Hi stars, Those photos were actually taken over the last couple of years. The "eyesore" bit is a development of Apartments, but halfway through the building process, the funds were withdrawn and building ceased. It remained in limbo for a long long time and then recently a firm started taking down the mid section and I believe they are now carrying on with building the other section closest to the New Coventry Road.
I remember the name of Caudles, Mom used to work in the newsagents in those shops you mentioned and a lot of the drivers used to go into the shop. Mom would probably remember your father if he was there after the shops were built. I remember one driver, we used to call him Taffy, Dave was his proper name and I bumped into him about 5 years ago at the Tyseley Railway Club..
We have chatted about the Cartwrights before stars, mine came from the Black Country and as far as I know had no rellies over this way.
I have just found a couple of early photos of "The Whirlwind" but I cannot make out if the Burgess and Garfield name is showing.


1. 1967
2. 1973 with the then new underpass, which has now been filled in and replaced with a surface crossing.....thank goodness !!!