Hi Dwilly
A John Cope was one of the first street Commisioners in 1769, whilst in 1813,
Charles and john Cope were elected govenors of King Edward,s School.
Wrightson,s Directory of 1818 gives charles as a Brass founder and caster in general in John street,
And john and charles as military cabinet and coach brass founders , in Fleet Street,
John had houses on Hagly Row [ now Road ] and summer hill terace, close to springhill
And this fact accounts for the nearby Cope street, which emerged in 1882.
Monument lane ladywood was made monument road in 1888
as i have previouly said about cope street right up until the beyond the 1960
the original sign was on the side of the building of monument lane and it was an original british railsign
stating this walk way was monument lane if youread the older post i put on about the dirty black wall built all the way dow
cope street as it went down hill and climbed back up a steep hill of eyeir street
that lane from along the side of the railway tracks had to be going all the way up passing the sheds as i recall it
co,s us kids done that also walking back along from the sheds to the side entrance instead of coming out continue a little furt
you would come to the station masters office and up the steps to the platforms and there you would walk up a complete lot o
steps which was a very high walking up to come out on the monument road and the bridge
The signal box was way past the sheds it could have been about half a mile pased the sheds
heading toward the feeder of the cannal if you knew where the harborne lane was, which is the one that ran up behind
summerfield park it could have ben about 500 yards from there it would cross over after coming from the city
acros the tracks to its one line only with the bridge that crossed over that cannal you would have seen from the steps but since
they built that blocked off bridge you could not see it but if you went up dudley road to northbrook street you will se the old bona
track as we called it thats whatit was known bye all the locals of winson green
there was a signal right by the station and the monument bridge as you stood on the platform
on the subject of a new signal box the old one was further along back towards sheepcote street that was the early years
that used to be the old railway sidings and what it appeared to be a very huge castle looking building
and a huge timber merchants which got burt down and it was the late 100 t0 early 1900 there was a young lady murderd there
and she was a local girl whom in later years frequented the areaonce a twice this story is well known in history and the rev
powell came and tol my brother at his house down where you showed the pictiues and the housing estate
he came a couple of time to bless the spirit to leave his home
i could come and meet you and give you the history of that area step by step mile by mile