They Were Caught In Our Old Street Pics...

[Vivienne14]

Three ladies outside the Market Hall ruins. You do wonder what they were discussing. Viv.

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Hi John M. I've had a look around for other photos of the Worcester Street entrance to the Market Hall. This one shows Marshall's stall open for business. Not sure if it helps. I like the delivery boy in his apron riding his bike, probably enjoying the freedom from work on one of the stalls. There's another delivery boy striding back up the hill, probably less happy having to have made his delivery on foot. Viv.

 

[John M Weoley Castle]

Hello Viv,
Thanks for your latest picture, tried to reply before but the system would not let me in for some reason. J

 

[Phil]

The junction of Lichfield Rd and Waterworks Rd c1954 prior to the M6 Interchange (Spaghetti Junction). The old bloke pushing the barrow is saying to himself "It's about time someone opened a café here".

 

[oldMohawk]

Interesting photo - a photographer had set up for a photo of a street corner or business and and a man looking as if he was from Victorian times walked into it with his old fashioned handcart. He seems to have coats hanging from it so he may have been what we used to call a 'rag-and bone' man. It's funny how these old pics makes one think - wheel balancing - I can't remember when I last had that done on a car.
Regarding handcarts, I've seen many unusual ones caught in the old street pics !

 

[nickcc101]

The junction of Lichfield Rd and Waterworks Rd c1954 prior to the M6 Interchange (Spaghetti Junction). The old bloke pushing the barrow is saying to himself "It's about time someone opened a café here".

Was that where the Last Chance used to be Phil ?

 

[brummie nick]

wheel balancing - I can't remember when I last had that done on a car.

I'm sure you have them balanced every time you have a new tyre fitted.

Nick

 

[oldMohawk]

I'm sure you have them balanced every time you have a new tyre fitted.

Nick

When I used to have new tyres fitted years ago, I remember pieces of lead crimped on to the rims for balance. With the alloy wheels I have these days I'll have to have a look see if anything is there.

 

[Phil]

Was that where the Last Chance used to be Phil ?

Nick,


You can judge for yourself, but the last chance café was on the corner of Waterworks Rd & Lichfield Rd. I don't think this photo was taken very much later than the original one.

 

[brummie nick]

When I used to have new tyres fitted years ago, I remember pieces of lead crimped on to the rims for balance. With the alloy wheels I have these days I'll have to have a look see if anything is there.

I think your wheels will be balanced, the balance weights my be stuck in the inside of the rim where you cant see them.

 

[paul stacey]

Modern alloy wheels have the lead weights stuck to the inner rim.paul

 

[oldMohawk]

When we had a large Royal Navy little boys were proud to wear 'sailor suits' and walk with their dads. It's a good excuse to show this pic of Erdington High Street c1915 near Six Ways, and looking through the old pics, Erdington seems to have been one of the most 'photogenic' districts in Birmingham. Just look at those first floor windows and balustrade on the left .....

 

[jennyann]

Great photo Oldmohawk. I received a calendar a few years ago with this picture in it. Sailor suits were popular for children to wear in early 1900's. My father wore one I know. He was born in 1905. My brother Bill lived in the flat on the left where the window is open when he first got married in 1969. The flat had several rooms and very high ceilings I remember. Entrance was from the back alley. The balustrade decoration was removed before he lived there. Not sure when. Can anyone read the name of the shop with the half circle roof line across the road on the right hand side?

 

[oldMohawk]

Hi Jennyann - I wondered about that shop but could not read the name and had a look on steetview but the right side of the street has gone but the buildings on the left are still there but greatly altered. They certainly had some fine buildings in old Erdington.
Street view link https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&...d=tN2A096dhoReIm26beIBLw&cbp=12,52.54,,0,0.37

 

[Vivienne14]

Great photo Oldmohawk.......... My brother Bill lived in the flat on the left where the window is open when he first got married in 1969..... The balustrade decoration was removed before he lived there........?

Yes absolutely lovely photo Phil. The balustrades give a sense of uniformity along that parade. Some shops still have the dividing pillars with their tops which would have acted as supports for the decorative ironwork. The ladies exude elegance promenading in their summer clothes. All suggests a sense peace and order. But sadly we know otherwise, as the horrors of WW1 were being played out in France.

