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Chain Walk, Birmingham

Dolly, I'm surprised that Chain Walk is still here, and the houses virtually the same. My older brother and sisters learnt to dance at Madam Amies in Chain Walk.
 
I used to pass it on the bus every day for years and always wondered why it got such a name.

Chris
 
I have talked about Madame Amies before on this site and have great memories of going there with my friend Margaret. It was a completely different era back in the late l950's.
The floor specially treated to make dancing easier, the small cafe like area that sold no more than orangeade, coffee, tea and fairy cakes. The special professional dancing couples that visited from time to time, as good as the " Dancing with the Stars" programmes we see now on TV, so glamorous and great to watch. Yes, I abandoned Amies for the "Lockers"(Locarno) in Hurst Street with it's large live band but I have never forgotten the great evenings I spent dancing the night away at Madame Amies.
 
My dad grew up there, in a house behind the back of the ones facing the street..‚.. The houses were lined up in rows, the yards were shared by two houses, and I think there were gates into each yard.‚.. Long time ago and the mind does play tricks.‚.. :-\

Thanks again Pete.
 
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they have done a splendid job of renovating all the stonework on and it looks great,apart from the big advert on about the creche facilities it has to offer,
 
Many thanks Dolly. There were lots of trees Peter; there were two in the court outside our backyard gate and plenty in Burbury Street Park.
 
This thread has renewed old memories of Chain Walk. My old friend Tommy Watters used to live in the 2nd or 3rd house down from Lozells Rd. Manys the evening spent there with my elder brother, chatting, playing records, supping on rock cakes and dandelion & burdock. Always finishing up playing cards for matchsticks - pontoon, horsey horsey and snap. That was were I learned to play snap with a man that stuttered. I won every time. This was all pre-war and it wasn't until 1945 that I began to attend "The Coffin" aka Madam Aimies in order to learn 'proper dancing'. Ah happy days. Strict tempo with Victor Sylvester all under the watchful eye of the instructors. :smitten:
 
I recall as a child visiting my Aunt Rose who used to live there and I am trying to access details of the residents who were there in the 60's. I cannot access the Census for 1961. I think the surname may have been AUSTIN, CHILES/CHILDS or CRAWFORD. Any suggestions please?
 
in 1967 there is an Emily Austin at 26 Chain Walk, Lozells Ward. Is this the Chain Walk you want? I cannot see anyone else in 1967 with the names you mention. The last census you can view is 1911. You wont see the 1961 for at least another 40 years.
 
I've just checked the Electoral Rolls for Chain Walk in 1960, 1962, & 1965 and none of those surnames exist in those years. Perhaps if you can give us some forenames for those surnames, we might be able to find them for you.

There is a Cheyne Walk in Harborne, but it doesn't appear to have any houses and is a footpath only about four feet wide!

Maurice :cool:
 
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sospiri said:
I've just checked the Electoral Rolls for Chain Walk in 1960, 1962, & 1965 and none of those surnames exist in those years. Perhaps if you can give us some forenames for those surnames, we might be able to find them for you.

There is a Cheyne Walk in Harborne, but it doesn't appear to have any houses and is a footpath only about four feet wide!

Maurice :cool:
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Brilliant and Thank You. All I recall is that her name to me was Aunty ROSE. I believe she had a son who was killed in the War. I was told he was on HMS HOOD but I have checked that and cannot see anyone of that name on the dead/casualty list
 
suemalings said:
in 1967 there is an Emily Austin at 26 Chain Walk, Lozells Ward. Is this the Chain Walk you want? I cannot see anyone else in 1967 with the names you mention. The last census you can view is 1911. You wont see the 1961 for at least another 40 years.
Click to expand...
Brilliant and Thank You. All I recall is that her name to me was Aunty ROSE. I believe she had a son who was killed in the War. I was told he was on HMS HOOD but I have checked that and cannot see anyone of that name on the dead/casualty list
 
7194KNIGHT said:
Brilliant and Thank You. All I recall is that her name to me was Aunty ROSE. I believe she had a son who was killed in the War. I was told he was on HMS HOOD but I have checked that and cannot see anyone of that name on the dead/casualty list
Click to expand...
Thank You. It was definitely Chain Walk, Lozells.
 
The are some pics of Chain Walk in several posts on the forum .... :)
Chain Walk pic in post below ..

Then & Now

Another Keith Berry photo taken in the 1970s as he wandered around the Jewellery Quarter. He had stopped in Hylton Street. Lessar Brothers making spectacles in their Lesbro Works. A company named Penns next door. Today and not too much change apart from the new building on the right. There is...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk

And if you have the time you can catch a glimpse of it from a No 6 tram in a 2 hour film in the post below ..
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/electric-trams.28642/post-605401
It is mentioned about 1hr 14min into the film as the tram passes Chain Walk.

Several more pics in a forum pdf can be seen in the link below. It will open in your default browser or save it in your computer.
kb4.pdf
 
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sospiri said:
I presume you meant Rose Austin? Do any of these ring a bell?

Maurice :cool:

View attachment 146561
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Hi. Unfortunately No. To my knowledge, Aunt Rose lived there for years, as did all of my family. I was hoping to go back a little to see when her son lived with her prior to going to War, BUT, I do appreciate how young he may have been when he left to go. Many of them were silversmiths.
I think that pretty much all of my family lived within a couple of miles radius of the old Aston Manor Ward
Now I have a possible address, I will try to access the 1911 Census to see if the son was registered to that address.
Again, Thank you for your help.
 
suemalings said:
in 1967 there is an Emily Austin at 26 Chain Walk, Lozells Ward. Is this the Chain Walk you want? I cannot see anyone else in 1967 with the names you mention. The last census you can view is 1911. You wont see the 1961 for at least another 40 years.
Click to expand...
My father was brought up in 27 Chain Walk. His parents were Harry and Emily Morgan. When the house was demolished in the late 1960's my aunt and grandmother were moved to housing in Acocks Green
 
suemalings said:
in 1967 there is an Emily Austin at 26 Chain Walk, Lozells Ward. Is this the Chain Walk you want? I cannot see anyone else in 1967 with the names you mention. The last census you can view is 1911. You wont see the 1961 for at least another 40 years.
Click to expand...
My grandparents lived in 27 Chain Walk, Harry and Emily Morgan. My grandmother left in the late 1960's when it was demolished and she was rehoused in Acocks Green.
 
Hi everyone , I lived in No 3 Kenedon Place from 1953-1963 , with my Mom and Dad and my sister Diane,
which was at the very bottom of Chain Walk joining up with
Birchfield Rd. It was behind the Star Hotel (Pub). And the Gorman's shop. I remember Mrs Goodhall , Mr& Mrs Ems ,the Cummings,the McGrails , the Miles's (Graham Miles the Snooker player ) the Shintons , the Pearsons, the Roses, and the Davies. All living at Kenedon Place. Many thanks Mike.
 
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hi michael...we do not recommend our members post their private email address on open forum as you are open to it being harvested and your email address could easily be hacked so it is at your own risk..you are at liberty to leave it on the forum but should you wish to remove it just hit the edit button and edit it out...failing that i can remove it for you

lyn
 
My memory of the Chain Walk is, back as a child our family had been to see Aunt Ada in Victoria Road, when we came out to go home there was one of those thick yellow smogs so we couldn't see more than a yard in front.
Dad said "We can follow the tram lines to Perry Bar." but we missed the turn at Six Ways and only found out when dad went to look at the roadside and found we were at the Chain Walk.
 
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