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Aston Pictures

Does anyone know when they replaced both bridges across Aston Hall Road (pic 482) ?.....I am sure as a child in the 1950's I walked under those bridges as they were then...
 
Thanks for the photo Stitcher, it was taken the year I was born. That was my playground and used to love standing under the bridges and listen to the rumble of the trains. Then I'd cut through lover's walk to see if my dad went past on his coal lorry. Regards David.
 
If other members enjoy looking at the pictures I post, that is all the encouragement I need to carry on but we must all remember that my collection will run dry one day. That means we should all keep our eyes open for images from the past so we can carry on indefinately.
 
Stitcher, you keep posting them as long as you can. Whether they have appeared before, or not, they are still worth viewing. I love old pictures of Brum.
 
Stitcher a lot of your picture posts I have been unable to see due to the hack but the ones I can see I really enjoy. I remember Brum partly from the Fifties when my parents brought me up from Dorset to see my Step-sister, we arrived at Snow Hill Station and I loved the whole thing the sounds, the steam and the people rushing around.

My recollections of Broad Street when I walked down it from Five Ways to the BBC are still fairly clear, even to looking in the magic shop window and then going in and buying a thing you put in your mouth that let you throw your voice. Suffice to say it didn't work all I got were squeaks an funny burbling sounds. I even remember the day the whole area was over taken by a massive swarm of flying ants.

I went into a shop in St Martins Street and bought a penny orange ice lolly, the taste was something new, I'd never had a lolly that tasted so much of orange, the taste seemed to explode in my mouth.

These days the shops wouldn't be able to make them due to public health. And a small boy wandering down Broad Street on his own would have the Police and Social Services racing to the scene

I used to walk over to the offices of a shipping company close to the corner of Calthorpe Road and Islington Row and stare the model ship in the window.

Then came the Sixties when I moved to Brum, no train, this time I traveled using my thumb and got dropped at Stonebridge roundabout from where I walked to Maypole.

I found a bedsit in Showell Green Lane and got a job at Laughton & Sons, remember Twinco picnic wear or Straton compacts ?


 
Old and Grey I was given a Stratton compact for my 16th birthday from my boss in my first job. I probably didnt appreciate it in the 60s.
 
Old And Grey, I was born in 1940 and I know one born more than five years later will have the treasure trove of memories that I have. This is only my opinion but I truly believe that the best has gone and I enjoyed it all.
 
I also had a Stratton compact. I think it was given to me for my 18th Birthday by my auntie and uncle. It was gold coloured and had a lipstick holder on the side. It was in a black cover and I loved it.

Judy
 
I remember one of the thing that they made used the inside of clam shells which was cut into the shapes for the back of hair brushes, combs and mirrors. They called it Mother of Pearl and once it was finished with there was a load of it in the waste bins.

I worked in the coloring department where we mixed up the various shades of colours for the plastic plates, knifes and forks.
 
Old And Grey, I was born in 1940 and I know one born more than five years later will have the treasure trove of memories that I have. This is only my opinion but I truly believe that the best has gone and I enjoyed it all.

I have a feeling you are right. Times have changed and in many cases they are not going to get any better. We have lost so much and had so much forced up on us with no chance to change things.
 
! was born in 1930 and in my personal opinion this country of mine started changingt in about the 60's, for the worse I might add and is still changing now and there is nothing we can do about it. Eric
 
Hi Eric,Without doubt we have seen the most halcyon days in this countrys
history.Most of us did our bit for King and Country, paid our way, taught our
children right from wrong, and got no thanks or reward for it.We can only hope
that at the end of of the day there is a better world in the hereafter, cheers now
Bernard
 
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Sorry to introduce a comment of mine own but this thread is really about the photos of Aston which we are all enjoying seeing either again for for the first time. We have a Banter section for the sort of debate that seems to be developing. I recognise how easy it is to get side tracked so before I fall into the same trap can we get back on course.

Keep up the great work Trevor we all appreciate it.

Ta ever so.



