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Balsall Heath.
- Thread starter Jill
- Start date
Pomgolian
Kiwi Brummie
:angel: Jill I lived in Dymoke St , went to school in Mosley Rd and attended St Albans Church, sometimes classed as Balsall Heath/Highgate.
If you type Dymoke St in the search box at the top left hand side of this page you will get some posts I've made on the area.
I also have some pic's of the area if you would like them PM me your email address.
Chris :angel:
If you type Dymoke St in the search box at the top left hand side of this page you will get some posts I've made on the area.
I also have some pic's of the area if you would like them PM me your email address.
Chris :angel:
My dad lived at 9/65 Dymoke Street before he married my mom and they were married in St. Albans the Martyr in Conybere Street, as were my grandparents. Was your school Upper Highgate Grils' School? I went to Mary Street and later Hope Street (or Hopeless Street as some preferred to call it) but knew some of the girls from Upper Highgate. I now live in the Cotswolds but we recently visited Brum and some of the old streets are still in evidence although only a few. I will let you have my email and thank you for your offer of pictures of the area.
R
Robert Harrison
Guest
Dear Jill
You have here a Balsall Heath born and bread old soul.
Born at No. ! Jakeman Road in 1930 when I lived with the customary deviding wall,
two seater toilet where you could have a chat with whoever was sitting next
to you. There was no shame in it for it was how it was. Two friends chatting by candle light, or
reading the bits of Birmingham Mail torn into squares and hung on string. A friendly meeting place for all who desired a break from the humdrum existance of constantly trying to make ends do.
Moving to 1 back of 250 Balsall Heath Road in 1932. A little home that had its own water supply oozing out of the walls of the pokie front room, not that there was a back room. The kitchen had the customary gas cooker and cold water tap over a cement sink. At the side of the cooker was the door to the coal house, where six steps took you to the bogie mans den. The glimmer above your head came from the coal hole cover where your bags of coal were empted. "How many today Missus".
"Four please and no slack this time, the last bag was all slack".
"Ok luv, no slack".
We lived with constant illness in that pokie house with its pocket handkerchief of a front garden. Again the wall was our only view.
Zepilins with their engines throbbing came and looked us over at times, and the top end of the road had its gang who at times met in the middle of Balsall Heath road to do battle with the bottom end of the roads gang.
The Luxor was our Saturday diversion from the poverty of our existance. But for all of its shabbiness Balsall Heath road was friendly and neighbourly, and folk got on with their lives as best they could.
We are still around my girl, living with our fond memories.
Robert
You have here a Balsall Heath born and bread old soul.
Born at No. ! Jakeman Road in 1930 when I lived with the customary deviding wall,
two seater toilet where you could have a chat with whoever was sitting next
to you. There was no shame in it for it was how it was. Two friends chatting by candle light, or
reading the bits of Birmingham Mail torn into squares and hung on string. A friendly meeting place for all who desired a break from the humdrum existance of constantly trying to make ends do.
Moving to 1 back of 250 Balsall Heath Road in 1932. A little home that had its own water supply oozing out of the walls of the pokie front room, not that there was a back room. The kitchen had the customary gas cooker and cold water tap over a cement sink. At the side of the cooker was the door to the coal house, where six steps took you to the bogie mans den. The glimmer above your head came from the coal hole cover where your bags of coal were empted. "How many today Missus".
"Four please and no slack this time, the last bag was all slack".
"Ok luv, no slack".
We lived with constant illness in that pokie house with its pocket handkerchief of a front garden. Again the wall was our only view.
Zepilins with their engines throbbing came and looked us over at times, and the top end of the road had its gang who at times met in the middle of Balsall Heath road to do battle with the bottom end of the roads gang.
The Luxor was our Saturday diversion from the poverty of our existance. But for all of its shabbiness Balsall Heath road was friendly and neighbourly, and folk got on with their lives as best they could.
We are still around my girl, living with our fond memories.
