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Potters Hill Aston

Just out of interest interest and to illustrate the high regard of the company, H Pratt did the plumbing in 1925 for the, then new, Capital Cinema, Ward End. It was fitted out with the latest electrical equipment (Kalce projectors and Crompton generators), it had a modern heating and ventilating system and the light fittings installed were described as beautiful, depicting a frieze from the Parthenon as well as translucent ceiling lamps. Viv.
that is interesting ta viv
 
Just out of interest interest and to illustrate the high regard of the company, H Pratt did the plumbing in 1925 for the, then new, Capital Cinema, Ward End. It was fitted out with the latest electrical equipment (Kalce projectors and Crompton generators), it had a modern heating and ventilating system and the light fittings installed were described as beautiful, depicting a frieze from the Parthenon as well as translucent ceiling lamps. Viv.
Good to know, thank you again We often went to the Capitol cinema when we were kids / teenagers.
 
Just out of interest interest and to illustrate the high regard of the company, H Pratt did the plumbing in 1925 for the, then new, Capital Cinema, Ward End. It was fitted out with the latest electrical equipment (Kalce projectors and Crompton generators), it had a modern heating and ventilating system and the light fittings installed were described as beautiful, depicting a frieze from the Parthenon as well as translucent ceiling lamps. Viv.
Trying to place The Capitol. Was that where they used to host Wrestling Matches in the late 50s?
 
When and who were the potters on Potters Hill?
Like nearby Alma st it was cut out of meadows soon after the Crimean War. Much of the local land was owned by Mr Potter & Mr Whitehead - hence Potters Hill, Potters Lane and Whitehead St & Whitehead Rd. (From Streets of Brum Part Three by Carl Chinn)

Also
The name is taken from the 18th-century Potter family whose farm, Potters Farm lay just north of Park Lane.
 
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Like nearby Alma st it was cut out of meadows soon after the Crimean War. Much of the local land was owned by Mr Potter & Mr Whitehead - hence Potters Hill, Potters Lane and Whitehead St & Whitehead Rd. (From Streets of Brum Part Three by Carl Chinn)

Also
The name is taken from the 18th-century Potter family whose farm, Potters Farm lay just north of Park Lane.
Thanks Rob T. Do you know if there has been any evidence of pottery makers in that area?
 
I’ve just joined this group wondering on the off chance I might find my old school (Burlington Road Junior School) which I did. As a bonus I came across these pictures of Potters Hill. The 4th picture is where I used to live on the right hand side in one of the two 3 story houses with an alleyway running between them. I think it was No.11 but not sure. If the picture was taken in 1969 I would have been there then. What a lovely surprise to find these as I’ve searched on the web a couple of times for Potters Hill but without success. Thank you so much for posting. I was trying to convince folk the other day that there was a shop down the road called ‘The House that Jack built’ (I still have Xmas tree decorations my Mum bought from there) or did I dream this?!!
 
Hi Shirley, welcome to the forum. Looking at the map in post #42 I would think it would have been No. 11.

Have you had a look at other pictures of the area, around 400 photos so it takes a while to load:

www.leroux.co.uk/aston
Hello brummy-lad thank you for the welcome.

Oh yes, just checked #42 and there it is, No. 11. It’s bringing back so many memories.

Where do I find the pictures?
 
