Aston Pictures

[Ray Griffiths]

Do you remember the Big Broom the hardware shop towards Aston Cross for Matty's.

My dad bought our 1st T/v from Matty's the one further down by the Domestic stores.

It was a Cossor 10inch black and white, it only had i channel and when ITV started we had abox called a cat's whisker to tune in the other channel.

We were used to t/v pictures with snow effects, and the intervals in programmes while studios cooled down, up the river never got anywhere, fish tank, stupid but we sat and watched it.

We have just had a meal of tomatoa sausage from our local farmers market in Bideford, do you remember tomatoa sausages & the meat from Thompson's, chicklings, nothing was waste in thompson.

I remember the pigs being delivered I'm sure they had mind what was going to happen to them.

Do you rember Freddie Dents shop, and the sweet shop with the fish shaped sweets covered in sugar, during the war we used to get big blocks cocoa chocalate you had a job to get you teeth in it.

We had very little but we were happy we didn't have anything else.

Thanks for shaing some memories.

hi ray
i would also like to say a very big thank you to you ,for those unforgetable
memories of growing up of the litchfield rd aston that instantly came flooding
back to me ,as if it was only yesterday .i can have an instant memory for each and every one pic shot you have put on
the shot of the pic facing mattys and yes [ the widdows arms ]
some say not ,but i stick to my guns ,and i can see the terrace where i was
born with astons the cake shop at the bottom of the terrace where i got my
1d cakes and a bag of mixed broken bisuits at the age of 6 years old
and the memory of sitting on the street floor [ the pament] watching , and
listening to the pigs being delivered and screaming from the back
and alsp my fasiacion of watching the pork pie,s coming down the factory
and being hoisted up stairs on the lift by the gates to be stored ,
and also when they was coming down to the shop and wheeled into the shop
i used to go up the side of the shop and climb on a ledge and peer through
the window and watch the men slaughter the pigs see how they done it
with a stun gun , and stab to let them bleed then stick them
in a tank of boiling water and scrub them ,
between the age of 6 ,and ten i was always at that gate every day waiting for
for the pigs to come some days they would see them come
and many times i would see the guys chasing them down the tram tracks
stopping the traffic every day i sat at them gates the guys got to know me as
that little boy whom sat at the gates i got to know peter thompson
and afew other workers there another nice guy was named alan
i remember when he broke up from work he said he was going on holiday
i was about eight at the time they knew my mother he said do you
want to come to the sea side with us i said oh yes
and i followed him over the rd to the bus stop he said go and asked your
mom then so he crossed me back over the rd i ran up the terrace and
told mom she said don,t be silly you little boy so i ran back down he terrace
only to get bit on the back side by bruce , [ a ginger haird dog ]
belong to georgie jarrett i had to go back to the house crying and alan
the chap jumped on the tram and gone when you are a kid two weeks seem
a life time i asked peter about him he said hes on holiday
and the rest i used to help a postman before going to school all down to
the last chance cafe so you see i have some great memorys even fetching
te coal from illselys with one of there barrows the old lady
was a old moaner there when kids fetch the coal and had to pay a deposit
to borrow a barrow , ray ther was a wine and spirit cash and carry
just down past the car sales it was just passed the post ofice
i know there was a off licence as well but these was two different companys
they had two parts of there business on each side of the road
any idea what it was called, many thanks astonian ;;

 

[Ray Griffiths]

You were luck Sunday best my hole in the ass was a 7 days a week wear.

Ray

Astonite thank you for that picture of church lane....thats the scene l remember..l would go with my mother every saturday to do the shopping at Thompsons of course then a visit to the g/parents down the lane...and then of every sunday morning my brother and l would visit them again in our sunday best...thank you again, you've really made my day...Brenda

 

[Astoness]

great church lane area pics ray..just look at all the memories you are stiring up...

cheers

lyn

 

[Dave Bath]

Hi Alf, I think this is the Brittania pub you mention, still there but has been shut for about four years or more, shame. Brian

Hi Alf/Brian,
Wasn't there a PDSA next door or nearby at one time (50's)? As I recall it was about the only vet in Aston?

 

[G G Jean]

Hi Dave it was the PDSA i'm sure of it as I used to walk my little dog across the Serpentine ground then through lovers walk and across the Lichfield road to it. We had a collection box in the house for them. I even took my pet rat Ottie there. Can still smell the detol on the floor. Bye. Jean.

 

[Dave Bath]

Do you remember the Big Broom the hardware shop towards Aston Cross from Matty's.

Yes Ray, I remember it well. It was between Holland Road and Avenue Road. Next door or close by was the photographers Purcell and Betts. I'll bet a lot of ex-Astonites have got a family picture or two taken there. Flip you photos over and see the name!
What a fantastic set of photos you have. Did you take them all yourself or have you collected them (or both)?

