Well how things change I walked that road going to school then down Longbridge Lane passing the Austin factory, by the time I had to make the walk it became a dual carriage way tram tracks had come and gone that junction became a roundabout and the entrance to Austins became gate K, love the picture I wonder what was the reason for taking it
Been there done that got the scar to prove it Ha Ha, about the same time this pic was taken
That branch was my bank when I first came to Birmingham in 1967. Long gone, but similar to many other small branches that came about when more and more people were getting bank accounts and needing easy access to a branch when this was necessary as no internet or cash machines then.
Would walk that road on the way to school Turves Green Boys with doing research the story on those homes as I recall were from Canada and came as a kit I have never seen them any where else that could have been for Austin workers?
Love the pics in this thread going to be a long night, but that first pic makes me wonder when Indian restaurants first started to appear in Brum
Patrick Motors been in that building many a time on Thursday at 11.00 am to pick up the pay packets for Dawlish road Patrick's back then as we all know all cash and the missing corner on the packet my job sit in the passenger seat with the money tray on my lap and hope to god I did not get clobberd in a robbery I got picked because I was big young and dumb.
Learnt to swim there earnt my free pass then during the summer holidays go all the time had to stand in line some times to get in to many kids, the café was over the front entrance door was it Horlicks we would drink ?
I do remember there was a Halfords and a shoe store in that row
Great pics Phil my old stomping ground as a kid the line ran at the back of my home when I was a kid and back then steam trains still ran Longbridge to Rubery I never saw the station at longbridge in operation by the time I went to school the line was no longer used but we would walk the old line from Colmers Farm School and come out at the bridge when we waged the afternoon off. the pic of the tram lines splitting must be at the Lickey Road Bristol Road junction on the south side of the bridge were now is the traffic island and back in the day gate K in to the Austin's the site of many a strike protest in the 70's
the first pic is at the top of the Lickey Road with Jim Fletcher's place the amusement arcade the bus is about to turn hard left in to the terminus.
The 144 midland red all the way to the Malvern Hills, the bus depot just up from the Silver Blades Ice Rink, Rose and Crown pub worked across the street from it parked my car in their car park worked at Owen's GarageAustin dealer later to become AMR Motors Datsun/Nissan dealer now long gone building got torn down my time there early 70'sThanks from me too Phil,...for me it's been a trip down memory lane of going to my Nan and Grandads in Rubery on the bus once a fortnight for many years as a child, with my Mom and Brother...getting the 58 or 60 from Sheldon into town, going through the market to get fresh haddock (for when we got home) then to the smelly bus depot to catch the 144 ...along the Bristol Road to The Rose and Crown in the village, a journey that seemed to take forever..in fact we spent more time on the bus than we did visiting ! But although some of the scenes in the photos were a bit before my time, there are a lot of the landmarks which my Brother and I used to look for which told us how much longer we would be on the bus.. The Royal Orthopaedic, Kalamazoo, The Black Horse and the bridge to name a few, but the best sight of all was The Austin and the island were the bus turned towards Rubery
Occasionally our Uncle would take us up to the Lickeys as a treat or we would walk down the village and fetch "proper" Lardy Cake to have with a lovely cup of tea made from leaves and in a teapot..Nan's tea was the only tea I would drink, I've haven't touched the stuff since she sadly passed away.
Grandad used to work at The QE, two of my Uncles worked at the Austin and Moms first job was in The Chemist at the top of the village..her cousin worked in the one at the bottom end.
Here is a photo the Chemist in about 1915 and one of Mom at The Chemist, circa 1955
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Was the Brook just south of Dawlish Road ?, We played snooker above Foster Bros then went to the Brook ? Back in the 70's
I find this photo very interesting but I cannot find any further information, or narrow the date down, & which M&B pub is shown in the right hand corner?
Imteresting picture. Did Birmingham police have spikes on their helmets, if so, when?
The White Horse is an Atkinson House
Hello, my father Les Forrester worked for Dartmouth Auto Castings from 1940 until it closed 1980 ish, he was a electrical engineer.
birminghamhistory.co.uk
Pamela I wonder if we are related at all, my maiden name was Forrester.
Perhaps from the same family tree
Any more old Grantham Road, Sparkbrook images?
and me i wired the machines. in 1970s as a contractor i bet we worked together.
I was born there so was my nan and great grandmother
I have brought this to the top again. Maybe someone will be able to answer your question now.
