My mom and dad met when they worked at Mitchells and Butlers, they married in 1953, the first house that they had of their own was a cottage on the Dudley Rd, 5 back of 512. It was opposite the Grove Cinema. They got the house to rent because they worked for M&B, i think M&B owned them. After the cottage came Helena's cafe, then came M&B. My mom has fond memories of this cottage and i would dearly love to find a picture or a photo of it for her. Can anyone help please. Many thanks.
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Dudley road
- Thread starter rainesy
- Start date
DavidGrain
master brummie
September 1939 was when the Dudley Road trams finished. I think something else happened that month.
Dudley rd, winson green and rotten park rd
dudley rd ,winson green and rotten park rd
a lane to dudley was noted in 1565 and in 1727 the road to dudley was described as in great use for the carrige of iron goods;
coal and lime;
sixty years later, hutton damned it as despicable beyond discription;
this statement was made twenty seven years after the dudley , b,ham wolverhampton turnpike had been set up.
By the 1870,s this company had disapeared and the dudley road in birmingham was responisibility of the corporation
have a nice day folks ; astonian;;
dudley rd ,winson green and rotten park rd
a lane to dudley was noted in 1565 and in 1727 the road to dudley was described as in great use for the carrige of iron goods;
coal and lime;
sixty years later, hutton damned it as despicable beyond discription;
this statement was made twenty seven years after the dudley , b,ham wolverhampton turnpike had been set up.
By the 1870,s this company had disapeared and the dudley road in birmingham was responisibility of the corporation
have a nice day folks ; astonian;;
Lloyd
master brummie
A beautifully atmospheric shot - note the early pedestrian crossing sign, a solid (not lit or flashing) amber ball on a black and white striped pole. The crossing was marked on the road by two rows of small square shiny studs, one set is visible here. No black and white roadway at the time.
Also visible is the area of road surface which was the responsibility of the tramway company or department, cobbled in this case. The remainder is tarmaced, being the responibility of the highways dept.
Also visible is the area of road surface which was the responsibility of the tramway company or department, cobbled in this case. The remainder is tarmaced, being the responibility of the highways dept.
DavidGrain
master brummie
Nettlefolds as most people knew GKN in those days covered a large area behind the Grove Cinema fronting both Heath Street (in Birmingham) and Grove Lane (in Smethwick) The Grove Cinema marked the boundary and there was a Bundy clock outside the cinema for the tram and bus drivers to clock in.
DavidGrain
master brummie
The Bundy clock would have lasted until WMPTE took over the Birmingham Corporation buses. I remember it there in the 1960s
Jayell
master brummie
Hi Maggs - I didn't know there was a GKN on Dudley Road. I used to work at GKN in Smethwick quite regularly as a temp in my younger days, and there were a great bunch of girls in the typing pool.
I did used to go dancing at Hawleys Ballroom on Dudley Road but I have no idea whether it was anywhere near The Grove.
Another smashing photo Lyn!
Judy
I did used to go dancing at Hawleys Ballroom on Dudley Road but I have no idea whether it was anywhere near The Grove.
Another smashing photo Lyn!
Judy
maggs
master brummie
Hello Judy. The people I knew who worked at GKN were a happy bunch top, this was in Grove Lane. I never got sent that far out working as a temp. The Agency I worked for were stationed in Dudley. I don't think Hawleys was far from the Grove, and I also knew people who went there too. Heaven knows why I didn't as I just love ballroom dancing. Was it a good school of dance? One of my old boyfriends went there, and as we are still friends, he speaks of Hawleys often.
DavidGrain
master brummie
Hawleys was about two or three blocks from the Grove towards Birmingham. Building is still there. My dad used to work there in exchange for dancing lessons.
Jayell
master brummie
David, I just found this photo which shows Hawleys which it says was next door to The Grove Cinema? But you say it was two or three blocks from the cinema. I got this off the Ted Rudge Winson Green to Brookfields site, but the cinema doesn't look like the one in Lyn's photo so I wonder if this is correct. It says that the Grove Cinema opened in 1912 and closed in 1932. Can you throw any light on this? I used to go to Hawleys in about 1955/56 - Judy
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DavidGrain
master brummie
I am thinking that perhaps Hawleys used to be a cinema. If you look at the building it dose look like an old cinema perhaps from the silent film days. The Grove was definately going through the 1950s. I will try to find my reference books to find an actual date of closure.
DavidGrain
master brummie
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1217991 Shows the Grove Cinema as it is today, a kitchen and bathroom showroom. The cinema was on the junction of Dudley Road and Grove Lane.
I took this note from a website called Brummies Talking The Grove cinema at 473 Dudley Rd Winson Green opened on the 22nd of August 1932. It closed on the 24th of October 1981.
Hawleys Dance Hall was four streets up on the junction of Chisholm Street and Dudley Road almost to the City Road junction
I took this note from a website called Brummies Talking The Grove cinema at 473 Dudley Rd Winson Green opened on the 22nd of August 1932. It closed on the 24th of October 1981.
Hawleys Dance Hall was four streets up on the junction of Chisholm Street and Dudley Road almost to the City Road junction
DavidGrain
master brummie
Have found this site will interior photos of the Grove today
https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=60072
https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=60072
Jayell
master brummie
Hi David - Many thanks for the information and photos of The Grove Cinema which was really interesting. It looks as though the Grove next to Hawleys in my picture, was the original cinema which (as was stated) closed in 1932, and the Grove Cinema in Lyn's photo was the second cinema which opened in 1932. Looking at your pictures of the derelict building is very sad, what an end for the building. And the up-to-date photo of what it is now just shows you how times have changed.
Your description of Hawleys as being on the junction of Chisholm Road (do you mean Chiswell Road?) and Dudley Road makes sense as I remember we used to get to it by going down Boulton Road and Winson Green Road from Handsworth.
Judy
Your description of Hawleys as being on the junction of Chisholm Road (do you mean Chiswell Road?) and Dudley Road makes sense as I remember we used to get to it by going down Boulton Road and Winson Green Road from Handsworth.
Judy
hi jayel
i have to disacree hawleys was way up the rd from the grove i can vizulize the corner and it was painted white
and for the love nor money at this moment in time i cannot think of the name of the street
coming out of city rd turning left to head to the grove pic it was the second rd down on your right hand and passing that you had a good walk down passing all the shops and two pubs before geting to the grove pic i think the first pub was the engine and the second one was the yorkshire grey on the corner it was the big pub known for west indian folk to play there domino; and they would always bang them down on the table
best wishes astonian
i have to disacree hawleys was way up the rd from the grove i can vizulize the corner and it was painted white
and for the love nor money at this moment in time i cannot think of the name of the street
coming out of city rd turning left to head to the grove pic it was the second rd down on your right hand and passing that you had a good walk down passing all the shops and two pubs before geting to the grove pic i think the first pub was the engine and the second one was the yorkshire grey on the corner it was the big pub known for west indian folk to play there domino; and they would always bang them down on the table
best wishes astonian
Jayell
master brummie
Astonian - From what David says the Grove Cinema was on the corner of Dudley Road/Grove Lane and opened in 1932. So that fits with what you are saying. The photo of the Grove next to Hawleys must have been an earlier cinema of the same name which closed in 1932 - and again, David says this was further down the road towards City Road. When I went to Hawleys I was only 16 and I can't remember quite whereabouts it was in the road, I only remember turning the corner from Winson Green Road and walking down to the Ballroom.
Judy
Judy
hi jayel
yes you are correct when turning the corner from winson green rd on to dudley rd you would be turning around the corner of winson green rd
to your right whenwalking up from the green and turning that corner on to the dudley rd the school was on the cornerwhich is summerfield school ]
passing that and continue along bearing in mind the park is across on the oppersite side of th rd to you ;[ yes ] and there was a terrace next to the park with a shop and then there was a tailor shop ;but keeping to the side of the rd on dudley which you are on
you came to a side rd ; continue along more shops ; still walking along pasing the hardware shop and bulders merchjants whom been there for donkeys years you came to the corner again and thats making two side roads you have encountered ; as you was crossing that side rd[ which i can see now in my mind but cannot put a dammed named to it at the moment thats where hawleys dance hall was ; and to be honest thinking back the frontage was simmerlar to an old picture house but thats where it was and my oldest brother went there to learn his ballroom dancing himand his no wife after fifties yead whom became champion ballroo dances and woncompetitions through out and on tv as well he taught his daughter and they became winners of ballroom dancing ;
my oldest brother got is inspiration from my mother and grand mother whomwasboth thearter stage and tap dancers around the country
her mother put tap shoes on my mother as soon as she could walk and took her around the country to all the thearters she was dancing
including the aston hip; and they used have a pet monkey my grand mother and they took it every where alomg with we georgie wood and bily coton;
but getting back to the hawleys and the grove ; next to the grove there was right next door was a big builing and timber merchants
right next door to the grove even acros from the grove pict; house facing the other timbe merchants was a bathromspecial shop and plunbers ; but that was only a litle supplyer andthat was next dor to another litte pub , [ it was smal house pub]
and also next to the grove was the big pub the cape of good hope ; but geting back tohawleys it was that second corner down fromwinson green rd
i think it was called heath green rd or winson street i beleive one or the other but it was the second stret along dudley rd fromwinson greem and the grove was a good walk down from hawleys you would have gone past woolwoths more shops and a little garage then you would past theyorkshir grey ; all ways packed in there have a nice evening best wishes astonian
yes you are correct when turning the corner from winson green rd on to dudley rd you would be turning around the corner of winson green rd
to your right whenwalking up from the green and turning that corner on to the dudley rd the school was on the cornerwhich is summerfield school ]
passing that and continue along bearing in mind the park is across on the oppersite side of th rd to you ;[ yes ] and there was a terrace next to the park with a shop and then there was a tailor shop ;but keeping to the side of the rd on dudley which you are on
you came to a side rd ; continue along more shops ; still walking along pasing the hardware shop and bulders merchjants whom been there for donkeys years you came to the corner again and thats making two side roads you have encountered ; as you was crossing that side rd[ which i can see now in my mind but cannot put a dammed named to it at the moment thats where hawleys dance hall was ; and to be honest thinking back the frontage was simmerlar to an old picture house but thats where it was and my oldest brother went there to learn his ballroom dancing himand his no wife after fifties yead whom became champion ballroo dances and woncompetitions through out and on tv as well he taught his daughter and they became winners of ballroom dancing ;
my oldest brother got is inspiration from my mother and grand mother whomwasboth thearter stage and tap dancers around the country
her mother put tap shoes on my mother as soon as she could walk and took her around the country to all the thearters she was dancing
including the aston hip; and they used have a pet monkey my grand mother and they took it every where alomg with we georgie wood and bily coton;
but getting back to the hawleys and the grove ; next to the grove there was right next door was a big builing and timber merchants
right next door to the grove even acros from the grove pict; house facing the other timbe merchants was a bathromspecial shop and plunbers ; but that was only a litle supplyer andthat was next dor to another litte pub , [ it was smal house pub]
and also next to the grove was the big pub the cape of good hope ; but geting back tohawleys it was that second corner down fromwinson green rd
i think it was called heath green rd or winson street i beleive one or the other but it was the second stret along dudley rd fromwinson greem and the grove was a good walk down from hawleys you would have gone past woolwoths more shops and a little garage then you would past theyorkshir grey ; all ways packed in there have a nice evening best wishes astonian
Hi davis and jayell
hawleys dance was on the third corner of dudley road as you was walking down from winson green rd
on your right hand heading towards the grove ;
and given the structure appeareance of the front entrance it still kept that little bit of
facier parepitt above the entrance to the building
have a nice day both of you ;and every body else on the forum astonian
hawleys dance was on the third corner of dudley road as you was walking down from winson green rd
on your right hand heading towards the grove ;
and given the structure appeareance of the front entrance it still kept that little bit of
facier parepitt above the entrance to the building
have a nice day both of you ;and every body else on the forum astonian
DavidGrain
master brummie
If you look back at Judy's post 15 you will see the photo of Hawleys as it was . It is on the corner of Dudley Road and Chiswell Road. I got the name wrong in my previous posts. It is exactly where Astonian has described it. The building has always looked like a cinema from about the 1920 era. Why Ted Rudge described it as next to the Grove Cinema is if you look at the photo, the entrance to Hawleys had been made from the shop next door. It is still like that today if you look on Google Street view. The building is now a snooker club and also advertises a Dial a Balti service.
I said that my dad worked at Hawleys in exchange for dancing lessons. This was because they were more concerned about professionalism in those days and if he had been paid he would have been classed as a professional dancer and not able to enter the amateur competitions.
In an earlier post I said that GKN was behind the Grove Cinema. Again I was talking from memory. The GKN factories were a bit further back from the Dudley Road than I implied from my post.
I said that my dad worked at Hawleys in exchange for dancing lessons. This was because they were more concerned about professionalism in those days and if he had been paid he would have been classed as a professional dancer and not able to enter the amateur competitions.
In an earlier post I said that GKN was behind the Grove Cinema. Again I was talking from memory. The GKN factories were a bit further back from the Dudley Road than I implied from my post.
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UsedtobeBrummie
New Member
Have just stumbled across this site and was delighted to see references to Hawleys. I had lessons there and also went to some of the dance nights. Particularly remember watching Latin American and wishing I could do something other than the basic steps. Was quite a journey on the No 11, Outer Circle!
DavidGrain
master brummie
Wlecome to the Forum. As I have mentioned my dad used to help out in the evenings at Hawleys in the 1960s
Hi There,
Could anyone help me with some research I'm trying to do for my family tree please?
I am trying to locate information about a family called Fletcher, who lived in Winson Green circa 1900-1930. Daniel Fletcher was my Great-grandfather, and his father (Richard) had a Furntiure business on Dudley Road - or so I am told. Does anyone have any recollection of this - or of the family? Any help would be very gratefully welcomed.
Thanks for reading.
Paul
Could anyone help me with some research I'm trying to do for my family tree please?
I am trying to locate information about a family called Fletcher, who lived in Winson Green circa 1900-1930. Daniel Fletcher was my Great-grandfather, and his father (Richard) had a Furntiure business on Dudley Road - or so I am told. Does anyone have any recollection of this - or of the family? Any help would be very gratefully welcomed.
Thanks for reading.
Paul
