D Di Mascio

I well remember D Di's ice cream when I went to school at Hill Farm in Foster Road, 1948 I think most days his van used to stop just inside Heathcote Street at the end of the school day - still remember the taste 70 years later. Mum used to tell me it was not good because of what was in it - I did not care as it tasted great.

covkid. There was some connection between D Di's and Red House, their son always travelled most days in the 1950's on a Red House coach free of charge.

This image just popped up on FB purporting to be the D-Di fleet. Comparing it to Norm’s photo added below from earlier in the thread, is this King William Street? The row looks similar although changes between the two and massively so now!

British Traders are advertising in King William Street, Neil.

In the distance you can see what was The Palladium cinema

This picture is from the book available on Amazon as previously mentioned, where you can also purchase this more accurate diecast model

I am bored, at last have the decorators in after our plumbing problems and living with plastered walls for a couple of months. Can’t do anything round the house and it’s raining, so I have been looking through the newspapers and found some interesting shops, mostly in Smithford Street. Edited by member, 14th Sep 2021 11:20 am Post copied from topic Shops of yore on 14th Sep 2021 11:40 am

Hi Anne, What if I could have a D-Di now, even on a rainy morning. That distinctive taste that my Cornwall relatives thought was better than Kelly's. They would have been excommunicated if they were heard saying that in Cornwall. The only ice cream that for me has a hint of what I remember as a child is Walls. The last Kelly's ice cream that I had I could take it or leave it. Hope all goes well with your decorations.

When was this please Anne?

My grandma and grandad Hastings lived in Wellington Street until the early 60's, when they were shipped off to Willenhall. Prior to that, the grandkids loved to go to the children's shows at the Palladium and then on to D Di's for ice cream afterwards. I remember once having a sundae - I thought we'd won the pools! Was the full name Di Dimascio?

D Di Mascio, as the name of thread and on the photo above

My 1930s memory of D Di was of a large black hearse as an ice cream wagon, ornate gilt patterned glass at the back with sliding serving windows. The double bank of clarion horns above the front bumper was used with gusto at each street corner on arrival and departure and sometimes an extra blurt in the middle of the longer roads. He could be heard miles away and the kids that were lucky enough to have a ha'penny to spend sometimes couldn’t wait and would run up the street to get a cornet, excitedly run back and the little dollop of ice cream had melted and slid off. What a tearful disaster. That particular wagon was still on the go in the Keresley area before l Ieft in 1948! When l was working l used to go to D Di’s on the hill just above the 'Globe' on Primrose Hill Street. Then Walls Ice Cream became available occasionally and was my favourite. I dont think any of us would turn down any make of ice cream on a summer day though, would we!

I think D-Di`s closed SSR down and used their Broad St place for wholesale, supplying other ice cream vans, etc etc.