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Albert and Middleton Roads, Kings Heath

Barmad

knowlegable brummie
Hi all
I found everyone here so helpful when I was researching Wheeler's farm a few months ago.. I wondered if anyone could help with another little project I'm working on. I'm researching Albert Rd, Alfred St and Middleton Rd in King's Heath. This area of King's Heath is so old, yet so many people probably don't even notice those two little roads they pass by...
Does anyone happen to have any (old or new) photographs of any of these roads? Or any information?
Thanks and Merry Christmas!!!
Barry
 
Hi all
I found everyone here so helpful when I was researching Wheeler's farm a few months ago.. I wondered if anyone could help with another little project I'm working on. I'm researching Albert Rd, Alfred St and Middleton Rd in King's Heath. This area of King's Heath is so old, yet so many people probably don't even notice those two little roads they pass by...
Does anyone happen to have any (old or new) photographs of any of these roads? Or any information?
Thanks and Merry Christmas!!!
Barry

I understand Wheelers Lane sec mod school is no more. I bet it's quiet in Albert Rd these days !
 
Barry,

We lived at 26 Albert Road from 1950 until 1961 when we moved to Dorset. My widowed mother remained there another couple of years before also moving south. My youngest maternal uncle also lived at 14 Albert Road for a few years until his death in the mid-1960s. I think I have one photograph of number 26, but it will have to wait until after the festive period as I'm down with the 'flu right now.

My younger brother attended Wheelers Lane Sec Mod during the time Mr North was the head.

Maurice
 
Barry,

We lived at 26 Albert Road from 1950 until 1961 when we moved to Dorset. My widowed mother remained there another couple of years before also moving south. My youngest maternal uncle also lived at 14 Albert Road for a few years until his death in the mid-1960s. I think I have one photograph of number 26, but it will have to wait until after the festive period as I'm down with the 'flu right now.

My younger brother attended Wheelers Lane Sec Mod during the time Mr North was the head.

Maurice

Mr North was Head when I was at the school too.
 
I understand Wheelers Lane sec mod school is no more. I bet it's quiet in Albert Rd these days !

Wheelers Lane School exists in new buildings as "Wheelers Lane Technology College" (where I work) with an entrance on Middleton but not Albert.
 
The oldest reference I have for Middleton is 1856; Albert 1861....

Anyone out there with any photographs?
 
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Barmad,

I've never come across any early photographs of Albert Road or Alfred Street - there wasn't really much to take pictures of !

Since my time of living there in the 1950s, the main changes were:
1. the demolition of the houses fronting Alcester Road South that had long gardens extending up the south side of Albert Road,
2. the demolition of the terrace of houses extending from the north side of Albert Road,
3. the general re-surfacing of road and pavement surfaces which saw the disappearance of picket fences and other front garden boundaries, to be replaced by uniform Council-pattern brick walls, and
4. the closure of Miss Grieves' "corner shop", much used by the boys of Wheelers Lane School and local residents, and conversion back to a purely residential property. I presume that the off-licence on the south side of Albert Road has also gone. Likewise the plant nursery business, run by Mr Adams of 24 Albert Road at that address and on land acquired before WW2 from numbers 26 & 22 has also ceased.

I can't help you with Middleton Road as I don't think I ever had occasion to walk up the road. I also can't help with what has replaced demolished properties, but I hope that helps. Certainly number 26 was one of the oldest properties in the road and was built on the site of an orchard.

Maurice
 
I lived at 73 Albert Rd from 1952 until 1958, next door to Winchester's coal merchant and attended Wheeler's Lane Junior School - Head was Mr Flavell who caned loads of kids Remember Mr Gent who ran gardening club - Played with all the kids in Albert Road and Alfred Street especially Philip Cresswell who had an older sister Jean
 
Hi all
I found everyone here so helpful when I was researching Wheeler's farm a few months ago.. I wondered if anyone could help with another little project I'm working on. I'm researching Albert Rd, Alfred St and Middleton Rd in King's Heath. This area of King's Heath is so old, yet so many people probably don't even notice those two little roads they pass by...
Does anyone happen to have any (old or new) photographs of any of these roads? Or any information?
Thanks and Merry Christmas!!!
Barry
Barmad,

I've never come across any early photographs of Albert Road or Alfred Street - there wasn't really much to take pictures of !