I’ve just joined this group wondering on the off chance I might find my old school (Burlington Road Junior School) which I did. As a bonus I came across these pictures of Potters Hill. The 4th picture is where I used to live on the right hand side in one of the two 3 story houses with an alleyway running between them. I think it was No.11 but not sure. If the picture was taken in 1969 I would have been there then. What a lovely surprise to find these as I’ve searched on the web a couple of times for Potters Hill but without success. Thank you so much for posting. I was trying to convince folk the other day that there was a shop down the road called ‘The House that Jack built’ (I still have Xmas tree decorations my Mum bought from there) or did I dream this?!!
I have seen the pics a few years ago cant remember where.
The picture with the cafe was the start of Potters Hill and it went all the way to Victoria Road. Back in 50s the cafe was a small grocery shop and like most shops did'nt have much in there, just the basics bread, milk etc.
The 4th house up (No9), first floor bedroom was the room I was born in in 1947. They were back to backs and there was 8 of us living in just 3 rooms. We moved out 1958/59 under the Regeneration Scheme and I was surprised how many years after they carried on putting people into them.
Taylors the Drapers and Furnishing had 2 shops the one in Potters Hill and another in Bartons Bank. On my way home from school I used to walk past the one in Bartons Bank and the one day it was on fire. I can still picture it now with the fire engines and the crowds standing watching.
The House that Jack Built was just past the Aston Hip and I used to stare in the window looking at the lead figures hoping I would get some for Xmas
 
I have seen the pics a few years ago cant remember where.
The picture with the cafe was the start of Potters Hill and it went all the way to Victoria Road. Back in 50s the cafe was a small grocery shop and like most shops did'nt have much in there, just the basics bread, milk etc.
The 4th house up (No9), first floor bedroom was the room I was born in in 1947. They were back to backs and there was 8 of us living in just 3 rooms. We moved out 1958/59 under the Regeneration Scheme and I was surprised how many years after they carried on putting people into them.
Taylors the Drapers and Furnishing had 2 shops the one in Potters Hill and another in Bartons Bank. On my way home from school I used to walk past the one in Bartons Bank and the one day it was on fire. I can still picture it now with the fire engines and the crowds standing watching.
The House that Jack Built was just past the Aston Hip and I used to stare in the window looking at the lead figures hoping I would get some for Xmas
I would have been 8 when the picture was taken, I think we left 3 or 4 years later when we moved to Kings Norton. My memories are a bit hazy but I remember being happy living there even though when I think back the house was pretty grim with an outside toilet and a tin bath (folks don’t believe me when I say we had one) hanging up on the back of a door, I remember how steamy the kitchen would get filling up saucepans with hot water for the tin bath. Our neighbour at No. 13 was an elderly lady who would get down on her hands and knees to scrub her front doorstep until it shined. Occasionally we’d be invited round for tea and cake, she would get out her best china and tablecloth and put on a posh voice, at the time I believed she was posh for real! I can’t recall her name at the moment but it will come if I stop thinking about it!

I remember a newsagents up the road where my Mum used to send me to buy her 10 No.6 cigarettes. There was a hairdressers Mum used to go to just down the road I think, for her regular ‘Grecian style’ hairdo. Mum used to wear short skirts and white patent leather knee length boots and would quite often get whistled at. There was a butcher somewhere nearby where we would go to buy our meat and get off cuts for our black Labrador ‘Judy’. The butcher always teased me and one time I went to buy some lights (remember those) for our dog but instead he threw some sheep’s eyes on the counter, I flew out of that shop utterly horrified and ran home to tell my Mum. I’m not sure I ever went back.

I remember an Irish lady, Mrs Hegarty I think she was called and she had a lot of children. She lived further up the hill on the other side I think and if she came out to tell us kids off in the street we all took notice and behaved ourselves. I have only nice memories of her.

There was a family opposite who we were very friendly with but I can’t remember any details. I may have dreamed it but I think they were Jewish. They were lovely, I vaguely remember missing them when we moved, or maybe they moved first, it’s all a bit hazy.

I haven’t thought about these memories for a long time, so glad I came across this thread about Potters Hill.
 
I would have been 8 when the picture was taken, I think we left 3 or 4 years later when we moved to Kings Norton. My memories are a bit hazy but I remember being happy living there even though when I think back the house was pretty grim with an outside toilet and a tin bath (folks don’t believe me when I say we had one) hanging up on the back of a door, I remember how steamy the kitchen would get filling up saucepans with hot water for the tin bath. Our neighbour at No. 13 was an elderly lady who would get down on her hands and knees to scrub her front doorstep until it shined. Occasionally we’d be invited round for tea and cake, she would get out her best china and tablecloth and put on a posh voice, at the time I believed she was posh for real! I can’t recall her name at the moment but it will come if I stop thinking about it!

