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Guildford Street Lozells

oh i do agree with you pete i have always said that although the written word is great its the old photos of now demolished streets etc which bring our memories to the fore...so pleased that your family will also be enjoying all of the guildford st pics..i myself was born just off guildford in paddington st in our nans back to back so a very good chance she knew your family and although we moved from there when i was about 5 due to over crowding nan refused to move until the last min as she had been in that house since at least 1911...

lyn
 
oh i do agree with you pete i have always said that although the written word is great its the old photos of now demolished streets etc which bring our memories to the fore...so pleased that your family will also be enjoying all of the guildford st pics..i myself was born just off guildford in paddington st in our nans back to back so a very good chance she knew your family and although we moved from there when i was about 5 due to over crowding nan refused to move until the last min as she had been in that house since at least 1911...

lyn
My memories are fragmented Lyn but I do remember the entry between the houses led up to more houses at the back. Also although the house was basically a two up two down the front room was like Aladdins cave to me with a glass cabinet full of ornaments.
 
Just saw the photos of the back of number 22. As kids we would start in our back yard, number 26 and climb across the walls and through the gardens until we reached Eden Place, behind number 14
 
On a 1889 map also on this thread a building is shown on this corner. The BCIRA in its early days would have needed offices and laboratories. As you say it was possibly bombed during the War. There is a picture of a shop at 52 probably the other corner. Will try Trade Directories but the BCIRA was a government organisation so probably not listed.
 
I am asking on most pages to see if anyone rembers a family name shaw not sure which road they lived in they had a son in mearchant navy name david
 
We lived on Radnor Rd in Handsworth, not far. the people who lived upstairs were the Shaw's, they moved there in about 1959 with two children about 5&6. this is not far away.
Just a thought...……..
 
Terrific photos Brian. There are loads off photos of places I knew on the forum, but I never recognise the people. Jim and Winnie are as I remember them though, but a little younger. May looks familiar too.
Number 31, the front of where May and her family lived was a house in the 40s and 50s. It was originally a shop were one of my grandmothers lived. I am sure it was on the Forum once. I will have a look
Thanks for replying to me on shaw family. Could you rember if they had children
 
I have just finished reading "tales of Guildford Street" which I thoroughly enjoyed however it was after my families time there, we lived at number 3 backa 162 Guildford street from 1949 until 1961. I remember that a mrs Brown lived next door, and that everyone was so friendly and kind I could walk into anyones house and receive my favorite, a cup of tea with seven or eight spoons of sugar in, Lovely. The Guildford pub was at the end of our entry and The old lady twins who lived at the start of the entry used to let me fetch their daily jug of beer from the outdoor once I was old enough of course, I think I was about six when I started doing it. My mum used to send me down to the corner shop for her fags, bread and a jar of jam which was all we ever seemed to eat when mum could afford it. Mr Shock was the owner at that time, a really kind man who didnt accept money for things We just had to say can you put it on the slate please and he would give you the things you wanted! amazing . If you said have you got any specs he would give you apples and pears with brown marks on, the only time we ever ate fruit, again amazing. I went to Lozels Primary School as soon as I was old enough. I had a lovely girl friend who lived on the other side of Guildford Street Her name was Lenita Price I liked her because her mum used to wrap a brick in a cloth and put it down the drain in her yard and flood it we could paddle for hours, great fun. My family and I have so many memories of our time in Guildford street but they were not easy and very very cold in the winter.
 
hi PCA a warm welcome to the forum..what lovely memories you have..i was born in nans back to back in paddington st...left round about 58/59..

we do have a thread for guildford st where i have posted lots of old photos of the street...you maybe interested...just type in guildford street in the search box...any problems finding it let me know

lyn
 
Evening all, I have a 1930's photo of my Late Nan, I note on the back an address 150 Guildford Street, Lozells, it does say Allen on the back her married name but as far as I am aware our family have no association with this road, or address as my Family lived on Park Lane, Aston a short distance away.
 

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thats great mike thats it solved...beatrice and george allen at no 150 in 1935 and to go with that info here is a photo...the gap you see is either 142 or 144 as we have researched those numbers before when the houses took a direct hit during the war with loss of life...only a guess but i would say no 150 is just about where the car is parked

lyn

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Many thanks all, your spot on it. Just called my mom and it jogged her memory, she did recall them living there when they got married. We think they moved to Park lane in 39, living next door to my Great Nan. I've enclosed below my Nan and Grandads wedding photo, taken December 1933, by Purcell and Bells 57 Aston Road North. The other photo was taken at the same studio but at some point in 1916 I believe, My Mom says it was sent to my Great Grandad, but was returned from Paris as he was killed at the Somme 27th August 1916. We do have a photo of the 4 of them also taken at the same studio before he went. Interestingly through my research and with help of a work colleague we found out he fell during battle in the Skyline Trench, fighting the Germans who were in a trench named Constance.
 

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thanks for the photos...glad we got the info correct...do you have your gt grandads service records...

lyn
 
I know he was a Private James Alfred Parsons, the 1st 8th Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire's, and from the book by God do they fight and was able to ascertain which battle he died in. A colleague who is into WW1 went out to the Somme and traced the trenchline from records and found out that it was Constance trench the Germans were in, which I thought was a big coincidence considering that was my Nan's middle name. I've not got any service record as my lates Nan's Brothers Children don't seem interested in knowing, I know my Mom would but I don't think I'm able to ask myself without their permission?
 
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