Royal Coronations : Birmingham response

[Katie]

Here is a picture of the Coronation Celebrations (Fancy Dress) taken in Warrenhill Road Kingstanding in 1953, I am the scarecrow!! Hope everybody has a good day celebrating this wonderful occasion, should boost our spirits. There must be a lot of these pictures out there, let's be seeing them.

 

[carolina]

Here is a Ford Street/Park Road Hockley taken in All Saints Annexe in Heaton Street. I am at the front with my red, white and blue ribbons on my sandals.

 

[terryb18]

This is our party at The Exchange pub in Park Rd, Hockley. I am bottom left in the corner.

Terry

 

[terryb18]

Another coronation picture, this one is in the press shop at Bulpitts, Spring Hill. My mother is bottom right.

Terry

 

[carolina]

Terry where about was The Exchange on Park Road. My photo is from 'The Flat' end of Park Road

 

[Jayell]

Love seeing all your photos!

 

[terryb18]

Terry where about was The Exchange on Park Road. My photo is from 'The Flat' end of Park Road

It was almost by Goode St. There is a pic somewhere, I have to go out now but I will have a look for it when I return. Unless someone has a pic they could post meanwhile.

Terry

 

[mike jenks]

Hi

Its getting near the dateof the Diamond Jubilee went to Baddesley Clinton. The Gardner there has certainly
got the theme with the Scarecrow in the Vegetable Garden

Mike Jenks

 

[Linda]

Hello Everyone
I have not posted anything for quite a while. My photo is me in my Coronation outfit our party was Yew Tree School. Was anyone else there?

Linda

 

[fairport]

Have just loaned a large collection of family photos and documents from my cousin, one of which shows the Coronation street party for Percy Road, off Foremans Road, Sparkhill (or Greet depending on which end you lived). Hope there are some recognisable faces for someone out there???
Both my cousin and brother are both in view, but sadly I wasn't.... as it was the very day I was being conceived, so not so sad in hindsight!!!
Indebted to my cousin Stewart Mason for the collection, then living at No.215, and my family were at No.199.

 

[carolina]

Fairport what a lovely photo.

 

[Anne Jessel]

Great pictures on here. We need more now that we'll be celebrating Her Majesty's 60 years on the throne!. What will you be doing on that day? Anne

 

[bewdley]

Fairport you are so lucky to have your photos, all of our family photos have disappeared as the family have become separated over the years. I especially love the Coronation party photo.

I have vague memories of going to a Coronation party, I fell over and cut my ankle and our next door neighbour, Pat Igoe, the midwife bandaged it for me, but no photographs. It would be lovely if someone has a photograph of Kitwell Coronation party which was held on the fields of Kitwell House. bewdley

 

[jennyann]

Can it be 60 years since the Queen's Coronation? What memories do you have of that day? I like this article from
the Birmingham Mail along with some photos of celebrations in Brum. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/sixty-years-today-brum-party-4037636
I remember the day very well. In our street a large stage was set up and the local kids, myself included practised various
talent acts to put on on the day. I went to a neighbours house to rehearse singing "Jerusalem" and "In a Golden Coach". It was
all for naught though as it poured with rain in the afternoon and many of us squashed into a neighbour's garage to salvage
some of the show. It was still a good time though and Mom made me a red, white and blue outfit for the Costume Parade. Happy
memories.

 

[carolina]

This was our Coronation Street Party in Heaton Street annexe. I am at the front on the left handside with my white sandals and red/white/blue bows made by my mom. Look at the lovely Lupins in a vase on the table. My 2 brothers are just a little further back one of each side of the table with a policeman's hat on. This was the party from Park Road, Hockley.

 

[Oisin]

I can remember going round with my big sister collecting donations for the event, then my big brother rigging the PA system. (I recall him jumping down a ladder to see off some bloke throwing insults at his assistant, Hughie, for being a Northern Ireland Catholic.)

Our School, Foundry Road Juniors, had commemorative gardens built and a commemorative plaque built into the wall.

Mr Berry who ran a lucrative business breeding racing pigeons presented every every kid in the street with a commemorative china cup and saucer.

When it started to rain everything being moved to the shelter of the wide entry to the rear of Burns' house.

Us all being crammed into someone's front room to watch the event on their new 12" TV and then onto a bus to tour the other local celebrations.

My brother getting drunk to ease the injury he sustained in the tug o' war.

Yes, despite the rain it was a great day; my only disappointment was David Cheshier getting a double-barreled pop gun as one of his presents when I didn't! :culpability:

The adults carried on long after we were tucked up in bed and buses had to be diverted the following day due to a hole being burnt into the road where they'd made a bonfire out of the advertising hoardings they'd torn down from the railway bank.

I've got no photos of our event but above is my wife carrying the crown for the Westminster Road celebrations.

 

[s j king]

I remember that day so vividly funny really cause I was only 6 (baby boomer 47) but there was no room in our house with all the neighbours sitting on any thing that would take a bottom ,to watch the very small screen of our Telly .There was supposed to be a fancy dress competition for the kids in our street and the a tea in the school hall (Raddle Barn J & I) to end the day but it rained and a very wet May Queen in white satin with her unwilling escort (younger brother)dripped her way to the school hall that smelled of school dinners to feast on iced buns orange pop an jelly .I don't remember who of us won the completion there was no discussion the next day in our gang It was back to kick the can , knock ginger and was it marbles season or some other important time when you were 6 and days were forever.

