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I used to go to the Hockley factory back in the early 60’ s to as an apprentice service the lift. It was a fascinating place to wander through and see all the processes and as you say Dickensian conditions.
Happy days Terry, most of em through a haze of alchohol, even falling into the arms of a police officer pi***ed as a proverbial newt!! My email is [email protected] it would be good to catch up after all this time. Or 07941351995.
I was there at the same time and the last thing Mr Dobbins said as we walked out the door for the last time Easter 1962 was “Keep the faith” good teacher and a good man.
I remember Terry Gray and his family, we had a few giggles along the way and met a few ladies between us and sank a few beers. Good days, happy memories and good people. The flats were a haven of fun, laughter and tears in varying degrees but a good community spirit which is sadly lacking today.
I remember Ansells brewery very well, they had their own artesian well which they used to draw the water from and it was this that aledgedly gave Ansells mild beer its distinctive flavour. The water was also tapped by HP for their sauce mixes. I used to go to both factories as an apprentice and...
My father worked at Haddon & Stokes for about 30 years until his death in 1976. He used to look after the window boxes full of geraniums which were his pride and joy. His name was Bill Disney I'd be pleased to hear from anyone that remembers him.
The Dares brewery was on Belgrave Road on the site where the mosque is now. The brewery was demolished in the mid 60s, I had to go there several times on contract work during my apprentice days and friends of mine lived next door in Belgrave Road and the smell of the hops was all pervading. So I...
The white building to the left of the Angelina Street shop was a fishing tackle makers workshop and shop, they used to make split cane fishing rods St Martins flats were facing these shops across the road. I lived in number 73 with my parents in the late 50s and early 60s.
I remember somewhere at the back of Floodgate Street, where I went to school, in Digbeth there was a pen factory which had a motto carved in the stone above the main entrance which read
"They come as a boon and a blessing to men, the Pickwick the Owl and the Waverly pen"
I was working in the Bullring on the escalators from the bridge down to the main shopping area when the first bomb went off (we didn't know where at that time) and within a few minutes the Mullberry Bush went up and we saw the blast and felt the vibration as we were looking across at the...