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Pype Hayes

Paul Higgins

Paul Higgins

master brummie
Pype Hayes

Pomgolian said:
:angel: This was when we lived in Pype Hayes.
Chris :angel:
Click to expand...

Hi. Pogmalion. Not often I see Pype Hayes posted anywhere! I lived there in Varley Road from 1957 to 1980 when I moved to 'Twilight' Tamworth. Where in Pype Hayes did you live? Be interesting to see if our time there 'overlapped' and we have any memories to share.
 
Hi Paul:
I have a lot of connections growing up with Pype Hayes. I used to go to the Park with my parents and then my brother. We used to walk barefoot through the wet lands area and dig out pottery clay from the side of the stream to make items at home, little models mostly. We lived in Erdington and took the 28 bus from close to Witton Lakes Park. It was fun.

I also went with a lady and her child to the Park. Her husband played cricket and she would take me with them when he was playing. Buying drinks and ice cream from the little cafe in the old house.

Later on when I was at school I had a friend who lived in Hansons Bridge
Road and us girls used to meet many week nights in the Park by the small lake. This would be in 1956. There were a few local lads who used to meet us there and we had some fun times.
 
Pype Hayes

Hi, Jennyann. I was born in 1957 so it is a little before my time. I remember the cafe. Are we talking about the same building? Between Pype Hayes Hall (then a children's home) and the swings etc. I remember there being a stable there, and I am sure in the early to mid sixties it was still used as such. I wonder if it is still there? I also remember the 'pre-fabs' that were, I believe supposed to be temporary dwellings during/after the war. They were still there in the 1970's! If I remember correctly, when they actually began pulling them down in the name of progress, the residents were very unhappy about it as they loved their little homes. I also remember the fishing lake. You walked up some steps into what I remember as being some lovely and well kept gardens. To the left, going towards the bottom of the bowling green there was a large holly tree, covering a wooden bench, As kids we often went there because the holly tree was so big and climbable! Later, in my teens, I remember carving my name into the bark with a pocket knife. Something we all had, but we had them because they were useful tools for all sorts of stuff- minor repairs to bikes, sharpening sticks for no other reason than the stick was there! drawing 'battle plans' in soil when playing 'army' and, of course, the obvious one- removing stones from horses hooves! Never entered our heads they could be a weapon. Such innocent times- not perfect but kids were kids and respected adults.
 
Paul, those are super memories of Pype Hayes Park and where the shop was there was an archway that led into the stables. The gabled building in the Park has many historical connections. The cafe was on the left hand side of the archway as I remember. The fishing lake was all fixed up in the
late l950's and concrete was laid around it with some rock paving on the edges. Next time I visit Birmingham I will go there. I remember the
prefabs that lined Chester Road about half a dozen if I remember. I think anytime those prefabs were demolished people were not too happy.
 
Jennyann- from your description of the arch, we are talking about the same building. Now I think of it, there were no other buildings in the park that could have served as a shop/cafe. It was just I had few cans that night and wasn't at my intellectual best! I seem to remember more than six prefabs though. Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought they ran all along the side of the park adjacent to Chester Road? Could there have been as many as 12 or 15, or am I exaggerating again! I do remember the gardens were pristine, lovely flowers and clipped lawns. Also, I believe that one of the issues the ex residents had with them being pulled down (apart from them being their homes for 30 years) and I remember seeing this when they were being demolished was the construction. It was what looked like a compressed straw mixture similar to chipboard today, but using straw. The insulating properties were excellent and it made them very cosy dwellings. Considering they were intended to be temporary emergency housing they lasted pretty well!
 
The prefabs bordered the whole of Pype Hayes Park from the main gate on Chester Rd down to opposite the Baggot and then down to the 66 terminus on Eachelhurst Rd. I went to Paget rd school 58 to 62 and had many happy times in Pype Hayes park sledding down the big hill in the snow and paddling in the brook at the bottom of the park warmley golf course end! I also worked at Woolies 62/63 my name at the time was Judy Hill, lived in Cleeve House Bromford Lane. Remember the playing fields between Spring Lane and Holly Lane there must be a 100 houses built on there now!
 
Hi All. Just registered in the hope to find a few people who used to live in Pype Hayes Road & Paget Road, Erdington around 1950's -late 1970's. Research is on behalf of my Dad who attended the school & lived at number 9 Pype Hayes Road. After national service he worked at Cyclo Gear then onto Amac.
In particular, I wonder if BRIAN FOSTER is out there?? who also lived on Pype Hayes Road.

In addition this Dad (Tom Davis) married my mom Margaret Cartwright from Bartons Bank, Aston. Sister to Alf, Fred, Harry & John Cartwright.

