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Soho Road Handsworth

LooneyLin said:
Hi,

Do you have any more information about the terraces at right angles to Dawson Road please.
I was born in 1950 at 12,Ashley Place, Dawson Road and I'm trying to find out as much as I can about the area.

Many thanks
Lin
Click to expand...

I haven't been on this forum for a while, but - in case it's of interest to you - Leonard BENNETT, s/o George BENNETT & Hannah née BOOTH was born 6 Mar 1887 at "14 Ashleigh Pl, Baker St, Handsworth" - according to his birth cert.
There's a corresponding (private) baptism record for St James's, Handsworth: bap 10 Mar 1887. Leonard s/o George BENNETT, lab, & Hannah; "Ashley Place".

Presumably, my grandfather was - barring about 60 years - your family's next door neighbour! The only blurring of the lines is that the birth cert puts Ashley Place in Baker Street, rather than Dawson Rd.

I don't know if you'll find this, since the post is from over a year ago, but you do seem to visit, so I'm hopeful.

Christine
 
I recently found this picture on the net.
The location is 93 Soho Road, Handsworth.
The full name of the owner of the shop was Marie Elizabeth Adlard.
Date of the picture is c1905.
Adlard - Pic.JPG
 
what a great photo two...im afraid you would not recognise it now as numbers 89 to 95 soho road have all been knocked into one large carpet warehouse..

lyn
 
Some wonderfull pictures I was hoping to see one of Vale-Onslow motorbike shop from around 1947 Old Joe
 
Old Joe

Not from 1947 unfortunately, but from 1959 some 12 years later. Though I don't suppose a lot had changed only the bike models.
 

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Really interesting to see the photo of No.93 - Marie is my wifes Great Grandmother and we don't have very much information about her life, so fascinating to to see the shop. We know that in 1908 she had had her second son and believe that she died as result of complications at the birth. This would explain why a new business was shown at the address in the later directories.

If anyone knows anything further please do post.
 
......or Boulton Road -near Soho Road Junction. please.

My grandparents lived at no 3, from early 1900's to 1960's when the house was demolished. Prior to the war the living room was my granddad's shoe repair business. Mom had to run up to Winson Green prison in her lunch break with a bag of repaired boots. Didn't leave much time for a sandwich.
 
Super pics,I lived in HAMILTON RD and went to Rookery rd school.
My dad worked at Wilkins and wright Hollyhead rd.
Can't help noticing how clean the streets were in these pics.enen the rookery rd bomb pic was cleaner than now
TEZZA
 
Allan was looking for The Alms Houses next to the School and stumbled across your Team photo and The name of Hayden Fry caught my eye he was my Uncle, I never knew he went to that School, I was there my self from 1962 until it closed in about 1968, we had a term at St Michael's Church Hall until moving to New School on Piers Rd, Head Masters at my time were I think Mr Tilson and Mr Selwood.
 
Allan my Uncle was Hayden Fry, I to was at that School in 1962 until it closed in about 1968, we had a term at St Michaels Church Hall then moved to the New School on Piers Rd. The headmasters I remember were Mr Tilson and Mr Selwood, I have posted to Haydens Daughter hwho will no doubt love it. Paul
 
matelot

In case you didn't find a photo of the Alms Houses you were looking for.
 

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Phil, thank you so much for replying and I had found a Photo of Alms Houses, in later life I worked on them to empty the Coin Meters for the MEB that the trust insisted all tenants had, then later working on and installing new meter systems, of course I am interested in YOU and what you remember of my Uncle if anything, alas he is no longer with us but he did become a record holder the longest surviving Heart Transplant Patient in Australia, I think over 23 years, he was more like a brother to me because of his outlook on life, he did return to the UK with his Wife and lived in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. I like him lived in or around South Rd until 1983. My Mom and dad also went to St Michael's, Dennis Court and my Mom Joan Fry separated by about 3 Years. Teachers I remember at the School when I joined and I think a friends Mom recognised the name was a Miss Stock she did the first class what is now called reception. It seems in my early life I never wonders very Far and went to Secondary School William Murdoch in Oxhill Rd my brother went to same schools but he went when William Murdoch was in Rookery Rd. When I left school I was an apprentice engineer at C. W. Cheney and son in Factory Rd. A bit of a ramble but that is memories, please share your memories. Thank You
 
Sorry matelot,

I know very little about Handsworth ask me a little about Nechells or Balsall Heath and I might be able to help.
 
