Clifton Road Balsall Heath

[RobertS]

Hello Cadeau

My aunt from 130 went collecting hair grips. Where did you find them (where was the firm)?

cheers

 

[Graham]

Robert, the Kirby grip were right opposite the main Clifton Road school entrance and the pavement was often strewn with grips that fell from the delivery vans. The building was still there last year, but no longer make grips, when I attended the BHF 60's night. Graham.

 

[RobertS]

Thanks Cadeau.

you have added another peice of history jigsaw. My GGG Aunt was Keturia Atwood Watkins. Her father was Peter Watkins a contributor to the development of the Pin Industry (Pins, Safety Pins, Hair Pins, and subsequently hair grips) in Stroud Gloucestershire. He had business interests in Stroud and Birmingham. (The Pin Industry was the example used to demonstrate the benefits of the division of labour in manufacturing.)

The children of Peter inherited interests the companys making 'Pins'. Kate married into the Ravenhills (Timber Merchants and Turners from Stroud) and many of the Ravenhills and their decendents lived in Clifton Road.

I have photos of the School, wornder if anyone has seen a photo looking the other way!

Thanks again

 

[Graham]

Robert,

I'm very pleased that I can help in a small way but feel sorry now that when I was in Brum last November that I didn't take a photo of the old Kirby place. I was standing there with my camera and looked at the place wondering if it was worthwhile taking a photo. In this photo of Clifton Road School last November, my car is standing almost opposite the place where Kirby's did their business.

Graham.

 

[frederick]

another fine looking building.

 

[RobertS]

Hello Cadeau

Thanks for the thought. Attached is an ad for Kirby, Beard and Company orignators of the Kirbigrip.

It appears the company claimed decent from 1743 (The earliest Kirby they could find in the business.) and to be the oldest pin manufacturer in business (bit of Victorian Spin although in 1826 Cowcher Kirby and Co, established producers, wrestled with the Amercian born invertor Wright for rights to his ideas and embryonic pin making machinery.)

It seems the company was a bit late to recognise what they had and didn't register the design until 1926, well into the 1920's hair fashion era that demanded a better hairgrip. The inovation was apparently putting more spring into the device so that it effectively stayed put.

An article that gives a flavour of the early inventive days in Stroud can be found at

https://www.gsia.org.uk/reprints/1995/gi199537.pdf

 

[Graham]

Robert, That was very interesting, thank you.

I do have a feeling that the place in Clifton Road was only a depot as I think it was too small to be a manufacturing plant.

 

[ray wills]

Hi,most interesting reads.I was in Balsall heath late sixties early seventies,lived in Clifton road with the Warrens whilst I managed the Adventure playground and other projects in the community.My story of those days is included at my website under" what an extraordinary adventure" at https://www.thegypsypoet.co.uk

 

[bobsummers]

Hi,most interesting reads.I was in Balsall heath late sixties early seventies,lived in Clifton road with the Warrens whilst I managed the Adventure playground and other projects in the community.My story of those days is included at my website under" what an extraordinary adventure" at https://www.thegypsypoet.co.uk

Great internet site Ray, great stories & beautiful poems. Its going to keep me entertained for many hours, but It must be a life long project that your site has started, thanks Ray.

 

[mstephens]

I noticed last week when passing, that they have finally demolished the Imperial Cinema on the corner of Clifton Rd and Moseley Rd. I spent many a happy hour in there. Saturday Morning the Alhambra Saturday Afternoon the Imperial. A days entertainment for a shilling.

Phil

You may be interested to see this shot of the Imperial from 1975 as featured in the BBC Play for Today "Gangsters". I'm researching the locations used in the original PfT and the subsequent series and have just managed to tie this one down. Can anyone tell me the history of the cinema after 1975 and the date of its final demolition ?

 

[Ann B]

Re the series The Gangsters, the Birmingham singer Tanya appeared and many of the scenes were filmed in The Rum Runner Nightclub, Broad Street.

