Alum Rock Road Shops

[Solihull Chic]

Hi Solihull Chic... I also worked at Henry Corbetts, I started working there in January 1959 until October 1967. I worked in the Accounts Department and I knew a Malcolm who worked in the shop. By any chance was that your husband. Regards Carol.

Hi Carol, He (Malcolm) says if your name was Caroline, & he took you to the cinema he says yes he remembers you! Lol!..... Small world! Regards M&C

ps..... Also Malcolm says he remembers Caroline Taylor & two other girls one was Barbara Payne & taller girl but can,t remember her name! Stan Morris, Muriel, who worked in accounts office! Di Evans ( welsh guy ) Frank Tovey company secretary,
Mckilgrue who worked in warehouse outside!
Malcolm worked at all 4 shops! Henry Corbetts Ashted Row, Henry Corbetts, New Town Row, Samuel Thornly Constitution Hill, & Samuel Thornly Digbeth

Eric Taylor was The boss who married Henry Corbetts daughter Bunty they two children A boy & girl!
At the time Malcolm worked there! He worked in the technology part of paints etc!

 

[rowan]

I also worked at Henry Corbetts when Mrs Davies was there. I was their telephonist

 

[Astonian]

HI CAROL
JUST BEEN READING YOUR THREAD OF REPLY WHERE YOU SAID YOU WORKED AT HENRY CORBETTS IN THE ACCOUNTD DEPTMENT
AND GIVEN THE YEARS YOU STATED YOU WOULD HAVE KNOWN MY TWO YOUNGER BROTHERS WHOM BOTH WORKED THERE
DURING THE PERIOD YOU WORKED THERE
THEY WAS DAVID AND ROY [ ROY WAS THE ONE WITH BLONDE HAIR AND SHORT DAVE WAS TALLER WITH DARK HAIR
AND THEY WORKED IN DESPATCH AND THE LOADING IN THE WARE HOUSE SECTION; AND VERY POPULAR LADS ;THEY HAD BEEN WORKING THERE FOR YEARS
dAVE STARTED FIRST AND A YEAR OR TWO LATER ROY COMMENCED HE GOT REDUNDANT FROM SAVEKERS UP AROUND IN PHILLIP STREET BEFORE COMING TO
Corbetts and dave left button in portland street before coming to corbetts best wishes Astonian;;;;

 

[Carol T]

Hi Solihull Chic, yes my name is Carolyn..I do remember Malcolm took me to the cinema..When I made the tea at work he always had a cup. What a small world. Happy memories of working at Corbetts. Regards Carolyn.

 

[Carol T]

Hi Astonian, I am sorry I can't recall your brothers but I am sure I would have known them, my work entailed me to go down into the Warehouse quite a lot. All the best Carol.

 

[Solihull Chic]

Hi Solihull Chic, I forgot little Jimmy Williams, he was youngest but one wasn't he?, Stuart being the youngest, he had blonde hair when he was young, and we nick named him Loobyloo, (after the character in Andy Pandy) George being the oldest, if I remember rightly he had a good job at the GPO on the phone installation side. Yes as I said in my post a Mr & Mrs Palmer did run a hardware shop on the left hand corner of Jackson Road, but they were no relation to my Grandparents who lived on the right. When we used to play in the Williams back yard Mrs Williams on looking at the time would say to us all "AWAY AND PLAY YOURSELVES THE NOO, YOUR DAD WILL BE HOME IN A MINUTE" We all were very wary of "Jock" Williams, he was a bit fearsome, and sure enough as we exited the entry into the road there was "Jock" peddling up the road on his bike coming home from work, (I think he worked at Fishers in Washwood Heath?). There was one occasion when he had given us grief and me and my little gang all tiptoed up the entry and "Jock" was in his shed, he had a magnificent 6 foot corrugated iron fence painted dark green running the length of the garden, when we had all gathered at the top I armed the "gang" with some sticks and on the count of three we ran hell for leather down the entry shouting at the tops of our voices with our sticks dragging along the corrugated fence making a noise like a dozen machine guns going off, we flew out of the entry into Jackson Road followed by "Jock" who raced out of his shed armed with a piece of 3X2 timber which he let fly at us, at the same uttering those immortal words "WAIT UNTIL I GET MY HANDS ON THAT BLEEDIN' CHRISTOPHER, I WILL KILL HIM" I lived at both 410 and 387 Alum Rock Road (not at the same time lol) 387 rear entry exited into Jackson Road along side Mrs Lamb's house , so she also told us off for running up and down making a noise. My Dad used to say to me when I was talking to him "DON'T SHOUT" to which I replied I was born in a noisy age (1943 war etc) and his response was "AND YOU HAVE CONTRIBUTED A LOT TOWARDS IT". I went to Anthony Road J&I school and because I didn't like school dinners on some days I would climb over the school wall onto the alum Rock Road and nip round to Granny Palme's and have some nice stew or whatever they were having and then back to school over the wall and into the playground.
Give my regards to Malcom and any of the others who are about.
All the best Chris Bryan.
I have a photo taken at Anthony Road School for the Coronation Party if I can find it I will post it another time, I am Sure Malcom and Jimmy are on it.

