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Newtown Row

gingerjon

gingerjon

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN R.I.P.
1.can any one recall the Big Wheel in Newtown Row it was on the side of a building going towards Town on the left hand side Rod thinks the building may have been the steel works our kid Bob reckons it was quite large
was it removed and left an imprint on the wall ?
2. what was on the site next to the hippodrome before the war 1938 was it a billiard hall ?
 
Big Wheel

The Big Wheel was the logo of Geo. H. Hughes who made wheels it was located next door or almost next door to St. Stephens Church in Newtown
Row. Later they moved to Pype Hayes, I think to Edgemond Avenue.

The site later became Spartan Steel Works
 
Re: The Billiard Hall

My husbands father, Dennis Bonner of Philips St/Upper Thomas St, recalls that prior to the war, the Billiard Hall was Pratts the Plumbers, although it was a vacant building at that time. He recalls a schoolfriend who fell off the roof of this building, while they were playing, and possibly fractured his scull, he remembers him wearing a leather pad type appliance to his head following this injury.
It was demolished following the war, and your memory serves you correctly John, 'cus a Billiard Hall was built in its place. Next but one to it, was Blundells the furnishing and clothing store..............which eventually became Woolworths
 
:D Don't rember the rest of it but I do rember Blundells. We were clothed by them, and the tick man came round for the 1 pound every week. The first coat I payed for myself came from there and did I think I was IT. Talking of big wheels do any of you remember the Fun Fair that came to somwhere in Aston once a year? :madeyes:
 
Mystery

Was the Blundells store to become Woolworths? Wasnt it built as Woolies? in that familiar way in which they built their stores back then. We have a Woolies in Tamworth built in the same style I think? Blundells to my mind occupied the store when Woolies pulled up their sticks and moved out. My mom shopped regularly at Bludells in the mid to late seventies, they sold beds and bedding. She bought my wife and I a huge bedding bale when we first married.
 
:D Sorry Rod I'm not sure what happend to Blundells as I left "BRUM" in 1966 to go to the "BIG SMOKE" London. Then in 1970 came to "KIWILAND" and have only been able to visit 'Brum" once since then 1986. However Woollies also had the same style of stores here downunder, with the big W inside a diamond on the front in red & gold. Always remember the ones on Aston Rd, Coventry Rd, one at the Yenton Erdington, and had a friend who worked at the one in Alum Rock . :madeyes:
 
See Anonymous

I was that person in 2002 but lost my computer till November 2003 :-[

See reply 2 to this subject


:)
 
THERE COULD WELL BE MANY AND VARIOUS WHEELS AS SCULPTURE POSTED ABOUT THE CITY AND AS SUCH EXTENDED.
GIVEN HISTORY IT IS WORSE THAN UNCONSCIONABLE.

I'D LIKE TO SEE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY STAGES ENGAGED WITH TUTLAGE FROM TERTIARY SO THAT ELITISM IS NON SEQUITOR
 
THINK WHEEL AS IN AUTOMATION.
CAPITALIZATION.
DECORATION PRIOR THERETO YET WHAT THE MECHANICAL EXPLOITATION MADE OF IT.
ONCE THE RAILWAYS CRACKED IT WAS HELL BENT FOR LEATHER.

CANAL LOCKS EMPLOYED WHEEL MECHS FOR SLEUSE GATE OPERATION.
SOME PRIOR VERSIONS OF COURSE WERE TO OUR EYES WEIRD - UP DOWN CURTAIN HOISTS LIKE A DELIRIOUS VERSION OF A PURITAN CAN CAN - MARGARET THATCHER CLOTCH WORSHIP MODE.

IF YOU COMMEND WHEEL CONCEPT TO CHILDREN AT PRIMARY SCHOOL AND AFFORD THEM MORE THAN ONE ITEM -EG ONE PER WEEK FOR A MO. YOU MIGHT JUST BE ASTONISHED. [IF YOU ARE NOT I'LL GLADLY SURROGATE UNTIL YOU COME BACK.]
 
yes I remember the Big Wheel very well, living right opposite at 248 newtown Row Or namely Regent Cafe The building was next door to the church and around the corner was Blue Street park A little further on going towards town was the newtown Cinema. from Where I lived going down Newtown Row was a shop Spillburys on the corner of Cowper Street and a little further down the fifty shilling taylors. My name Joe Allington. should any one remember
 
Joseph
I was born at 6 back of 289 St stephens place which happened to be the house next to The Big Wheel, 1936 and went to Cowper St School.
 
Hi Alf
nice to hear from someone from my generation, I actually went to gower Street school and left in 1948 at the age if 15 I do not (sadly) remember the house that you lived in I was born in 1933 but came into the Newtown area in about 1940 when my father bought the cafe

However I do remember Blacks the Newtown Garage Farr and Smith the Buchers The list is endless really and of course the wonderful picture house The Globe

Joe
 
Must have a little chat again some time Alf, nice to have sort of met you

Joe
 
Pomgolian, It was the The Onion Fair in Aston it was on a site near Villa Park, type "Onion Fair" into search for relevent threads. Len.
 
Hi
Yes I remember the Onion fair quite well The big wheel we are talking about is the factory Hughes and they had a huge wheel on the wall to advertise their wares It was opposite my house in newtown Row

happy days

Joe
 
The night after Hughes was bombed we came back from the cellar at No1 and most of our windows were blown out and curtains flapping in the breeze a couple of doors blown off and best of all the Canary was still alive. Mom had left him on the cellar head
The owners moved us to No4 where we stayed till 1947 when we got a house in Erdington.
 
Terrific memorys Alf i can remember going to the corner shop Showels was the name of the shop and of cause my mom and dad used to make doughnuts and they were always in short supply, I bet you rode on the number 6 tram as well. the conducter used to come in the Cafe for a jug of tea and two cups on the way to perry barr terminus and drop them back in on the way back to town
 
hi all...ive not got my kellys to hand at the min..packed away due to decorating so i wonder if maybe mike or anyone could look up the co on this pic please..it probably is but it just does not look like newtown row to me..cant place where along there it would have been...

many thanks...

lyn
 
Lyn
They were at 57-65 New Town row, on the east side between Manchester St and BreweryST
 
oh thanks..if you have time could i have a map showing exactly where please..no rush...well you learn something every day as i would never have thought that was newtown row....

thank again...

lyn
 
just looked a my map mike...so they were more or less opposite lower tower st then..hard to beleive....

lyn
 
Lyn
Attached is a map labelled 1951-56 . Nos 57-65 is marked "boot & shoe factory", which it still was then
(William Shillcock, football boot manufacturer). soit was exactly opposite lower tower st
mike

map1951-5657-65newtownrow.jpg
 
thanks for the map mike.. hard to beleive that what looked to be a fine building was next to this one...this is was once william shillcocks football outfitters at 69 newtown row...it was where the FA cup was stolen from in 1895..i think this pic was taken in the late 50s early 60s

thanks again mike your maps make it much easier to pinpoint these locations...

lyn
 
Last edited:
Lyn
i think you have the wrong label on the last photo. If you enlarge it, the confectioners/tobaconist is F.S.Watkins, which the 1962 Kellys gives as
Watkins F. S. (Mrs.), tobccnst. 142 New Town row 6
This would be between New John St West & Theodore St.
Mike
 
morning mike..well if thats the case that photo has misled us for years as its well documented that one of those shops in the pic was shillcocks at no 69 in 1895...i wonder if mrs watkins had 2 shops..could you have a look to see what number 69 was in the 60s please....

thanks mike...
 
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