I remember a newsagents up the road where my Mum used to send me to buy her 10 No.6 cigarettes. There was a hairdressers Mum used to go to just down the road I think, for her regular ‘Grecian style’ hairdo. Mum used to wear short skirts and white patent leather knee length boots and would quite often get whistled at. There was a butcher somewhere nearby where we would go to buy our meat and get off cuts for our black Labrador ‘Judy’. The butcher always teased me and one time I went to buy some lights (remember those) for our dog but instead he threw some sheep’s eyes on the counter, I flew out of that shop utterly horrified and ran home to tell my Mum. I’m not sure I ever went back.

I remember an Irish lady, Mrs Hegarty I think she was called and she had a lot of children. She lived further up the hill on the other side I think and if she came out to tell us kids off in the street we all took notice and behaved ourselves. I have only nice memories of her.

There was a family opposite who we were very friendly with but I can’t remember any details. I may have dreamed it but I think they were Jewish. They were lovely, I vaguely remember missing them when we moved, or maybe they moved first, it’s all a bit hazy.

I haven’t thought about these memories for a long time, so glad I came across this thread about Potters Hill.
hi shirley and welcome..lovely memories you have of potters hill..i was born in my nans back to back house not far away in paddington st..1 bedroom 1 attic...nan had one bedroom and mom dad myself and my younger brother slept in the attic bedroom...by the time i got to 5 it was getting a tad cramped so we move to villa st and although the house we had was much older than nans back to back it did have 2 bedrooms and an attic...front and back living room and an indoor bathroom which was quite rare in 1958 but it was an add on by the landlord but it did have issues ie very bad damp..we still had the outside loo as well..mom went on to have 6 children in the end..we had the best childhood ever..not much money of course but plenty of love from our mom and dad..i often sit and wonder that if such a history forum is around in 50 years time just what the kids of today will write about their childhood....no doubt they will talk about computer games and the latest phones of the day. but will they be as inspired as we are to write about it?..my childhood like most on here was spent outdoors making up our own games to play..collecting wood for bonfire nights..penny for the guy..dads making home made go carts from 4 old pram wheels a plank of wood and a piece of string..playing tracking around the streets...hopscotch..the list is endless..would not swap my childhood for all the tea in china...hope you enjoy the forum :)

lyn
 
hi shirley and welcome..lovely memories you have of potters hill..i was born in my nans back to back house not far away in paddington st..1 bedroom 1 attic...nan had one bedroom and mom dad myself and my younger brother slept in the attic bedroom...by the time i got to 5 it was getting a tad cramped so we move to villa st and although the house we had was much older than nans back to back it did have 2 bedrooms and an attic...front and back living room and an indoor bathroom which was quite rare in 1958 but it was an add on by the landlord but it did have issues ie very bad damp..we still had the outside loo as well..mom went on to have 6 children in the end..we had the best childhood ever..not much money of course but plenty of love from our mom and dad..i often sit and wonder that if such a history forum is around in 50 years time just what the kids of today will write about their childhood....no doubt they will talk about computer games and the latest phones of the day. but will they be as inspired as we are to write about it?..my childhood like most on here was spent outdoors making up our own games to play..collecting wood for bonfire nights..penny for the guy..dads making home made go carts from 4 old pram wheels a plank of wood and a piece of string..playing tracking around the streets...hopscotch..the list is endless..would not swap my childhood for all the tea in china...hope you enjoy the forum :)

lyn
Lovely memories Lyn, thanks for sharing.

Who knows how things will be in 50 years time, perhaps folks will be able to put on headsets and relive memories in a holographic format as if actually there (like in ‘Red Dwarf’ ) or relive them in a way that hasn’t yet been invented.
 
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