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Aston childhood

hello john what a smashing insight of your early years down in aston...i was also born in aston in our nans back to back in paddington st just off summer lane..so pleased that your life turned out well for you...you may have seen it already but we do have a thread for clarendon st..quite a few of our members also lived there so you may find it of interest..one or two photos as well...could i ask you to also post your story on the below clarendon st thread as i am sure our members would find it interesting...many thanks...click on link below

lyn
 
Really appreciated reading your story. Can emphazise with you as I had a similar background but not of the same interest as I'm only a Brummie by adoption. Born in Toxteth and passed the 11+ which was first step towards self-improvement.,
 
Seeing the word "diphtheria" brings home to me how many illnesses that used to be very common are now rarely heard about.

I was born in 1949 and it was common when I was growing up to hear of illnesses like diphtheria, polio, or tuberculosis as well as illnesses that went round schools regularly like measles, mumps, chickenpox or rubella (German measles).

Luckily we began to get treatment for all these illnesses and now (as far as I know) they are very rare (though with many young parents now NOT getting their children inoculated the numbers are rising for some of them).

When I was young I had no idea how serious some of these illnesses were, or how long they took to treat.

I was amazed when I found out some people with tuberculosis could be in hospital a year or more.

The comedy writing duo Galton and Simpson (Hancock Half Hour, Steptoe and Son etc) met while they were both in hospital suffering from tuberculosis.

Saw a drama / comedy film the other day called "Twice round the Daffodils" about a group of men spending a year in hospital with tuberculosis. More here:


I know we have coronavirus at the moment, but we are so lucky that many of these illnesses that were common only 40 or 50 years ago are now fairly rare.
 
three out of 4 of my grandparents died fom TB before i was even born...ages were 38...45 and 50...

lyn
 
A great story John! I noticed you refer to your mother as "Mom" - something my Birmingham family side does too. Is this common in Birmingham? Tried to search the forum but the word is of course too short!
 
I always called my mother "mum" and my mother in law "mom" I think it may be a Birmingham thing. My mum was Welsh and she always called her mum "mam"
 
three out of 4 of my grandparents died fom TB before i was even born...ages were 38...45 and 50...

lyn

Sad to hear that Lyn, thank goodness they are able to find vaccines for most diseases. Both my grandads died young one in his 50's and my maternal grandfather 64 , still too young.

Wendy
 
I wrote this article some time ago but realised I should post it.

Thank you, that brings back some memories for me too, things kids nowadays wouldnt have a clue about. We still had fun even with the hardship. Glad you survived your diphtheria :)
 
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