BigAl&Toby Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 Who remembers this beauty. Moored opposite the Mardyke in the early 70s. I do. Just. Long before it was moved and the name passed to a freehold site not far from the hallowed turf that Steve owns. **** me. How I long for those innocent days. Long hot summers. Raleigh Choppers. Walls Icecream from the corner shop that came wrapped in cardboard. The Flying Fox. Wouldn’t surprise me if she’s now had a refit, been renamed Maggie L and is used as a gin palace off a tax haven island close to France. And it might even be that the Rear Admiral also owns the freehold site next to Pattersons too….. Thing is it is apt. I suspect many of the squad won’t be giving a flying **** this morning. They’ll probably be just waking up. In a plush flat in Portishead. They’ll be pulling on their tracksuit pants and sliding their oh so precious feet into their sliders. They’ll probably then have a latte from their ever so expensive coffee machine that sits on their granite work top. Then those perfectly pedicured tools of their trade will carry them effortlessly across to their Juliet balcony where they’ll lovingly gaze down at their black Range Rover or AMG and plan their day. Do they give a flying ****? Somehow I doubt it. 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivorguy Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 Remember a birthday party on board The Flying Fox in early ‘50s. Passed it when getting to Ashton Gate to watch some proper old fashioned blood and guts football. Ernie Peacock acting like a demented boxer and Big John, literally, rising above them all. Oh, how I miss that City of my childhood - both the club and the city itself. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-Robbo Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 Jumpers for goalposts, isn't it? Wasn't it? Marvellous. 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Isewater Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 I believe the Flying Fox was used to train naval cadets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midlands Robin Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 19 minutes ago, Major Isewater said: I believe the Flying Fox was used to train naval cadets. I've got a feeling my old Sea Cadet Unit was based on her for a while. The cadets are now based on the island between the Nova Scotia and Pump House pubs. When I was a kid in the 80's we could hear the roar from Ashton Gate on Tuesday night when City scored. Happy memories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norn Iron Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 How many of the houses in the background are the same colour today? Those were the days! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exAtyeoMax Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 1 hour ago, BigAl&Toby said: Who remembers this beauty. Moored opposite the Mardyke in the early 70s. I do. Just. Long before it was moved and the name passed to a freehold site not far from the hallowed turf that Steve owns. **** me. How I long for those innocent days. Long hot summers. Raleigh Choppers. Walls Icecream from the corner shop that came wrapped in cardboard. The Flying Fox. Wouldn’t surprise me if she’s now had a refit, been renamed Maggie L and is used as a gin palace off a tax haven island close to France. And it might even be that the Rear Admiral also owns the freehold site next to Pattersons too….. Thing is it is apt. I suspect many of the squad won’t be giving a flying **** this morning. They’ll probably be just waking up. In a plush flat in Portishead. They’ll be pulling on their tracksuit pants and sliding their oh so precious feet into their sliders. They’ll probably then have a latte from their ever so expensive coffee machine that sits on their granite work top. Then those perfectly pedicured tools of their trade will carry them effortlessly across to their Juliet balcony where they’ll lovingly gaze down at their black Range Rover or AMG and plan their day. Do they give a flying ****? Somehow I doubt it. I used to work in that building above the ship, below the row of houses in that picture. Clifton Reprographics. Mail Marketing was the one below I think. Now replaced by swanky houses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendip City Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 https://www.imperial-yachts.com/charter/superyachts-for-charter/flying-fox looks like the Flying Fox has had a “minor” face lift 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 Wasn’t there a story of some activist group planning to sink it….not knowing it was now relocated on land? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
22A Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 Towed to South Wales and cut up as scrap 1973 /74. Shore installation keeps the name alive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarksRobin Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 HMS Flying Fox. I always thought it was an odd name for a building Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanterne Rouge Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 53 minutes ago, WarksRobin said: HMS Flying Fox. I always thought it was an odd name for a building Most on-shore naval installations have names like that. When Mrs LR was in the RNR her base in Plymouth was called HMS Pellew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atyeo's lift Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 I remember attending a fancy dress party there in the 60s. Went dressed as Sir Francis Drake. Got some strange looks when I stopped to fill the car with petrol, I can tell you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter1450 Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 7 hours ago, Norn Iron said: How many of the houses in the background are the same colour today? Those were the days! School friend of mine’s Nan lived up the top of Ambra Vale, it was rough as **** back then (early 70’s), how times change….probably looking at 600k plus for a two up/two down straight onto the pavement there now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeRed Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 1 hour ago, Peter1450 said: School friend of mine’s Nan lived up the top of Ambra Vale, it was rough as **** back then (early 70’s), how times change….probably looking at 600k plus for a two up/two down straight onto the pavement there now! Back in 1974 I had a mate who lived in a bedsit on Ambra Vale East.... absolutely disgusting hovel, 4 bedsits sharing a bathroom in the cellar. He said an old Irish couple in their 60's lived in the room next door and in 2 years he never saw or heard them visit the bathroom! ( He reckoned they used a bucket and washed it down the sink !!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redtucks Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 3 hours ago, Atyeo's lift said: I remember attending a fancy dress party there in the 60s. Went dressed as Sir Francis Drake. Got some strange looks when I stopped to fill the car with petrol, I can tell you. Bet you seemed like a nice boy though!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redtucks Posted November 7, 2021 Report Share Posted November 7, 2021 Always felt frightened as a kid in the 50's when crossing on the Mardyke Ferry, which went right in close to the bow to the landing stage behind! It seemed ever so large at the time!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpexile Posted November 8, 2021 Report Share Posted November 8, 2021 13 hours ago, Atyeo's lift said: I remember attending a fancy dress party there in the 60s. Went dressed as Sir Francis Drake. Got some strange looks when I stopped to fill the car with petrol, I can tell you. I also attended a fancy dress in my youth club & got 1st prize for the "ET" look alike, then some smart arse realised I wasn't in fancy dress, my childhood was understandably quite stressful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redysteadygo Posted November 8, 2021 Report Share Posted November 8, 2021 15 hours ago, Atyeo's lift said: I remember attending a fancy dress party there in the 60s. Went dressed as Sir Francis Drake. Got some strange looks when I stopped to fill the car with petrol, I can tell you. Did the same, pulled into a garage to fill up dressed as an Arab sheik during the 1970's oil crisis. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigAl&Toby Posted November 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2021 Update. Never mind the Flying Fox. Or if the players give a flying ****. Here’s a collage made by an artist I’m Frome. Was fink of e? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bert tann Posted November 8, 2021 Report Share Posted November 8, 2021 Mention of "The Fox" always stirs memories of that harrowing journey back from Dunkirk. Mind you I'd started off much too early in the Beaufort Arms at Hawkesbury Upton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Port Said Red Posted December 9, 2021 Report Share Posted December 9, 2021 (edited) My father was in Royal Naval Reserve and was a signals instructor for many years (receiving the BEM for his services), and the Flying Fax was his base until they took over the building in Winterstoke Road. My main memories of it are, the xmas parties they used to organise for the children of the reservists, and using it as a viewing point for watching the powerboat racing. Talk about being close to the action! By the way, if you looked at it closely, it had a bow at both ends. The purpose for this, believe it or not was to "confuse the enemy as they wouldn't know which way they were heading" Edited December 9, 2021 by Port Said Red 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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