Mrs T
Proud To Be A Brummie.
Tributes to Birmingham author John Douglas Dec 12 2007
By Catherine Lillington, Birmingham Mail
By Catherine Lillington, Birmingham Mail
A BIRMINGHAM author who wrote about life growing up in the inner-city slums has died at the age of 76.
John Douglas's first book A Walk Down Summer Lane sold out after it was published in 1977.
His prolific writings during the 1970s and 80s also included comical poetry, the Bull Ring Song and the Spaghetti Junction song.
John's family said he was always writing, even while holding down a full-time job at Birmingham airport and raising seven children.
Daughter Carol Douglas, aged 45, remembers her fun-loving dad always had a story to tell.John Douglas's first book A Walk Down Summer Lane sold out after it was published in 1977.
His prolific writings during the 1970s and 80s also included comical poetry, the Bull Ring Song and the Spaghetti Junction song.
John's family said he was always writing, even while holding down a full-time job at Birmingham airport and raising seven children.
He had visited 24 countries after joining the navy at 16 and was the Home Fleet lightweight boxing champion.
Back on Civvy Street, John adopted a menagerie of animals including goats and even a donkey he collected in the back of his Jag and drove home down the M6.
Carol said: "He was great at typing. He used to type, talk and drink coffee at the same time. You could always hear him tippy tapping on one of those old black typewriters."
John who was born in Newtown Row, just off Summer Lane, said his biggest ambition was to write a book. The characters in his first book and From Summer Lane, written in 1979, were based on the people in his street and himself, who he cast as Georgie.
Carol said: "Georgie was a cheeky little chappy, always up to mischief but who didn't get into trouble."
In From Summer Lane, John wrote: "One day, Georgie thought, walking away into the shadows, I'm going to write a book about this place. About these wonderful, colourful characters; the happenings and happiness of Summer Lane."
John retired to Cornwall in 1989 with Joan, his wife of 39 years.
THE LEGEND OF SUMMER LANE
Near Summer Lane two men stopped by; a tear showed in the elder's eye,
Looked down "The Lane" and gave a sigh - "Summer Lane's no more, lad.
Now Summer Lane belied its name, a cobbled street of slums and shame,
of back-to-backs and drunken fame - the toughest street in Brum, lad.
Now I was born in Newtown Row, down Summer Lane we dursen't go,
To show our face because, you know, they're always fightin' drunk, lad.
They'd shop their Gran for two-and-six, or blind your eyes with brutal flicks,
Of 'peaky-blinders' - just for kicks - but only all in fun, lad.
Some wouldn't work or pay the rent, on booze and blondes their money's spent,
Got from the 'dole' or some robbed 'gent' - such was Summer Lane, lad.
To Jenny Brighton's Sat'day morn, their candlesticks or suits to pawn,
And spend the lot on booze 'til dawn, then brawl along 'The Lane,' lad.
They say them was the good old days, the bad old days, the sad old days,
Poor and ragged squalor days - they was, but we was 'appy, lad.
We seen an era fade and go, we faced the strife come rain, come snow,
Now nothing's left of it to show what Summer Lane was once, lad.
New office blocks with glassy eye, stand tall, aloof, against the sky,
Nostalgic ghosts walk sadly by - unnoticed in 'The Lane,' lad.
That was Summer Lane, lad. That was Summer Lane."
