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Harborne

Yes, my old-man grew up on Grays rd and told us of being sent round to The Plough with a jug for supply of ale at dinner-times..nice.(pre-war,mind.)
It used to have a large beer garden at the rear when I supped there. ( erstwhile bowling green ?)
The Vine used to be a well-run quiet pub in my day - at least it has survived.
 
Spent Friday and Saturday in the old homestead, stayed at the Holiday Inn Express at Castle Bromwich, but went looking for relatives in the grounds of St Barnabas in Erdington and finally St Peters in Harborne. Went to the Plough for lunch on Friday and was amused to see that the old side door (it used to be the entrance to the outdoor) was still there. Very nice, good food, friendly staff. On Saturday back to St Peters and looking at the gravestones, could not find what I wanted, so had lunch at the Bell. That was very nice, what a good idea a church with a pub attached - lucky Harbonites. But was amazed how countrified/villagey the whole thing felt and also so far from the High Street. I was trying to remember where George Davis had his greengrocers shop and also where did I used to take the accumulator to get it charged, that was up the High Street and I am sure near to Uncle George's shop. I was just reading a book in which there was mention of George's pigeons bringing the news back from Bala of the opening of the dam. They were probably faster than my broadband!!! I did a few circuits around the roads where we used to walk and take the dog out, horrified as to how narrow Grays Road felt, now a lot brighter than when the Grandparents lived there.
 
I used to take my fathers radio accumulator to Dingleys the cycle shop for recgarging until Durrants the radio shop provided the same service. There was a cycle shop adjacent on the right of the Vine pub. Clearly seen in the Vine photo.
 
I used to take my fathers radio accumulator to Dingleys the cycle shop for recgarging until Durrants the radio shop provided the same service. There was a cycle shop adjacent on the right of the Vine pub. Clearly seen in the Vine photo.
many thanks, this would be about 1944/45, but I have a feeling it must have been the radio shop. Can you put a date on their existence?do not remember the pub, but on Saturday, all of sudden I was passing a name I had not heard of or seen for decades- The Old House St Home'. I remember my Dad and Uncle would take the dog out for a long walk and be home late for Sunday lunch
 
poor old Harborne, I don't go back any more, so sad to see all the old places demolished and shiny new ones in their place. Paul
 
poor old Harborne, I don't go back any more, so sad to see all the old places demolished and shiny new ones in their place. Paul

Don't worry Paul, Harborne is actually pretty well intact. OK some buildings have gone but basically the town is still recognisable with many of the landmarks still there
 
Having looked on Google, it seems the top end of he village has changed considerably more than the bottom end. Having said that, there seems to be far fewer old style shops and more of the Estate Agents, Bookies, Charity shops type of thing. No Co-op, no meat shops not over much to interest the regular shopper. How things have changed. Are there any shops still trading that were open in the early 60's? (David Groves)
 
Having looked on Google, it seems the top end of he village has changed considerably more than the bottom end. Having said that, there seems to be far fewer old style shops and more of the Estate Agents, Bookies, Charity shops type of thing. No Co-op, no meat shops not over much to interest the regular shopper. How things have changed. Are there any shops still trading that were open in the early 60's? (David Groves)

The Old House at Home was of course on Lordswood Rd half way to Bearwood..There were all ways less shops at the top end of the High St. above the Royalty Cinema (Which is still there) than at the lower end of the High St. below the Old Police Station. The top end of the village has seen more of a change in buildings that the lower end. I remember Durrants Electrical, Murrays Fish and Chip Shop, Murrays Green Grocery, Tennant Sweet and Cigarette Shop and the Outdoor by the Bundy Clock. A little lower was a petrol station alongside another newsagents and of course the original Harborne Police Station.The Bus Garage and Old Harborne Cinema as well as Wimbushes Bread and Cake Shop. Opposite was a Chemist, Gas Show Rooms, a butchers, Post Office and the Newspaper Shop run by Mary Faulkner. How many remember the shops in the Mews, among which was an electrical shop, gents hairdresser and a Pet Food Shop. Happy days.
 
You obviously remember much of what I do as I was born in 1939 and left Harborne in 1961. Hadleys had an electrical shop bordering on the Mews and I watched my first b/w t.v. in the lid of a sort of radiogram in the window. Next door, a British restaurant operated for a time (remember them?)
 
Several of the pubs are still there although they may have changed name. I think Murrays Fish & Chip shop is now Sara's Kebab House so still in the take away food business. Otherwise I think the oldest shops still trading are those in the 1960s development each side of the St John's Road junction like Boots, WH Smith.
 
Sara's Kebab House is very close by the Vine Inn. Murrays Fish and Chip Shop and also the Grocers was adjacent to Serpentine Rd and opposite the burnt out Kings Arms Pub.
 
Don't worry Paul, Harborne is actually pretty well intact. OK some buildings have gone but basically the town is still recognisable with many of the landmarks still there
Sorry to be picky David, but Harborne was always referred to as 'the village' not town. Town was the city centre.
 
The Old House at Home was of course on Lordswood Rd half way to Bearwood..There were all ways less shops at the top end of the High St. above the Royalty Cinema (Which is still there) than at the lower end of the High St. below the Old Police Station. The top end of the village has seen more of a change in buildings that the lower end. I remember Durrants Electrical, Murrays Fish and Chip Shop, Murrays Green Grocery, Tennant Sweet and Cigarette Shop and the Outdoor by the Bundy Clock. A little lower was a petrol station alongside another newsagents and of course the original Harborne Police Station.The Bus Garage and Old Harborne Cinema as well as Wimbushes Bread and Cake Shop. Opposite was a Chemist, Gas Show Rooms, a butchers, Post Office and the Newspaper Shop run by Mary Faulkner. How many remember the shops in the Mews, among which was an electrical shop, gents hairdresser and a Pet Food Shop. Happy days.
I always knew what you call the Mews as Albert Walk. I was told that the bollards at each end were actually cannon from the Crimean War. I remember the pet shop very well. There was a large blue Macaw that used to sit above the doorway and try to peck you as you went in and out.
 
Sorry BrumBum but my turn to be picky. However I agree that the the Stumps or Mews is correctly Albert Walk. It is because I could not remember the correct name that I have not commented on it before. But what is now the High Street used to be called Heath Lane as it ran across Harborne Heath. The west end was known as Town End and the far end by the Green Man was the Heath End.
 
Carolina, just picked up your photo of the top end of the high Street. It's exactly as I remember it having left the village in 1961. The Mews Garage sign is fixed to the wall of O'connors paper shop. I used to deliver papers for them round Serpentine Road. If Elizabeth Redmond is reading this I'm wondering if she lived in the houses next to Furbers and would remember the Reeves family (Tony and Noel and Dianne). We lived on the corner, at 275 and had a pair of shears over the top of the front door as my Grandfather (Joe Bellingham) and my dad ground lawnmowers and shears in a shed at the back. Out of interest, does anyone have, or know where I can get a photo of the inside of The Picture House (Old Harborne) in Serpentine road. I spent half my childhood in there and have fond memories of it
 
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