• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Alex's Pie Stands

The one by Snow Hill was not called Alex's and the pies did not taste the same.........who eat all the pies lol



Mau-reece
 
I have been chatting to Michael about this one and have decided it's an age thing. Michael is older than me and remembers Alex's well this was the one on Smallbrook Ringway he says. I don't remember going to this one. I do remeber going to the Pie Stand by Snow Hill which is still there today. I don't know if it's the same family though.:)
 
Mossy i think the Midland Hotel was in New St, the one opposite the bus station was the Station we used to meet up there and then go on to a club or whatever
 
Elizabeth its ny old age lol i get all confused with the names of places:D

Mau-reece
 
Same here, but with peoples names, never forget a face but can't remember anybody's name
 
I remember both the pie stands, the one near the Albany from the late 60's (the one I thought was Alex's?) which I went to with some friends once and the one in Snow Hill. Used to go there after we had been to clubs like Barbarella's at the weekend in the mid/ late 70's.
 
It's interesting how many of us used that mobile snack bar at the entrance to Snow Hill Station, me with a crowd who had walked up from the Ice Rink, others from elsewhere. I remember it as it shows in post #28, and I can also remember my last cup of tea there one night as I said goodbye to everyone knowing I had to return to the station the next morning to catch a train to National Service....A phase in my life changed that night...another one started....
 
Oddly OKMowhawk my life went the other way. Between 1956 and 1958, whilst I was doing my National Service, I introduced myself to the Fleur-de-lis chicken pies sold at that stall whilst I waited to catch the Sunday midnight milk train to London returning to camp. Cold nights on a station forecourt, warming my inside with a hot pie. Made the seven hour jaunt back to camp a little less daunting. Will.
 
Alex's pie stall opposite the Albany was where we Motor Cyclists from the mid sixties used to gather, we used to get kicked out of the coffee bars and made our way into Brum Centre it was about the only place you could get a late night cupper and a hot pie.
 
Sorry to put a spoke in all your works, but at one time there where 3 Alex's Pie stands, Snow Hill, by the Albany and on a east side corner junction in Digbeth, not sure of the road but very close to the very big car dealers. This was run by Alex's daughter I think her name was Jill, a pretty blond girl well known in the clubs of the mid 60's. It did not last long though as the night life in Digbeth died a death when they closed the night club down that was opposite the tea van
 
bobsummers said:
Sorry to put a spoke in all your works, but at one time there where 3 Alex's Pie stands, Snow Hill, by the Albany and on a east side corner junction in Digbeth, not sure of the road but very close to the very big car dealers. This was run by Alex's daughter I think her name was Jill, a pretty blond girl well known in the clubs of the mid 60's. It did not last long though as the night life in Digbeth died a death when they closed the night club down that was opposite the tea van
Click to expand...

Bob,
Glad you mentioned this, as in an earlier post, Bev Bevan mentioned one in Digbeth,
but then confusingly said it was by the Albany.
 
I remember one night queueing with my mates, Graham and Terry, for a steak and kidney pie at Alex's in Hill Street. Cliff Richard was appearing at the B'ham Hip and there were loads of girls hoping to catch a glimpse of him going into The Albany Hotel across the road. We were walking across towards the hotel when someone shouted "There's Cliff". Well, Graham had just got through the pastry of his pie to all that lovely steak and kidney, when a bunch of screaming girls rushed past us and one of 'em knocked Graham's pie out of his hands onto the road. Cliff has a lot to answer for! Those Fleur De Lys pies were simply the best.
 
Hi Wendy
I didn't take these photos. I don't know who did.
My wife came across them in a family album and I would imagine they were taken about 1960.
We think there should be another one but can't find it.
 
There was only one alex,s for me and my mates we were all biker,s it was the one the bottom of hill street,
then it moved to the bottom of hurst street.
It was,nt great there it was better up the the road,we used to go to the double zero from there or a cafe on the cov road.
Happy days, regards dereklcg
 
Thought the catering van outside Snow Hill used to sell Fleur-de -Lys pies back in the sixties, but there again after a skinfull and a night in the Cedar club your memory would fail you.
 