Hi Jenny, chances are I would have served your brother/sister-in-law in Boots the Chemist just a little further down on that side of the High Street. I worked there on Saturdays from 1969. It was a great place to work. Viv.

 

[David Weaver]

I joined the Life Boy's before the war in Aston. The place I went to was at the top of Church Lane near Lichfield Road. There was a gym and a thick rope to the ceiling. Until you could climb that rope you couldn't get a sailor hat, the real reason for joining. Regards, David.

 

[Astonian]

hi david
the place you are on about is dyson hall park street it was oppersite church lane and by the vine pub and my aunt and cousins lived at number ten
i lived and born at 5/92 lichfield road and i myself enrolled with the life bouys it was great fun but also the 1 st company of the boys brigade of birmingham
was also was in there it was run by capt; roberts whom lived in albert rd next to the bag wash shop down thee next to aston park
my tw older brothers was in the brigade my oldest brother ron whom is in his mid seventys now was lead drummer and the second oldest died two years ago he was lead bugler and thee friend and still family friend was john Lloyed whom also still alive and they are still in touch john lived in white house street aston next to our nans old house
and neibour to the chinns when he was a kid ;best wishes alan astonian;;;;

 

[oldMohawk]

Its strange how many of us wanted to wear uniforms back in those days. Looking at the little boy in the photo he possibly served in the armed forces in WW2. I was in the boy scouts and remember how eager I was to earn my badges and sew them on to my uniform. I seem to remember a 'Scouts Shop' in the city but can't remember exactly where it was. I've had a search on the forum and can find plenty of scouts but no 'Scouts Shop'. The Boy's Brigade had the best street marching band in our district.

 

[Vivienne14]

The Scout's shop I remember was at the bottom of Corporation Street. Think it was opposite Hawkins the big linen shop. Big gothic looking place. They had big window displays with tents inside. Remember it well as you went round Lancaster Circus on the bus. But never went inside. Viv.

 

[oldMohawk]

I noticed this forum pic of almost the same scene as #911 and looks 1950s. The balustrade on the left has mostly been replaced with shop signs and the name on the shop with large curved windows looks like W Taylor & Sons ? Just to keep on topic there is a lady on the right caught in this pic who seems to be wearing an unusually short skirt for the 1950s !

 

[Vivienne14]

Taylor's eventually became Owen, Owen, the department store I think. The Taylor building(s) in the two photos was replaced by a modern one, probably early 60s. Viv.

 

[Astonian]

thats correct bernard they later moved to the bottom end down by the steel house end
and it later became brownies and girl guides uniforms as well ; but many later years later in the latter part of the sixties it changed to a works inform and overals shop
it had double windows one half on he corporation street side and the front door was almost facing the central fire stationand the other window was in steel house lane side as you took the corner to walk up the lane and eventualy it turned into a coffee shop ; and years later into a wine bar best wishes astonian;

 

[Vivienne14]

Remember the Girl Guide and overall stuff too Alan. But my favourite was the tent displays, don't know why, maybe as a child it seemed marvellous that they'd put tents up indoors!

Phil, when the new Taylor's/Owen, Owen was built (when it was re-built it was still called Taylor's) they left the victorian building on either side. Just up from Taylor's was a cafe on the corner of Harrison Road. Spent many, many hours in there with a frothy coffee! Think it was called the Griddle Inn in the 60s/70s. Viv.

 

[David Weaver]

hi david
the place you are on about is dyson hall park street it was oppersite church lane and by the vine pub and my aunt and cousins lived at number ten
i lived and born at 5/92 lichfield road and i myself enrolled with the life bouys it was great fun but also the 1 st company of the boys brigade of birmingham
was also was in there it was run by capt; roberts whom lived in albert rd next to the bag wash shop down thee next to aston park
my tw older brothers was in the brigade my oldest brother ron whom is in his mid seventys now was lead drummer and the second oldest died two years ago he was lead bugler and thee friend and still family friend was john Lloyed whom also still alive and they are still in touch john lived in white house street aston next to our nans old house
and neibour to the chinns when he was a kid ;best wishes alan astonian;;;;

What a small world we live in Alan, we surely must have crossed paths all those years ago and now in old age still sharing the little stories about when we nippers. I think our parents would have been quietly proud that we hadn't forgotten our roots. Kind regards old friend and keep up the gentle reminders, David.

