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Soho Hill
- Thread starter Shortie
- Start date
A view of the top of Soho Hill in 1910 and a modern day view. Pity the corner building has gone, it was a nice feature, but the remaining terrace is still there. Viv.
Jayell
master brummie
Thanks Viv. I grew up in Soho Avenue, just a couple of minute's from your photo. How cold and clinical it looks now at the junction of Soho Hill/Villa Road/St Michael's Hill. It was so different when I knew it. The shop on the corner was a cafe (now demolished), and next to that (the first one on the left in the photo now) was Dick Pearce's newsagents shop where I used to work on Saturday mornings sometimes, and wait outside on a Saturday night for Dad's Sports Argus. Dick was my Dad's best friend. Next to that was an off-license run by two old ladies (can't remember their names), then a grocery shop run by a Mrs Babbington I think, then a greengrocers. Then there was Dennisons Watch Case Factory and next to that The Beehive Pub. The tram terminus was at the top of Villa Road and was just outside Mrs Payne's sweet shop. Although we had few sweets as the war was on when I was growing up and sweets were rationed.
Judy
Judy
oldplumber
master brummie
Judy,
Unfortunately it is called progress,I moved to South Devon 50 years ago & the town I live in isn't the one I moved to all those years ago.I went to visit my brother in Sutton Coldfield last summer I left the motorway at Great Barr where I used to live & was totaly lost thank god I had a sat-nav,there was very few landmarks that I could remember or see from 50 years ago,but what I did notice was how clean & affluent the parts of Birmingham I visited looked,I am proud to be a "Brummie"
Brian
Unfortunately it is called progress,I moved to South Devon 50 years ago & the town I live in isn't the one I moved to all those years ago.I went to visit my brother in Sutton Coldfield last summer I left the motorway at Great Barr where I used to live & was totaly lost thank god I had a sat-nav,there was very few landmarks that I could remember or see from 50 years ago,but what I did notice was how clean & affluent the parts of Birmingham I visited looked,I am proud to be a "Brummie"
Brian
Hi Judy. You may have seen these but if not, two Phyllis Nicklin photos taken in 1968 from Soho Avenue. The first looking up to the top of Soho Hill shows the Denbro works and the terrace of shops (by 1968 the corner building seems to have disappeared). The second photo is of the milestone. Do you remember the milestone? Wondering if it was kept anywhere after it was moved/taken. Viv.
Nice pictures, Viv, I remember it well as I lived in Lansdowne Road just a hop, skip and a jump from here.
I used to go to a dentists on Soho Hill, Judy, his name was Mr Cheffins. He took one of my front teeth out, can't forgive him for that!!!!!! Does anyone remember the PDSA on the left down the hill, I used to take our cat and dog there, didn't cost a penny.
I used to go to a dentists on Soho Hill, Judy, his name was Mr Cheffins. He took one of my front teeth out, can't forgive him for that!!!!!! Does anyone remember the PDSA on the left down the hill, I used to take our cat and dog there, didn't cost a penny.
mrpastry
master brummie
Hi Katie . My cousin was the housekeeper for Cheffins .. when the wife was expecting our daughter(48yr ago) she had the problem of some of her teeth crumbling and Cheffin took ALL her teeth out and told her that that would save your husband some money ... I was not aware of this at the time and have since found out that it was a custom for the wife to have her teeth removed prior or just after marriage to save money on having to have dental treatment in later life ... how barbaric !!!! Remember when visiting going into were the dentures were made what a wieard site seeing rows of false teeth all round the room
All the best Rich Keep smiling
All the best Rich Keep smiling
hi katie i well remember the PDSA we used it all the time being a family of pet lovers..
viv i have searched for that milestone but definately no sign of it now...would love to know where it is but unless its at dolman st stores i would think it was smashed up...
lyn
viv i have searched for that milestone but definately no sign of it now...would love to know where it is but unless its at dolman st stores i would think it was smashed up...
lyn
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TOPSYTURVEY
brum
1914
Some interesting memories Judy, Katie and Rich. Lyn, I've had a nose around to see if I can find anything out about the milestone and one thing I read (not sure how true this is) is it's supposed to be at the nearby St. James's School.
Hi Topsy - nice photo. We can see from your photo how thriving Soho Hill once was. It's interesting that Soho Hill is a conservation area, so I think it's about time some of the buildings had an injection of funds (e.g the Beehive pub - where Lyn risked her neck getting photos for the Beehive Pub thread - her photos show it to be in a dire state The thread is : the beehive pub soho hill).
Going way back to 1761 this is how Erasmus Darwin described the hill :
"Soho is the name of a hill in the county of Stafford, about two miles from Birmingham; which, a very few years ago, was a barren heath, on the bleak summit of which stood a naked hut, the habitation of a warrener". Hard to believe eh? Viv.
Hi Topsy - nice photo. We can see from your photo how thriving Soho Hill once was. It's interesting that Soho Hill is a conservation area, so I think it's about time some of the buildings had an injection of funds (e.g the Beehive pub - where Lyn risked her neck getting photos for the Beehive Pub thread - her photos show it to be in a dire state The thread is : the beehive pub soho hill).