Robert
K
Kate
Guest
It's wonderful to read your shared histories 
How great to read your memories of Balsall Heath Robert. I lived in Longmore Street (I'm sure you remember where this is) and used to frequent the Luxor often. We used to go to the Saturday morning kids show and a couple of evenings as well. I loved Betty Grable and Betty Hutton films. My best friend was Betty Grable and I was Betty Hutton when we played out the next day. My grandfather had Henn's greengrocers in Clevedon Road. You were lucky to have an entrance to your cellar for the coal. We had it left outside our only door and had to cart it in bucket by bucket to the inside coal hole. We had one downstairs room, one bedroom on top of that and an attic on top of that. Damp wasn't the word!! We had just the one cold water tap. But our mom always had a roaring fire in the cold weather and our dinner on the table and made it cosy for us. I too remember the outside loos. Bloody cold in the snowy weather but, as you say, useful for catching up on the news! And we had a brew house for washing (laundry that is). Bet you played footie on the black patch in Calthorpe Park. Chris is thinking of the Triangle Cinema in her post (or the flea pit as it was known locally) - that was in Gooch Street wasn't it? Thank you Robert for your post. Jill.
Pomgolian
Kiwi Brummie
You are quite right Jill it was theTriangle , known as 'The Flee Pit'. I remember seeing 'Smiley gets a bike' ( the one about the Ozzie kid) at the Luxor now I think about it.
So can either of you tell me what 'The Restarant' on Gooch St was ? The one near the bus stop (Could have been the Number 8 bus stop I think) accross the road from Conybere St and a little down to the right, I think it was Pale Green inside with long sets and tables and it had a Juke box.
Chris :angel:
So can either of you tell me what 'The Restarant' on Gooch St was ? The one near the bus stop (Could have been the Number 8 bus stop I think) accross the road from Conybere St and a little down to the right, I think it was Pale Green inside with long sets and tables and it had a Juke box.
Chris :angel:
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R
Robert Harrison
Guest
Jill
MY dear old grand mother on dad's side lived in Clevdon Road. A river viaduct ran at her bach door. If there was a river in Calthorp Park then that was what "Her" river was called.
I played footy in the park with a pigs bladder as my football, dad not being able to buy me a proper football.
Oh heck dont start me off or I shant get any work done nor be able to look at the rest of this wonderful site. My dear wife has just told me off for not turning the apples she was stewing down as the water boiled over. I dont know if this site is a curse or a joy, whichever ,it gets me into a heck of a lot of trouble.
MY dear old grand mother on dad's side lived in Clevdon Road. A river viaduct ran at her bach door. If there was a river in Calthorp Park then that was what "Her" river was called.
I played footy in the park with a pigs bladder as my football, dad not being able to buy me a proper football.
Oh heck dont start me off or I shant get any work done nor be able to look at the rest of this wonderful site. My dear wife has just told me off for not turning the apples she was stewing down as the water boiled over. I dont know if this site is a curse or a joy, whichever ,it gets me into a heck of a lot of trouble.
Chris I know the restaurant you mean but can't think what it was called. It was set back a little wasn't it but, sorry, my memory fails me again! Robert (you clearly have no problems with your memory) - the river you speak of is the River Rea which ran behind our house in Longmore Street also. Normally it looked more like a stream but when in flood it was frightening and several poor souls were drowned. My apologies to your wife re. the apples. Jill
Pomgolian
Kiwi Brummie
:angel: Me again :2funny: I remember very well walking the streets on Sunday afternoons. We (my sister, brother, often a friend or two and I) walked down to the end of Dymoke St, turned down Coybere St, crossed at Gooch St and from there we would end up either at Calthorp Park, Balgrave Park (I think somewhere in these two parks there was a bridge that joined them together), or we would follow the River Rea and end up at Cannon Hill Park. I being the youngest I never really knew the routs we went by I just followed my older siblings and friends. I do remember somewhere along Bristol St there was (what at that time in 1950's) a modern looking Red Brick building that lay back from the road and had a super long low wall just made for a little sister to walk along if she had been good.
I also ended up getting a ‘Piggy Back Ride’ home by the older kids if we'd walked to Cannon Hill.
Chris :angel:
I also ended up getting a ‘Piggy Back Ride’ home by the older kids if we'd walked to Cannon Hill.
Chris :angel:
M
mazbeth
Guest
I live in Balsall Heath now...but only from '86
I (and 'we,' later, my husband) have lived at about 4 or 5 different Balsall Heath addresses (because of having to rent privately, and landlords selling).
We started in Clevedon Rd.