Hi Chris, both Malcolm and I are having a real good laugh over these tales! You wait till Stuart comes home from his cruise, when we greet him with Hello Loobyloo.....he Did Speed skating in his teens! He went into the building trade still is!
George has been retired for a while now! I,ve replied earlier to the above, but for some reason has not appeared! .. You are the same age as Malcolm! ..... were you in his class at Antony road school, we have a school group photo we,ll have to dig out! As he remembers your name but having a senior moment in picturing you! Lol .... Can just imagine the Mother with her Scottish phrases! Malcolm still refers to some of those phrases now! Him & his brothers use to climb over the back garden wall into school via the boys toilets! Which had no roof on! The girls apparently toilets had a roof on! ..... Did you go to Alston rd secondary modern school? ..... Can just imagine "Jock" and the air being blue! Malcolm has often recalled the scrapes they all got up to .... Scrumping etc when younger! ......did you go the cubs or scouts? Malcolm did! . When we speak to the brothers will remember you to them! Regards for now M&C

 

[Solihull Chic]

Hi Solihull Chic, yes my name is Carolyn..I do remember Malcolm took me to the cinema..When I made the tea at work he always had a cup. What a small world. Happy memories of working at Corbetts. Regards Carolyn.

Hi Carol, well what a small world! All I can say is thanks for looking after him with his cups of tea! ..... & hope you both enjoyed the Film you watched at cinema! ..... Yes Malcolm has some very happy memories of working at Corbetts! And says hi! To you! He,s not into the tech gadgets of today, but likes me to relate to him, some of the social history & interests that come up on the forum of Brum etc! So we hope things have worked out well for you through your life course & found happiness! Regards M&C

 

[Chris B]

Hi Solihull Chic
Coronation pic at Anthony Road, George, Malcom, Jimmy, and Stuart are all on there. I went to Sladefield Sec Mod after Anthony Road. LOOKING at the photo I am the kid with the mack on Standing on Malcom's RIGHT I was never in the Scouts / Cubs but I used to Help I think It was George when it was bob a job week and he used to lend me a neckerchief and a hat so I could pass for a scout when I knocked on the doors. Although the other pic was taken a few years ago I still look more or less the same now.
Kind Regards Chris Bryan

 

[Astonian]

HI GUYS
Speaking of alum rock and saltley to things i would liketo say and askedfirstly does anybody recall the blackburn family of crawford street
and secondly do you recall the early days of the saltley picture house as it was called in 1912 and a film called [SCHOOL MA AM;
OF STONE GULCH;;
And in those days the prices was of course 2d ;4d; 6d; for the mattnee all day showing ;
i do have a picture of the palce picture for that p[eriod in my book [ stating saltley picture palace; alum rock road 1912;
i know many years ago it eventual change in the 1960s to a dance hall called the jig saw which i used to ngo every friday and saturday nights and it was owned by the same guy whom openened up a club in the old church mosely rd called the golden Gloves which was a very popular irish venues in those days
have a nice day best wishes astonian;;

