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Harborne

Sorry BrumBum but my turn to be picky. However I agree that the the Stumps or Mews is correctly Albert Walk. It is because I could not remember the correct name that I have not commented on it before. But what is now the High Street used to be called Heath Lane as it ran across Harborne Heath. The west end was known as Town End and the far end by the Green Man was the Heath End.
David, thanks for the added knowledge. I was unaware of the Harborne Heath link, but it makes sense. This forum is great. We know what we know, but often, others know more. In my family (I was born in Milford Road), Harborne was always referred to affectionately as 'the village', and even though it had already been sucked into the wider Brum conurbation, it still had a distinct identity.
 
Carolina, just picked up your photo of the top end of the high Street. It's exactly as I remember it having left the village in 1961. The Mews Garage sign is fixed to the wall of O'connors paper shop. I used to deliver papers for them round Serpentine Road. If Elizabeth Redmond is reading this I'm wondering if she lived in the houses next to Furbers and would remember the Reeves family (Tony and Noel and Dianne). We lived on the corner, at 275 and had a pair of shears over the top of the front door as my Grandfather (Joe Bellingham) and my dad ground lawnmowers and shears in a shed at the back. Out of interest, does anyone have, or know where I can get a photo of the inside of The Picture House (Old Harborne) in Serpentine road. I spent half my childhood in there and have fond memories of it
Handlebar, that pair of shears over the front door was always a real focus when I was growing up. I remember them so clearly, opposite the old Royalty and police station. I also frequented The Picture House and recall watching Blues (lose I think) in the FA Cup Final. I used to love peering in the window of the old Dower Chest as a child. A lot of the stuff was tat, but it was nostalgic tat!
 
Harborne is a little confusing geographically. For example when I have lead walks around Harborne, I have asked people to meet in the car park in St John's Road and they have been confused when they have passed St John's church sometime before they reach St Johns Road. I explain to them that St John's church used to be in St Johns Road but was bombed during the war and the new church built elsewhere.. St John's church on the High Street is not Harborne Parish Church because that is St Peter's some distance off the the High Street.

I organised a walk last year along the former Harborne Railway and again asked people to meet in St Johns Road so they were confused when they passed Station Road and their SatNav took them on further along the High Street. I explained that Station Road made two junctions with the High Street.
 
Brum Brum, did you ever look in old Mr. Manton's shop window? As much dirt and dust as actual itms for sale!! And he was a strange character. I always thought him a bit spooky. David, interested to read that you led walks. Can you actually gain access to the old line from Station Road or does it start from further down? Did you do notes on the walks? It would be interesting to read them.
 
Royalty
 

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Hi Handlebar, You can get onto the old Station site from Station Road (look for Frencham Way, blocks of flats on the site of the station and Chad Valley works) but you have to come back out again by the side of Rose Road Police Station. Walk down Rose Road and turn left into Park Hill Road. You will see an access point on the other side of the road by the railway bridge which has survived all these years. However I walk on under the bridge. Park Hill Road then has a left turn in it. Follow this round and you will find some new houses in Forest Drive. In Forest Drive you will find a pathway which will take you up onto the bridge.

Another way onto the station site is from a pathway off Park Hill Road near the top of the road but I have to say that I have not checked this out for a number of years.

Sorry I don't issue notes but I do sometimes give out copies of old maps eg from the Godfrey old OS maps series.
 
Sad that such a valuable building as the Royalty has been left in such a state and for so long. I've read that it might be converted into a three screen Cinema. I wondered if it would be better to convert it into a music and show venue able also to present films. There isn't too much competition in the area is there? It could be a tremendous asset with a bit of vision. Thanks David for the info. Perhaps at some time in the future I'll do the walk and find out where it concludes.
 
Is Elizabeth Redmond, still a member of the forum, she was extremly helpful to me when I joined in 2009. I would like to say hello. Paul
 
hi paul..if you mean elizabeth redmond then sadly she passed away in april 2013..usually for deceased members jim usually" puts gone but not forgotten under their names "but i notice it just says guest...

all the best

lyn
 
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Thank you Lyn, I am very sorry about that, she was a very nice person. I must have missed the news, and because of my commitments to my dear wife, I cannot come on the Forum as often as I would wish. Paul
 
paul i know of your commitments to your wife so i totally understand...take care

lyn
 

Carolina,
What a crying shame to see the old Royalty in this state. It was such a beautiful and impressive cinema in its heyday. We have such a poor record of looking after our heritage in this country. Bad enough to find that the old Royalty had to go through the ignominy of being a bingo hall and now to see it derelict.
 
A worse shame is that it was discovered in 2012 that it was being used as a cannabis farm. 40 Plants found and 10-15 kilos of dried leaves
 
Brum Brum, did you ever look in old Mr. Manton's shop window? As much dirt and dust as actual itms for sale!! And he was a strange character. I always thought him a bit spooky. David, interested to read that you led walks. Can you actually gain access to the old line from Station Road or does it start from further down? Did you do notes on the walks? It would be interesting to read them.

Handlebar,

I can't place Manton's. Was it part of the block of shops going down from the Mews Garage?
 
BrumBrum,

It was next to the Vine Inn. A right dump of a shop that we used to buy batteries in. Just down from it was Smith's outdoor (my grandmother always called it Trouts) which had a front shop entrance and another alongside with a casement style window servery. God help you if you used the posh entrance. I'd take my Gran's jug for a pint of Stout and she'd put the hot poker in to warm it up presumably. They sold Mason's pop-Limeade, Ice Cream Soda and (I think) Lemonade. Lovely stuff, with a penny deposit on the bottle!!! Carolina, where do you get your fantastic pictures from. So lovely to be reminded.
 
BrumBrum,

It was next to the Vine Inn. A right dump of a shop that we used to buy batteries in. Just down from it was Smith's outdoor (my grandmother always called it Trouts) which had a front shop entrance and another alongside with a casement style window servery. God help you if you used the posh entrance. I'd take my Gran's jug for a pint of Stout and she'd put the hot poker in to warm it up presumably. They sold Mason's pop-Limeade, Ice Cream Soda and (I think) Lemonade. Lovely stuff, with a penny deposit on the bottle!!! Carolina, where do you get your fantastic pictures from. So lovely to be reminded.
BrumBrum,

It was next to the Vine Inn. A right dump of a shop that we used to buy batteries in. Just down from it was Smith's outdoor (my grandmother always called it Trouts) which had a front shop entrance and another alongside with a casement style window servery. God help you if you used the posh entrance. I'd take my Gran's jug for a pint of Stout and she'd put the hot poker in to warm it up presumably. They sold Mason's pop-Limeade, Ice Cream Soda and (I think) Lemonade. Lovely stuff, with a penny deposit on the bottle!!! Carolina, where do you get your fantastic pictures from. So lovely to be reminded.

I think I have it now. I don't think I ever went in the shop. I remember the Vine with the cellar doors set in the pavement for the delivery of proper wooden barrels.
 
Wherever I lived (and I have moved around a lot) I have always sought out photos for the area and I lived in and around Harborne for many years.
 
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