Sheldon

[John Ravenscroft]

I went to Lyndon Green Primary School. One of my earliest memories is standing in the playground, looking up into a foxglove that was much bigger than me as a bee buzzed from flower to flower. Funny the things that stick in your mind.
We moved away from Sheldon when I was eight to a grotty part of inner Birmingham, and I really missed access to green spaces like King George Playing Fields, The Baggies etc.

 

[Historywoman]

Thanks jmadone.... I have that book and played a tiny part in it when helping in the research while at Sheldon Heath Comp. Another book
Around Sheldon (images of England) has an image of Gilbertstone House, Lyndon. Built in 1866 for Samuel Thornley. It was on the hill where Herondale and Saxondale roads are. They moved there into an older house in 1830 and had a new house built. Apparently he bought up farms land and houses all over Sheldon. We predominantly played in what was the Arboretum which had a boating pool but also went to the Baggies. I was a scout for a long time (in the hut by St. Giles) so King George V sports fields were also a part of my leasure time. Later, when I tried to play football, Gilbertstone playing fields was where my ineptitude was displayed! So much choice. The pond (boating pool) was a magical place. If I close my eyes I can still see it now. It is now the site of a special school and, like so many things, only remains as a memory.

It was possible to see the pond from the classrooms at Lyndon Green School. I was always gazing out of the window and watching the two swans swimming on it.

 

[Historywoman]

Just stumbled across this post - and this forum. I lived in Brays Road from 1954 to 1962. First 8 years of my life. I remember The Baggies, the rope swing, Singleton's shop etc. Major nostalgia.

I lived in Barrows Lane for the first 20 years of my life from 1947 until I got married. We had a lane alongside our house that led into Wilclare Road. Down this lane used to be the village post office. When it closed it was possible to get into the Willmott Breedon sports ground at the back of it. There was a cricket pavillion - I remember hearing the sound of people shouting "How's that" and cheering the cricketers from our back garden and going down to watch when I got older.

On the other side of the lane was a huge house with fruit trees in the back garden. It was pulled down some years ago and new apartments built. Before I started school I used to play out on my tricycle with the little lads that lived in the prefabs on the other side of the big house. We were all too young for school. I remember Stephen, Peter, Paul and also Billy who lived up the road the other way. I had a sandpit in my garden, but we all loved making mud pies with old cups in Stephen's back garden.
Where are you now lads? Does anyone remember the huge house that I think was on the corner of either Wilclare Rd or Brays Road - and the miniature train that used to go around the garden with the owner sitting on it? We used to peep through the hedging at it.
I remember Singletons. Also at the top of Garretts Green Lane there was a grocery shop called Perks? I think this was before or after the shop was called Favours?
Anyone remember the GPO sports ground in Wilclare Road - we loved the annual fair they had there - in the days when you could win a goldfish.

I used to enjoy riding my scooter down Wilclare Road, as it was on a hill.

I remember Wells Green precinct being built, and going to the Sheldon Picture House from an early age.

My parents moved into our house in 1937, so just before the war. The barracks down the road had "ack ack" guns which they fired during air raids. When Coventry was bombed my mum emerged from their air raid shelter thinking their house would be flat. But it wasn't.
My brother who was eleven years older than me, would go round the garden with a seaside bucket picking up shrapnel that had landed in the garden.

 

[oldbrit]

I lived in Barrows Lane for the first 20 years of my life from 1947 until I got married. We had a lane alongside our house that led into Wilclare Road. Down this lane used to be the village post office. When it closed it was possible to get into the Willmott Breedon sports ground at the back of it. There was a cricket pavillion - I remember hearing the sound of people shouting "How's that" and cheering the cricketers from our back garden and going down to watch when I got older.

On the other side of the lane was a huge house with fruit trees in the back garden. It was pulled down some years ago and new apartments built. Before I started school I used to play out on my tricycle with the little lads that lived in the prefabs on the other side of the big house. We were all too young for school. I remember Stephen, Peter, Paul and also Billy who lived up the road the other way. I had a sandpit in my garden, but we all loved making mud pies with old cups in Stephen's back garden.
Where are you now lads? Does anyone remember the huge house that I think was on the corner of either Wilclare Rd or Brays Road - and the miniature train that used to go around the garden with the owner sitting on it? We used to peep through the hedging at it.
I remember Singletons. Also at the top of Garretts Green Lane there was a grocery shop called Perks? I think this was before or after the shop was called Favours?
Anyone remember the GPO sports ground in Wilclare Road - we loved the annual fair they had there - in the days when you could win a goldfish.