Just Found this but question posted so long ago, the pub was called the Pump, the explosion was nothing to do with the IRA but the Landlord allowed a Hot Dog Van to park on his front and that caught fire and a Gas bottle exploded
 
Thanks for reply, have worked in Nechells but know little about the place, also had used to swim at Mosley Road Baths, was used by a Dive club I was a member of and by the local Royal Navy Reserve HMS Forward, thank you once again for posting that photograph
 
Hello Matelot - I've just seen your post about your uncle, Hayden Fry. That name rings a bell with me and I'm sure that I knew him when I was growing up in Handsworth. I was going to ask you where he lived but then I saw your message that he lived in South Road. I guess it's very likely that we knew each other back in the 40s/50s as I lived in Soho Avenue almost opposite St Michael's Church and just up the road from South Road. My Dad was friends with (was it) 'Bill' Crowder who had the garage and also lived in South Road, and my sister went to a child minder called Win Unsworth who also lived in the same road.

Judy
 
Jayell said:
Hello Matelot - I've just seen your post about your uncle, Hayden Fry. That name rings a bell with me and I'm sure that I knew him when I was growing up in Handsworth. I was going to ask you where he lived but then I saw your message that he lived in South Road. I guess it's very likely that we knew each other back in the 40s/50s as I lived in Soho Avenue almost opposite St Michael's Church and just up the road from South Road. My Dad was friends with (was it) 'Bill' Crowder who had the garage and also lived in South Road, and my sister went to a child minder called Win Unsworth who also lived in the same road.

Judy
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Hi Judy, indeed it is possible your paths crossed, my uncle I think lived at 134 South Rd or there about's, I think your Dads Friend would have been a Crowther as the Garage on South Rd was or went on to be called Crowther and Browns, and they moved to Lozells. A friend of my Uncles would have been Vic Crowe the Villa player or perhaps a brother. My Mom Joan Fry also lived there and my Dad lived at No40 ( the world was small then and family seldom moved far from each other) and I continued that tradition was born in The Crescent the bottom of South Rd and my wife lived at No85 South Rd. I have read your Post and remember Soho House and played snooker a few times with a friend that was a single Police Officer when the Policed used it. I went to the Cub and Scout group at the old Wooden Hall on church grounds and the then new church hall, we used to call the Scout leader : Potts " short I believe for Pottifor, and he was the scout leader when my Uncle was a Cub or Scout., that role went to Mr Spencer who lived opposite Church Hall on Soho Avenue.
 
thanks for that link carol...the auction was on oct 23rd so i wonder if it was sold...

lyn
 
Christine in Herts said:
I haven't been on this forum for a while, but - in case it's of interest to you - Leonard BENNETT, s/o George BENNETT & Hannah née BOOTH was born 6 Mar 1887 at "14 Ashleigh Pl, Baker St, Handsworth" - according to his birth cert.
There's a corresponding (private) baptism record for St James's, Handsworth: bap 10 Mar 1887. Leonard s/o George BENNETT, lab, & Hannah; "Ashley Place".

Presumably, my grandfather was - barring about 60 years - your family's next door neighbour! The only blurring of the lines is that the birth cert puts Ashley Place in Baker Street, rather than Dawson Rd.

I don't know if you'll find this, since the post is from over a year ago, but you do seem to visit, so I'm hopeful.

Christine
Click to expand...

Hi Christine,
Thank you so much for posting this.

The reason for the confusion over the location of Ashley Place is that it fell within a triangle bounded on one side by Dawson Road, by Baker Street on another, and the third side was the wall of Handsworth Grammar School. There couldn’t have been much natural light in the courtyard!

My oldest sister, now aged 81, has fond memories of living at Ashley Place mainly because of the people who lived there. She says that when the chance came along to move to a larger house my Dad was keen but my Mom would have stayed with her ‘friends’.

The National Trust has actually restored a 19[SUP]th[/SUP] century courtyard at Birmingham's last surviving court of back to backs (houses built back-to-back around a communal courtyard.) If you’ve not already seen it there is some more information at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/birmingham-back-to-backs/.

Thanks again – Lin.
 
Ashley Place was divided in two (Even though it was possible to walk from Baker Street to Dawson Road) if my memory serves me right in the middle where toilets and wash houses,maybe one half came under Dawson Road and the other Baker Street,there was also another Terrace,that too was in two halves the name escapes me at the moment though.
 
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