Hello Alan,
The first time I encountered the surname Furber was when I joined BCT Head Office (then in Congreve Street) as a junior cashier in September 1953. The third in command was a guy called Jack Furber, who'd had massive abdominal surgery, but must have been in his late 30s when I arrived. When I next encountered that name, it must have been over 35 years when I started on the family history and found the undertakers, Thomas Furber, in Ladywood. I often wondered if there was a connection between the two, but I've never got around to doing the research as they are not actually related to me.
Eventually, only an old sister of my father, Louisa SHEPPARD, was left at 12 Alston Street in 1959. That was the year that four tower blocks were built just off Morville Street, and she was moved into Kenchester Tower as her home was to be demolished so that they could build Ladywood Middleway. Kenchester Tower & Blakemere Tower were demolished themselves in 2002, so their lifespan was a mere 42 years before the Council realised their building was a mistake. I don't know whether the other two tower blocks are still standing or whether they have met the same fate.
Unfortunately, there are no family photos from my father's side and I think if any, they must have gone to a brother who was 16 years older. I was still a schoolboy when Dad died and only his other sister turned up at his funeral. We all assumed that his brother had died before the war, because no one knew whether he was still alive or where he'd moved to. In actual fact, he was still alive when Dad died but, I only found out that he died a few months after my father three years ago. It's a strange world, isn't it? Thanks for the info, Alan, I must away to my bed!
Maurice