
Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. Pictured is Clive Grant with his collection of old photographs.Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. Pictured is Clive Grant with his collection of old photographs.
Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. Pictured is Clive Grant with his collection of old photographs.

Star editor Nancy Fielder and Julia Armstrong, who compiles and writes Saturday Retro, were on hand to talk to everyone and it was a very busy two-hour session.

As well as listening to Retro memories, Nancy was happy to hear your views on the paper and on the issues that are important to you that you think The Star should be covering.

Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. Clive Grant photographs.Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. Clive Grant photographs.
Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. Clive Grant photographs.
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Content sales manager Andrea Moon was kept busy giving away Vimto lollies and special discount vouchers for The Star.

We’re hoping to do more sessions in the future. Look out for details in Retro.

Thanks to everyone who came down and to all the markets staff who made us feel very welcome.

We’ll be reporting on the Retro memories you’ve shared over the next few weeks.

Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. John Taylor with his 1954 autograph of Nat King Cole.Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. John Taylor with his 1954 autograph of Nat King Cole.
Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. John Taylor with his 1954 autograph of Nat King Cole.
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To kick things off, here’s John Taylor’s story of meeting his hero, legendary singer Nat King Cole, in 1954.

John, who lives in Ridgeway Road, Hollinsend, brought along a tiny autograph book with the great man’s signature on it to show us.

He said: “There used to be a lot of lads who knocked about together.

“We went to the City Hall for a concert with Nat King Cole one night and sat down.

Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. Clive Grant photographs.Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. Clive Grant photographs.
Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. Clive Grant photographs.

“The other lads said, ‘Jack, go and get his autograph’.

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“He was playing the piano on stage and I said, ‘I can’t go up there!’

“They said, ‘Go on’ and chucked me up on stage.

“He was playing the piano and had one hand on the notes on one side and he was signing my book on the other.”

Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. Clive Grant photographs.Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. Clive Grant photographs.
Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. Clive Grant photographs.

Clive Grant, from Spring Close View, Gleadless, brought along lots of souvenirs of his charity fundraising days.

He spent many years supporting the Arthritis and Research Council (ARC), PACES, which supports children with cerebral palsy, and Weston Park Hospital cancer charity.

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Clive was named The Star’s sister paper the Gazette’s Man of the Year in 1994 for his charity work.

That began when the former British Rail dining car head waiter was the victim of a terrible crime.

He said: “I got mugged in 1972. I collapsed and I was rushed to hospital. I had six operations on my brain and died twice during surgery.

“Nobody wanted to know me so I thought I’ll do some fundraising.

Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. Clive Grant photographs.Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. Clive Grant photographs.
Retro meet and greet, The Moor Market. Clive Grant photographs.
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“I got in touch with Weston Park because I’d had all these operations and went from there.”

Our front page picture, taken by Clive, shows an event for Weston Park at Pond Street bus station that was supported by Sheffield comedy stars Marti Caine and Bobby Knutt, sadly both lost to us now.

Clive said: “They both did a lot for us.”

The pictures on these pages show some of the many events he’s been involved with over the years.

Clive was also honoured by the Lord Mayor of Sheffield and presented with a special limited edition plate.

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Clive said ill health has forced him to step back now but he was once a familiar face outside Sheffield markets, shaking a charity tin.

He once raised £1,000 in 10 weeks for ARC, selling special Noddy badges.