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Holyhead Road

Between Crocketts Road/Sandwell Road & Station Road looking towards Birmingham. The old New Inns pub (now flats) was the big building on the corner in the modern shot.
 
I was born in Church terrace 1956 and lived there until 1973 at number 1 Church Terrace then we moved to Junction road when the regeneration took over in 1973. There is Holyhead school standing there now where my house used to be. There was 15 houses in the terrace. You walked out of your front door onto a path then crossed a dirt path to get to your garden. You could look over the fence at top of garden into the police houses. My best friend was Chinder Pal who lived at number 2.My mom used to manage the Launderette opposite the New Inns in the shops there. She managed it from the early 1960s to 1988. Before that it was a florist shop and she worked there too. She was known as Aunt Joan to most of the kids who came in. My grandfather was a policeman at Thornhill road Police station but lived in church terrace. His nickname was Bronco Morgan and he died in 1952. This was just off the Holyhead road opposite the Social club which is now a temple. At the bottom of Church terrace was a cafe. The New inns pub used to be beautiful and I went to a few dances at the Princes suite even though I was young I got in!! . We used the Gardeners social club that was opposite the New inns. The junior school, St James school was in Brewery street then a new one was built in Sandwell road. I was one of the first pupils transferred from the old school to the new one. Hated it there. I can remember those years better than recent years as I moved away in 1974. I went to look at the road recently and many memories came flooding back so if you need any info about that area I can probably let you know the answers.
 
Welcome Sheila. Some lovely memories you’ve given us there. I am going to move your post to an older thread about Holyhead Road which you might also find interesting,

Viv.
 
My wife used to work in Lloyds Bank Holyhead Road on the corner of the old Albion Cinema opposite the New Inns pub before we were married in the early 1960's She used to go into the coffee shop over the road at lunchtime with her friend. Mrs Sands had a haberdashery shop also on opposite side of road from bank. Sad to see that the Albion Cinema and Lloyds bank are no longer there replaced with a small green space on the corner
 
Some buildings remain today in this view , including the former New Inns pub, but this is now accommodation. An interesting little feature on the wall to the right in today’s view indicating ‘Handsworth Market’ and a Bull above the name plate.I think it’s just visible in the B&W photo too. Viv.

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Some buildings remain today in this view , including the former New Inns pub, but this is now accommodation. An interesting little feature on the wall to the right in today’s view indicating ‘Handsworth Market’ and a Bull above the name plate.I think it’s just visible in the B&W photo too. Viv.

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Thank you for these 3 pictures of Holyhead Road opposite the New Inns. My wife said that she never noticed the old sign for Handsworth Market and the Bull despite working in LLoyds Bank next the Albion Cinema on the opposite corner for 7-8 years. The only Handsworth Market we both remember was further down on Soho Road next to the Post Office and opposite Woolworths in 1940's - 1960's.

We also noticed in the distance further down Holyhead Road on the right hand side on the old photograph the spire of Asbury Wesleyan Church. The spire was taken down after WW2 and church could not afford a new replacement spire.
 
Yes it does seem strange that the sign is there on Holyhead Road. Maybe someone knows why. Viv.
 
Does anyone here know anything about this building on Holyhead Rd between Station Rd. and Woodland Rd. It was built in 1800
 

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Can't yet find much out about the building. Built in 1900 - see close-up below. It looks to me that it was originally built as retail units with accommodation above. My guess is that the first and second floor accommodation was originally intended for the shopkeepers who ran their businesses on the ground floor.

Viv.
 

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In 1939 there was the Birmingham Co-op Laundry in Holyhead Road. (As RobT says it was Soho Co-operative Society Ltd. from at least 1905)
 
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In 1939 there was the Birmingham Co-op Laundry in Holyhead Road. (As RobT says it was Soho Co-operative Society Ltd. from at least 1905)
Co-op Laundry was at 130 Holyhead, on the other side near Island Road (towards City Boundary WBA ground)
In 1955 Co-op had shops 131-135 Holyhead rd (other side of Woodland rd) but not really relevant to the building we're talking about at 129 Holyhead road.
 
No 129 is first mentioned in Kellys in 1904 (not listed in 1903). Then it was the Soho Cooperative society
 
CAR 177…”Numerically the last of the cable cars supplied to CBT in 1902 was car 177, which is climbing Holvhead Road towards the terminus at the New Inns public house at the junction with Crocketts Road. It is travelling away from the distant Booth Street junction on Holyhead Road in around 1905 and is passing the Ashbury Memorial Chapel located on the corner of Milestone Lane.”

(Birmingham before the Electric Tram)


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Thank you Pedrocut for a superb early photograph of Holyhead Road and Asbury Memorial Church with a spire, looking down towards Milestone Lane and Booth Street. The church no longer has a spire
 
When the big bill board was removed (shown in Steve’s photo) this seems to have been uncovered. Maybe the board was removed during the refurbishment of the neighbouring Royal Oak structure in 2020. I have also posted this to the Ghost signs thread link here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/ghost-signs-of-birmingham.40355/page-72 Viv.

View attachment 171662i really must keep up...did not realise that the royal oak pub had gone and new housing is now on its spot..just noticed an oak tree on the new build so obviously a little nod to the old pub

lyn
 
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