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Ward End Park

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DribblinWizard

Guest
...Seeing the word Funfair has tweeked a scrap from the back of my memory.

The fair used to come to Ward End park every year when my siblings and I were young.
One year, and I can't remember the year exactly but it could have been around 1960, a girl was murdered in the park.

The first we heard of it was when there was a knock at the front door and a policeman was standing there asking to question my parents.
They were going from door to door down every road around or near the park.

That's all I can think of, but I do know that it gave us the creeps next time we went round to the park. We used to look for sixpences lost in the grass after the fair had packed up and left.
 
ward end park

:puppyeyes:i met my wife in ward end park.
me and a mate were there on the boating lake, one sunday,saw two girls on a bench and asked if they wanted to come in the boat with us,they agreed so to speak and we finished up going out, my mate who is still my mate lives in shenstone nr lichfield we married the said girls and we both caravan we spend a week together at least once a year,plus the odd weekend.
happy days . regards dereklcg,
 
They were happy days then, we used to roll full length down the hill towards the boating lake when we were kids.

One day we poked around the boathouse having an inquisitive nose (as kids do) and the park-keeper chased us off, so next time we saw him heaping up the cut grass into piles, we jumped in it when his back was turned and then ran away. :grinsmile:
 
Ward End Park

Like DribblinWizard, I remember the grassy hill in Ward End Park with the lake at the bottom. In the winter when it snowed, kids would toboggan down the hill and hope to come to a stop before they continued into the lake. I never saw anyone fall into the water but one year the lake froze over sufficiently for people to be able to walk on it - I bet that wouldn't be allowed these days with Health & Safety regulations! That year, the tobogganists would continue at full pelt to the bottom of the hill in the hope of continuing across the ice until they hit the kerb round the edge of the pool on the other side.
I live near Leeds, in Yorkshire now. We've hardly had any worthwhile snow for years around here so I bet it's the same in Brum, meaning that few young people will have experienced that particular thrill.
 
I married in September 1961 and lived on Washwood Heath road.
Jacqueline Thomas had been murdered a couple of weeks earlier and every time I looked out of my window I could see a poster with her photo on it.
It was a nervous time for all young women in the area.
I read recently that someone was being questioned about her death.

In 1963, I was expecting my first son and used to get exercise by walking to the park.It was the year of the big freeze and that January was a marvellous time for the kids.

The lake was frozen and youngsters would slide down the bank and land on the lake.

Big 'Jack' the parkie kept his eagle eye on them all in case anyone stepped out of line.
 
Ward End Park

I too, lived on Washwood Heath Road and visited the park often. I can remember actually cycling on the park pond when it froze in 1963[and falling off! - several times!!]. In around 1964/5/6 a crowd of us used to play football at the top of the hill, most evenings, until 'Big Jack' chased us off. I always remember the size of his bike, it was huge as he must have been about 6' 4 or 5" and I suspect it had been specially made for him.
 
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Ward End Park
Hi All
I can remember climbing the trees alongside the steep hill leading up to the park, dropping down and chipping my tooth, playing in the sand pits, and paddling with my wellies on in the brook and going under the railway following the brook though, riding my bike around the park early on a Sunday morning, I think you could cycle in the park before 9-00am clock ? My Grandfather used to walk from Jackson Road through the park to the Library on the Washwood Heath Road and I used to go with him, but you had to be very very quiet in there, I have sat with him watching the crown green bowling. Me and my little gang used to take the pop and beer bottles back to get the money off them, then when we had amassed 2/6d we went for a hours rowing on the boats, when I was courting I used to take the girlfriend on the boats, she thought it was great when I used to feather my oars (poser) Come in number one your time is up !! I think some yobs finally burnt the boathouse down, as usual the few spoil things for the many. I used to walk though the park every day when I attended Sladefield Road School, some times on the way back home we would put a penny on the railway track when a train was due and it was the size of a 5 bob bit after the train had thundered over it. I've played on the swings and roundabouts, played cricket and got hit in the head by the ball, done a bit of courting, looked around the large green houses and marvelled at the bannanas growing there, had tea and a cake in the cafe watched the fire engines take off, all this was in what was the "Stately House" that I presumed was owned by the people who originally owned the park, never new what the name of the house was originally? (any ideas) enjoyed the large floral display by the house. Thats about it for my ramble around the Park.
Regards Chris Bryan
 
Yes, Chris, you resurrect several similar memories for me from 1946 - 1956. I also would walk through the park to the library on Washwood Heath Road. Reading your post, brought back the unique smell of the library with its polished shelves and tables and of the books.

Looking back, it seems incredible now that the books were each individually bound in a standard imitation leather cover so that they stood on the shelves as long lines of identical volumes, each with the title and author's name in gold block on the spine. It must have been a terribly expensive to process each book this way - no paperbacks on the shelves in those days!

And then there was the disgrace of having to return an overdue book. I kept one hidden under my bed because it had been so long overdue I was frightened to return it. Eventually they sent a letter demanding its return so I got frogmarched round to the library and had to pay a two shilling fine to a stern-faced, disapproving librarian and scolded by my parents for bringing the family name into disrepute.

Forty years after, when my father died, I found in his effects his favourite book that he had had for years and, lo and behold, it had a Birmingham Public Library stamp inside it!
 
Chris My parents lived in Sladefield road and attended Sladefield Road school.Do you know if there are any old school photos from mid 1930's-40's.
I attended the nursery in Ward End Park and really enjoyed my time there.
 
Here is a thread, type 'pictures of ward end mill' in the search box at top of page. I am sure a lot of this will ring a bell too.