 

[Solihull Chic]

Hi Solihull Chic
Coronation pic at Anthony Road, George, Malcom, Jimmy, and Stuart are all on there. I went to Sladefield Sec Mod after Anthony Road. LOOKING at the photo I am the kid with the mack on Standing on Malcom's RIGHT I was never in the Scouts / Cubs but I used to Help I think It was George when it was bob a job week and he used to lend me a neckerchief and a hat so I could pass for a scout when I knocked on the doors. Although the other pic was taken a few years ago I still look more or less the same now.
Kind Regards Chris Bryan

Hi Chris, ..... Thanks for this brilliant photo! .... Malcolm,s memory is coming back! So remembers you now! ( he was knocked of his bike when he was 11-12yrs by a bus and seems he was knocked out for a week or two! With a fractured skull, so takes him a time to recall something's!) .... He remembers your Mom & Dad as being very posh! .... And remembers you being very clever doing cinema runs in your Shed in back garden!
Names he,s recalled of this School coronation photo are ..... On front row looking at photo from the left 3rd one in Stuart 4th Wee Jimmy, (brothers) 8th Girl Anita Boucker(not sure how surname spelt! Malcolm went out With Anita in Teens they were quite an Item!) .. 12th girl Gillian Woods,
Middle row from right hand side 7th one in George, next to boy with hat!
Other names he remembers from school are Sheila Jones & Lesley Boucker! .....

He he remembers going and doing Bob a job! & he said the lads would put the bob (shilling) paid in their pockets! Him & his brothers were sent of to Sunday school to Church with some coppers in their pockets to go in the plate that's passed around! Again the coppers (pennies) would be put in their pockets and they would go of and play in Ward end park!
Thanks again for the photo! He,s realised the school photo we have is of when he was at Alston rd school! Regards M&C
other names from Jackson rd are Johnny Jones, Johnny Sparks, Martin Butler, girl & boy Butler? Geoffrey Roach he said Geoffrey's mother he remembers her calling out "Geeeeeoffreyyyy" dinners ready!
Next to Palmers Hardware shop he said was a lovely Polish couple!
He also recalls a man who lived at number 21 who came out to work every morning in his Bowler hat suit spats & umbrella! ... A few years later Malcolm taking some supplies (paint etc) from Henry Corbetts to a building site, came across this neighbour Painting a house!.....

 

[Carol T]

Hi Solihull Chick, My name was Carolyn Taylor, I also remember Barbara, Stan,Muriel (she worked in Sales) and Mac, who was the foreman.The tall girl could have been Pat and there also was a Janice who worked in the accounts. Terry he worked in purchases and Clive Does Malcolm remember Pam Harwood, I did her job when she left. I still have xmas cards from her. I meet my husband at Corbetts, he was an electrician working on the new building when Corbetts was extended, unfortunately I lost him three and half years ago, after 46 years of marriage. Sending best wishes to you both. Regards Carolyn.

 

[Chris B]

Hi Solihull Chic,
Thanks for your response, I think the Polish couple were in the house next to Mrs Lamb second house up the road on the left. The Newbury children are on the pic they lived opposite to Malcom.
I think there may be some confusion with some of the names unless I have misread your post, because little Stuart is 2nd from left back row next to Brian Toplis, and Jimmy is in the Front row 2nd from the left next to Johnny Sparks. I have listed all the ones that I can remember for you in columns so that you and Malcom can have a look and see if you can add any and it may refresh Malcoms memory, there are a fair few blanks (?) although I can remember a lot of the faces names were, and are still not my strongest point to my eternal embarrassment. I think we used to call Malc' and his bike "MAXIES TAXI".
Kind regards Chris Bryan


No BACK ROW LEFT TO RIGHT ********************* ********* MIDDLE ROW LEFT TO RIGHT *************** FRONT ROW LEFT TO RIGHT

1. BRIAN TOPLIS (Maitland Rd) ******************************** IAN WOOD **********************************JOHNNY SPARKS

2. STUART WILLIAMS ****************************************** (?) ************************************JIMMY WILLIAMS

3. *****( ?) **************************************************(?) **************************************** (?)

