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Spring Lane Erdington

Phil

Phil

Gone, but not forgotten.
Can anyone enlighten me on these structures on Spring Lane in 1951? People are obviously living in them, are they temporary housing from the war?

I only ask because I seem to remember calling here with my uncle when he drove for W.Groom. It must have been later than 51 because I was only 4 then. I would think I was between 8 and 10. that would make it some time around 1955 to 1958. Were they still standing then?

Phil
 

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Hello Phil,grt pics.
the wooden type buildings have been on here before i think?
i remember Grooms did,nt they do demolition,as did Doyle,s and John Brows in Lawley st,we used to dance round some of them great big fires they used to have on the bomb pecks when i live in nechells.. Happy days regards dereklcg
 
Yes 'W Groom' did demolition they were based in Balsall Heath and I used to see the son driving past along the Mosely Road (I worked at Butcher's Tranfer Printers at the time). I believe it was not healthy to upset them in those days. Old man Groom bought his wife a car with the registration '2 Mom'. I saw this Reg'n a couple of years ago and talking to the lady driver discovered she had had it from Groom.
 
The wooden buildings look similar to those that were in Swanshurst Park on the corner of Brook Lane and Yardley Wood Road, Billesley. Originally Army I think.
 
About the wooden buildings in Spring Lane, yes I can see that they were probably ex army buildings. Its just that seeing the women & children in the photo I wondered if they were used for temporary accommodation after the war like the prefabs were.

Phil
 
I believe these huts were for the Italian prisoners of war billeted in Spring Lane which later became accomodation for families who had little left after the war... I believe the National School was eventually built on the site.
 
The 'then' pictures are taken from old postcards, the 'now' pictures taken from Google Streetview.
The older of the pictures is thought to date from the 1920's.

Ian.
 
Thanks for posting the photos Ian. Spring Lane brings back so many fond memories for me. A walk down Church Rd from the High St and into the playing fields. A regular venue for both football and cricket from primary thru secondary school. I've been away from Brum for a good many years now, but assume the playing fields are still there. And what about some of the others like Jaffray Rd, Feltham Rd, Rookery Park? I guess some may have been turned into housing estates by now.
 
Re: The Spring Lane wooden huts, yes they were erected by the army and used by the army personel who manned the 'ack-ack' guns in north Birmingham, I started work at Kenders Hardware Store, the corner of Holly Lane and Kingsbury Road in 1947 and my employer, Mr Frank Saye, lived at 47 Spring Lane, he used to complain about the 'squaters' who had moved into the huts when the military moved out! Don Clive.
 
Don Clive said:
Re: The Spring Lane wooden huts, yes they were erected by the army and used by the army personel who manned the 'ack-ack' guns in north Birmingham, I started work at Kenders Hardware Store, the corner of Holly Lane and Kingsbury Road in 1947 and my employer, Mr Frank Saye, lived at 47 Spring Lane, he used to complain about the 'squaters' who had moved into the huts when the military moved out! Don Clive.
Click to expand...
thanks for the info,my parents address was listed as 9 spring lane camp site, i can only assume they had hit on hard times in 1948.
 
I don't think your parent's had neccessary 'fallen on hard times', the war had only been over for a couple of years and with the number of houses demolished in the bombing (Birmingham was 'hit' far more seriously than the press of the day were allowed to tell!) and the forces being demobbed, anything was made into a home by young families, my wife and I got married in 1953, our son was born in 1954 (he was issued with a ration book!) we tried to get on the council housing list only to be told....."have another NINE children as quickly as possible, or come back in TEN years" that was how short the housing stock was. Don Clive.
 
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Re: The Spring Lane wooden huts.

I lived just a short distance from them, in Edwards Rd near its junction with Moor End Lane.. I remember several sloping concrete 'bunkers' or whatever they were, partially flooded. We would wade in amongst the debris and litter in our welies, thrilled to grab an occasional frog.

Anyone know what the original purpose of these structures was please?

Terry, East Grinstead, UK
 
Re: Erdington as we know it.

Terry, I thought the most reasonable explanation of the wooden huts was that they were ex army, and that after the war they were used by squatters (not the sort we have today) but those people that were sick of waiting for new housing to be built so they just occupied ex WD property like this until they were offered better housing.
 
Phil said:
Can anyone enlighten me on these structures on Spring Lane in 1951? People are obviously living in them, are they temporary housing from the war?

I only ask because I seem to remember calling here with my uncle when he drove for W.Groom. It must have been later than 51 because I was only 4 then. I would think I was between 8 and 10. that would make it some time around 1955 to 1958. Were they still standing then?

Phil
Click to expand...
Hi just seen your post my dad brian drove the crain.and digger for grooms
 
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