Since my time of living there in the 1950s, the main changes were:
1. the demolition of the houses fronting Alcester Road South that had long gardens extending up the south side of Albert Road,
2. the demolition of the terrace of houses extending from the north side of Albert Road,
3. the general re-surfacing of road and pavement surfaces which saw the disappearance of picket fences and other front garden boundaries, to be replaced by uniform Council-pattern brick walls, and
4. the closure of Miss Grieves' "corner shop", much used by the boys of Wheelers Lane School and local residents, and conversion back to a purely residential property. I presume that the off-licence on the south side of Albert Road has also gone. Likewise the plant nursery business, run by Mr Adams of 24 Albert Road at that address and on land acquired before WW2 from numbers 26 & 22 has also ceased.

I can't help you with Middleton Road as I don't think I ever had occasion to walk up the road. I also can't help with what has replaced demolished properties, but I hope that helps. Certainly number 26 was one of the oldest properties in the road and was built on the site of an orchard.

Maurice
There were two shops next door to each other (one called West's), two off licences, one Ansell's and the other M&B, and a grocer's. There was only one car owned in the street (a taxi business) No 73 was the end of a terrace of four nearest the school with long entry and front gardens It was demolished I think around 1962 and replaced with a private housing development.
 
This the only one I have in a digital format of 26 Albert Road taken in the late 1950s. In more recent years, the terrace of houses opposite were demolished and everyone's front fences/walls were replaced with a approved Council style wall, new paving, gutters, road surfacing, etc. I actually built the wooden picket fence in front of the hedge, which I originally painted white. The house on the right, number 24, belonged to George Adams, a nurseryman, whose land extended right down to Howard Road East. He'd also at some stage purchased the bottom half of our land on which stood a huge, but derelict, greenhouse.

Maurice :cool:
26_Albert_Road.jpg
 
I lived at 73 Albert Rd from 1952 until 1958, next door to Winchester's coal merchant and attended Wheeler's Lane Junior School - Head was Mr Flavell who caned loads of kids Remember Mr Gent who ran gardening club - Played with all the kids in Albert Road and Alfred Street especially Philip Cresswell who had an older sister Jean
Mr Flavell was my teacher in the third year at WL Sec Mod. He used to cane us mercilessly but nevertheless was a good teacher. I must be a couple of years older than you Roger, as I knew Jean Cresswell when she was at the Junior School. I think she lived in one of those houses with the long front gardens, near the "Tuck Shop".
 
Mr Flavell was my teacher in the third year at WL Sec Mod. He used to cane us mercilessly but nevertheless was a good teacher. I must be a couple of years older than you Roger, as I knew Jean Cresswell when she was at the Junior School. I think she lived in one of those houses with the long front gardens, near the "Tuck Shop".
The Cresswells lived further up Albert Road more or less opposite the Ansells off licence - Next door to them on the other side of the passage lived another friend - Paul Vance, whose family were Glaswegians
 
To the wonderful people contributing to this thread ... after Alfred Street was all but wiped out in the war, how long did it remain derelict? It looks as if the newer houses are 1970s builds.
 
I lived in Albert Road from 1950 to 1961 - never knew it before then or after. It didn't seem that badly hit when I lived there. Unless the Howard Road East was flattened then I didn't see any evidence.

Janice, I think Barmad is referring spicifically to Alfred Street.

Maurice :cool:
 
Alfred Street , the little cul-de-sac off Albert , was hit in 1941 ... extensive damage, 13 dead.

Thanks Janice, for the maps. I'm looking at how those roads developed too.
 
Thanks Maurice. Sorry - went from title of thread. If no one else posts I will check for maps for Alfred Street later.
 
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