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Recent content by pipmk

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    Sutton Park

    He was in court for non payment of rates but when he got so drunk he fired a shotgun towards the hotel guests and a police officer business seemed inextricably to decline. There was also the minor matter of a floor collapse which pitched dancers into the cellar. A cabal of “The Captain”, “The...
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    Sutton Park

    Crystal Palace and the Fair. Welcome to the Pleasure Dome. Roughly where the Leisure Centre stands today over a 150 years ago there was a magnificent entertainment called The Royal Promenade Gardens. It covered 10 acres and had a fernery, large rhododendron area, Rose beds, an Italian garden...
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    Crossroads programme

    You have my deepest sympathy, I hope the treatment worked and you are now fully recovered.
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    Eastcroft Garage, Coleshill Road Question

    Not that I knew of and in the 50's as a young lad I wandered everywhere (especially where I shouldn't) It may be a coincidence that the man across the road was called Binks,a not common name. He was well to do, had a new Rover 90,110 every year and certainly could not imagine him with dirty...
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    Eastcroft Garage, Coleshill Road Question

    In the mid to late 50's as far as I am concerned.
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    Eastcroft Garage, Coleshill Road Question

    A late reply but yes the garage did have 2 rows of garages for rent behind it. My father rented one for the family car as we lived in Victoria Road and there were no garages. Slight correction,the house on the corner owned by te Binks family had a garage in Upper Holland Road as did the house...
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    School Discipline

    I'm amazed that people say that the threat of caning moderated their behaviour. We had caning,slippering,ear pulling,even the occasional thump to the side of the head but I think we regarded it as an occupational hazard. It was yet another manifestation of the odd world of adults and teachers...
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    Rudders & Paynes Chester Street

    Denis Rudder,one of the sons, was Chief Librarian at Sutton in the 50s and 60s . A lovely man who passed on his love of books to all he could.
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    Tamworth field trainspotting

    When I was about 12/13 the school world seemed divided into train spotters and the rest (bus spotters were a sub species). Never got it myself as I was more into girl spotting (a precocious youth) but one could never doubt their enthusiasm. I see the fascination is still alive and well,very...
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    Sutton Park

    Steele-Bodgers rather more famous for Rugby. Steele-Bodgers XV v Cambridge University a fixture for rugger fans.
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    Birmingham's Image And Status

    Manchester (502,900) is smaller than Leeds (750,700) Sheffield (551,800) and Bradford (523,100) Birmingham is1,085,400. Hebden Bridge 11,549. So both Manchester and Hebden Bridge can shut up and take a back seat.
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    Riland Bedford High School for Girls and Boys.

    Couldn't agree more, the 60's and 70's senior school generation in Sutton has much to thank Bill for. His tenure at Bedford ensured that within a few years there was little or no difference in opportunity at Bedford, Willmott and BV,with "A" levels etc. He set up Willmott and handed on a very...
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    Sutton Coldfield

    That is difficult, BV has been there for hundreds of years, Sutton has its own MP since 1945 and would not have had one on a population of only 24000. George Rose had a green grocers in the 50's and 60's. He wasn't old enough to have been there pre war. Iona school was there in the 20's but I...
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    Crossroads programme

    Many years ago a friend went for an audition for Crossroads. He didn't get the part because he kept remembering his lines!
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