That's an interesting picture of Alex' food bar in Dudley Street,never new it had been there,it was on the corner of Hinckley Street and Hill Street when I first encountered it in about 1959.That site is still there,minus Alex's of course !Untitled.jpg
 
I remember "Alex's", food bar, blimey!!, what a different site picture now?, you could never envisage a car park when a lad!!
paul
 
hi mickymoo
Yes Alex was a busy little stall very popular he must have made a fortune but i know i would and never purchased any think from him and his stall
if i remember corectly they moved him out when they built the albany hotel across the rd as it brought the hotel abit of a out of place scene
because they was geting top cliental staying there and it was not a good image for the hotel;
it made that section of abit of a run down area ;and of course it was a meeting place for the platic mac brigade along wth the down belowground public
conveiniences just yards away ; loitery around ;so the council done a good job and cleaned up the area and redelveloped brilliently
have a good day best wishes Astonian;
 
I have this in my files under Alex's Pie Stand...but it don't look right? Is it me? I used to go there late after gigs in their van with the Modenaires from the Swan Yardley, as I knew two of the lads very well...the customary ten pints of Brown and Mild did colour my memory banks a bit though I suppopse...


Alex Pie stand.jpg
 
I've seen this picture before and yes,you're right it seems strange,looks like the dark area has been superimposed over the original white van !
Ah,the Modernaires,,,,Micky Bakewell,great singer !!
 
Mickymoo said:
I've seen this picture before and yes,you're right it seems strange,looks like the dark area has been superimposed over the original white van !
Ah,the Modernaires,,,,Micky Bakewell,great singer !!
Click to expand...

Yeah! Micky and I played for the Brookhill, and against each other, me for the Vic (BGE) and him for Bordesley Rovers...and Wilf Clare (bassist) was the BF of my best buddies sister..

Modernaires.jpgModernaires .jpgModernaires 2.jpg

Sorry Bernie - off topic I know - delete if you must, but here's a couple of Bull Ring pics in amelioration...


Bull ring Chemist Bill.jpgBull Ring Crippen clip.jpg
 
I WAS with the orig MODERNAIRES in the early 1950s Arthur Ashworth was our manager, we played at all the local pubs and the Irish Club and Jewish clubs, I left in March 1957 for the USA. Played Alto Tenor Clairinet, Ted Haynes on Drums, Colin Willetts on piano (he stayed in band biz played with some of the best), Mac on trumpet, Robin Kendall on bass, Johnny Headford on guitar. Lots of good times John Crump OldBrit. Parker. Colorado USA
 
I was driving past the car park where Alex's Pie Stand used to be a few weeks ago with my dad. He told me that it was the place to go after the pubs and clubs had closed. My dad is what you call 'a face' in Brum and as a young spiv dressed immaculately..... he later became the 'Man For A Van' with premises on the junction of Watery Lane and Gt Barr St - which he sold to Halfords. I love his stories about the 50's 60's 70's and the characters which made Brum colourful.
 
Just found this...looks like the authentic one corner of Hinkley Street/Hill Street (the only one I knew!)....used it often late night after gigs at the Swan with mates Wilf Clare and Micky Bakewell...although ten Brown and Milds tended to dim the memory a tad..


s Pie Stand.jpg Modernaires.jpg Modernaires 2.jpg
 
Last edited:
An outside snow hill station after a night on the town the fleurs de lys pies and a coffee great nights


Sent from my iPad using Tapata
 
Last edited by a moderator:
hi ron
yes it bears memories for me as well because i am a cheap skate i took my dear old dutchess there forty years ago whom is still my wife
on our very first date drove to the city and had a drink possible two and straight around to alexis ;for a pie and coffee i thought she might have given me
The elbow; but no we are still in love and i do not regret it we often have a laugh about i in fact only last night when my daughter came with the grand sons we was speaking of the cost of getting married and we got married it was only seven pounds my old dutchess commented but last night the daughter said its a cost of one hundred and five pounds ; plus some think else they have to pay if you want to get married at the register office in brum ;
no wonder the kids do not want to get married today ; live in sin its cheaper ah so what are these vicars charging if you marry in church thats what i would ove to know
any body can else answer that please ; best wishes astonian;;
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top