Mansfield Road Aston

[aston lad]

Here is a photo of the Sutton Street from the Retreat, You can see that the road was not unsurfaced and neither was the rest of the retreat, nor Wilkinson Street, it wasn't the best of surfaces, but never had a problem riding my bike around there,

 

[The Milky Bar Kid]

Hi

Am I correct in thinking you are after your first childhood home? Because there is a lot of talk about Mansfield Road, which correct me if I'm wrong, was your second.

Your sketch looks very much like "The Retreat" to me; which was the continuation of the short end of Sutton Street.
For certain there was no road surface there. I spent quite a bit of time on the "bomb site" as we used to call them; when people had left the area. There was a rope swing attached to a tree we used to play on.

See picture below.
I always wondered why the short part of Sutton Street was not called Upper Sutton Street.
The picture you posted, a while back (Tower Road thread) of your Nan walking down Tower Road with a toddler; was heading in that general direction too.
I can't admit to the shops though. I think they could possibly have been the first to be demolished.
There was a nameplate for the gulley; as I said "The Retreat" but it doesn't appear on any maps of the area that I have seen.

View attachment 157910

Hi, I think I've finally worked out the location of my parents first house in Aston (see attached).

As I think I've mentioned we always referred to the gully off Mansfield Road, which was basically a wide dirt track down to about 10 terraced houses in groups of 5 which faced each other. If I remember correctly each house had a small front garden in addition to the slightly larger back gardens.

If you walked up the gulley back to Mansfield Road and turned right, I think there was a hardware shop and we used to play with the children that lived there... They had a Chad Valley projector! and they used to do slide shows in the garage at the back of the shop.

Further along there was a barbers and a chemist with those large coloured and very pointy glass bottles on shelves and these always fascinated me.

If anyone remember these place in Mansfield Road let me know or put me right, its nearly 60 years ago now so I've bound to misremembered some things.

 

[NinaH]

Love seeing these old maps. I remember living with my mom and grandad at 18 Tower Road. It was the front part of a back to back house with the entry in between our neighbours, the wash house and toilets up the yard. I was only about 4 or 5 years old and vaguely recall starting school nearby. This would be 1965 ish. My friends laugh when I tell them about having no indoor bathroom especially as I live in Canada and they only associate this stuff with the Victorian era.

 

[MWS]

Love seeing these old maps. I remember living with my mom and grandad at 18 Tower Road. It was the front part of a back to back house with the entry in between our neighbours, the wash house and toilets up the yard. I was only about 4 or 5 years old and vaguely recall starting school nearby. This would be 1965 ish. My friends laugh when I tell them about having no indoor bathroom especially as I live in Canada and they only associate this stuff with the Victorian era.

And coincidently that you've come onto this thread. With reference to your Overtons relatives - Amy Rogers' parents (William and Susannah) were living on Mansfield Road in 1901. Interestingly in regards to the later Overton's profession, William is listed as a Racing Official.