4. DAVID BRYAN (My Cousin) (Maitland Rd) ************************* (?) ***************************************** (?)

5. ------ LLOYD (Maitland Road) **************************** LESLIE ? BOWKWER ********************************* (?)

6. MALCOM WILLIAMS *********************************** baby ? NEWBURY (On Lap of Frances) ****************** (?)

7. CHRIS BRYAN **************************************** FRANCES NEWBURY ******************************* ( ?)

8. **** (?) ********************************************** ****** (?) ************************************* (?)

9 ------ GREAVES *************************************** (?) ********************************** JUDITH CROSS (Jackson Avenue)

10. ----- TOPLIS (Maitland Road) ************************ ------- LLOYD (Maitland Rd) *************************** (?)

11. **** (?) *************************************** ------ LLOYD (Maitland Rd) *************************** (?)

12. ******************************************** GEORGE WILLIAMS ********************************* (?)

13. ******************************************** BRIAN WALDRON ******************************** (?)

14. ************************************************* (?) ************************************ (?)

15. ************************************************** ? *************************************(?)

16. ********************************************* GILLIAN WOOD ****************************** NIGEL ------

17. ******************************************** ------ WALDRON ***********************************

18. ************************************************** (?) *****************************************

 

[Solihull Chic]

Hi Solihull Chic,
Thanks for your response, I think the Polish couple were in the house next to Mrs Lamb second house up the road on the left. The Newbury children are on the pic they lived opposite to Malcom.
I think there may be some confusion with some of the names unless I have misread your post, because little Stuart is 2nd from left back row next to Brian Toplis, and Jimmy is in the Front row 2nd from the left next to Johnny Sparks. I have listed all the ones that I can remember for you in columns so that you and Malcom can have a look and see if you can add any and it may refresh Malcoms memory, there are a fair few blanks (?) although I can remember a lot of the faces names were, and are still not my strongest point to my eternal embarrassment. I think we used to call Malc' and his bike "MAXIES TAXI".
Kind regards Chris Bryan


No BACK ROW LEFT TO RIGHT ********************* ********* MIDDLE ROW LEFT TO RIGHT *************** FRONT ROW LEFT TO RIGHT

1. BRIAN TOPLIS (Maitland Rd) ******************************** IAN WOOD **********************************JOHNNY SPARKS

2. STUART WILLIAMS ****************************************** (?) ************************************JIMMY WILLIAMS

3. *****( ?) **************************************************(?) **************************************** (?)

4. DAVID BRYAN (My Cousin) (Maitland Rd) ************************* (?) ***************************************** (?)

5. ------ LLOYD (Maitland Road) **************************** LESLIE ? BOWKWER ********************************* (?)

6. MALCOM WILLIAMS *********************************** baby ? NEWBURY (On Lap of Frances) ****************** (?)

7. CHRIS BRYAN **************************************** FRANCES NEWBURY ******************************* ( ?)

8. **** (?) ********************************************** ****** (?) ************************************* (?)

9 ------ GREAVES *************************************** (?) ********************************** JUDITH CROSS (Jackson Avenue)

10. ----- TOPLIS (Maitland Road) ************************ ------- LLOYD (Maitland Rd) *************************** (?)

11. **** (?) *************************************** ------ LLOYD (Maitland Rd) *************************** (?)

12. ******************************************** GEORGE WILLIAMS ********************************* (?)

13. ******************************************** BRIAN WALDRON ******************************** (?)

14. ************************************************* (?) ************************************ (?)

15. ************************************************** ? *************************************(?)