Bernie
 
I was born in the 40s and the country was always changing. The fifties were great - rock and roll, teenagers, electronic music, great English artists, Festival of Britain. And then came the 60s - WOW what a great time. Were can I start - fashion, music, art, respect for all genders and ethnic origins. An explosion of colour and understanding. If it wasn't so great why do we see the fashions of that time copied now. My big regret at the moment is that we are not changing enough. I am optimistic for the future though. The 60s taught me to be positive
 
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If this thread deteriorates into a political debate I will close it pending discussion with the others of the Admin team. Please believe me I would not want to do that as I am or was, finding it very interesting.
 
Has anyone got any pictures of the town side of the railway bridge at Aston Station, in the late 60's there was a scrapyard there that was owned by Pat Roach. Funny how his name pops up all over the place on these forums.
 
Viv
From at least 1890 till the early 1950s the malthouse in Johnston St was owned by Ansells
 
Viv

It did indeed become the Elbow Room, and wasn't it a Civic Restaurant before it was The Burlington?
 

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Afraid I don't remember the businesses prior to it being the Elbow Room Phil. It looks like a 50s/60s building to me, but could be wrong. I only remember the club. Used to go there after the pub. Viv.
 
old and grey - this is probably the wrong thread but I remember that magic shop when I was living with my grandparents in bishopsgate st in the early to mid sixties. I remember the soap that turned your hands black - I gave that to my uncles to their suprise.
 
yes indeed it was a couple of small little shops oringinaly close together in a little corner way tpe of the old shops and one as said there was ajoke and magic shop selling these things the couple of shops huddled together and you would side step to your right as a matter of fact if you get my drift as to be on the front face of the resturant
but orinionaly the elbow room club front doors was hugging in the corner of the side of the resturant for a couple of years
and it was up stairs and above the excisting shops ajoining until they built the next door resturant and it openendthe frontage for them
i can recall those newbuilding being rebuilt along with old woolworths store whom eventualy sold up and went to lozells rd and that pictureof wooworhsthen became pooles furnishing and eventualy pooles went and demolishes and it was a social services office of some kind of a department they had but prior to all that
in the hayday passing the old hippo ; was a series of old shops and the main one and a big one was the house of jack built
the other big shop i recall and would love to see is the big broom down on aston rd north just along from the aston cross where they had there logo
above there shop was a massive modl of a big broom there land mark ; as anybody got that picture of the giant brom above the store stuck to the wall
i would also say thanks to viv and stitch for the photo of taylors the bookie aS HE WAS MY OLD BOOKIE WHOM WHERE WHEN I WAS YOUNG WOULD WAGE MY MONEY DAILY THERE every day and i used to be a regular winner there daily thats because i was good at the studying the form
i started to study the form at a early age and with a dear old friend of mine growing up was a lad called robert goldie from hyde rd ladywood
many many years ago ; [ incidently should anybody know of the where abouts of rob ; i would dearly like to make contact with him ]
we could not go wrong any form or any track we was on the winner and gave tips to friends and family ;
my dear old mother only had a tanner in her purse left after spending her house keeping money on feeding ten kids i took her tanner for the bet at taylors
and i told her of ayaler on grand nationial day and god bless her she won at 66 /1 she cryed with excitment she never betted in her life before
and still never did for the rest of her life ;she got three jobs afterwards to raise and keep the 10 kids even thou she was in bad health
one was at wilkingsons ; [ george ] from anglesey rd gerard st ; part time the other night cleaner at Ansells head office at the cross and she done out work for a chamie leather company at aston cross which was by the corner of rocky lane and behind jelfscorner coffee shop facing buckingams the chemist on the cross
we lived up the rd from taylors on upper thomas street on the cornr at the old penny dripping cake shop in those days if anybody recalls that
after coming out of the swimming baths or in our case the public baths giant deep baths with huge big giant brass taps
where the attentant controlled the hot water for you and you hd to put the cold in yor self ;
cor god blimey they was the days ; good or ad i do not know; ? .
any way viv and stich and the forum ; thanks for the memory ; ;have a nice day ; oh incidently was any of our members at hoggs lane car boot on saturday
displaying the picture of the big clock at warstone lane ;it was in a frame and in a frame ; best wishes astonian ;; [ alan ] ;;;;
 
Hello Alan (astonian) it is always nice to read your interesting memories and what you add makes posting the pictures more worthwhile, and can I say that I have not heard of a "tanner" for years. Thanks again.
Stitcher.
 
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