I (and 'we,' later, my husband) have lived at about 4 or 5 different Balsall Heath addresses (because of having to rent privately, and landlords selling).
We started in Clevedon Rd.
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the silver fox
master brummie
Balsall Heath
I lived in Upper Cox Street. I had a part-time job as errand boy at the Coop Fish, Fruit and Greengrocery (Branch 66) on the corner with Balsall Heath Road, when I was at school . In the excellent 'The Co-op in Birmingham' there is a picture of the shop, wrongly captioned as Branch 26. The Luxor cinema was in Balsall Heath Road, on the side of the culvert controlling the River Rea. Pinnicks sold furnishings on the Longmore Street corner, The Wallace was on another corner and a Bank on one side of the Cox St West corner. This was an incredibly congested few square yards, with Jakemans Walk and Clevedon Road all more or less meeting with those other roads I mentioned. There was an old, filled-in air raid shelter on the Clevedon Road bend opposite Calthorpe Park, which we kids attemted to explore from time to time.
The Rea had been culverted in the late 1800's, because it could spread over its broad floodplain at times of heavy rain. The original course ran where parts of Cheddar Road were later built. The area then occupied by the Black Patch had previoulsy been very swampy and I suspect the cinders were a drainage medium. Not many Black Patch footballers emerged unscathed! The culvert ran behind Longmore Street, and that trickle of a river was tranformed into a deep,raging torrent by heavy rain. The Rea was once the County Boundary between Warwickshire and Worcestershire and still has some boundary status, separating Edgbaston and Balsall Heath. Longmore Street buzzed with activity with dozens of shops and pubs.
Calthorpe Park had a statue or two, one was Robert Peel, Birmingham MP and founder of the modern Police Force. Bobby now resides at the Police Training Establishment on the Pershore Road. Under Calthorpe Park runs the Elan Valley water pipeline; note the gap in the houses in Edward Road and the inspect man holes in the park before the pipeline travels under the middle of the old Varna Road, famous for prostitution in the 1950s and 60s, actually in Edgbaston but always 'attributed' to Balsall Heath.
I lived in Upper Cox Street. I had a part-time job as errand boy at the Coop Fish, Fruit and Greengrocery (Branch 66) on the corner with Balsall Heath Road, when I was at school . In the excellent 'The Co-op in Birmingham' there is a picture of the shop, wrongly captioned as Branch 26. The Luxor cinema was in Balsall Heath Road, on the side of the culvert controlling the River Rea. Pinnicks sold furnishings on the Longmore Street corner, The Wallace was on another corner and a Bank on one side of the Cox St West corner. This was an incredibly congested few square yards, with Jakemans Walk and Clevedon Road all more or less meeting with those other roads I mentioned. There was an old, filled-in air raid shelter on the Clevedon Road bend opposite Calthorpe Park, which we kids attemted to explore from time to time.
The Rea had been culverted in the late 1800's, because it could spread over its broad floodplain at times of heavy rain. The original course ran where parts of Cheddar Road were later built. The area then occupied by the Black Patch had previoulsy been very swampy and I suspect the cinders were a drainage medium. Not many Black Patch footballers emerged unscathed! The culvert ran behind Longmore Street, and that trickle of a river was tranformed into a deep,raging torrent by heavy rain. The Rea was once the County Boundary between Warwickshire and Worcestershire and still has some boundary status, separating Edgbaston and Balsall Heath. Longmore Street buzzed with activity with dozens of shops and pubs.
Calthorpe Park had a statue or two, one was Robert Peel, Birmingham MP and founder of the modern Police Force. Bobby now resides at the Police Training Establishment on the Pershore Road. Under Calthorpe Park runs the Elan Valley water pipeline; note the gap in the houses in Edward Road and the inspect man holes in the park before the pipeline travels under the middle of the old Varna Road, famous for prostitution in the 1950s and 60s, actually in Edgbaston but always 'attributed' to Balsall Heath.
