• 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

Balsall Heath.

Roger Bourne

I do remember you, I've a photo of all of us, Doug Golding (didn't know he had been electrocuted), Carol Summerfield, Linda Masters, Lynn Ralph, Terry Grey (my first boyfried!!), Louisa Crook, Tony Macareve, and many more. 1947 for me too, I retired last year, August, so can't believe it is coming up to 12 months.

Chris (Jobbins)
Terry Gray

Christina,
I look at this site from time to time just to relive the old days in St Martins flats.. I remember you, Carol Summerfield, Douglas Golding ( it was his brother that had been electrocuted } And Roger Bourne. I have fond memories of those days.
I also remember that most of came from households that had very low incomes with not a penny to spare but our parents always made sure that we were fed and kept safe and warm ( the coal hole and Slaters coal yard ).

You mention that you have a photo of us all, is it possible you could post it on the forum? I would love to see it.
Many thanks for the memories.

Best regards,

Terry.
 
Mr Gray, Is your memory exceptional or are you like me getting forgetful of all the friends you had and where are they now.?
John Disney
jjdisney.com
 
Mr Gray, Is your memory exceptional or are you like me getting forgetful of all the friends you had and where are they now.?
John Disney
jjdisney.com

Mr Gray, Is your memory exceptional or are you like me getting forgetful of all the friends you had and where are they now.?
John Disney
jjdisney.com
Hello John,
Nice to hear from you. The answer to your question is that I have very strong memories of some of the people from the old days of St Martins, you, your brother Michael, your sister and mom and dad. The last time I saw Michael was on Bristol street about 1990. He was with a colleague and looked a very professional police officer.
I often visit the site of the old flats to have a walk around the streets, Voughton, Dymoke, Angelina, Leopold. I have to say that when I do the term 'the good old days' always springs to mind.

Regards.
Terry.
 
Hello John,
Nice to hear from you. The answer to your question is that I have very strong memories of some of the people from the old days of St Martins, you, your brother Michael, your sister and mom and dad. The last time I saw Michael was on Bristol street about 1990. He was with a colleague and looked a very professional police officer.
I often visit the site of the old flats to have a walk around the streets, Voughton, Dymoke, Angelina, Leopold. I have to say that when I do the term 'the good old days' always springs to mind.

Regards.
Terry.
Happy days Terry, most of em through a haze of alchohol, even falling into the arms of a police officer pi***ed as a proverbial newt!! My email is [email protected] it would be good to catch up after all this time. Or 07941351995.
 
It’s great reading all the memories; it takes me back to my time as a nipper running around Balsall Heath. I was born at 145 Mary St, Dad had a still in the cellar for his homebrew whisky, he also ran the Lyttelton Arms on Balsall Heath Road opposite the Co-op; mom had a hairdresser by next to the bank on Balsall Heath Road and Cox Street.

Living in the pub in the 60’s I remember standing on a crate and pulling a pint, the pub football team played in blue, my first drink of pale ale aged 8yrs, shove halfpenny, loads of Aunties who worked around Princess Rd and Alexander Rd, Monks butchers, Chapman's Demolition yard, Tatting, mock western town, the traveler eviction from the ground below Mount Pleasant school, the Apollo 10 capsule in Calthorpe Park, paddling in the Rea, and for a time we also moved in with Old man Mr. Courtney in the off-license next to Monks Butchers.

I could write more, but I’m here to ask for your help, but not for myself. I work on Long Lost Family’s, reuniting absent parents, fostered and adopted children, in particular, specializing in cases from the 50 and 60s era.

Currently, I am working on a case to reunite three children and their mother. This case resonates with me from my time running around the street of Balsall Heath.

In 1955 two boys, one aged 2 yrs the other 6 wks old, were separated from their older sister and placed into care. They were eventually fostered and raised in a home in the Gooch Street area of Balsall Heath.

During my work, I discovered the boys’ Grandmother had taken in and raised their sister; there was not enough room for the boys at their Grandmother's house. I believe the pressure on the mother to place the boys into care lead to a row and a rift between the children’s Mother and her Mother.

Once the boys were in care the mother left, all contact was lost; she was never heard from since 1955. The family said there were whispers from people of seeing her working in the Rag Market or a supermarket on the Coventry Road or on the street around Cheddar Road; one person believed she married someone from the Caribbean and may have another child, a girl.

The case was to reunite the children and if possible their mother, recently after 65 years the youngest boy was reunited with his older sister; they both live in Birmingham and within a stone's throw of Balsall Heath. The one person who is missing from this is their mother.

Joan Jones was born in Small Heath in 1930 and may have lived in the Gooch St/ Pershore Street/Ladywood area. The last known address for Joan is from 1955 Bankes Road, Small Heath. Joan may have even changed her name to Grandparent's Hawkins or Turner in a bid to hide her identity; she may have been in trouble with the police?

If Joan is alive today she would be 90 years, I know it is a long shot, but I hope someone on the forum may have heard of something, a tale/story or someone called Joan Jones who lived in the Balsall Heath after the mid-50s, 60s or 70s.
 
Hello,
does anyone have a street map showing Winifred Grove which I believe was if Wenman Street ?
sorry if I have not posted this in the correct site, Pauline.
 
