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Old street pics..

Stitcher said:
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This shop was on the corner of Sutton Street and Aston Road North.
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Been having a good long look at this one and just realised what I thought were turkeys hanging up are bananas! You see they looked like the white feathers that turkeys sometimes have. Doh.. Anyway, what a great photo of a thriving greengrocers. Well stocked and nicely arranged. Don't see too many on that scale anymore.

This is one of a floristry stall. Nothing much has changed, although there might be a few less around, but most markets will have flowers and plantsmen even today. It's the flower market in 1901.


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topsy the pic you posted on 170 shows one of the new maisonettes that were built in hunters vale and they went just round the corner into villa st...dad used to live in the old houses in hunters vale and his mom had the choice of a new maisonette in 1938...looks like dad and his family had a lucky escape when the bombs hit hunters vale as he was only a few yards away from the damaged one in the pic...i was talking to dad this morning and he said he was scared witless when they were hit..dad would have been 13 at the time..thanks for the other 2 pics topsy the ones showing people in them could well show my grandad surveying the damage and dad has asked me to get copies of all four pics as he would like to see them...although they make sad viewing i am so pleased that you posted them as they are part of my family history...

lyn.x
 
What a great result for you Lyn although as you say the pictures do make sad viewing. Your dad and his family definitely had a lucky escape - I am sure the photos will bring back even more memories for him. Well done topsy.
 
pol i am chuffed to bits with the 4 pics as although dad was evacuated for part of the war he has talked many times about the war years in hunters vale i had no idea just how badly it was damaged.. i will prob start a hunters vale thread and post them and a couple of 60s pics i have of it...talking to dad this morning he even remembers the name of someone who was killed or injured in the raid and he said a factory called rex nichols was also hit..mike has checked this out for me and sure enough there was a rex nichols in hunters vale..what a memory he has considering he was hit by a massive stroke 3 years ago...
 
Brilliant Lyn. So good to hear how these things trigger off lots of memories for people. I bet your dad was pleased too. Viv.
 
viv its good for dad to keep his brain active and to be fair i dont think the war had a bad impact on him as such..but there again i think maybe quite a few young lads found it an adventure..it was the parents who carried all the worries of war on their shoulders..
 
Lyn, it is brilliant that your dad can remember so much especially as he has had a stroke. I am not familiar with this road/area but I will look forward to seeing your pictures and reading more of your dads memories.
 
pol although the stroke took dads left side and he cant walk at all at least it didnt affect his brain... i doubt very much if hunters vale will mean much to many as its was just a square but maybe some members had rellies living there...will sort out a thread in a bit..

lyn
 
Astoness, you are correct, all us kids thought the war a great adventure (i was 9 when the war started) until one day in 1940 there was an empty desk in front of me at St James school Shirley and the teacher had the difficult job explaining to us that "Brian (I think his name was Brian Townsend) would no longer be coming to School as both he and his Mom where killed in the previous nights raid". I think this is when I realised that war was not just a game. Sorry for going of thread. Eric
 
hi eric...its good to hear your memories of the war...could be an idea to start a thread for just such memories...

lyn
 
So pleased we came across those pics then lyn. How lucky your family were when you see the damage done. My bro in law lived in those maisonettes late 50s/early 60s.
I Wish my Dad was here to ask him a few questions .He was a wealth of stories and info but when your young it all sounds boring.
 
i know what you mean topsy...life can be full of i wished...i wished i had had the foresight 40 years ago to take pics of all the streets of interest to me...but all we wanted to do then was enjoy ourselves..

do you know what number your bro in law lived at ??
 
The tears are falling down my face, the kids all think I'm barmy, I can't afford a ticket home so I'm going to join the army. Kind Regards, David.
 
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I assume this is a public service vehicle rather than family transport. All I have with it is Stratford Road, 1912.
I get the feeling that it is travelling away from the city and has just gone past Main Street.
 
Don't know the area but that's a great photo. The top deck makes it look top heavy. Wouldn't want to be on the top in all weathers. Viv.
 
another great photo stitcher, must have a good head for heights when a top passenger, maybe a fore runner of MR.
paul
 
The coach might be past where the electric trams ran to perhaps if it is 1912. Or perhaps a coach running away from the electrified line to localities.
 
thanks carolina i thought that as well...i had to take this from behind glass so im surprised it has come out so well..

lyn
 
hi lynn
yes that,s a cracking fun picture of the times gone bye ;any idea what year it would have been;
or more to the finer point do you know the name of the family or what number it was at when it was taken;
keeping coming lynn ; alan ;
 
sorry alan i have no other info on this pic...it would be great to date it but at a guess i would think it was taken in the 1800s but thats my best guess...i have been a bit busy lately spending time in the garden and the kingstanding thread has taken my interest for a while but i am hoping to have another batch of old street pics for you very soon...

lyn
 
Astoness said:
thanks carolina i thought that as well...i had to take this from behind glass so im surprised it has come out so well..

lyn
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I've seen the picture before, and I'd love to know the house number. Where did you take it ?

My G G Grandparents lived in Victoria Rd till the mid 1800's and I cant help but wonder.... He died in 1855 aged in his 60s. so the age would be about right. There are no phto's afaik, so nothing to compare it with.

Great photo though either way.
 
hi col it was taken in a pub i visited..it does look later than the 1850s though although i cant be sure...ive zoomed in on this one and there isnt even number on the door that i can see which is a pity..the house looks as it it could be georgian which would fit in with the time your gt gt grandparents were living in victoria road..oh i do so hate these unsolved mysteries...
lyn
 
ok folks here is the next batch...

the big top site..new st 1953

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bristol st ...jan 1955

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soho road showing the regal cinema..1953

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rocky lane with stretton road on the left..june 1953

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dudley road/heath st..june 1955..my gt gt gt grandad lived in heath st in the 1860s

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castle square weoley castle...oct 1954


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stratford road sparkhill....1954

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dale end from high st...june 1955

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one of my favourites...soho hill hockley brook...i think the bus is turning out of icknield st...aug 1955

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monument road..ladywood..nov 1955

crowds gather to see the queen and the duke of edinburgh on their way from kigs edward school to visit lucas at gt hampton st...i wonder if anyones parents maybe on this one or a rellie..

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