Ann

 

[mstephens]

Re the series The Gangsters, the Birmingham singer Tanya appeared and many of the scenes were filmed in The Rum Runner Nightclub, Broad Street.

Ann

Thanks Ann, I was already aware that the Rum Runner (also famous for early Duran Duran appearances. I believe) played the part of The Maverick nightclub. I would be interested to know exactly where it was on Broad Street as I am hoping to put together a website showing "Then and Now" pictures linked to Google Earth.

 

[Ann B]

The Rum Runner was next to the old B.B.C. studio, opposite The Tow Rope Cafe.

Ann

 

[mstephens]

Sorry Ann. I didn't know Birmingham at all at that time. Can you tell me where it was relative to present day places on Broad Street - I'm guessing somewhere near the "Walkabout" Aussie theme pub as one scene shows the "hero" escaping from a back entrance of the club onto the canal towpath.

 

[mstephens]

A couple more shots of the Imperial Cinema and the Moseley Rd/Clifton Rd junction

I was only finally able to confirm that the cinema in Gangsters was the Imperial by matching the details on the brickwork behind the two Austin 1100s to that on Google Earth. Apart from the demolition of the Imperial, it looks like what was a "fancy goods" shop in 1975 has had some extensive rebuilding as well.

 

[mstephens]

Thanks to the historical views on Google Earth, it seems that the Imperial Cinema was demolished some time between Sept 12 2005 and Nov 2 2006 with the building on the opposite side of Clifton Road being rebuilt some time between Nov 2 2006 and Aug 10 2007.

 

[Vivienne14]

After all the dark days, a reason to celebrate in 1945. Viv.

 

[Dan Wills]

my self and Graham we had an aunt and uncle that lived in Clifton rd they lived oppersite the Clifton pub their name was Penny.

Freddy penny ? Had a son Stephen

 

[mario]

Hi RobertS

Here's some photo's as promised.

Phil

My grandparents lived on Clifton rd by faceting white Street ,you would go down an entry to my nans bk garden at the top of the entry was some bk to bk houses dating bk oin the 60's&70's my nan left Clifton road in in 1973 bk then some lovely memories

 

[mario]

Hi anyone know the family names Sheila Phillips used to live on Clifton road a few doors down from nan and the mannox family lived next door to my nan lived at 179clifton road .

 

[bbislander]

Hi anyone know the family names Sheila Phillips used to live on Clifton road a few doors down from nan and the mannox family lived next door to my nan lived at 179clifton road .

I knew a Sheila Phillips, she lived at the old pawn shop, think it was 199 Clifton road between 1962 and 1967??

 

[mario]

Hi I think it could be she lived towards ladypool rd my gran lived at 179 Clifton rd faceting white street ,by the lamp post bk then .

 

[bbislander]

Sounds a out right Mari, slightly past White Street towards Ladypool Road, her maiden name was Smallman.

 

[bbislander]

Does anyone know who were the tenants of the Gladstone pub, on the corner of White St and Clifton Road, between 1962 and 1967?

 

[devonjim]

My great grand dad had a shoe repair business 324, Clifton Rd. 1940's-50's. Near where Clifton Rd meets Stoney Lane.

 

[mikejee]

Does anyone know who were the tenants of the Gladstone pub, on the corner of White St and Clifton Road, between 1962 and 1967?

The electoral rolls for 1962 liost Robert & Carol Rowes. The rolls for 1965 do not list that building , or several others nearby, so assume that they were then empty

 

[bbislander]

The electoral rolls for 1962 liost Robert & Carol Rowes. The rolls for 1965 do not list that building , or several others nearby, so assume that they were then empty

Thanks for the info Mike, my younger sister has a photo of her and a friend called Ann who lived in the Gladstone. Thanks again.

 

[mario]

Thanks for the info Mike, my younger sister has a photo of her and a friend called Ann who lived in the Gladstone. Thanks again.

My nan lived over the road from the Gladstone pub on the corner of white street and Clifton road bk then .