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Church Road, Yardley.

Mother in Law's (Margaret Dawkins) father used to own the newsagent's at 212 Church Road. They also had the house on the corner of Church Road and Blakemere. I know the laundrette you mean, no they didn't own that but a member of the family worked there for years.

We bought 3 Wroxton Road in 1977 for £6000.00. It hadn't had anything done, although it had electricity, the original gas mantles where still there. Birmingham Council used to give a grant in the 70's for "repairs and renovations", so we were fortunate to be able to get new windows and a new roof. The dining room floor was quarry tiles but they all had to go and (a condition of the grant) a concrete floor laid. No central heating though, just an open fire in the "parlour"!
I knew Martin Dawkins back in the 60’s
 
I remember the name but am not sure I ever met him. He was the son of Hilary and Des Dawkins. Des was mother in laws brother.
 
The caption to this photograph of the house called The Croft still appears to be valid. It does still stand although it is surrounded by other properties now. I found it on Google maps Streetview. This is the link:

Here is a photograph of Croft road under construction in 1930. The road is as yet unmade.

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I’m certain this is the view from the Barrows Lane side? Looks grand.

Has anyone got any photos of the other end of Croft road, from the church road side? The road bends round the side. I’ve always been curious, the last few houses on the road were built in the late 70s from what i know. Yet all the other houses on the road are 30s/40s built.

I have seen old maps of Croft road and show that the houses towards the end of the road on the bend only came up considerably later. The area is marked out as another building but not sure what. What was there before the 4 houses were built ?

Thanks in advance
 

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I remember Ivy Henn had a sweet shop which is now a house in Wroxton Road same side as Kelly's bathroom shop going up toward Croft Road.
 
Not got any photos but I know exactly which houses you are thinking about. I have asked mother in law who lives in Newcroft. I think they may have been build very early in the 1970's but I have always known them to be there! The house in Church Road on the corner used to belong to a plumber (I think) Can't remember exactly but he used to work in the garage/shed that is in Church Road. I'll see what I can find out. MIL moved into Newcroft in about 1958 and previously lived in Church Road so has been a wealth of info about Yardley.
 
Not got any photos but I know exactly which houses you are thinking about. I have asked mother in law who lives in Newcroft. I think they may have been build very early in the 1970's but I have always known them to be there! The house in Church Road on the corner used to belong to a plumber (I think) Can't remember exactly but he used to work in the garage/shed that is in Church Road. I'll see what I can find out. MIL moved into Newcroft in about 1958 and previously lived in Church Road so has been a wealth of info about Yardley.
Thank you - yes it’s the 4 houses built in the 70s at some point. I posted photos of the aerial maps which shows the area blocked out but not sure by what. All the other houses on Croft road built during the 1930s, and then later, these were seen on the 70s aerial map., with the space taken by the added 4 houses. Quite interesting to see how the area changed, but also a very large prominent plot which was filled by these 4 houses I can only assume had something substantial or of interest here before the houses were built.

Can’t wait to find out any info/see photos if anyone has anything!
 
In 1950 no 75 is listed as a petrol filling station
I’m sure that’s a house now. That’s the last on the row from the 30s/40s built houses. Then the 4 houses built in the 70s start. But from the older maps, looks like no 75 had a very large garden area so could have been. Not sure about the rest of the area though and what was there before the houses were built
 
I’m sure that’s a house now. That’s the last on the row from the 30s/40s built houses. Then the 4 houses built in the 70s start. But from the older maps, looks like no 75 had a very large garden area so could have been. Not sure about the rest of the area though and what was there before the houses were built
In 1964 there was a request for an illuminated sign for 75A: Jones family. However later applications have 75A in the back garden of 160 Church Road and much smaller. So maybe Jones had a filling station with that number in the large building, later keeping that number for the smaller car repair/storage unit to the west of the wall/fence after the newer houses were built.
 
Sadly mother in law is in hospital at the moment. I live in Cambridge but cannot visit due to the fact that I am over 65 so due to infections I am not allowed into the ward!. However her niece and nephew are with her and text constantly. I have sent a letter (she is deaf too and cannot hear on the phone) so as soon as I know I will get back to you. As I said, she has lived in Yardley all her life, her dad owned the newsagents in Church Road and she lived above the shop until she married in the 1950's.
 
SUEMALINGS, Croft Road, is up the Barrows lane hill, (that we used to slide down when it snowed) off Barrows Lane towards Church Rd from where I lived at 126 Moat Lane, across from Digbeth in the field I lived there for 23 years
 
In 1964 there was a request for an illuminated sign for 75A: Jones family. However later applications have 75A in the back garden of 160 Church Road and much smaller. So maybe Jones had a filling station with that number in the large building, later keeping that number for the smaller car repair/storage unit to the west of the wall/fence after the newer houses were built.
Yes this could be right, sounds logical enough. And with the garage that backs onto church road, by the first house on Croft road, the location of a filling station would be ideal for garage/motorists.

Not like we have much else to go by to be honest, or any photos of the lower end of Croft road - by the church road.

Thanks
 
This is where CROFT ROAD enters CHURCH RD from Google street view Hmmm IT says the image file is too large for the server. But Google Street view has it. Not sure how to downsize the image? but it does show some commercial buildings at the junction of Croft Road and Church Road. this is up from the Yew Tree on Church Road going towards the Church. I do remember this Croft Road is a long road that winds around to Barrows lane then I would go down Barrows Lane to Moat Lane and my house I could email the photo I think if you give me an Email Address
 
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Read with interest your comments on Church Road, my grandfather lived at 218, he also owned a cycle shop in the early 1950's in the same road. His name was William Linforth. His wifes parents (surname - Horsley) lived in Church Terrace - opposite St Edburgha's Church, also in Church Road Yardley. Wonder if you or others have any information on these.
Dont know if anyone remembers but i had an uncle that used to live on Church Road and operated a garage at the back of the house where he used to repair cars as a business, there was a gap in between the terraced houses where he used to take the cars to the rear garage. This would be in the 50,s and 60,s the approx location is about where Tesco filling station is now.
His name was George Edward Stenson, and before him his father also repaired cars in the same location his name was Charles Leonard Stenson.
Dont know if anyone remembers them, maybe you had your car repaired.
He lived at 53 Church Road if anyone remembers, George Edward was sadly killed in a car accident in Burntwood in 1968.
 
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Yes this could be right, sounds logical enough. And with the garage that backs onto church road, by the first house on Croft road, the location of a filling station would be ideal for garage/motorists.

Not like we have much else to go by to be honest, or any photos of the lower end of Croft road - by the church road.

Thanks
Two more files for the location showing a filling station in 1940 and a motor engineers in 1963
 

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Yes this could be right, sounds logical enough. And with the garage that backs onto church road, by the first house on Croft road, the location of a filling station would be ideal for garage/motorists.

Not like we have much else to go by to be honest, or any photos of the lower end of Croft road - by the church road.

Thanks
Itried to post photos showing the end of Croft rd and Church Road it said they were too big?
 
Instructions to reduce image size here
 
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