Hospital street was right at the centre of family life for us, our great grandparents lived there and my father and grandfather both worked at Newman and Sons, later Newman Tonks, for most of their lives. Indeed my grandfather Albert died on the premises while at work.
Newman's was one of those old fashioned companies who, while not exactly paying very high wages, had something of a paternalistic approach to their workers. The sports teams, outings, Christmas parties and visits for us kids to the pantomime at the Aston Hippodrome were all things that they gave to the community; along with the promise of a job to anyone who wished to take it up again after serving in the forces during WWII.
No-one should think that this made them the perfect employers but compared to some modern companies it makes you think.