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Small Heath Park (Victoria Park)

Paul B said:
I remember about 1960 (my brother and I were 9 and 10 at the time), we found out about a Guy Fawkes competition on Bonfire Night at Small Heath Park, so set about creating a Guy to end all Guys. It took us ages, old clothes from dad and grandad, stuffed with crumpled newspaper, old wellies for feet, and a head made from mom’s old nylons, old scarf, cardboard Guy Fawkes mask and a hat. We put it in my sisters push chair and pushed it in the dark all the way from our back to backs in Millward Street in Small Heath to the Park, just the two of us.

I think we got in free at the gate ‘cause they felt sorry for us. We were skinny and skint and we were going to the competition with our guy.

Jubilation upon Jubilation we won a ten bob note as a prize, I think we came second (50p nowadays). It was the most money we had ever had in our lives! We felt so proud. The Guy went on the bonfire and we treated ourselves to a hot dog and drink and free firework display and goes on the funfair. It seemed a long way back in the cold and dark but I can still feel the exhilaration of it all..

And since that day nearly sixty years ago I have never won another prize in any sort of competition or draw or lottery......as my Nan used to say, “not even a sausage!!!......”

Small Heath Park Bonfire Night, I remember you well!
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no nor me. shame they banned guy Fawkes , i could do with a few bob:grinning:
 
boomy said:
soco,
The woman's clothes shop, Draisey's, was managed by a Mrs O'Grady who lived in Cooksey Road, but the shop was owned by Mr Draisey who had a piece of land in Cooksey Road where he had a large metal clad hut to store his little Ford van which he used to visit small villages to the south of Birmingham, selling haberdashery. The site also housed several lock-up garages, some made from parts of Anderson air-raid shelters. At the end of that short row of shops, Lancasters and the post office, there was a general linen store at the corner of Golden Hillock Road and Byron Road.
boomy
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Boomy

Mrs O'Grady (Kathleen) was my grandmother and lived at 369 Cooksey Road where I was born along with my mother. She retired to Solihull and died in 1999. It was Les and Doreen Draisey who ran the shop and as you say did door-to-door sales. I remember going to the shop with my brother on Saturday mornings where we were allowed to play out the back doing things like using the typewriter. We were also allowed to get sweets from Lancasters; this would be the late 60s/early 70s. I remember my grandad collecting the world cup coins in 1970 from the garage over the road for me.
 
robert said:
I can remember Status Quo playing there about that time. I bought Rick Parfit a hot dog. The hot dog man couldnt change a 5 pound note.
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Yes, I remember them playing at Small Heath park, when the show had finished the band were in a Rolls Royce outside the then Chinese takeaway on Cov rd opposite the park eating chicken and chips, we were on our way the George and Dragon at the time for an underage pint
 
I lived close to Small Heath Park. Back in the 1960s it was a great place to spend time. I remember crown bowling greens where the caretaker taught my mate and I to play this game. As fourteen year olds we were privilaged to play WW1 veterans from the sons of rest hut opposite the bowling greens. Apart from that we spent time on the boating lake on rowing boats and canoes. We also lounged around on the parkland with our transistors listening to stuff like "Waterloo Sunset" and "Whiter Shade of Pale". Great days in a great park.
 
Some old postcard pictures of Small Heath Park Source historicEngland.org.uk Circa 1910 ish
 

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I have a vivid memory of being in Small Heath park in 1956 when news came through that Birmingham City had beaten Sunderland 3-0 in an FA Cup semi final. Pity they couldn't finish the job, losing 3-1 to Manchester City in the final.

The park was walking distance from our house in Sparkbrook so it figured a lot in my childhood and youth. We used the tennis courts and rowing boats in our teens.
 
Two reasons for posting this B&W view. The first being the Lodge is still there but has been boarded up for at least the last 5 years (EllBrown posted photos in post #98).

The second is the view across the Coventry Road. The same buildings are still standing there too. I wonder if that simple, low-level, arched building between the tall ones is still there behind the modern-day Fresh Fish and Vegetables store ? Hope so.

Viv.

VivScreenshot_20230618_132625_Maps.jpgScreenshot_20230618_132642_Maps.jpgScreenshot_20230616_175048_Chrome.jpg
 
Vivienne14 said:
Two reasons for posting this B&W view. The first being the Lodge is still there but has been boarded up for at least the last 5 years (EllBrown posted photos in post #98).

The second is the view across the Coventry Road. The same buildings are still standing there too. I wonder if that simple, low-level, arched building between the tall ones is still there behind the modern-day Fresh Fish and Vegetables store ? Hope so.

Viv.

VivView attachment 181030View attachment 181031View attachment 181032
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View through the gap 2022.
 

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I never visited Small heath Park, but as a lad visited quite a few of the great Victorian green Parks, in Birmingham, and always found them beautiful, we were so lucky as youngsters to have these green spaces to visit. !!
 
Hi Maria, you went to Our lady St Rose School in Gregory Avenue, did't you, do,you remember the little park, with the lake where we would have our PT, and rounders, we used to feed the ducks there as well!!
 
Vivienne14 said:
Two reasons for posting this B&W view. The first being the Lodge is still there but has been boarded up for at least the last 5 years (EllBrown posted photos in post #98).

The second is the view across the Coventry Road. The same buildings are still standing there too. I wonder if that simple, low-level, arched building between the tall ones is still there behind the modern-day Fresh Fish and Vegetables store ? Hope so.

Viv.

VivView attachment 181030View attachment 181031View attachment 181032
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The 3 arched building had been covered over. I thought it looked set back but found an older photo .
 

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Vivienne14 said:
Two reasons for posting this B&W view. The first being the Lodge is still there but has been boarded up for at least the last 5 years (EllBrown posted photos in post #98).

The second is the view across the Coventry Road. The same buildings are still standing there too. I wonder if that simple, low-level, arched building between the tall ones is still there behind the modern-day Fresh Fish and Vegetables store ? Hope so.

Viv.

VivView attachment 181030View attachment 181031View attachment 181032
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That was my office for about five years at least.
 
My mate and I used to go to Small heath Park and Hire canoes it was great fun.
However neither of us could swim.
The time was 1952 a bit earlier than post posts.

Ernie
 
I recall that in the 1960's Small Heath Park had a play centre near to the lake. In it they had table tennis and other games.
Alf Kent was a ITV presenter for wrestling. He lived in Muntz Street and taught basic wrestling skills to the younger boys at the centre. They had football training and also ran a team which played against other parks in Birmingham.
 
I vaguely remember that the low level arched building pictured was a place that manufactured some sort of sports equipment when I lived around there from the mid 60s to mid 70s. I can't remember what it was, though. Maybe something to do with cricket or referees whistles?
 
Pedro42 said:
I recall that in the 1960's Small Heath Park had a play centre near to the lake. In it they had table tennis and other games.
Alf Kent was a ITV presenter for wrestling. He lived in Muntz Street and taught basic wrestling skills to the younger boys at the centre. They had football training and also ran a team which played against other parks in Birmingham.
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I remember that too. It was on a raised site not far from the bandstand. A great place to hang out during school holidays, when we weren't rowing or canoeing on the lake.
 
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