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Search results

  1. Old Boy

    Joan, Gertrude May Russell (decd)

    Hi All, Whilst browsing the BARRA website I came upon the following. Joan Gertrude May Russell, aged 14 years was killed during an air raid on 19 November 1940. She was on King Edward Sports Ground at the time. No other person is recorded as killed or injured at that location. She lived in Holte...
  2. Old Boy

    Lancaster "m For Mother"

    Hi All, My brother Arthur George Beresford was a Flight Sergeant in the RAF. He had already completed 30 missions when, after a 6 month break he was allocated to another crew. I have recently found the copy of a letter he had written to a researcher about the events of June 22nd...
  3. Old Boy

    Police Casualty Bureau

    Hi All, When a major incident occurs an emergency telephone number is broadcast so that anyone requiring information about a particular person can ring and ask for it. It so happens that at the time of the Birmingham bombs the number was given out and we opened up what is called The...
  4. Old Boy

    Noahs Ark Yard Bloomsbury Street.

    Hi All, My wifes father was born in 1892 in Noahs Ark Yard Bloomsbury Street. He was Arthur White. Does anyone have any knowledge of this strangely named place? I doubt if any photos exist but my wife would be delighted if there were. Old Boy
  5. Old Boy

    Sad Times (2nd Class City)

    Hi All, I do not think that I am jumping the gun to suggest that Villa are about to be relegated. Although I am a Blues supporter I am not about to castigate Villa. After all what have we got to shout about? To stay up Villa must win their remaining 6 games and Norwich lose all theirs...
  6. Old Boy

    Villa - Something To Be Proud Of

    Hi All, I am a Blues supporter but last night on TV I learned something about Aston Villa that warmed my heart. They are, in fact, the last team to field a team consisting of all English players in the Premiership. I missed the exact date but it was a match against Coventry City about...
  7. Old Boy

    Care Homes

    Hi All, I am fairly sure that prior to WW2 there were no such things as care homes. Old people either fended for themselves or were looked after by their children.. Now every city and town has care homes usually privately owned and run for profit. What does this indicate? Were children of...
  8. Old Boy

    School Proms

    Hi All, Once again the pages of The Birmingham Mail are full of photographs of young people dressed for their School Proms. When did this American mockery arrive here? They never had proms when I was at school, not even school leaving parties. You just said cheeio to your classmates and...
  9. Old Boy

    Birmingham City F C Badge

    Hi All, There has been recent discussion on the Forum respecting the Coat of Arms of the City of Birmingham. This reminded me that for many years B'ham City Football Club proudly carried the badge on their shirts. This was probably from the time they changed their name from Small Heath...
  10. Old Boy

    Language

    Hi All, In my younger days 3 or more singers were called a group. A large group was, of course, a choir. Now, however, a group is called a band eg Boys Band or Girls Band. To me a band is a group of musicians getting together and playing martial type music. When did it change . why ,and...
  11. Old Boy

    Pronunciation

    Hi All. When I was growing up everyone I knew pronounced the word forehead as forrid. Now on TV etc the word is being pronounced as it is spelt i.e 4 head. I still say forrid. Am I wrong ? Old Boy
  12. Old Boy

    Women in WW1

    Hi All, In both wars women often took up posts normally occupied by men. In WW1, for instance, many postmen who went to war were replaced by women. This photo is of five such women. The lady holding the cat was my wifes' mother (then Clara Giddings). I never met her as she died, sadly...
  13. Old Boy

    When Is A Band Not A Band?

    Hi All, I cannot understand the modern practice of calling a group of singers (male or female) a band. We never referred to the Beatles as a band they were a group and a good one at that Who can sing or whistle a tune that a modern group yells out at us? I think that it is an...
  14. Old Boy

    Early Radio

    Hi All, I was born and brought up in a terrace house in Small Heath. In the back garden we had a tall pole with a wire attached that led to the window(Through the frame) and then to the radio or wireless as it was called then. Almost all the houses in the road had the same set up. I am...
  15. Old Boy

    School Clinics ?

    Hi All, Another thread has been discussing sunlamp treatment at school clinics. It has made me think "What has happened to school clinics?" Are there any left? If they have completely disappeared I think it is a shame. Whilst they were not popular with the children attending them they did...
  16. Old Boy

    Salvation Army - Sunday Parade

    Hi All, I hope that it is fair to include the Salvation Army in the churches forum They have citadels in many parts of Birmingham but also on Sundays, after the service in the citadel, they took to the streets with the band, played a couple of hymns, knocked on doors with a collection...
  17. Old Boy

    Territorial Army. Royal Warwicks, 6 Battalion, 'O' Compnay (BSA)

    Morning All! My uncle , Arthur John Beresford, was in the above unit of the territorial army. I have a card for the unit entitled 'Programme of Drill and Training for 1913. The only names are those of the officers.:- Captain F M Chatterley - Lt Kenneth R Davis and 2Lt W Martineau...
  18. Old Boy

    TV Appearances

    Hi All, I have enjoyed the TV series "The History of Game Shows" featuring our dear Wendy and look forward to the fourth episode on Sunday. It reminded me of my few TV appearances. First was a game show produced in Glasgow and shown at teatime on Sundays. For the life of me I cannot...
  19. Old Boy

    Missing War Memorials

    Hi All, The wonderful thread, posted and worked on by Lyn (Astoness) titled 'These Heroes Were nearly Forgotten' reminds me of an incident in my life. As a youngster I was a members of the Boy Scouts. For a period we used to meet in Jenkins Street School, Small Heath. In the hall was...
  20. Old Boy

    Schools Assisting Food Production in WW2

    Hi All, During WW2 many farm workers went into the armed forces. The Womens Land Army was formed to replace them. However, during busy periods they needed extra help and that is where the schools came in. I went to Waverley Grammar School and during holidays (Easter and Summer) we went...
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