We asked readers: What is a 'Sheffie'? You told us

Sent in by regular Telegraph & Argus nostalgia contributor Ray Banyard, the programme notes referred to ‘the first smoking concert of the season’, to be held on Thursday November 18 at the Alexandra Hotel on Great Horton Road.

It said: ‘All members are cordially invited, when we are sure you will have a very entertaining evening.’

We asked if anyone was able to throw any light on what goes on at a ‘smoking concert’.

Local author Tim Clapham, who has co-written books on Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC, emailed to tell us more.

‘Smoking concerts date back to Victorian times and were then usually just for gentlemen. These were social gatherings where men would have a smoke and a few drinks and watch (usually) amateur performers singing and dancing etc. Women, if present, would seat themselves in an upper gallery, literally in nubibus - among the clouds of tobacco smoke!’

He added: ‘Football clubs often held smoking concerts. By the time of the one advertised in the football programme they were open to members of the supporters’ club of which a fair few would be women.’

Reader Ray Banyard's Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC programme (Image: public)

In the same article we also asked whether anyone could throw light on what a ‘Sheffie’ is.

In the match programme the word is used in an advert for what is described as ‘the original ‘Sheffield’ in bottle.’ ‘It’s clearly a drink, as it was distributed by a Drighlington-based drinks manufacturer, but what is it?’ we queried.

George Asquith responded. ‘A Sheffie is a drink. It is made from Mather’s Black Beer. About three-quarters of an inch of black beer in a pint Schooner glass, topped up with lemonade. It froths up and with its head looks like the Irish stout.’

He added: ‘It tastes nothing like the stout but has a liquorice background.

'It was given to me as a child for medicinal purposes. It was quite sweet - you looked as though you were drinking stout.'

Carol Harrison contacted the T&A to say: ‘When I was a girl - I am now 78 - my dad used to make a drink we called a Sheffield. It was made with black beer and lemonade. A bit like a shandy.’

If any T&A readers have any memories sparked by old football, cricket or other sport programmes please let us know.

Alternatively you may have memories of attending matches at Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC in years gone by, or attending events at other sporting venues. Maybe you have a photograph or two of the occasion - we would love to see them and publish them in the T&A for other readers to enjoy.

To get in touch email helen.mead@nqyne.co.uk