• 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

Frankfort street, Hockley

fellowkev

fellowkev

master brummie
Hi, does anyone remember much about Frankfort street? I lived as a child at 55 Frankfort street--a back-to-back council house, from 1957 until 1965. I remember a noisey Non-Ferous metals factory located right across the street from our door. There was the corner shop whose name neither I, nor my parents can remember. There were a few pubs on the corner too. Someone suggested they may have been The Great Bull, The little Bull, and The Trees. I remember the smell of beer wafting through the windows as I walked up the hill to my nursery school.
There were still bombed out buildings along the street, too, and we were forever exploring the devastation looking for shrapnel.
I have looked at a google satellite map of the area, and it has obviously been totaly reconstructed. I must get a map from the early 60's.
My memories are very vivid of that area and of that time, I could go on, but I will save it for later...
Anyone have any memories or thoughts?
Thanks,
Kevin
 
Last edited:
Well done Chris I can even see where I lived on that Map.


Kev did you go to Cowper St which was as near to you as myself although I left in 1947:)
 
My Mother/ grandmother lived in Frankfort street, but it was before your time ther i often used to listen to them talking about it.
 
Map of Frankfort Street

Thank you Chris, the map is marvelous. Thanks for taking the time to put it up on the site,
I can't believe how much has changed with the building of the expressways. Think of all the neighborhoods that were torn down. I guess that is progress.
I'll have to print out the map and drive over to show my mom and dad (they live 200 miles east of me, near Detroit), and see what they can remember. Having something to show really helps stir the memories
My parents names are Ronald and Sylvia Fellows. My dad had just gotten out of the RAF in 1958--been stationed in Cyprus during the Suez Crisis.
I am trying to remember the name of my nursery school at the top of the hill...and the metals factory across the street...
Thanks again
Kevin
 
Jack Kirby on Frankfort street

John, thanks for the listing.
This is amazing, but one of the businesses listed on your posted directory page is a Jack Kirby, rag merchant.
Jack was a great family friend. We called him Uncle Jack. He had been a boxer years before(and so too, his brothers). I remember him as a wonderful "Uncle", he would always bring presents for the family (he was in the junk business, after all). Jack was either unmarried or a widow. Jack had lost a toe to the Japanese in Burma. Loved to show the stump. He died about 1970.

Thanks for that, John

Kevin
 
all thats left of frankfort st today,the replacement houses not worth a picture (grim)
 
hi kev, my family all lived in gt, russel street, which was just around the corner from you,
 
Hi Kev, Ther's a little more to that map, I had to cut it down to fit the requoements to post it.
If you wish the full copy let me know and I'll email it to you. :cool:
 
hi pom,can you send me a full copy of that please,great aint it i am asking for a map from a friend 12000 miles away for a map where i am living now,thanks pom
 
Hi & Thanks for the Map, good on yer Pom-Pom gal

sure fellowKev m8 won,t mind me sharing it, Cheers Buddy,

Frankfort,Bridge St West, Farm, Ormond, Cowper Streets & of course
Our Beloved Summer Lane,, My Family resided,, oooh posh ain,t he, lol
 
An affront on Frankfort Street

Thanks dollyferret for the pictures of the present Frankfort street. What in the world were the city planners thinking? I mean, not that it was paradise down there, with the outdated row housing, and poor sanitary conditions; but it was once a thriving, congenial neighborhood. Oh well,

Still, not all is lost; other parts of the redeveloped Birmingham do make up for this unfortunate blunder:)

If you get a chance to take any more pictures, please do so, Pete, I would really like to see the whole street in its present condition. I have looked at it from google satelite, but of course, that doesn't give a complete picture of the redevelopment
 
Last edited:
hi kev,your books should be with you very soon,posted last thursday,will do the street tuesday whats left of it,cant do today as cant get my car out as the VILLA are at home,then its prayer time over the road so stuck in for a while
 
dollyferret said:
hi kev,your books should be with you very soon,posted last thursday,will do the street tuesday whats left of it,cant do today as cant get my car out as the VILLA are at home,then its prayer time over the road so stuck in for a while
Click to expand...

Wow! Thank you very much, dollyferret, you are very kind. Your words and actions (and the help from others on this site) make me want to move back to Brum' ;)
 
Alf said:
Kev did you go to Cowper St which was as near to you as myself although I left in 1947:)
Click to expand...