 

[Wendy]

You were luck Sunday best my hole in the ass was a 7 days a week wear.

Ray

Ray I have just noticed you have George Cross in your signature names search. I have a Howard George Cross born Bilston 1858 he married Martha Morris at Aston parish church in 1880 address given 146 Trinity Road. I know it's a common name but thought it worth mentioning.

 

[Alf]

Hi Alf, I think this is the Brittania pub you mention, still there but has been shut for about four years or more, shame.

Brian

Thank you Brian, Dave & thanks to Astonite for the photo

I only ask because Moms brother Uncle Jim was a member of the RAOB's there and
I've got his parchment somewhere my papers must sort it out

 

[jennyann]

Hi Dave: If you look in the "Search" on the site and type in Lichfield Road PDSA you will find three pages of threads about the PDSA including mine.
Talking about this subject certainly does bring back memories.

 

[brenda barr]

Ray once again you've made my day with more pictures of Church Lane....the upper part ot the lane is how l remember it....but the winning prize was the one picture of the house my mother was raised in...she always refered to them as the cottages..thats the two houses with V shaped roof...she reckoned they were keepers houses of Aston Hall....wether that is true or not we'll never know as its all gone now,....Ray you poor thing you never had any Sunday best...not even handmedowns...l think just about everything l had came from somebody else....l got to hate sundays as we got to put our sunday best on visit g/parents then go home for dinner then go to sunday school was'nt aloud to play or get dirty etc......but of course we always dressed up to go to town.....how times have changed...once again Ray thank you for the memories....Brenda

 

[Ray Griffiths]

Thanks Wendy.

That was my Great Grandad & Nan

I'd got the dates but nothing else.

Many thanks much appreciated Ray.

Ray I have just noticed you have George Cross in your signature names search. I have a Howard George Cross born Bilston 1858 he married Martha Morris at Aston parish church in 1880 address given 146 Trinity Road. I know it's a common name but thought it worth mentioning.

 

[Ray Griffiths]

I'm please you have got such important information from my pictures, theres been so much interest I can't keep up with it.

it's such a slow process down loading slides I can only do 4 at time.

Let's see if I can comeup with so more gems.

Ray

Ray once again you've made my day with more pictures of Church Lane....the upper part ot the lane is how l remember it....but the winning prize was the one picture of the house my mother was raised in...she always refered to them as the cottages..thats the two houses with V shaped roof...she reckoned they were keepers houses of Aston Hall....wether that is true or not we'll never know as its all gone now,....Ray you poor thing you never had any Sunday best...not even handmedowns...l think just about everything l had came from somebody else....l got to hate sundays as we got to put our sunday best on visit g/parents then go home for dinner then go to sunday school was'nt aloud to play or get dirty etc......but of course we always dressed up to go to town.....how times have changed...once again Ray thank you for the memories....Brenda

 

[Astoness]

dont worry ray...im sure we can be patient..i can imagine how much time this must be taking up...and apart from the pics being gems you are our little gem...lol....

lyn

 

[Ray Griffiths]

Hi Folks.

I would expect some tales from these pictures Lovers Walk by Aston Station.

Ray

 

[G G Jean]

Ray that's where I would come out on my way to the PDSA. You do have some lovely photo's Ray and they are bringing back some lovely memories for me. Jean. Sorry Ray just noticed my old school too. Great days there. Jean.

 

[Ray Griffiths]

Hi robb128

Here's two for robb128, have you seen this before I haven't a any idea were it came from I suspect it was my uncle George Cross who lived at no 4 later on.

Interestingly No2 Hill's was two spinster sisters, who even in the 1950 both dressed in Victoria style, if you see a picture of the Old Queen Mary with the high lace necks and long dark skirts.

Funnyly enough they both worked at the House That Jack Built in Potters Hill, they were strange and very classy in there old way but not what you would expect in Sandy Lane.

Ray

 

[Ray Griffiths]

Hi Jean

Here's another one looking the other way down Lovers Walk towards Lichfield Rd and the Brit pub.

More for the upper Aston folk hope you like them.

Ray

 

[G G Jean]

The best groups of photo's I have gone through for a while maybe because they bring so many memories of Aston for myself and Lozells for Peter. Thanks again Ray. Jean.

 

[Aurora]

Great to see these Aston photos, and see so many of you know so much about Aston. At last I have made slow, very muddled first steps in tracing my ancestry, and as "Aston" and "Aston Manor" keep appearing would be grateful if you could help me?

Are Aston and Aston Manor the same?

If a census is "civil parish, Aston" is the family address in Aston?

Could you tell me if the following roads still exist?
2, Freeman Road is my family's address in 1881 census
372 Witton Road in the 1901 census
One half brother "Christened and buried in Aston Church" (born1920)- are there several churches in Aston?