 

[Richie]

Its strange how many of us wanted to wear uniforms back in those days. Looking at the little boy in the photo he possibly served in the armed forces in WW2. I was in the boy scouts and remember how eager I was to earn my badges and sew them on to my uniform. I seem to remember a 'Scouts Shop' in the city but can't remember exactly where it was. I've had a search on the forum and can find plenty of scouts but no 'Scouts Shop'. The Boy's Brigade had the best street marching band in our district.

John Ball's Birmingham memories website refers to a Scout Shop in Dale End. The section where it is referred to is in Walk No.5

 

[Anne Watton]

I remember the scout/guide shop in Dale End. I went there about 1983 when I was Tawny Owl to buy badges for the Brownie pack I helped out with in Studley. Facing the law courts it was along that road to the right.

 

[Phil]

I visit the scout shop a few times in the 50's when I spent about 6 months in the scouts. The scout shop was in Dale End and it was as near as I can make out the shop on the left hand side of this photo with the window shade open.

 

[oldMohawk]

I visit the scout shop a few times in the 50's when I spent about 6 months in the scouts. The scout shop was in Dale End and it was as near as I can make out the shop on the left hand side of this photo with the window shade open.

Thanks for reminding me Dale End seems to be where I visited the scout shop. Thinking back about the uniforms we wore, I had a cubs uniform, then a scouts uniform, an Air Training Corps uniform, before I eventually wore an RAF uniform. I then went many years without a uniform until the company I worked for decided everyone in the organisation should wear a uniform with the company logo and each persons name on it. I've still got it hanging in the garage !!

 

[Rupert]

Gosh! That's pretty much how I remember Dale End and every time I see these photo's now I yearn for how it was. A place of no distinction now. I probably rode on that 56 bus and before that the trams...another yearning.
One of the key places in Birmingham along with the Bull Ring and Victoria Square and The Old Square and Temple Row. Dale End was in there, vying for equality. Trying not to be in the second division so to speak. The widening out of the roadway was no doubt because of the space needed for the market there. Presided over by the Welch Cross and The Lamb House. Later there was a tram shelter down the middle of the road made in Victorian style with cast iron decorated posts. That part of the road was called Broadway at one time...not to be confused with the road on the opposite side of town. There was a church further down the road on the right...can't remember the name and none of us would have seen it anyway. Similarly we would not have seen the tram shelter. Down the road to the immediate right were meeting houses and the place had human vibrancy. It's all built over now...a new form of being derelict. Oh! for a rewind.

 

[brumgum]

Gosh! That's pretty much how I remember Dale End and every time I see these photo's now I yearn for how it was. A place of no distinction now. I probably rode on that 56 bus and before that the trams...another yearning.
One of the key places in Birmingham along with the Bull Ring and Victoria Square and The Old Square and Temple Row. Dale End was in there, vying for equality. Trying not to be in the second division so to speak. The widening out of the roadway was no doubt because of the space needed for the market there. Presided over by the Welch Cross and The Lamb House. Later there was a tram shelter down the middle of the road made in Victorian style with cast iron decorated posts. That part of the road was called Broadway at one time...not to be confused with the road on the opposite side of town. There was a church further down the road on the right...can't remember the name and none of us would have seen it anyway. Similarly we would not have seen the tram shelter. Down the road to the immediate right were meeting houses and the place had human vibrancy. It's all built over now...a new form of being derelict. Oh! for a rewind.

The buildings on the far right were still there up until about 1990 i think, there was a decent chip shop there. I think that row of buildings to the right were called Kings parade or something like that. Most of Dale End was to be redeveloped a few years ago but the economic climate has held it up, it's dire at the moment...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martineau_Galleries

 

[oldMohawk]

I suppose there is an easy answer, but why Dale End ? why wasn't it called Dale Street ?
I can't immediately think of another thoroughfare in Birmingham called an 'end'.