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Handsworth

Judy did you see Made in Birmingham - streets of Birmingham last night. It was wonderful starting from Snow Hill Station and ending West Brom F C. It was like all our yesterdays for me, seeing where Swallow Raincoats were (2nd job) down through Hockley up Soho Hill which they said was a turnpike and you had to pay to go up there. Past Dennison Watch Case (1st job) and so on. Next Sunday its Summerfield Park to Colmore Row.

I tried but couldn't get it here in Devon Carolina. Tried on my laptop but I guess it's because it's a local TV Station. I hope I'll be able to see it one day.
 
Not sure when the building whish housed the Nineveh Dance Studios was demolished but think it was in the early 60s. I do know that a van crashed into the shop underneath - Broadmeads Televisions Shop - so the building was past repair I guess and had to be demolished.
 

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When we were first married, we got a flat in Park Avenue which was advertised as Handsworth, but on Googling it now, I see that it comes as Park Avenue, Hockley. Was our original location correct or just estate agents gilding the lily. It was a marvellous huge, but cold, 1930s building, modern design but laid out like a bungalow, huge lounge, big kitchen, 3 good sized bedrooms and of course bathroom and separate toilet. £5.00 per week, when everywhere else except Hagley Road/ Edgbaston was from £2 to £3.10.00 per week, but well worth it. The claim to fame.....in the other block lived Meg from Crossroads and the Director/Producer.....never knew his name, never saw them, but it was a talking point. Bought our first TV a McMichael (Oh how modern it was!!!) from Broadmead on Soho Road.

Bob Davis
 
the greengrocers (was that Tibbetts?/QUOTE said:
No, it wasn't Tibbetts - they were much further down, on the opposite side, on the opposite corner of Louisa Road to "The Barrell" pub. My parents were great friends of Gertie (who ran the fruit stall) and Ted (who did the fish) Tibbetts. Another Tibbetts brother ran the veg.stall, and another, the meat, in the butchers shop next door.


The greengrocers between Boulton Road and Babbington Road was Pendrys which was to the left of Rose's butchers (apart from a passageway to the back of the shops between them
 
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A painting by W.Green (early to mid-1800s) of the Old Toll Gate at Handsworth. Villa Road is straight ahead and Hamstead Road is off to the left of the toll gate house. Any ideas what the large white house was behind the toll gate house? Viv.


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viv i think i have an old map showing the name of that white house..i was looking at it only yesterday as i was researching no 69...will get back to you

lyn
 
Hi Viv, your post about the medals reminded me that I have bronze and silver too. From Enid's dance studio in Havelock Road, which may be Handsworth or Perry Barr. I find that Handsworth / Perry Barr / Great Barr and Aldridge all seem like moveable feasts, if you know what I mean. Never quite understand where one starts and the others finish. A bit like Hockley, still in a fog about that one too.
 
Stephen this is an awkward one really, but I can give you some idea from my own experience. We rented a house for a few months at 33 Philip Victor Road, which is off the top end of Grove Lane. It was built by Percy Cox the builder who was also Lord Mayor so I believe, and it was constructed in 1916. That had an inside bathroom, but of course it was larger than an ordinary house and built for someone with a very good income. Percy Cox's brother lived two doors away from us and most of the other people in the road had incomes we could only dream about.

My mother was born in a back to back in Ladywood, but moved to a new house in Yardley Wood in 1928. That had an inside bathroom (it was a council house). I think from the 1920's you will most certainly find houses having bathrooms, but before that they were probably quite rare. The Yardley Wood houses were all different, some had a toilet actually inside the building but you had to go out of the back door and through another door, back into the house, to get to it. Effectlvely an inside toilet which was outside. My aunt lived in one in Grendon Road, off Warstock Road, and her bathroom was off the kitchen as was ours, but hers had a toilet in there too. I think bathrooms were standard from the 1920's, all the 1930's bay-fronted houses had bathrooms complete with toilets, but apart from the Yardley Wood houses I can't think of any 1920's houses I have been into. I feel quite lucky that I have never lived in a house without a bathroom, but perhaps I have missed out on something too. Interestingly, the houses in Bournville which were built in the 1890's had baths built in, but sunk into the kitchen floor. I presume the toilets were outside though.
Hi Shortie,


I can see that this was posted a while ago but it was interesting to get a build date for Philip Victor Road - the houses are older than I thought. My understanding is that one was built for my wife's Grandfather Leo White who was one of the original Directors of The Valor Company. As you say the occupants needed to be well off as the cost I believe was almost £1500. When I find it I will post a photo of a horse drawn vehicle arriving on moving in day.
 
See post #337 - painting by W.Green (early to mid-1800s) of the Old Toll Gate at Handsworth. The toll gate was further to the left of the much later black and white building there today. Viv.
 
I'm still going to count her as Handsworthian Mike, altho I might be a bit out.

Does anyone remember Wilkinsons ?
I was told it was the first Wilko's in the UK, but Im unsure if that was 100% correct - perhaps one of the first ones.
Just read this, I was the auditor back in the day. The business was owned by David Wilkinson and although related to Tony Wilkinson there had been a split in the family. Not sure what happened to David’s business but did not expand like Wilkos, paul
 
Hi Viv, your post about the medals reminded me that I have bronze and silver too. From Enid's dance studio in Havelock Road, which may be Handsworth or Perry Barr. I find that Handsworth / Perry Barr / Great Barr and Aldridge all seem like moveable feasts, if you know what I mean. Never quite understand where one starts and the others finish. A bit like Hockley, still in a fog about that one too.
Lady P, I had the same medals from Enid's which I believe was Perry Barr
 
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