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Solihull Ice Rink

mbenne

master brummie
I would bring back the old Birmingham Ice Rink but would need to bring back my youth to enjoy it.

Such happy times especially the Christmas and New Years parties, girl friends, and skating to the music of the 1950s. Everyone seemed to know everyone else and we could easily fill a couple of coaches on trips to other ice rinks. A smart uniformed ex-army man kept order, we knew him as the 'Sergeant' and he did not have much to do, just an occasional stern look and quiet word. The rink had no drinks licence so during intervals we sat around chatting or went in the cafe to buy tea or soft drinks.

In the early 1960s a large company took over and built a new ice rink in Hurst Street and closed the old rink for ice skating. The new ice rink became the sort of place which needed 'bouncers' and never had the easy atmosphere of the old rink. Times were changing, I was changing, getting older, got married, moved on and enjoyed the 1960s onwards in different ways.
The old ice rink ... I never really looked at the outside, the inside was the place I liked.
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Hi oldMohawk
Reminiscent of Solihull Rink too (except we had a cafe and a bar) and the annual Richmond Xmas handycap - and still have a copy programme for 1970
I'm sorry to go off topic too but wondered how long you maintained an interest in speed skating after you left the club. I was a member of Solihull ISSC and helped organise what we liked to think was the first international event at Solihull in the mid 70's (1976ish). It was a two day weekend event with individuals rather than teams attending from as far away as Japan and Australia. It was briefly televised on the Saturday and on the final evening we attended a dinner at B'ham Town hall - I think? I've tried to find out more about it - unless it was held under the guise of a Morris Vulcan event. At that time our club trainer was Barry Casserley and the club manager was Alec ?????
 
Hi,
I skated until 1967 with one of the last events in Berlin, then I got married and did little serious skating after that. If you have not yet seen the other ice rink threads click on Ice Rink Photos.pdf it links with pics in the SPRINGHILL ICE RINK thread. I knew Barrie Casserley he is in some of the pics. When Silver Blades first opened they would not allow hockey skating or speed skating so I went to Solihull most Wednesdays and Saturdays until Silver Blades changed their policy.

SPRINGHILL ICE RINK
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/springhill-ice-rink.3143/
Silver Blades Ice Rink
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/silver-blades-ice-rink.5021/
 
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