Lickey Hills

[paul stacey]

I left Brum in 64 that's why I don't know her, lovely story though. Paul

 

[Jeepwolf]

Thanks Paul, glad you find it interesting.

 

[daithelife]

Hi, I am someone who left Brum back in 1966 never to return despite now living only 50 miles away or so. I recently stumbled across this site and it bought memories flooding back. In particular happy childhood memories of times spent at Lickey with my grandad. He moved from Dimsdale road to a new council house at the corner of Meadvale Road and Leach Green Lane directly opposite the hills. I used to travel to see my grandparents from Bartley Green and a very memorable part of the journey was the lovely tram rid to the Lickey terminus down the Bristol Road which was an oasis of pastoral calm back in those years immediately after the war.

Grandad would meet us at the terminus and we would walk together to his house with its immaculate garden of which he was very proud. Mum and Dad would after lunch head off back home leaving me in the care of my Grandparents. Nanny didn't have very much to do with me, leaving me in the care of Granddad who looking back was every boys dream granddad. We would set out out on our adventures by crossing Leach Green Lane then making our way up the hill opposite his house. He would have set out traps for rabbits and it was a rare day we didn't find one or two for the pot. At the appropriate time of the year we would get to bilberry hill and fill his hat with the sticky berries. He always got told off on his return but was proud of his purple stained hat for which he was well known.

One special treat I remember quite vividly but can find no reference for is the trip we used to take to Northfield. First there was the excitement of the tram ride then the real treat. A visit to the blacksmith who used to have a forge right in the centre of the village under a large arched entrance. Although they were rapidly declining a number of local traders still used horses and watching one being shod was a both a treat and fascinating. I can still be transported back by the sounds of a blacksmith shop but even more so by that smell as the hot shoe was placed on the hoof to fit it so perfectly.

Sorry to ramble on so, but if anyone has any more details I would love to hear

 

[mikejee]

I have moved your post to the main Lickey hills thread, and also incorporated posts from some other associated threads

 

[daithelife]

I have moved your post to the main Lickey hills thread, and also incorporated posts from some other associated threads

Thank you mikejee. I have just spent a very happy hour reading through all those memories. What started out as a little curiosity has left me in tears. Tears of joy as I realised I was not alone in remembering those innocent times

 

[Astoness]

Thank you mikejee. I have just spent a very happy hour reading through all those memories. What started out as a little curiosity has left me in tears. Tears of joy as I realised I was not alone in remembering those innocent times

you are never alone in remembering history daithelife...hope you enjoy the forum there is so much to read about...just use the search box for anything specific you are looking for

lyn

 

[bryan summers]

as any one got memories stories or photographs of the Lickey's it was visited by thousands every year and was our day out visit, queuing to get on the tram, the stairs to try and get the open air balcony and the glorious wind rushing trip up the Bristol road all for a penny fare a bottle of water and a sarnie to last you all day
there must be hundreds of old photographs lying around some where
I hope

Hi gingerjon. I certainly remember going to the Lickeys. The ride on the tram from Aston was absolutely thrilling especially if you had a front, open air seat as the tram rocked and thundered along in the middle of the road. It was as good as any ride at Pat Collins' fair. There's a very good book -with lots of photos - called A Postcard from the Lickeys by Joe and Frances Brannan. It was first published by the Camelot Press, of Southampton, in 1989. I don't know whether it's still in print but I got mine from Amazon so there should be copies out there somewhere. Possibly e-bay? Cheers, Bryan.

 

[Jeepwolf]

A bit more information has come up about Blackberry Jane in "The Village" magazine issue 219 July/Augast 2021. Im unsure how to print the article so i will give you a few snippets on here.Her proper name was Elgah Fox. She died on the 8th March 1965 aged 96 years old.(seems like the fresh air did her no harm at all).She is buried in St Michaels church yard in Cofton Hackett. It was said that a resident of the area called Pearson Cummings, who was a Governer at Cofton Primary School, befreinded Jane and "promised" her a Christian burial, hence the fine gravestone in the Church grounds. She was known for pushing all her worldly goods around in a pram. The article has raised more questions, than it has answered, my apologies for not being able to print it, if someone on here sees the article in the magazine, with obviously more computer skills than me perhaps they would be kind enough to transfer it onto these pages. Thanks in anticipation.

 

[Terry P]

Many happy days spent at the Lickey Hills when i was a child. Im fortunate enough to now live up there. When i moved up there 5 years ago, i got talking with a neighbour (who has now sadly passed away), he spent all his life living in this area, and knew it inside out. He told me about a woman who lived rough on the Lickeys. She was known as "Blackberry Jane" . She used to dress in all black clothing, and a lot of the kids who saw her thought she was a Witch. She used to pick Blackberries and other wild fruit, and sell them to visitors for a penny or two. It is thouht she came from a very posh family, and dropped out of society when a relationship broke down. Have any of you followers on this forum got any information on this subject ? I would be interested if you have. Thanks in advance.

A bit more information has come up about Blackberry Jane in "The Village" magazine issue 219 July/Augast 2021. Im unsure how to print the article so i will give you a few snippets on here.Her proper name was Elgah Fox. She died on the 8th March 1965 aged 96 years old.(seems like the fresh air did her no harm at all).She is buried in St Michaels church yard in Cofton Hackett. It was said that a resident of the area called Pearson Cummings, who was a Governer at Cofton Primary School, befreinded Jane and "promised" her a Christian burial, hence the fine gravestone in the Church grounds. She was known for pushing all her worldly goods around in a pram. The article has raised more questions, than it has answered, my apologies for not being able to print it, if someone on here sees the article in the magazine, with obviously more computer skills than me perhaps they would be kind enough to transfer it onto these pages. Thanks in anticipation.

Hi, my mum knew of a Blackberry Jane, lady tramp, in the lanes of Frankley and Northfield in the 1940s and 50s. She wore layers of clothes and had lots of bags. She used to sleep under hedges and walk the lanes during the day. The people who lived in a cottage in Frankley Hill Lane gave her cups of tea. Don't know if this was the same one as the Lickeys would have been far for her to walk to from Frankley and Egghill Lane where she walked.

 

[Jeepwolf]

It stands a good chance Terry, these people moved around quite a lot, she was seen around the Lickeys mainly in the 50s and 60s. Thanks for a great reply.

 

[Jeepwolf]

Further to this post, a letter has been printed in our local magazine "The Village " with more about Blackberry Jane. A resident was saying her father was a local coal merchant, and most mornings he would go to his lorry, and find Blackberry Jane asleep in his cab. In those days you never had to lock things up. This was in Leach Green Lane in Rednal. She would gather up her belongings and put them in her pram and move off. She also used to sleep in the Tram shelters at Rednal Terminus.

 

[Pedrocut]

Birmingham Weekly Post, January 1959….snow on Lickey Hills.