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Church Road, Yardley.

ast, I never knew that there was a barber there before. I think the reason for that was from a very young age dad used to cut my brother's hair and mine so we never went to a barbers until late teens and so by that time Mr.Vaughan would have been in business. I don't know if you knew that he also bought secondhand furniture, had it renovated then sold it to the U.S.A, he bought my mothers when she decided to update.

Dave
 
My family and I lived between the Carmelite Monastery (next to the Ring O Bells) and Blakesley Road - from 1965 until approximately ten years ago. The Yew Tree shopping centre (as we used to call it) was our regular haunt. I was a Woolies Girl during my school holidays - a time when I definitely picked up my addiction to Pick n Mix.

I was saddened to see that Rays Wallpaper shop has now closed. He would always give us his old wallpaper samples so we could cover our school books. Mine always had flock paper which looked great but the paper was so stiff you couldn't open your book.

I recall a shop on the corner of the TSB bank that was run by a lady called Noreen Elizabeth. She sold second hand designer clothes. My mom was as pleased as punch when she bought a suit that once belonged to Roger Moores wife. I'm sure it was only Noreens sales pitch that got mom to buy it and that it probably came from elsewhere. Nevertheless mom loved it so it was worth every penny.
 
Lived in this area for some twenty years so familiar with much that has been written. Used to travel on 15b bus then link up with 11 at the Yew Tree. My wife and her sister(Kirby was their maiden name) both went to Church Rd school(1948-51) I played cricket/tennis at Marlboro CC on Stoney Lane.(Dennis Ellis(of Ellis & Young estate agents) and Alan Pollard(of Pollard's Electrics opposite the Good Companions) and Blues goalie Gil Merrick played there at the same time. I remember the Ring'o Bells being run by a former Blues player, Len Boyd. I bought records from a small shop opposite the Causeway and booked our honeymoon at the travel agent on the left of Church Road just down from the Swan. And of course went to the Tivoli and drank in the Swan.
 
Was the travel agent Bill Simmonds? I lived near the Yew Tree in Hob Moor Road from 1940 until 1960, my parents lived there until 1967 when they retired to Gloucestershire. My sister was a teacher at Church Road School c1951-1953. Happy Days!
 
That sounds like the same one, for some reason (best known to my memory cells) I think it was number 72 Church Road. He also ran the newsagents next door, traded as W.T. Simmonds, sad to say he died at an early age of lung cancer. Amazing what odd information an old brain retains!
 
My Dad God bless him. Was a surveyor with John Briggs and Calder. They had an office at 18 Stoney Lane. Yardley. This would have been in the 1950s or so. I still have his business card. W.J.H Crump he went by Bert Crump. Anyone remember the office and what it is now? A.J.W Crump John Crump
 
Had a look on GooggleMap appears to be an accountants/auditors, sandwiched between two bookies(turf accountants).
 
Thanks Jim, The old grey matter is still alive. Happy memories living there for 23 yrs. top of Moat Lane use to be a bee keeper.
 
I remember that in 1940's the "School Board Man" who called to our homes to check on unauthorised absence from school lived at the top of Moat Lane. Are you aware that one of the pre-fabs from there is now one of the historical buildings in the Avoncroft Museum in Bromsgrove.
 
The "chippy" is more or less on the corner of Stoney Lane and Church Road opposite the "Yew Tree" pub ie. in the service road that is parallel to Stoney Lane.
 
In the early '50's the chippy was run by Mr & Mrs Yardley. They appeared to be a very pleasant elderly couple to me, I must have been all of 12 or 13 and went there every Friday evening after Guides for 3d of chips please! On the odd occasion I would be allowed to go rash and have a 4d portion.
 
A view of Church Road Yardley South. One of the two boys in the road seems to be wearing a cassock - a choirboy perhaps? Sorry, no date for the image. Viv.

image.jpeg
 
Help please. could someone point out what roads are in the above pic? Which is Church rd, what is the intersecting road. thanks
 
I understand that Church Rd towards the Yew Tree is opposite and Coventry Rd is left to right. I remember the buildings on the left of Church Rd. they were still there in 1960's maybe later. I suppose we could say that the picture was taken at the Swan island
 
Viv, If my memory serves me right, it was the chemist on the left hand corner and access to the other building behind the wall. The only thing is I always knew that as a hedge and not a wall because it was a spooky area and as a 10-12 year old I used to walk down there at night many times and the first shops dropped back from the footpath and I always visualised someone just at the end of the hedge waiting for me.
The two lads could be working in one of the shops, I wore a cassock when in Yardley Old Church choir and it went down to my shoes
Dave
 
Brilliant photo many memories. Use to get my haircut at Billy Hadens barbers shop top of Church Rd across from the Yum YUM Hardings? bakery. Free warm bread with best Danish butter. I can smell that now. Snogged a few birds in the back of the Tivoli. Pathe news and Flash Gordon my favs
 
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Great pic, lots of memories, most before my time. Remind me, was that Church Rd or Harvey Rd? What was on the corner of Church Rd/Harvey Rd and Coventry Rd? Looks like shops.
 
sheldontony said:
Great pic, lots of memories, most before my time. Remind me, was that Church Rd or Harvey Rd? What was on the corner of Church Rd/Harvey Rd and Coventry Rd? Looks like shops.
Click to expand...
Aerial shot shows Church Rd/Coventry Rd looking away from the Swan roundabout towards Yardley, Sheldon to the right. Harvey Rd was towards the Yew Tree. Church Rd school was(is?) on the corner of Harvey Rd/Church Rd by where the dual carriage way started and across the road from the entrance to Henry Rd School playing fields.
 
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Thanks Jim, it all falls into place. When younger my favorite shop was on Church Rd near Swan Island, the model shop. I spent hours looking in there.
 
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