H
harley
Guest
ballsal heath
i lived as a child at balsal heath, it was fun to go to the sixpenny crush on saturdays at the halambra picture house to see the weekly kids stuff ,also threpence spending moneyfor a long bag of popcorn ,also i went to the old chandos school ,and very happy memories of that lovely old school.my sisters went to the girls school on mosely road our school was next to the park.juniors and infants.we lived in back to back houses in belgrave road .and another picture house there used to open the exit doors onto our back lane where we lived.we used to fetch the weekly coal in the old pram we kept for the job of going to the cross roads and getting the coal from the coal yard an old big lady would weigh it and tip it in to the pram for us to wheel home glad it wasnt to far .harley.:Aah:
i lived as a child at balsal heath, it was fun to go to the sixpenny crush on saturdays at the halambra picture house to see the weekly kids stuff ,also threpence spending moneyfor a long bag of popcorn ,also i went to the old chandos school ,and very happy memories of that lovely old school.my sisters went to the girls school on mosely road our school was next to the park.juniors and infants.we lived in back to back houses in belgrave road .and another picture house there used to open the exit doors onto our back lane where we lived.we used to fetch the weekly coal in the old pram we kept for the job of going to the cross roads and getting the coal from the coal yard an old big lady would weigh it and tip it in to the pram for us to wheel home glad it wasnt to far .harley.
:Aah:
H
harley
Guest
gooch street
sorry cant spell it .we used to get our birthday pressies from woolworths there ,oh how inexpensive woolworths was then ,does anyone remember the wooden creaking floorboards in there.also sometimes on the way back we would often see a side show on the way home back up belgrave road . a man swollowing safety pins and chains, i was shocked at this ,couldnt understand why, he was doing ,it was so people could put money in his hat. i was only about eight at that time,harley
sorry cant spell it .we used to get our birthday pressies from woolworths there ,oh how inexpensive woolworths was then ,does anyone remember the wooden creaking floorboards in there.also sometimes on the way back we would often see a side show on the way home back up belgrave road . a man swollowing safety pins and chains, i was shocked at this ,couldnt understand why, he was doing ,it was so people could put money in his hat. i was only about eight at that time,harley
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
Balsall Heath
the silver fox
I lived in Balsall Heath on and off between 1947 and 1964. I remember Balsall Heath Rd and Cox Street quite well. You mention the black patch football pitch on the banks of the Rea in Calthorpe Park.
On the attched photo of your old workplace, do you not remember the black patch where the shops end on the photo.
Phil
the silver fox
I lived in Balsall Heath on and off between 1947 and 1964. I remember Balsall Heath Rd and Cox Street quite well. You mention the black patch football pitch on the banks of the Rea in Calthorpe Park.
On the attched photo of your old workplace, do you not remember the black patch where the shops end on the photo.
Phil
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Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
GER22VAN
Ernie
I think it will be hard to find a photo of Haden Street, as far as I remember it was a very short street that was situated between Sherborne Rd and Balsall Heath Rd and ran from Moseley Rd To Arter St. At the time I remember it the main feature of the street was Rylands Paint Factory.
The only other thing I can remember was in the early sixties it was one of the first streets in the area to be demolished.
(Phil)
Ernie
I think it will be hard to find a photo of Haden Street, as far as I remember it was a very short street that was situated between Sherborne Rd and Balsall Heath Rd and ran from Moseley Rd To Arter St. At the time I remember it the main feature of the street was Rylands Paint Factory.
The only other thing I can remember was in the early sixties it was one of the first streets in the area to be demolished.
(Phil)
H
harley
Guest
from harley
thanks. the photos bring back some great memories it was lovely to see them shall show my family these to jog there memories too . harley much apreciated.harley
H
harley
Guest
the shop next to the cinema in the picture now .i recall was called dolbys. sold fags and sweeties etc ,they were such lovely kind people mr dolby was the spitting image of huey green .of opertunity knocks fame ,ha ha . they were so kind . and suchthanks. the photos bring back some great memories it was lovely to see them shall show my family these to jog there memories too . harley much apreciated.harley
happy people . does anyone remember them out there. harley.
Pomgolian
Kiwi Brummie
Hello Weoley, Sorry I've only just come across your post. I was actually on a tour of the UK when you posted it and even in Birmingham on that date, however was not near a computer.
Your Mom would have been before my time as I only started there as a five year old in 1952.
To the others, I also used to go to the Triangle and Woolies a lot, as I said before I lived in Dymoke St and attended St Albans Church and Sunday School.
Pom :angel:
