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Erdington old buildings

Small hardware stores also sold paraffin. Lots of paraffin was sold for portable heaters of course, Pink was often delivered - maybe Esso Blue was as well. We kept a small quantity of paraffin but for what reason I cannot recall. It certainly was not for heating.
 
In the days before polystyrene old rags were a favourite insulation material to, hopefully, prevent pipes from freezing up.
 
Love the smell of paraffin. We had a pink, miniature oil lamp that was filled with, I think, paraffin which was placed by the pipes in the bathroom to stop them freezing. No central heating in a 1930s very damp house.

Think I can justifyably mention this here as I think the Kingstanding house was once classed as Erdington. Viv.
 
Post 16 shows a red brick detached building. I don't think anyone else has said what it was originally but when I was at school just round the corner on Kingsbury Road, late 50's to early 60's this was the Telegraph Office and young men on bicycles used to deliver telegrams received there. They were all in smart uniforms.
 
Ellbrown, your post #25 shows Rookery House. The last I heard it was being restored and converted to apartments with a cafe and community room on the ground floor. There is also a large area of land behind the house fronting onto Spring Lane and plans are supposed to be in hand for this former depot. I understand houses are to be build here. Fingers crossed for the lovely house!
 
This was an old Erdington building in what was Bell Lane. The building was demolished and Bell Lane became Orphanage Road.
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Ellbrown, your post #25 shows Rookery House. The last I heard it was being restored and converted to apartments with a cafe and community room on the ground floor. There is also a large area of land behind the house fronting onto Spring Lane and plans are supposed to be in hand for this former depot. I understand houses are to be build here. Fingers crossed for the lovely house!

I know. Was hoping to see it fully restored and not under scaffolding. May have to go back in future after it's finished (as long as they don't separate the garden area from the park).
 
The Village Green - reference to it is apparently made in Warboise’s book “”Overdale”. Warboise (Emma Jane Guyton) was a Birmingham writer, the first time I’ve heard of her. Don’t think the image would have appeared in the book, I think the caption means it was referred to in the book. But could be wrong. Viv.

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Viv, I have heard of Miss Woboise but I can't remember in what connection. She apparently wrote 50 novels, all with a strong Christian message. That said I'm a little worried about 'House of Bondage' and the alternative title for Overdale, 'The Story of a Pervert'.
 
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