I used to enjoy riding my scooter down Wilclare Road, as it was on a hill.

I remember Wells Green precinct being built, and going to the Sheldon Picture House from an early age.

My parents moved into our house in 1937, so just before the war. The barracks down the road had "ack ack" guns which they fired during air raids. When Coventry was bombed my mum emerged from their air raid shelter thinking their house would be flat. But it wasn't.
My brother who was eleven years older than me, would go round the garden with a seaside bucket picking up shrapnel that had landed in the garden.

I lived on Moat Lane at the bottom of the Barros Lane hill across from the Church, in the winter if it snowed we would slide down on our toboggans. Singletons were the newsagents down Barrows lane from us then. The Cricket field was at the top of Barrows lane and Church Rd. also the Pub Ringa Bells? up there that I was told burnt down, I lived there from 1938 to when I left for the USA in 1957 I well remember the bombing of Coventry and we stood on out front step and saw the Red Glow from the fires. I had quite a collection of shrapnel and fins of incendiary bombs. Does anyone remember this I was 7 years then

 

[Richard Dye]

I lived on Moat Lane at the bottom of the Barros Lane hill across from the Church, in the winter if it snowed we would slide down on our toboggans. Singletons were the newsagents down Barrows lane from us then. The Cricket field was at the top of Barrows lane and Church Rd. also the Pub Ringa Bells? up there that I was told burnt down, I lived there from 1938 to when I left for the USA in 1957 I well remember the bombing of Coventry and we stood on out front step and saw the Red Glow from the fires. I had quite a collection of shrapnel and fins of incendiary bombs.

John, not too many memories like that!

 

[jmadone]

I didn't know that Wilmott Breedon had a sports ground there. The only one I remember was at Bickenhill/Elmdon opposite the airport. Used to go fishing there quite often with Dad who worked at WB. in the 50s/60s.

 

[devonjim]

I didn't know that Wilmott Breedon had a sports ground there. The only one I remember was at Bickenhill/Elmdon opposite the airport. Used to go fishing there quite often with Dad who worked at WB. in the 50s/60s.

I was wondering about that, I know Hardy Spicer had a sports field somewhere near St Bernards Grange, could that be the one that is being remembered? My brother was groundsman at WB for many years.

 

[jmadone]

I was wondering about that, I know Hardy Spicer had a sports field somewhere near St Bernards Grange, could that be the one that is being remembered? My brother was groundsman at WB for many years.

I also remember another one that belonged to the CO-OP around that area but I could be mistaken.

 

[Lumpammer]

I also remember another one that belonged to the CO-OP around that area but I could be mistaken.

Yes, the Co-Op one was in Barrows Lane at the Ring’o’Bells end

 

[oldbrit]

Lived up the street on Moat Lane and Barrows Road Yardley for 23 years left in 1957, Singletons Newsagent and the Bilton Grange Ring O bells remember them all, The Armory is still there I understand

 

[Historywoman]

I also remember another one that belonged to the CO-OP around that area but I could be mistaken.

The sports ground was very close to St. Bernards Grange almost next door. When I was a child it was Wilmot Breedon's but it may have been owned by another firm before or after. There were big white gates to it and it was just at the end of the central island that ran (I think it is still there) - all the way along that part of Barrows Lane I lived just up the road as I have previously said. . Barrows Lane has two parts, one in Sheldon (the one where I lived), and strangely, the other end was on the way up towards the Yewtree shopping centre, it was on a hill and in South Yardley. The other end of it was nearer to Yardley Old Church, St. Edburghas.

 

[jmadone]

The sports ground was very close to St. Bernards Grange almost next door. When I was a child it was Wilmot Breedon's but it may have been owned by another firm before or after. There were big white gates to it and it was just at the end of the central island that ran (I think it is still there) - all the way along that part of Barrows Lane I lived just up the road as I have previously said. . Barrows Lane has two parts, one in Sheldon (the one where I lived), and strangely, the other end was on the way up towards the Yewtree shopping centre, it was on a hill and in South Yardley. The other end of it was nearer to Yardley Old Church, St. Edburghas.

