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All I know about this one is that it was off Rea Street in 1923.
 
I was lucky, I was born and lived in a house in Guildford Street with a front room and our own back yard. The house had been a draper's shop in the past. My parents had moved there from a back to back in a court down the street where they had brought up my three older sisters and brother in a one up, one down and an attic. They did have a cellar as well. I had a friend from school, Burbury Street, who lived in a neighbouring street. He lived in a one up one down. Compared to him, I lived in luxury. I would see his mother about, poorly dressed with straight but uncombed hair; pregnant and always pushing a pram. I suspect she was knocked about by her man whom I never saw. The only evidence I had of him was the poor state of his wife and an expensive toy car my friend was given by him one Christmas. Their living room had a stone floor, a wooden table covered in clutter; often spilled milk and crusts lying around it on the floor. The room was always in a sad state like his mother and my friend. I remember the head teacher at school, Mr Margerison often telling him to get a wash or he would take him to the cloakroom and scrub him himself. I lost touch with him after junior school but his life was not unusual amongst my friends. He seemed happy then but I hope he had a happier life in later years
 
That is so sad Mike and the thought that a happy life might spring from such beginings is hard to conceive. I understand that a human learns it's song of life in the earliest days and under such circumstances how can good things be the result. These things stay with us. They don't go away and if you don't want them to...then you are a lucky one.
 
The memories evoked by childhood can be very powerful, I was quite moved by Lyn's story about the dress. It has probably been suggested before, but I think that we should all write down our childhood memories for the benefit of future generarations, I have got to 50 pages so far and the added bonus is that it can be very therapeutic to relive even painful events.
 
I don't think todays generation would have coped as well as we did sistersue. I think the difference is in our time it was a case of getting the priorities right. These days it would seem that things like a mobile phone, a computer and all life's little luxuries are just as important as learning how to make a good meal out of very little and making do and mend.
 
We were a tongue tied lot if I remember rightly...not encouraged to speak out for oneself...not encouraged to express. Silence in class and a giggle would earn a verbal rebuke, if not a physical one. You can go overboard in the other direction but this situation was not healthy either. Learning to speak in public and to listen to ones peers is an enormously valuable ability...even if not used it gives confidence. Things like that should have been a full subject in school to bring out the person.
 
ASTONITE said:
The memories evoked by childhood can be very powerful, I was quite moved by Lyn's story about the dress. It has probably been suggested before, but I think that we should all write down our childhood memories for the benefit of future generarations, I have got to 50 pages so far and the added bonus is that it can be very therapeutic to relive even painful events.
Click to expand...

thats an excellent idea astonite...by the sound of it you have written down enough of your childhood memories to put into a small paperback...a couple of years back i had some of mine published in carl chinns brummagem mag...so pleased my story about the dress and shoes struck a cord with you...funny really as i would have thought i would have cried at the thought of not being able to have them but i was well aware that the chances of that happening would be very low....just goes to show that dreams can come true...

lyn
 
Have to agree with you Rupert.However,when I was in my final year at school,we were given lessons in local government and public speaking.Perhaps it was because,a few of our teachers had just helped to win a war and felt they had earned the right to improve the lot of the poorer people of society.
 
A lot of today's "poor" unemployed, have cars, foreign holidays, mobile phones etc.
In the 50's and early 60's the average working man didn't have a car or holidays and lived hand to mouth probably working 50 hours a week!
 
I went to an ordinary infants and juniors ten a secondary modern senior. We each had to read out loud to the rest of the class a paragrahh from a book. This way we all read the book together and at the same speed. The teacher corrected us as we did our individual bit of reading and every few weeks we had to read a small section to the Head in his study. This ensured that we could read to a reasonable standard when we left school.
 
I think it's a matter of being able to project a confident image that counts. Appearance is not everything I know but it is a heck of a lot....probably most of it.
 
Thanks to everyone on this thread, have now quizzed mom and dad a bit more and am about to commit it to paper before I forget what they have said! They didn't live in back to backs but mom libed a row of cottages that were bak of houses - the next step up she says! just off Ladypool road, before moving to Vincent Street, where they had their own lav and a little yard, then to Olton Boulevard after being bombed out of Vincent Street in a parlour house.
Dad was posher again, although he was born in Wash Lane, 2 doors up from the fire station - must see if thats still there - he grew up in Victoria Street with a big yard where they looked after the horses from Howes Bakery. My aunt, who I mentioned earlier did live in a back to back though on Muntz Street and moms friend lived in Theodore Street, with one large downstairs room and one large upstairs room and a shared lavvy, but spotlessly clean mom says, then she moved to Asylum Road with separated rooms upstairs.
Sue
 
I have found an old Driving Licence of my Fathers, the address on it is 2/95 Willis Street, Ashted,the date is 12th August 1929. I presume this was No.2 behind No.95.
Reg
 
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I am sorry about the quality of this photo.
It is No5 court, Bishopgate Street after the Council had carried out extensive work to improve living conditions. The work involved demolishing some courts to improve air and lighting, and modernising or repairing the remainder.
 
Hello Paul, my only experience with back houses was two years in one in Freeth Street Ladywood. We had a front house with an entry to the rear and two houses in the samall yard at the rear. By this time we had electricity, a car and various other mod cons. but I can imagine what they were like a couple of generations before.
 
My Gran lived in 2/19 Norman St, Winson Green, one living room and a scullery.

How she raised four kids in such a pokey little place I'll never know.

Never had to lock her door though.
 
vfre.jpegThis courtyard is/was at the rear of 170 Belgrave Road, Balsall Heath. 1962
 
I lived in Belgrave Road for a short time. On the left as you went down the hill, before a bomb site.
 
Yes it was a bit rough Paul, what made it worse was the fact I worked for Mothers Club at the time so it was always late when I got home and I had to park my motor on the waste ground about a hundred yards from the house.
 
xxxx.jpeg
This was in this mornings paper, the information is limited to "back to backs in Summer Lane.
 
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This one is out of my box of bits.
No. 5 Court, Great Colmore Street in 1905.
 
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Would it be safe to assume this location is near to Saltley because of the gasworks ??
 
Looks like they have chalked their address on the wall - ? Saltley road
If so they are almost hemmed in by Gas Works - Nechells place, Windsor St & Duddeston mill Road all have gas works !
 
Hello Brian, I want you to understand that it has nothing at all to do with my age but I did not see that, Thank you for pointing it out.
 
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