16. ********************************************* GILLIAN WOOD ****************************** NIGEL ------

17. ******************************************** ------ WALDRON ***********************************

18. ************************************************** (?) *****************************************

Hi Chris, thanks for coming back to us on names of photo,s! Malcolm has been reeling of names etc all day! Bit later will sit down again with him, and list names etc he recalls! Just wanted to let you know we will post back! Asp regards M&C

 

[Solihull Chic]

Hi Solihull Chick, My name was Carolyn Taylor, I also remember Barbara, Stan,Muriel (she worked in Sales) and Mac, who was the foreman.The tall girl could have been Pat and there also was a Janice who worked in the accounts. Terry he worked in purchases and Clive Does Malcolm remember Pam Harwood, I did her job when she left. I still have xmas cards from her. I meet my husband at Corbetts, he was an electrician working on the new building when Corbetts was extended, unfortunately I lost him three and half years ago, after 46 years of marriage. Sending best wishes to you both. Regards Carolyn.

Hi Carolyn ... Really nice of you to reply will PM you a bit later! Best wishes M&C x

 

[Pat Sattar-Jennings]

Hello. Does anyone remember if there was a Pawn Brokers up the Alum Rock shops. My mother used to tell me stories of her Uncle Ted & Aunt Wynne CLARKE having a shop up there - forgot what era. She said they used to live on the Washwood Heath Road. I can only guess it may have been between 1930 - 1950. Just a shot in the dark.

 

[mikejee]

In 1932-46 there was a John Clarke at 57 Alum rock Road. There were other shops in that name at Carver St & Camden St also. They had gone by 1949. The christian name above a shop was not always the same as the person running it, if it had been inherited as a family firm

 

[Trebor]

Hello Mikegee,

According to Kelly's directory 57 Alum Rock Rd was Leonard Clarke electrical engineer and 59 Alum Rock Rd was Leonard Clarke outfitters, when I lived in Reginald in the fifties/sixties I knew the Clarke family, there were quite a few of them, two of the younger girls were called Susan and Jennifer.
regards trebor (Rita)

 

[saddlebag]

Way back 'BOBBYGEE' posted a picture of Barclays Bank at the junction of Washwood Heath Rd and Alum Rock Rd. The post number was #157, but the attached thumbnail picture appears to have been deleted. Does anyone have a copy of this picture they could re-post as I believe one of the men stood in Barclays doorway was my late Dad.
Many Thanks

 

[mikejee]

Was this it?

 

[saddlebag]

That's the exact picture - many thanks mikejee

 

[wendyP]

Mike do you have any more pics of Saltley and Alum Rock, especially one of the Rock cinema. I lived in the road opposite - Reginald Road. Suppose no photos of that? Thanks
WendyP

 

[mikejee]

Any use?

 

[wendyP]

Wow! That's fantastic and brings back so many memories. My mom would take me every Wednesday afternoon after school and then I went to the Saturday Club every Saturday morning. Thank you so much.

 

[castalla]

Sorry that this has nothing to do with shops, however i was looking at Google earth today and my uncle (Tim Flynn) lived facing the Brookhill pub, can i confirm these houses have been Knocked down ¿ as i can not see the houses and if so when did they knock them down

 

[wendyP]

Southalls was opposite the Brookhill pub and that's been pulled down. Perhaps that's where you mean.

 

[castalla]

If i remember Southhalls was just down the road a bit on the left going in to town, there were houses on Alum rock road facing the pub and behind these hoses were a Army cadet barracks if i remember rightly

 

[johnfc]

Hello Pat Sattar-Jennings, there was a pawn-shop at 57/59 Alum Rock, on the corner of Reginald Road. The shop was owned by my grandfather John Clarke until 1952 and my father Leonard Clarke then took over and it was a clothing, shoes, glassware, radio and television. My father died in 1968 and we left the shop.
I do not know of Ted and Wynne Clarke, did they have a pawn-shop else-where on The Rock? We lived on Wasshwood Heath before moving to the Shop.
Cheers John Clarke

 

[Ianmonger]

There was a pawnbrokers shop on the corner of College Road and Couchman Road in the 1930s

 

[wendyP]

Hello John, Do0 you have any photos of your parents shop in Reginald Road (I lived there) and remember the shop well.
Wendy

 

[Macca]

Hi Castalla,
Your uncles house is still standing, there are three terraced houses and a small row of shops on A/Rock Rd just before you reach Rockville Road, I believe his was the first house. It was just up from the Brookhill on he opposite side of the road.

Macca