Recent content by Pimpernel

My mum's first job was at the Bakery in Witton Co-op at the end of the war, after she returned from evacuation. I'm wondering if that would be the Witton Lodge Road branch, or was there another in Witton? Her cousin worked in the drapery department of the same branch, so I'm thinking it would...

My last clear memories of steam trains in service were at Snowshill. My mum used to tell me that as a toddler I was so terrified of the engine once I ran off the platform and hid under a bench in the waiting room.

Ah, I loved Hudson's!! In the mid '70's I remember the narrow corridor that connected all the little rooms, I'd usually double back around corners and down to the history department, or squeeze through to the art books department at the far end of the hive. Discovered posters of my favourite...

My great-grandparents Albert Shelley and wife Annie-Jane lived at 127 Tame Road from around 1910 to the end of their lives (Albert died in 1929 aged 71, Annie-Jane in 1935 aged 77). Their children Bill, Matilda, Maud, Albert, Annie-Jane, George and Alfred would all have stayed there inthe...

Many thanks! Unfortunately I only have the basic subscription to Ancestry so can't access their War Diaries collection, if anyone is able to have a look at the 10th Battalion entry for 17th-19th April I'd be grateful!

I also have an interest in this unit, though slightly earlier than rwspey. My Great Uncle George Shelley was in the 10th Battalion and killed on 19th April at the end of the First Battle of Kemmel, where the battalion took part in defending the position. As the 19th saw the end of the action...

Court Farm was my first school! I was there from 1965-68 and lived in Court Lane. Nothing but memories to share I'm afraid - particularly recall the wooden classrooms at the left end of the playground, I remember being especially proud of my first clay sculpture made in one of those. Also the...

There's an interesting feature about the decline of Dudley Road in the Birmingham mail https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/news/local-news/decline-dudley-road-birminghams-original-3916264 Both the pubs mentioned seem to be at the city end of the road, by the hospital. I wonder at what point in the...

Could there have been a boundary change between 1858 and 1867 then? Surely there would be records in that case.

Thank you everyone, this is exactly what I was looking for! Heath Green House seems quite a substantial building on these maps, with surrounding grounds, though the 1851 census only appears to list one small family there. As my ancestor Thomas Griffin worked as a servant, then gardener perhaps...

And a lot more on the Earlswood crash, with very interesting photos!: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260111/Bravery-women-confronted-downed-Luftwaffe-airman-pitchforks--steal-parachute-make-silk-knickers-entire-village.html

Regarding the crashed Heinkel in Rumbush Lane, Earlswood, there's a page about it on the Solihull borough council site: https://www.solihull.gov.uk/Resident/Libraries/Local-family-history/bombingsinsolihull/ww2casualties5 Here's also a report of a crashed He111 at Blackthorne Road, Smethwick...

How fascinating! I found another photo of the same aircraft, and a colour scheme, it was a Messerschmidt Bf-109E-1 of 5./JG27 flown by Oblt. Erwin Daig. On 9th September 1940 Daig was on a fighter escort mission accompanying bombers to London. At 20,000 feet he was attacked by fighters , Daig's...

The Griffin part of my family lived in Friston Street at least between 1861 to 1891. I've only seen photo's on the Old Ladywood site, so would love to see what others may have. For the record: Thomas and Rebecca Griffin first lived at 1 Arthur Terrace, Friston Street (1861 census), Thomas was...

Hi everyone, I wonder if anyone can help, I couldn't find anything in the archives on this. One branch of my family lived on the Dudley Road in Smethwick throughout the 1840's, the 1851 census shows them in a property next in the schedule to a "Heath Green House". I assume this would have been...