I know Barrows Lane quite well as my uncle, aunt and 3 cousins lived just by the army barracks at the Coventry Rd end. Our family lived fairly near in Greenvale Avenue at the other end of what is now Sheldon Country Park. Visits between the two houses was fairly frequent especially in the summer when we would play over the Baggies. Happy days

 

[OldBrummie]

I didn't know that Wilmott Breedon had a sports ground there. The only one I remember was at Bickenhill/Elmdon opposite the airport. Used to go fishing there quite often with Dad who worked at WB. in the 50s/60s.

 

[OldBrummie]

Re the Wilmott's sports ground, I too worked at Wilmott's for five years and was only aware of the ground out Bickenhill/Elmdon way.

 

[podgery]

Hi I think the sports ground was owned by the post office.

 

[devonjim]

. When I was a child it was Wilmot Breedon's but it may have been owned by another firm before or after.

Interesting to learn that WB previously had a sports facility in Barrows Lane. The earliest I recall the one at Elmdon was 1958. WB built the large pavilion there in 1961 before that there had been a number of traditional changing rooms adjacent to various pitches. By this time the Barrows Lane ground was being used by HS/Birfield Group but by 1970 they had moved to Grange Rd., Erdington. As WB was run down at the end of C20 the ground at Elmdon was taken on by Civil Service but now is used by Birmingham Exiles RFC.

 

[jmadone]

Interesting to learn that WB previously had a sports facility in Barrows Lane. The earliest I recall the one at Elmdon was 1958. WB built the large pavilion there in 1961 before that there had been a number of traditional changing rooms adjacent to various pitches. By this time the Barrows Lane ground was being used by HS/Birfield Group but by 1970 they had moved to Grange Rd., Erdington. As WB was run down at the end of C20 the ground at Elmdon was taken on by BT but now is used by Birmingham Exiles RFC.

I believe that immediately after WB left there it became the Civil Service sports ground, but I may be wrong.

 

[devonjim]

I believe that immediately after WB left there it became the Civil Service sports ground, but I may be wrong.

You are quite right! (Previous post amended.)

 

[mbenne]

Last Night at The Sheldon Cinema and THE END - November 1977

Last week my son emptied the loft in my Mom and Dads bungalow and dropped off a lot of old photos that I hadn't managed to sort through. There were quite a few of the Sheldon Cinema which my Dad took on the last night, before it was demolished. I think a couple of photos which appear to be from the same roll of film are on the following site
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/39716/photos - uploaded in December 2012, a few months before he died. I know of only one photo he gave to the author of a book about the cinema, maybe there were more?

I posted several on BHF some time ago but these are a little more interesting as they feature the staff and probably some of the very last customers! Can anyone put names to them?

Apologies for the quality - transferred from phone as scanner not connecting!

 

[jmadone]

Last Night at The Sheldon Cinema and THE END - November 1977

Last week my son emptied the loft in my Mom and Dads bungalow and dropped off a lot of old photos that I hadn't managed to sort through. There were quite a few of the Sheldon Cinema which my Dad took on the last night, before it was demolished. I think a couple of photos which appear to be from the same roll of film are on the following site
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/39716/photos - uploaded in December 2012, a few months before he died. I know of only one photo he gave to the author of a book about the cinema, maybe there were more?

I posted several on BHF some time ago but these are a little more interesting as they feature the staff and probably some of the very last customers! Can anyone put names to them?

Apologies for the quality - transferred from phone as scanner not connecting!

What sad pictures. Memories of childhood, teenage years and courting days all flooding back. Brought a lump to my throat. Thanks for posting.

 

[mbenne]

Brought back memories for me too. We always got seats in the stalls and often entered the cinema by taking the steps down the long passage that ran along the side of the cinema and came out at the front by the screen. This is where the ice cream lady used to stand with her tray of ice cream tubs, Lyons maid lollies and orange drinks in opaque plastic cartons. The sweet shop was also exciting as this would be the only time I'd get to choose expensive sweets - shaped Roundtree fruit gums in a box! Happy days

 

[Allotmenttoddler]

Caudle's - I've seen a picture somewhere of them moving equipment for Abelson plant but can no longer find it. But below is a picture of one of their wagons, the one at the bottom must have been taken leaving their yard as the Wells Green shopping precinct can be seen opposite - some of the premises still to be occupied - circa 1967. To the far right would be the entrance to the new Waitrose store which, as I recall was the first ever shop in Sheldon to have electronic opening doors

View attachment 131065

This is sth I have just seen with interest. My mother’s maiden name was Caudle. Grandad’s brother Jack had a haulage firm. Could be same one! It’s an unusual surname... My side of the family lived in Sparkhill, but were from country stock in Yardley originally.

