Recreation Grounds

[Threasholdofadream]

I used to play at Sycamores Rec by the Ritz in Bordesely Green or across the road at Batchelors Farm both parks had an abundance of football pitches and Sycamores even had a Baseball Square with a huge net behind the batters point to stop the ball going onto Bordesley Green East.

Used to punt along the Cole using ends of old cable drums through both these the parks as far as the Birmingham to London Railway bridge in Stechford

 

[jan hedger]

Played there too, as my Dear Aunt lived locally to them - I remember picnics there with her. Water was my fascination and I was always in trouble for getting wet! One day a young friend, who happened to be a boy threw my shoes into the River Cole! Lost for ever! We all ended up at my Aunts, who had to use a neighbours phone to tell my Mom where I was! I was a great wanderer. Also local was the field at the top of Yardley Fields Road (Littleton Road end) opposite where my Aunt Lived - used to picnic there too, used to imagine I was in the country!
Jan Hedger

 

[postie]

The baseball " Diamond " was used as Cincinatti baseball team home ground from Kingsbury Rd.

 

[lencops]

Billy Smarts Circus Elephants walking along Coventry Rd to Hay Mills Rec. Len.

 

[Bishopsmate]

I lived in Lyndon Road and our rec was Manor Road. It is all flats and houses and swimming baths now but in the 50s it was a smashing park. The top of the hill had football pitches and a changing hut and at the bottom of the hill were two sandpits.
I have wonderful memories of that park - possibly cause my dad was the 'parkie'!!

 

[Astonian]

hi bishops mate
my wife was from mannor rd stechford just passing the coop bakery around those time and i met my wife at the phone box one night
and asked her out for a date ; and guess what we are still together after all these years infact its thirty six years today we met
and its our 35 th wedding anniversary today so whom says romance is dead ;
any way getting back to the wreck i used to run the kids in the area on that patch and organised games for them foot ball and rounders and alsorts of games for them way back in the sixtys and seventys and i knewmost people in lydon rd and theflats and on mannor rd
do you remember the guy with the golden rolls royce car whom lived up there best wishes astonian ;

 

[mossg]

A couple of pictures from The Daily Mail last week.They are not Birmingham,but they brought back a few memories.moss

 

[Old Boy]

Hi Alan

Hearty congratulations to both you and Mrs Astonian on your wedding anniversary. You still have a long way to go before you reach my 62 years married.

Chris Beresford (Old Boy)

 

[Old Boy]

Hi Mosg,

We had swings exactly like those in our local park (Charles Road, Small Heath). I doubt if 'Elf and Safety' would allow them today but they were great fun.

Old Boy

 

[Astonian]

HI OLD BOY ;
Many thanks for your congratulations to my wife and myself ; on our anniversary. and may i say old boy ; yes i do have a long way to go
to catch you and your good lady up on the years the wife tells me its should be coral gifts this year ; so what year would your 62years make old by
you certainly have foun the secret to the married life i pray to god we can be together for your lenth of time
i say old boy ; there aint many people married today is there ; mothers and fathers getting divorced every day of the year ; wek in and week out
and half the kids do not knowwhom there really father is do they ;
still not to worry i say our kid ; we are happy and in love and still going stronger day by day ;
best wishes to you and your good lady old boy ; alan ; astonian ;;;;

 

[Bishopsmate]

Hi Astonian
Congrats from me - hope you had a good day and didn't get too drunk!!!
I left Stechford in 1957 although my father continued to be Parkie travelling on two buses from Hall Green. I remember the Bakery well. I have often told these two tales to my children ............. boring!
Us kids used to hang around the Bakery gates in Manor Road at teatime for when the drivers came back off their deliveries. If there were any cakes left, some would hand 'em out to us and it was great to take home - felt like we'd won a trophy ..... posh folks cakes!! Then we were brought back to earth as we had to take bucket and shovel to get the horse muck!!!
Then there was the time that I moved into my brother's room on the front of the house in Lyndon Road. One night I woke to see white shapes floating in the air. My Mam came in and quietened me down but I insisted in having the window covered when I went to bed. A few weeks later, Mam called me upstairs to the room and pointed across the road ..... on the bakery roof were some of the workers having lunch and/or a fag break.

Dressed in white overalls!?!?!?!

 

[Stitcher]

Hello Astonian, Congratulations on your great achievement.
Sheila and stitcher.

 

[denji]

My cousin rang today ,asked if i could remember a small play ground that we played on,it was i think near William street or bishogate street of Bath row Lady wood.It only had a few swings and a roundabout.It was a small area with railings round,can anyone help please.

 

[Green Genes]

Mine were Billesley Common and Chinnbrook Rec along with The Dingles.

Great times were had though I jiggered up my knee for all time when riding my push bike up a steep bank out of the River Cole [in The Dingles]. Never told my Mom where I did it as I was not supposed to be down there.

I used to like launching off that as if it were a ramp!
we used to make dens in the valley end of the common, the top end was far too exposed!