Raleigh was perhaps, along with Players, the largest employer of Radford people, employing 10,000 workers at its peak. My father followed his father into this factory, of which only one example now remains on Triumph Road, Shortly this will soon become the dust of history, just like the images below from Faraday Road.

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The Raleigh Social Club was where the teenage Chris Richards spent his evenings, with his father Big Harry. Licensee John Faye would put live groups on on Thursday nights, and one particular one I remember were called 'Fantasy' and had smoke bombs on stage. Remember the mussel seller with his 'Kershaws Supercockle' jacket and his cry of 'Cockles, Mussels'. One worker once placed a box of mushrooms from his allotment on the table, went to buy a pint and a girl filled her handbag with them! On entering the Club, a long corridor would lead to a right turn where you would show your blue card to the doorman and enter the world of caramel coloured leather seats, Home Ales beer, and fruit machines. On leaving the club, the moon would shine on Salisbury Street, illuminating the 'Raleigh Cycle Company' lettering that stood for so much, now sadly all gone beneath the ball and chain of the bulldozers.

Go here for a great Raleigh Chopper site

Massive redevelopment is now taking place in the Faraday Road area, with the old Raleigh factory being replaced by student and residential accommodation. The Skills site has also suffered the same fate, with multi-level housing rising high above the Plough pub. With all its newfound wealth and redevelopment, is the area really any better for it?

Ilkeston Road/Faraday Road junction, with housing block beyond

Poster for 'Saturday Night and Sunday Morning' spotted in a shop on Heathcote Street

Original 1961 Raligram, featuring Shirley Anne Field (or 'Aar Doreen') supplied by Mark McDonald and Paul Fillingham

Raleigh, 1976 - far right: Lisa Richards, Marlene Gee.

GO TO VISITORS GALLERY TO SEE ALEX HIGGINS IN THE SNOOKER ROOM

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