Hi Chris, I don't remember Cowper street, because I was just a boy. I must have rode my bike down the street many times though, because I used to ride all over Aston in those carefree days. I can't find Cowper on a present map. Has it gone too? What a shame, if it has
icon9.gif
 
dollyferret said:
hi kev,your books should be with you very soon...
Click to expand...

I have just one more thing to say: I recieved the books today dollyferret, and they are great! I love the pictures of old Birmingham, and the one about the No. 8 bus route is marvelous; they will really help me with my research too. You have been very generous, and to think, I was a complete stranger a mere few days ago. You won't accept payment for the books, so I will make a contribution to the site, instead. Thank you very much for your kindness. You're a true Brummie, mate

Kevin
 
hello

used to go to school with a lad , his name was barry ashford, lived just below kirbys rag yard. you might remember him,,,,,,by
 
Hi Billyboy,
How old would Barry be now? While I have your attention: do you remember the names of the pubs on Frankfort street? There was one on the way from my house to Jack's rag yard, I think it was on the corner of gee and frankfurt (I was only a kid at the time). Also, there was a huge factory fire about 1962 on Frankfort street. Every family came out of their back to backs in the early evening to watch it.

Did you know Jack Kirby?
Lots of questions :)
Thanks
 
Rupert. What a great site you have found, thank you for sharing it with us. It's so interesting to read even when not using it for research.
Its now stored with my other favorites.
 
Yeh, if you use this in association with Google Earth you can find out which map page to pull a lot of the time and with a bit of fiddling you can go to the spot as it was in 1890 or there abouts. Sometimes the road has gone though and it is a little harder. In these cases if you know the area, use the search box on the site and often it will pull a map section for you. The maps are in fine detail for the most part, so that if you hold down Ctrl and use the wheel on your wheel mouse you can zoom in further than the max site zoom and see more closely. There is an awful lot of stuff to look at on this facility.
 
old times

fellowkev said:
Hi Billyboy,
How old would Barry be now? While I have your attention: do you remember the names of the pubs on Frankfort street? There was one on the way from my house to Jack's rag yard, I think it was on the corner of gee and frankfurt (I was only a kid at the time). Also, there was a huge factory fire about 1962 on Frankfort street. Every family came out of their back to backs in the early evening to watch it.

Did you know Jack Kirby?
Lots of questions :)
Thanks
Click to expand...

Hello kev
Sorry i cant help you about the pubs on the corners, sad to say barry is no longer with us . he would have been 64 ,we used to go to kirbys scrap yard when we was kids with the old closes,we collected, worked with a lad . his name was roy kirby i think jack kirby was his uncle. one queston kev did you no familey called drayton .lived the bottom of great russill street. june drayton......by kev
 
Thanks for the mapsite Rupert. I think I found my back to back, number 55. Marvelous!

Billyboy, I don't remember anyone in the neighborhood, since I was only a boy. I will mention the name to my dad when I see him
My brother and I used to spend hours and hours in Jack Kirby's junk yard in the early 60's. We used to squash things with his big rag press. This endeavour would entertain us for a good part of a day, as we searched for anything crushable. His yard was a facinating place for a boy to explore.
Jack was a great friend to my mom and dad, even if he did step on the wrong side of the law (he was always in prison for nicking one thing or another). Jack gave us our very first black and white TV, probably around 1962. I don't think anyone dared ask where it came from:D.
all the best,
Kevin
 
Last edited:
Wheres the 'elf & safety people? that child should be wearing a florescent jacket, probable a hard hat as well. :)
 
frankfort street

map of Frankfort street Kelly's do not list a public house in Frankfort street it would abut on an ajoining corner
I have a larger portion of this area if required
 
Hi John, thanks for the map. What year is it? The factory across the street from us was a sheet metal fabricator of some sort (Perhaps Britannia Works). I'll take a look at the larger map if and when you have time to post it.
We lived at 55 frankfort street in a 3 story back to back, walking down the street towards Jack Kirby's rag yard (he was at #86 if I remember), one passed the corner shop (I think we agreed it was Duddley and Little) on my side of the road (where I used to buy Cadbury bars), and a little farther along, the pub on the left hand side of the road. This was around 1964.
Thanks John
Kevin
 
Last edited:
Frankfort street

I will take this off after awhile as it's quite large
map circa 1913
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top