 

[mw0njm.]

Caudle's - I've seen a picture somewhere of them moving equipment for Abelson plant but can no longer find it. But below is a picture of one of their wagons, the one at the bottom must have been taken leaving their yard as the Wells Green shopping precinct can be seen opposite - some of the premises still to be occupied - circa 1967. To the far right would be the entrance to the new Waitrose store which, as I recall was the first ever shop in Sheldon to have electronic opening doors

View attachment 131065

i remember there yard on the cov rd we bought some grey bedford tk lorries off them in the 70s

 

[stars]

How strange, my father worked for caudles on the Coventry rd. as a kid I went with my dad to deliver a train engine to a private house. I remember the man had tracks laid down for my dad to put the engine on. I wonder if that’s the train in the photo.

 

[MegsWatson]

Hi, does anyone know of a "corner shop" run by the Gabriel family (Leslie and Phyllis) on Mickleton Avenue? Estimated between 1940-1975, but could be wrong

 

[AnnS]

I remember coming out of Woolworths at the Wheatsheaf on Coventry Road and seeing
a green steam engine on a low loader heading across the junction towards the Swan Yardley.

I feel sure it was the same as in the picture hardly an everyday event i would have thought.

What year would that photo have been taken?

 

[radleys]

Last Night at The Sheldon Cinema and THE END - November 1977

Last week my son emptied the loft in my Mom and Dads bungalow and dropped off a lot of old photos that I hadn't managed to sort through. There were quite a few of the Sheldon Cinema which my Dad took on the last night, before it was demolished. I think a couple of photos which appear to be from the same roll of film are on the following site
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/39716/photos - uploaded in December 2012, a few months before he died. I know of only one photo he gave to the author of a book about the cinema, maybe there were more?

I posted several on BHF some time ago but these are a little more interesting as they feature the staff and probably some of the very last customers! Can anyone put names to them?

Apologies for the quality - transferred from phone as scanner not connecting!

Thanks for posting these pictures- they bring back lots of memories of being taken to the cinema as a child. Such a shame to see the way the Sheldon ended up.

 

[OldBrummie]

Thanks for posting these pictures- they bring back lots of memories of being taken to the cinema as a child. Such a shame to see the way the Sheldon ended up.

A sad passing but they call it progress. I too spent many an enjoyable night in "The Sheldon". I also claimed many a night attending "The Olton". They were great places in their day but the 'mighty DVD' has helped spell the death-nell.

Old Brummie.

 

[Rob45]

Hi Astonian, yes my wife is related to Broadhurst's who started out in the scrap metal business it was her grandfather's brothers who started the business they asked him to join them but he thought it was too risky as he had a job at the BSA and a family to feed. Bad decision? Aggie

Part of the family still live in the Eastwoodhay Guest House Marston Green

​

 

[arthur smith]

Hi OldBrummie,
Thank you so much for your wonderful reply It gives me a much better understanding of how the area that I grew up in developed, better than looking at a map could.
and yes you are right, there are 18 years between us.. I can only imagine how awful those war days must have been and thank goodness those bombs weren't closer !! I will be telling a friend of mine from my teenage years, about your description of the pre Campden Road days because he lived there and will be very interested in what you have told me. I have vague recollections of those herringbone patterns from when there were various holes dug in the roads. My sons attended Lyndon but despite only living round the corner, I didn't, I had to get two buses to Blossomfield Road because I passed my 11+. My Mom used to work in the newsagents at the end of the block on Lyndon Road, but I will have to check the year she started, she later worked in the precinct at the Wheatsheaf which I am guessing was roughly where the Sheldona had stood. I don't recall ever seeing any photos of The British Restaurants but I will be keeping my eyes open.
You have been left a long time then OldBrummie, have you ever been back ? We share the same interests, especially in the family tree area and I have distant family in Australia.
It has helped a great deal, Thanks again. I'm off to work now, roughly in the area of the old Tan House Farm..

Best Wishes to you to, Lindyloo

Incidentally, our old Milkman lived a few doors up from 279.

Just reading some of these old posts and came across this one of yours, I grew up in in Campden Green and our old milkman was the same on as yours, I remember his name being Dennis Bryant.