Hello,
does anyone have a street map showing Winifred Grove which I believe was if Wenman Street ?
sorry if I have not posted this in the correct site, Pauline.
Our great Mikejee wrote here on BHF on March 28th 2012

Have looked at the electoral rolls, adn the large scale maps, but haven't found any terraces on the west side that are not listed in post 21, except for St augustine terrace, which was a bit different, as it was on the road. Have coloured terraces as below
On west side:
Turquoise St Augustine place
Red Mount Terrace
Blue Pearson Place
Green Winifred Grove (see also lower map centre left)

On east Side:
Green Brighton Terrace
Blue Dudley Place
Red Hartland Place
Turquoise Islington Terrace
Orange Hamden Place (not Wenman St actually but close)

Terraces_of_Wenman_St_on_c_1913_map.jpg
winifred grove.PNG
 
Last edited:
Re: Balsall Heath. HICK ST

hi sandra i have just found this site see my name im the ken elliott you have in your list
I remember Kenny Eliott he went to St Albans school also Barry Ansell .Barry Chalk,Peter Green,Terry Timmins ,Joey Higginsthere was an outdoor on the corner of Hick St and Highgate St,and it was owend by Mr & Mrs Frost also in the street was Tommy & Bobby Hill who had a fruit& veg stall in the Bull Ring
market,and Rodney Brook, thats about it for now i hope you remember some of these names Best Regards Kenny
 
Roger Bourne

I do remember you, I've a photo of all of us, Doug Golding (didn't know he had been electrocuted), Carol Summerfield, Linda Masters, Lynn Ralph, Terry Grey (my first boyfried!!), Louisa Crook, Tony Macareve, and many more. 1947 for me too, I retired last year, August, so can't believe it is coming up to 12 months.

Chris (Jobbins)
Christina,
Terry Gray here, I visit this site on a regular basis just to relive the old days at St Martins and St Albans. I would love to see the photo you mention.

All the best Terry.
 
hi terry christina has not been on here since 2015 so hopefully she may pick up your message and you are not to late to connect with her

lyn
 
Hi,we lived in runcorn rd twice late 60s and mid 70s,first time was number 74,then 6 may ave off runcorn rd. my mom and dad were Vicky and Ted baxter,and my sister was Penny,dont supose anyone has any photos of runcorn rd.?
Runcorn Road .. we lived at 48 Runcorn road , 3 houses before bridge from Moseley Rd from 1963 onwards until demolition in 70's
our family name was Tighe 4 brothers and 4 sisters
went to St Johns school Mary St , and/or Clifton Road Junior
remember the Asian people making blue quilled anoraks in front room of houses day and night
 
Runcorn Road .. we lived at 48 Runcorn road , 3 houses before bridge from Moseley Rd from 1963 onwards until demolition in 70's
our family name was Tighe 4 brothers and 4 sisters
went to St Johns school Mary St , and/or Clifton Road Junior
remember the Asian people making blue quilled anoraks in front room of houses day and night
I was born in Balsall Heath, flat 237a Moseley Road the property is no longer there
my most vivid memory was going past the swimming baths and looking down the grills and see water rushing around .
 
Hello Everyone,

My name is Iris Matthews, I lived at 1/36 Hope Street for the period of 1938 - 1960 I lived with my mother Mrs Maud Matthews and my twin sister Irene Matthews. We lived in a back to back house, toilets outside, brewhouse for the washing. We had a cellar where the coal was chucked down from the sacks. My mother was always in the pubs mainly Baltic, the Star, the Duke and the Dolphin in Vaughton Street, just off Gooch Street.
I attended Hope street School (mixed) from infants to seniors, i remember the following teachers Mr Marshall, Miss Clark (who slapped my face for talking, when I wasn't) I remember the Rose family, the Jay family.
I worked as a Saturday girl at Dantes hairdressers, sweeping the floor and making tea.
Does anyone remember Box's little shop, where we used to go for sweets, opposite Hope Street School? The coal yard?
In Gooch street I remember the cooked meat shop called Jeavons's where my mum used to get Hodge and chicklings and we used to get a whole suckling pig for Christmas. I remember getting free scratchings from Kench's fish and chip shop (best chip shop in Balsall Heath) and going to the Triangle, the Luxor, the Mosely picture house, the Alambra and visiting Dr Mc Gregor from Conybere Street.
I was really thrilled to see this forum as I now live in Coventry but have returned to the area only to find EVERYTHING has gone. I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the photographs and would be grateful to see more and would love to talk to anyone who may remember me or my family and remind me of past memories (i am so excited when things come back remembering Hope Street)
Kind Regards
Iris
 
Hello Iris the pub in Belgrave Rd by Frank Street was The Electric Tavern do you remember it There was a Bus stop outside for The inner circle 8 stopped there
 
Hello Iris the pub in Belgrave Rd by Frank Street was The Electric Tavern do you remember it There was a Bus stop outside for The inner circle 8 stopped there

Just going to post this and when I searched for the name to see if I had posted before this message came up - thought the picture may help.
20230108121634_07.jpg
 
Back
Top