Going way back to 1761 this is how Erasmus Darwin described the hill :
"Soho is the name of a hill in the county of Stafford, about two miles from Birmingham; which, a very few years ago, was a barren heath, on the bleak summit of which stood a naked hut, the habitation of a warrener". Hard to believe eh? Viv.
thanks phil ive just googled it and thought it must be the sandwell road one...will try and find out if the milestone is there..its always worth an ask..
lyn
This is where I read about the milestone Lyn. https://www.ramsdale.org/birmingham.htm
No other info, so I think you're right in that it must mean the school on Sandwell Road. Viv.
No other info, so I think you're right in that it must mean the school on Sandwell Road. Viv.
Great. New Year, new mission Lyn! But if you find it don't try removing it, don't want you in traction for months! Viv.
lol viv dont worry if i do find it i shall leave it where it is...dont think it will fit in me bag..be great if this is true though..watch this space..
lyn
There's a photo of one of Mathew Boulton's gamekeeper cottages on Soho Hill on the Digital Handsworth site. Think it would be too much to imagine that it's still there but maybe this was what would have replaced the warrener's 'naked hut' that Erasmus Darwin referred to. Viv.
hi viv ive seen that photo before of the gamekeepers cottage and got quite excited as i thought it was still there but on closer inspection i think not..if you take a street walk i was looking at the building just bit down from the beehive pub but its too high to be the cottage..never mind..ps i like the new avatar viv..
lyn
lyn
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hi folks i have received this reply from the head of st james school re the old milestone...although he has no knowledge of it ever being in the school grounds it is always possible that the stone was removed from the school before he started working the 15 years ago...i just think this because of the info we have stating that that milestone was removed and placed in the grounds of st james school...in other words no smoke without fire...will still try and find out how reliable this info is...in the meantime and just for clarity and im not sure if you knew this viv but the milestone was orginally outside the denbro works which used to be dennisons watch where you worked...its next to the beehive pub...not sure when the stone was removed but the second pic was taken in early 68 showing the stone and the first pic taken sometime in 1968 showing the denbro building...bare in mind that the first pic does not show all of the building which ran right down to meet with the beehive pub so it could be that the stone was nearer to the pub and so out of shot..
here is the reply i had from the head of st james school..
Dear Linda,
It is with great regret that I have to tell you that I have never seen or heard of the fabulous milestone that you are searching for.
I have been head teacher at St. James for almost 15 years and in that time have never heard of anyone speaking about the milestone.
Our school was rebuilt in 2007 and the site was completely overhalled with every square metre of the ground being surveyed and developed; I am certain that such a thorough exploration of the grounds would have found the milestone, if it were here, but it wasn't reported to us.
I will send your email out to my entire staff just in case any of my predecessors (there are a few who have been here longer than me) know anything about the milestone.
Good luck in your hunting.
Yours truly
Mark Lanyon
here is the reply i had from the head of st james school..
Dear Linda,
It is with great regret that I have to tell you that I have never seen or heard of the fabulous milestone that you are searching for.
I have been head teacher at St. James for almost 15 years and in that time have never heard of anyone speaking about the milestone.
Our school was rebuilt in 2007 and the site was completely overhalled with every square metre of the ground being surveyed and developed; I am certain that such a thorough exploration of the grounds would have found the milestone, if it were here, but it wasn't reported to us.
I will send your email out to my entire staff just in case any of my predecessors (there are a few who have been here longer than me) know anything about the milestone.
Good luck in your hunting.
Yours truly
Mark Lanyon
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Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
According to Bill Dargue, the stone is in the grounds of Holyhead School at the corner of Milestone Lane.
https://billdargue.jimdo.com/placenames-gazetteer-a-to-y/places-s/soho/
https://billdargue.jimdo.com/placenames-gazetteer-a-to-y/places-s/soho/
Thanks for looking into it Lyn. Think you're right about 'no smoke ... etc' . The two photos you've posted are from Phyllis Nicklin's collection and strangely enough the blurb accompanying the photo's suggests the milestone disappeared. I too smell a rat! Anyway, if anyone has any info as to the whereabouts of a slim, but tall milestone, showing the signs of age and answering to the name of Soho Hill, do get in touch!! It's not the sort of object you could make off with very easily without someone noticing. Viv.
Thanks Phil. This milestone seems to have a life of it's own! Maybe it's a peripatetic stone which circulates around different schools. Viv.
oh lol viv this stone is giving us the runaround and its not the sort of thing one could pop into ones bag lol..
right its onto holyhead school next..thanks very much for that info phil if it is there its just round the corner from st james school...will get back to you all..
lyn
right its onto holyhead school next..thanks very much for that info phil if it is there its just round the corner from st james school...will get back to you all..
lyn
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thats it john..thats our milestone from soho hill...ive just had another email from the head of st james saying that one of his teachers can confirm its in the grounds of holyhead school but visible from the road..gosh im so relieved that it has been saved...i still want to go and have a look at it for myself but no rush now...
cheers john
lyn
cheers john
lyn