Sorry if these are silly questions, but this is all very new and confusing to me, made harder by the fact I am the world's biggest idiot with computers. I don't usually post as I would put them in the wrong headings or other blunders, but do take great pleasure in reading members posts and trying to learn from them, so thank you all for that.

 

[mikejee]

Aurora

In answer to your question as to Freeman road, a small length approximately at the same place is still called Freeman road, though much has disappeared under a dual carriageway. No old buildings remain. The position of no 2 is one of the two houses coloured in red on the attached 1903 map. I think the one nearest the corner is the most likely, but cannot be sure

Witton road still exists. No 372 is no longer there but the map shows where I think it was (either that or next door) in red. In the 1900 directory it is listed as being a drapers run by Francis John Tringham
I would think “Aston church” would certainly refer to Aston parish church, which is not that far away from either of these addresses.

 

[ASTONITE]

Ray, once again I can only say thankyou, I am totally gobsmacked! These photographs are just as important as the Phyllis Nicklin collection, if not more so to those of us from Aston and Lozells, If ever I have the pleasure to meet you ill buy you a pint ,you've not only made my day but my whole year!

 

[Ray Griffiths]

What is gobsmacking I'll see if I got anymore gobstoppers.

Ray

Ray, once again I can only say thankyou, I am totally gobsmacked! These photographs are just as important as the Phyllis Nicklin collection, if not more so to those of us from Aston and Lozells, If ever I have the pleasure to meet you ill buy you a pint ,you've not only made my day but my whole year!

 

[Aurora]

Thank you very much Mikejee for that info. and those great maps. I did tell you I am an idiot- I then proved it. Have looked again and it was 382, not 372 Witton Road, but the map you kindly put will still be relevant I'm sure.

It was John & Clara Walker (my grandparents), Lillian M & Tilly (my aunts)Walter (my father aged 10) and Ernest (my uncle) at that address. I know that later my grandfather had a hardware shop in Perry Barr, but don't know if he had his own business in Witton Road or just lived there.

It seems that my Grandfather in 1881 (aged 18) was living with his Grandmother. She, (Mary A Walker), had a son, a daughter, and 3 grandsons living with her in Freeman Road.

Thank you again for taking the trouble to give me answers, it is kind of you.
.

 

[Astoness]

hi ray...may i go one step further than astonite and say your collection of photos may well end up being more important than phylis nicklins and i never thought i would ever say that....they are an absolute treasure..it will be long long time before we see such pics again if indeed we ever do....

thank you so much for sharing them with us..you have made so many members happy not least me with those 2 of villa st......

lyn x

 

[mikejee]

Aurora
If you count 5 houses up to the right on the map from the red house this should give you 383.
mike

 

[Aurora]

Thanks for that Mikejee, I have been looking at the maps and trying to imagine what life must have been like there back then. It will take me forever to trace everyone, but the maps make it seem more real to me, and that helps.
Dawn

 

[robb128]

ray thanks for the Sandy lane pics at junction with Thimblemil lane the shop was owned by Mrs Bond the other pic of same junction with coffee house on the corner of Wainwright St and Sandy lane i was born at No 85 two doors up and just off pic
Thank you kindly for your time and effort in giving so many people a smile or two
robb 128

 

[brenda barr]

Ray once again you've made my day, does'nt take much these days to make me happy.....the pictures of Thimble mill Lane were just how l left it in 1958 when l left to live in Texas.l worked at Johnny Wrights (Radiation stoves)from when l left school in dec 1950....and of course know all the surrounding streets quite well....but we never did stray to far in those days did we....my father was born in Lovers walk so thats another picture to my collection thanks to you....don't think either one of my parents had any wonderlust intheir blood as they lived in aston untill they made the big move to Castlevale in 1969..all your pictures are smashing you really deserve a medal Ray as l know so many people are having that grey matter come alive just looking at your show of pictures.....keep them coming...Brenda

 

[Jules65]

Ray - I must echo what other members of the forum are saying - your pictures are wonderful.

The picture of Villa Cross really brings back loads of memories. Though I am sure the shop shown on the corner of Barkers Street and Lozells Road wasn't called that in my day. I may be getting confused but I thought it was Cowdrills. My Aunt owned a shop in Barkers Street next to the hairdressers - I think it was called Junior World. She then moved around the corner onto the Villa Road into what was the old Gas showroom. There was a few ladies clothes shops on the Villa Road at that time - but for the life of me I cannot remember what they were called. I'm pretty sure it was a laides name like Daphnies or Brendas. May be nothing like that at all of course - lol.

 

[Jules65]

Almost forgot, on the picture of Villa Road, on the left where you can see a clock sticking out. I'm sure that was Price and Olivers. Bought my first fountain pen from a shop just along there. Maybe it was from Price and Olivers - though I may be getting confused because something tells me that they may have been a plumbers merchants. Perhaps someone will remember and clear it up for me.

Once again Ray brilliant pictures - keep them coming.