Fashoda Road Selly Park

[Vivienne14]

A bit of activity around the corner shop on Fashoda Road. Shop's still there but is now a hair salon (see Streetview below). Wondering what the huts(?) were for to the right. Was it a school or something else? They're no longer there and now it's an empty plot. Viv.

 

[Astoness]

nice photo viv...the huts could have been community rooms or the like

lyn

 

[pjmburns]

Not sure of the date of the photo but 1940 Kelly's lists "Special School for the Mentally Defective" as the last building before Dogpool Lane. (That would not be allowed today by the PC brigade!!)

Janice

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks both. Photo looks about late 1930s/40s to me. So think that's spot on Janice. Viv.

 

[pjmburns]

It looks as if it closed soon after that date as the records at the NA are 1922 to 1940. It is listed in Kelly's with 100 in brackets - perhaps the number of pupils?
Janice

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Janice . There was also a Fashoda Road Temporary School so I'm wondering if the buildings were the temporary board school before it became the special school. Fashoda Road temporary school closed in 1911 when Selly Oak school opened on Pershore Road. So fits date-wise. Viv.

 

[pjmburns]

Yes - and the buildings look the sort which would be put up as "temporary" - although we know that can mean anything. 1915 Kelly's includes Fashoda Road Special School. I have also found it in the 1913 edition.

Janice

 

[BarryJ]

On a bit of a nostalgia trip this evening and saw the photo of Fashoda Road. I lived opposite to where that school would have been from the early 1960's to the mid 1980's. In my time the land had a caravan sales business until the mid 70s, then vacant. I always wondered what had been there before

 

[Astoness]

On a bit of a nostalgia trip this evening and saw the photo of Fashoda Road. I lived opposite to where that school would have been from the early 1960's to the mid 1980's. In my time the land had a caravan sales business until the mid 70s, then vacant. I always wondered what had been there before

thanks for that info barry and welcome to the forum

lyn

 

[knobbydave]

On a bit of a nostalgia trip this evening and saw the photo of Fashoda Road. I lived opposite to where that school would have been from the early 1960's to the mid 1980's. In my time the land had a caravan sales business until the mid 70s, then vacant. I always wondered what had been there before

I used to live opposite the land. I remember Mom telling me it used to be 'where the school was' and when it became a caravan sales site I had a Saturday job washing the caravans. The hairdressers shop used to be a 'local store' and I remember getting tea weighed out into bags and you could get 'a quarter of ham' from the old circular 'ham and bacon' slicer. After that it became a cafe

 

[VimScheidt]

Hi all, only just found this forum and the Fashoda thread - really interesting - thank you! I lived on Fashoda relatively recently (2005-2012ish) so don;t remember the school buildings. One of my neighbours remembered his father telling stories about it though - apparently was referred to locally as the 'tin school'.

 

[VimScheidt]

I thought I'd post these photos here to see whether anyone could shed some light on the fabulously named, 'Billy Basha'...I lived at No53 Fashoda and the entry/alley between my house and 51 was had loads of things etched into the walls...mostly names, initials, dates (back to the 1930s), some declarations of affection and a few RIPs. There are also these two wonderful boxers on either side of the entrance. One is titled 'Billy Basha' the other, 'The Battling Babe'. They've intrigued me for years but I haven't found anything searching for either name on Google. It'd be great to hear if any members know anything about him/them.
(Please excuse the poor quality pics..the light was stronger than my skill with a camera...they get a bit better when you zoom in..)

 

[sospiri]

Probably totally unconnected with this or even with Birmingham, but when my kids were young (about 1970) they had a big blow up toy rather like a kelly doll with a weighted bottom that you used rather like a punchbag, and it was sold as Billy Basher.

Maurice

 

[mikejee]

Maurice
See https://www.doyouremember.co.uk/memory/billy-basher.
Also he is listed as the father of a character in the Viz comic at https://britishcomics.fandom.com/wiki/Biffa_Bacon

 

[Astoness]

I thought I'd post these photos here to see whether anyone could shed some light on the fabulously named, 'Billy Basha'...I lived at No53 Fashoda and the entry/alley between my house and 51 was had loads of things etched into the walls...mostly names, initials, dates (back to the 1930s), some declarations of affection and a few RIPs. There are also these two wonderful boxers on either side of the entrance. One is titled 'Billy Basha' the other, 'The Battling Babe'. They've intrigued me for years but I haven't found anything searching for either name on Google. It'd be great to hear if any members know anything about him/them.
(Please excuse the poor quality pics..the light was stronger than my skill with a camera...they get a bit better when you zoom in..)View attachment 141251View attachment 141252View attachment 141253View attachment 141254View attachment 141255View attachment 141251

welcome to the forum....thanks for sharing those etchings....every one will tell its own story...

lyn