There are other places here also.

Again try 'Alum Rock road-Ward End area'

The search box on the top blue line is pretty good. There is a great deal of information on here now but some of the photographs have dissappeared now possibly due to the cost of saving everything.

Here is another ref. click https://www.virtualbrum.co.uk/east.htm
 
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I remember big Jack the Ward End park keeper.Some one would distract him away from his bike and we would let his tires down. He was a vey tall man, but i dont think anyone was afraid of him.
 
I lived in Bamville rd, (off Washwood Heath Rd), close to the rear entrance to the park from @1958 until migrating in 1968. I well remember the Funfair, it used to travel around Birmingham, Solihull etc. Myself & a mate tobogganed down that hill one winter in the early 60's, they had erected a temporary fence at the bottom & mounded snow in front of it, we were going so fast that rather than hit the fence we kicked off to ome side, cleared the lower path & were going across the surface of the lake praying that the ice wouldn't give way,it did !!, but fortunateley only as we reached the other side. The "Parkie" raced around, made sure we were safe, wrapped us in old towels or blanket & gave us a right royal telling off. I've been in Queensland, Australia now since 1968, my wife has never seen snow !!
 
Peter B,
I used to deliver papers in Bamville Road and part of Woodwells Road for Molyneux's[not sure of the spelling] I guess that would have been around 1962/3/4. Happy days!:D
 
And before anyone asks 58 'Mails' and two bags on Sundays unless there were magazines in them then it was a visit back to the shop!:D
 
Yes, tabogganing down Ward End Park hill into the pool. Remember it well. Free wheeling down Glenpark Road hill on a three wheel tricycle hmmm. Playing soccer at the park sand banks..sandies. There's a section on here about St Marys walk and the old manor that used to be opposite the front gate on Washwood Heath Road...and the remains of the moat and the newts and frogs that lived in it. Pictures of Ward End Mill
 
Can anyone remember another murder in Ward End Park about 5 years or so before the Jacqueline Thomas one took place?
A woman was stabbed to death by her husband on a Saturday morning near the Highfield Road entrance. He also slashed their daughter. The park keepers got the knife off the man who was in the process of stabbing himself in the stomach. I believe they lived in Washwood Heath Road near the Swan pub.
 
I have vague memories of Ward End Park as a child, me and my brother used to go there when we stayed at our nan and grandads house.

Although I never lived in Birmingham I was Christened there and I have gotten it into my head that the church was in or at the edge of Ward End Park.

Am I right, is there a church at Ward End Park close to the railway line?
 
Hi Alijp

As you can see from the map, there are 3 churches closeby Ward End Park. On the left is St Mark's and on the right is St Margaret's. I don't remember the one in the middle, on the corner of Common lane - if indeed it is a church.

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hi all ta for nice,post's my mom and dad met in ward end park.and was married in St Margaret's church. bless em.
chris b, naughty naughty.
 
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To me Church Walk was as big an attraction as Ward End Park with its big pond and loads of frogs, tadpoles and newts to add to that there were lizards amongst the ruins of the church at the end of Church walk. Today it would have been sacrilege to have drained that pond and destroyed the wildlife that was there. There was also the " Witches House " at the start of Church Walk. Can anyone remember this area as it was ?
 
I only ever visited Ward End Park on a couple of occasions. It was a bit off my beaten track as a youngster. So the only time I ever visited was on family days out. One thing sticks in my mind was sitting on the lawn outside the café and my mother asking if I wanted a glass of pop or an ice cream. I surprised everybody including myself by asking for a cup of tea. The first signs of growing up I suppose.

I remember walking alongside the boating pond, it doesn't seem to have changed a great deal over the years because I remember it being very like this photo.


Phil
 

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My dad was a parks policeman, Sergeant Smith, and Ward End Park was was of the ones he patrolled reularly in the 50s and early 60s. Come on, own up, how many of you did he catch doing the wrong thing?
 
I attended the nursey school in Ward End Park mid 50's.My grandparents lived in Pelham Road and both parents attended Sladefield Road school.
 
Phil. Hello again, I see the boat house in the distance close to Washwood Heath Road, I think the so called " Witches House " was just to the left as you would enter Church Walk, I think it was an old bungalow but it was so long ago and we used to hurry past it rather quickly. Very fond memories of the pond and all its inhabitants. I took some photographs in Ward End Park some years ago and did not realise how beautiful it was until I got the photographs were developed.
 
blacksmith.was he base'd at leslie rd perry barr.when i worked for the parks dept,1970's there was a team there.mostly they patrol'd at night times.in ford anglia vans. "livery was B.C.P.D patrol".
 
Icarus, thanks for the map. I am pretty sure it must have been St Marks I was christened in as I really do believe it was pretty close to a railway line. I remember my mother taking me there when we stayed at my nan and grandads for month or so in 1973/4.

Funny but I thought the church was actually in the park itself, seems like my childhood memories have been deceiving me again.

Thanks again.

Ali
 
There was then and still is a grassed area with a few trees right across Washwood Heath road from St Marks with a few cottages along the top of the railway embankment. We used to kick a ball across there on the way to school. That area seemed fairly large to a young boy and might have seemed like a park to you. On Highfield Road next to the railway was the labour exchange. It was indeed a nice area back in the 40s but most of our houses were very basic and damp compared to today.
 
mw0njm said:
blacksmith.was he base'd at leslie rd perry barr.when i worked for the parks dept,1970's there was a team there.mostly they patrol'd at night times.in ford anglia vans. "livery was B.C.P.D patrol".
Click to expand...

No he died in 1973, and had been retired for some years then.
 
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