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Balsall Heath.

i will ask some of my old mates from the rink if they knew any of johnnie's family, but it may be next week before i can get any replies,hope i can find some info for you.
thankyou much appreciated
 
Hi l wonder if you have any photos of a cafe that was on Cox st West called the Eastern star the frontage was maroon with a big light blue star in the middle , it was owned by my dad he had between the late 50s till about 68/69 ,he opened another place in Waldorf st then,there was a shop about 100yards away which was run by a Mrs Kite and she had a parrot in the shop which would whistle when you walked in to let her know she had a customer . l was about 4/5years old then , l must say this site is facinating reading about Balsall Heath . All the best Deano
 
Hi deanovilla

Are you sure it was Cox St West? I was frequently in that area during the dates you mention and the only cafe I can remember was the Aroma Coffee Bar. That was owned by the same chap that owned the Manzil Restaurant on Digbeth next to the Police Station. His name was Kurashi (not sure of the spelling).

I'm not sure why but the name Eastern Star and description sounds familiar. I'll check it out, it wasn't Cleevdon Rd was it?

Phil
 
Hi PMC yes it was Cox St West , l have a post card sent by my uncle to my mom from Los Angeles the full address was 12 cox st west B/ham 12. although my dads cafe was there we lived in Bordesley Park Road small heath, l did attend Mary street school and on my 1st day l ran home at 12-o-clock and sat in our aunts house in Edward rd, and my doctor was Dr Diery and when ever l had to go and see him ,if he opened his top draw and got a sweet out l was off down the road as l knew an injection was on its way . my dad was a small asian man and l do have a few stories to tell ,right next to it was a haberdashery and the other side was a bomb peck , hope this helps . but thanks for your reply im very grateful , thanks Deano (lm 53)
 
Hi PMC l see you now live in Solihull i live in Coleshill ,so not far . l also have some pages from a 1963 A/Z with the roads mentioned thats what got me seaching for more info . all the best Deano
 
Hi Deanovilla

I checked out the café in Cleevdon Rd, that was called the Kashmir. The trouble is during the 60's loads & loads of Cafés & Coffee bars opened in Balsall Heath.

I think I might have traced your dad's café, I can't say I ever used it. I used the Aroma on the other side of the road.

!2 Cox St West in 1950 was The Morgan Coffee Rooms, and in 1968 it was dining rooms owned by a Mr A Mish. was this your dad? The only photo I can find at the moment is this one shortly before the row of shops were demolished. I think its one of Mikejee's photos, so I hope he doesn't mind.
I am almost sure your fathers shop would have been among them.
Perhaps Mike can come up with a better one as I know he has loads of photos of around the Cox St West area.

Phil

1411Coxstwest.jpg
 
In the picture Kalyal was at No 11 in 1962, the cafe was at No 12 and owned by A. Miah. Hope thats of some help.
 
A Mishi was listed at no 12 from at least 1962, though it was Thomas Doyle in 1956.
The Kalyal store , as seen on the photo, was no 11, so no 12 would have been the one this side of that, next to the empty plot. I have cut the original photo and resized it so as its not too large for the forum, to give you a better resolved shot of no 12
Mike

14B___12__Cox_st_west.jpg
 
PMC And Mikee
That is my dads cafe and his name was Alkas Miah , l am Dean Miah and my elder brother was johnie Miah who had a twin sister lily , lm stunned at the moment after seeing the replies especially how mikee got my dads name , lm so grateful lads , really made my day , the picture is brilliant , as l said he brought another property on waldorf road and opened a restaurant , thanks again Deano
 
BordesleyExile Thanks for your reply and yes any pictures would do as they may have one of the cafe open and not boarded up , thanks Deano
 
Hi again deanovilla

I think I remember your dads restaurant on Walford Rd. Was it the first older type property going down the road toward's Golden Hillock Rd on the right. Just after the newer single storey buildings.

The Golden Curry if I remember correctly. Me and my mate used it about 4 nights a week after coming out of the pub at closing time.

I think it closed down about 1974 because we moved on to somewhere else then.

Phil
 
Hi Pmc
yes that was my dads place ,opposite was the waldorf cinema and an american style cafe that sold ice cream soda on top of a dollop of ice cream in a long glass , there was a lot of irish folk who used my dads restaurant after they had been in the Harp club further up the road . its great to hear about this , Regards Deano
icon7.gif
 
Postie . Hi the A was for Alkas .yes it was my dad , l do have quite a few stories about my dads cafe there was some colourful folks who came in. Did you know the lady Mrs Kite who had a shop about 200 yards down the road, a lovely lady . where have you all got these photo's from . Regards Deano
 
Hi Dean

A couple more photos of Cox Street West, neither showing your dads café though I'm afraid.

Phil

BalsallHeathCoxStWest.jpg
BalsallHeathCoxStWest-UpperCoxSt.jpg
 
Deano, the people on this site never fail to amaze me, you give 'em some obscure task and within minutes you have all the information you need.
They are a great bunch.
 
John

For all I know they could be the same van. There again they were a popular little van at the time.

Phil
 
The photos are still good to look at , lm going to ask my elder brother about the van as l know my dad had one of those and the same colour ,its funny as my wife had a company car and got a jag which had leather trim and the smell bought back the memories of his van as the seats were leather , l found this site by accident but l've had 2 days of nostalgia and it feels great . my mom and dad met at the kings hall market ,l found a picture of it in the rag market !!! ,wish l could get back to them days , thanks again Phil , some great people on here , Regards Deano
 
Hi Dean

I know this is a little off thread but I'm quite willing for it to be removed once you have seen it and took a copy if you want one. Kings Hall market before the fire and demolition

Phil

CityPrioryStKingsHallMarket.jpg
 
Hi Phil, do you remember the little shop down the side of the kings hall market, after abiut six pints in the Beehive and others we used to pop in and have cockles and jellied eels, Oh happy days. Maybe a bit before your time.
Baz
 
Hi
In reply to the posts with pictures of Tillingham St & Highgate Rd my Mom was born in Tillingham St at no.28 & ran Mays Cafe on the corner of Tillingham St/ Ladypool Rd/Highgate Rd for many years.
I can remember the guys from Moydens Garage coming in for there sandwiches & a lot of other factories around there also caused a big rush around 9-30--10am so they could eat in their break time.
Good old days
Cheers
Dave Rock
 
Hi Baz

Yes I just about remember the shop you mention, but not being a fan of shellfish & such I never sampled their wares.

Phil
 
Hi daverock

As I think I have mentioned before I used May's café in Tillingham St in the early 70's quite a bit. I remember the two ladies that ran it quite well. Sorry but after all this time I can't remember which was which. I do remember if there were six people in there it was packed.

Phil
 
Hi all

I have only just caught up with this thread, someone mentioned Mrs Kite, what a lovely lady, I don't know if you know but she kept on trading for quite a while until some thug jumped the counter and stole money etc. She was obviously very traumatised and closed. My mom and dad moved down the road when their old house was demolished into the new two storey flats that were built opposite Mary Street. Do any of you remember Bunnies ( not sure of the spelling) he had a little shop on the corner of Cleavedon Rd and Balsall Heath Road, I don't know how long he had been trading in the shop, I only used to go there in the early 70's.
 
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