• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Potters Hill Aston

I am enjoying the photos and posts on here, thanks for sharing. My mother, surname Price, lived on Park Lane and worked at Pratts the plumbers in Potters Lane/ Potters Hill from around 1943 to 1954 when she left to get married. She said the office staff included Billy Harris, Sam Nicholls, Barbara Nicholls, Billy James, Muriel Howells. Does anyone have any information about Pratts ?
 
In February 1940 H Pratt Ltd were advertising for electricians in conduit installations - contracting experience was essential. By April 1940 H Pratt Ltd were at 27 - 29 Potters Lane Aston, And were seeking electricians in an advert in the Birmingham Mail. Again they were engaged in government work. Later that year (October) they were again seeking electricians doing work in Birmingham, South Wales and Lancashire. Viv.
 
Last edited:
Memory Lane said:
I am enjoying the photos and posts on here, thanks for sharing. My mother, surname Price, lived on Park Lane and worked at Pratts the plumbers in Potters Lane/ Potters Hill from around 1943 to 1954 when she left to get married. She said the office staff included Billy Harris, Sam Nicholls, Barbara Nicholls, Billy James, Muriel Howells. Does anyone have any information about Pratts ?
Click to expand...
In 1955 H. Pratt's was still at 27 - 29 Potter's Lane
 
Vivienne14 said:
By April 1940 H Pratt Ltd were at 27 - 29 Potters Lane Aston, And were seeking electricians in an advert in the Birmingham Mail. Again they were engaged in government work. Later that year (October) they were again seeking electricians doing work in Birmingham, South Wales and Lancashire. Viv.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the reply
They seem to have covered electrical, plumbing and maybe even some decorating, (based on things I remember my mom saying). My dad was an electrician and went to see a friend at Pratt's and that's how my parents first met
 
In 1943 they were describing themselves as contractors on essential war work. H.Pratts must have been a reliable company to have consistently secured essential government work. Viv.
 
Vivienne14 said:
In February 1940 H Pratt Ltd were advertising for electricians in conduit installations - contracting experience was essential. By April 1940 H Pratt Ltd were at 27 - 29 Potters Lane Aston, And were seeking electricians in an advert in the Birmingham Mail. Again they were engaged in government work. Later that year (October) they were again seeking electricians doing work in Birmingham, South Wales and Lancashire. Viv.
Click to expand...
I hadn't known they did government work, interesting to know that, thank you
 
Vivienne14 said:
In 1943 they were describing themselves as contractors on essential war work. H.Pratts must have been a reliable company to have consistently secured essential government work. Viv.
Click to expand...
this is fascinating to know, my mother didn't mention that side of things, she started there in the office, I think around 1943 after she left school
 
Maybe your mother responded to this Birmingham Mail advert in February 1943. You never know !
4D0078A4-8870-41CE-87DC-68A1B130B1FC.jpeg
Source: British Newspaper Archive
 
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.
 
Vivienne14 said:
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.
Click to expand...
that is interesting ta viv
 
Vivienne14 said:
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.
Click to expand...
Good to know, thank you again We often went to the Capitol cinema when we were kids / teenagers.
 
Vivienne14 said:
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.
Click to expand...
Trying to place The Capitol. Was that where they used to host Wrestling Matches in the late 50s?
 
Tinpot said:
When and who were the potters on Potters Hill?
Click to expand...
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.
 
Last edited:
RobT said:
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.
Click to expand...
Thanks Rob T. Do you know if there has been any evidence of pottery makers in that area?
 
Astoness said:
right here we go..hope there are a few new ones here...

lyn

View attachment 136354View attachment 136355View attachment 136356View attachment 136357View attachment 136358View attachment 136359View attachment 136360
Click to expand...
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?!!
 
brummy-lad said:
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
Click to expand...
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?
 
Shirley Jane said:
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?!!
Click to expand...
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
 
Ken1947 said:
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
Click to expand...
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.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top