Do you know them?? do you know where Brian Foster is & could you ask him to contact me please?

Organising a 50th Wedding Anniversary Party for them as a total surprise & would love Brian & family to attend if possible.

Thank you in advance

Melissa.:)
 
Went to St Margaret Clitherow Girls Secondary School (latterly know as Edmund Campions) on Pitts Farm Road, opposite a sheltered housings for the elderly. We used to call in to see some of the old folk to see if they needed shopping etc. occasionally during our lunch breaks. Also did cross-country in Pype Hayes Park every lunch break, especially in the freezing winter weather. Remember running round the area called "The Donkey Dip" and the Fish Pond then all the way back to school for afternoon lessons. Anyone remember it? Was at St Margaret's from 1970 to 1975.
 
Hello to everybody reading all your memories brought back many of my own happy memories in and around Pype Hayes I was born and raised in Pype Hayes and lived in Kimble Grove from 1952 until 1964 before moving to Ward End ...I went to Gunter Road from 1957 until 1963 and then went to Paget Road from 1963 until 1967 .....I spent many a happy hour in Pype Hayes Park with the Rockers and Bikers at times there use to be up to 30 of us and I can honestly say that I don`t remember any trouble apart from me getting bashed over the head with a hammer when I was 14 ...I fished in the pond and the stream at the back and also went fishing in the canal between Hardy Spices and Butlers Bridge on the Kingsbury road we used to fish on the Spinney....I remember the Holly Tree that Paul Higgins mentioned,I also remember Miss Warne (we used to call her Granny Warne) I will always be grateful to her as she took a coach load of us to Switzerland and have many Happy memories of that trip with Mr Bowen I remember a little lady but I cannot remember her name if I remember correctly she had Purple hair...I also remember Mr Phillips who was one of my favourite teachers who was the the Social studies Teacher and also was the Rugby teacher who conned me into the team as Hooker I was stuck between Alan and Phil they were good times though and not forgetting Mr Meredith English Teacher and Mr Roberts and both good teachers unlike Mr Cox maths teacher who didn`t like me one bit....The one thing I liked about Pype Hayes especially around the Tyburn Road,Kingbury Road and Chester Road it was like a Triangle that joined The Norton,The Bagot Arms and the Tyburn House were we use to go to the Friday Night Disco...I also remember the Cafe and the water Fountain and the Park Ranger Dave with his Alsatian dog but I don`t remember the Stables maybe it was before my time...On a sunny summer afternoon we would listen to Pick of the Pops by the swings....That`s all from me at the moment I hope there are a few of you who remember these times.
 
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MY PARENTS AND 2 BROTHERS MOVE FROM A BACK TO BACK IN RYLAND ROAD LEE BANK IN 1954 INTO CRANWELL GROVE I REMEMBER EVERTHING THINK WHAT YOU REMEMBER I ALSO WENT TO SWITZERLAND I THINK THE LITTLE LADY COULD HAVE BEEN MISS BEACROFT DO YOU REMEMBER IN SWITERLAND WHEN THEY STOPPED THE CHAIRLIFT FOR MISS WARNE? BE GREAT IF YOU HAVE ANY PHOTO`S OF SWITERLAND DID YOU EVER GO DOWN THE DUNLOP CLUB IN HOLLY LANE AND TAKING BOTTLES FROM THE CRATES IN THE YARD AND THEN TAKING THEM IN TO GET THE MONEY OFF THEM WHAT A LOVELY TIME THEN
 
Hello Malcolm unfortunately I don`t have any photographs of Switzerland but I do have a black and white postcard somewhere in the archives of Leysin where we stayed (I can smell the early morning Coffee and jam from here) I will have to try and dig it out.. how I wish we had Mobile Phones back then to take photographs ...I had a camera back then but couldn`t afford the film :rolleyes: any spare cash went on cigarettes....(what a waste) I have a feeling I know who you are (did you work as a Postman?) and if I have got the right person I was in the same class as your brother Robert.....Thank you for the teachers name Miss Beacroft I will always be grateful to the teachers back then who put up with us for 2 weeks and I remember the chairlift we were stuck half way up and on our chairlift there was no bar to stop us falling off....When I think of all the things that happened to us back then and at School it would be classed as abuse today and we would be worth a fortune haha.
 
It`s been a lot of years Malcom and yes I do know you I won`t mention your surname on here ..I did throw a few darts with you and your other brother ( I do apologise but I can`t remember his name ) at Fordrough sorting office and you made me very welcome there although I only lasted a few months and Robert and I all we did in class was laugh and it was through Robert I ended up playing Rugby for the school.
I hope all is well with you Malcolm and thank you for jogging my memory.
 
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