 

[cookie273uk]

I was fortunate to be stationed with the RAF at Kai Tak in Hong Kong with my late Wife at the time and huge 'dragon' parades went on all day and into the night, fire crackers going off continually and a huge firework display at night (the Chinese are experts at firework displays), all the main buildings were illuminated, ships in the harbour sounding their foghorns and shooting rockets into the sky, it was unforgettable. My Wife bought a souvenior folder containing 18 pics, 6 night and 12 day, still have them and have attached one or two. Eric

 

[Big Gee]

We lived in The Broadway, Perry Barr, and the street-party had to be moved to someone's large backyard because of the weather. Like many people, we had a new TV bought especially for the Coronation - a Pye 12" with a purple screen in a huge bakelite cabinet that weighed a ton. It took about an hour for the valves to warm up, and then my dad had to spend another ten minutes 'tuning' it. When eventually we had a good picture, mom went and called in the neighbours and the kettle never stopped boiling. There was a fancy-dress competition for the kids, and my shop-bought "guardsman's" outfit looked very cheap and tatty alongside some of the get-ups. I suppose these scenes were repeated in streets all across the land, and trust the British climate to put a damper on things. I also remember me and a couple of mates going round collecting empty beer bottles, and making a tidy sum on them when we took them to the outdoor on Witton Road. Strange, but it doesn't seem like 60 years ago....who knows where the time goes?

I can also remember watching the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965, and somehow that seemed to me a much more momentous occasion than the Coronation - in a way the final tangible link to an age that was passing away. My mother wept all through the televised service. Sorry to go off-thread a bit here.

G

 

[Di.Poppitt]

In Woodall Road where I lived, just a hop and a skip from 'Big Gee', we joined with Norris Road and I think Wenlock Road. We had a stage built at the junction of two roads, I think by evening when the 'turns' were entertaining us it had stopped raining. We youngsters were taken by coach early that morning on a drive round the city to see the decorations. I recall going to my friend Lorna Clarke's house to watch TV which was very scratchy and if we all breathed at the same time the picture rolled. The joys of early TV. All that aside it was a lovely day and it still feels fresh in my mind.

 

[oldplumber]

Coronation day I remember very well,it was the first date I had with this girl who didn't want to go to a street party & neither did I we thought we were far to grown up for that sort of thing,she was 18yrs old & I was 19yrs old,we went to the "Odeon cinema" in Perry Barr in the afternoon of coronation day & we never thought that 60yrs later we would still be together,we were married in 1955 when I was in the army doin my national service.

 

[G G Jean]

I sat in my Aunt Nells house and watched it on her new black and white TV. I am fortunate to have two pristine coronation books. Jean.

 

[Wendy]

Sadly I don't remember it as I was only three months old. My middle name is Elizabeth named after the Queen being born in Coronation year. My brothers got first choice with Wendy after watching Peter Pan. We lived in Coleraine Road Great Barr and like others Dad made sure we had a TV, that meant a house full. My fathers family had a very large tea urn used at many family functions. My mother used this as she didn't want to miss a minute of the event. She told me they all helped themselves to tea. They had a street party I will have to ask our John about that.

 

[john]

Dad, being an electrician built a new television for the coronation. Because we had plenty of time to ready ourselves for the occasion in our road (Coleraine)
the residents formed a committee to organise events for the day. We had lots of people in our house all peering at a 9” screen. For the neighbours to get to know each other, the committee hired the hall in Dorrington road school, where on Friday nights they would hold social evenings. At these events they would raise funds to for the great day, there would a trio dance band so we could all dance together, i.e. the hokey cokey and many other silly things, spot prizes, and games for us children. As the months rolled on the funds grew.
The men of the road had many talents, Brick layers, carpenters, electricians, coal miners(Hamstead Pit) they all pulled together for the day. In those days there was nothing but fields at the back of Coleraine road (belonged to the coal board) The men laid out a running track for a sporting day, Sack race, egg and spoon, and they also built a cycle race track, With such a large amount of cash that had been built up they acquired two marquees, one was to hold the tea party, sandwiches, jelly, and cakes, and ice cream all free!! the other marquee was the beer tent for the men and women and again all free, It was the first time I had seen my Mom and Dad in a merry state.

 

[Luluco]

This is a photo of my Gt Grandmothers shop in Cooksey Road, Small Heath (I've posted it on other threads) Her name was Gertrude Curley hence the name Curley Stores! Looking closely at the shop window you can see it decorated with union jack bunting and a crown. Gertrude was living there during 1953 so I assume it was decorated for the coronation?

 

[Toddy1571]

I thought people may be interested in my pics of my Grandad Richard Rickets who lived in Nechells park rd when young then in Coventry Rd as Goerge V in the Hay Mills parade there is also a more personal portrait which must have m made him feel quite special!

 

[longley]

John I remember well the sports etc on the old lumpy field.High jump,long jump etc running round the top tree in the "long distance race"I still have the propelling pencil and Bible presented along with a little cup.The cup I gave to the Scouts I think Ginger Granger won the sack race.
We used to play cricket and Kick the can over on that field.
We formed a speedway team,but it ending up being a destruction derby.Climbing up and down the canal bridge and other looney activities.My mother and father took no interest so I attached myself wherever I could,people were kind to a wild boy
regards Graham

 

[Stevehanson]

Hi, myself and one other were selected from our school Pigott street in 1953 I think to attend the Lord mayors coronation party at the Birmingham town hall , I would like to hear from anyone else who were selected and attended.

 

[lesleychinery]

blimey steve u were honoured but talking about were we came from ,i think our street was respectable not what one would term as unkemt standard of morals and unity were good i remember as girls playing at putting on shows in the yard and your mom interacting by making the tickets for us do you remember the lord mayors chauffer he used to visit mr mrs smith in the lord mayors car they lived next door to the garrets

 

[G G Jean]

:strawberry:Afraid not Steven but we sure had a good one for the roads around where we lived. This is the photo and children from Holte Road Witton Lane Yew Tree Road and Village road had there party. My mom is in the back ground helping with the serving of food and drink. :strawberry: