• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Southalls factory

Anybody remember Alf's Snooker Emporium opposite Southalls? Often ended up there Tuesday or Thursday nights after an hour or two at the Edmund Road Youth Club behind the Co-op on the Rock back in the early 1960's. By Southalls on the corner of Ludlow Road was a shop that sold records. Really nice lady there would get new stuff in to order. I bought a lot of original Rock 'n Roll there but trouble was you couldn't listen to em first and she wouldn't take em back if they were faulty because you couldn't prove it. We did however change em in Cranes in Corporation Street by asking to hear the same disc in one of their listening "pods" and effecting a crafty switch didn't we. Don't tell me you didn't do that now and again! I didn't think of it by myself.
 
Until she retired a few years ago, a friend of my sister had worked in the offices at Southalls for many years. She always maintained it was a wonderfully generous place to work - although some of the shopfloor staff would say otherwise! ;)

Motorman-Mike ..... I was a regular at that snooker club opposite Southalls in the 50's. It was called 'The Arcadia' and was above 'The Silver Slipper' dance club. I think the manager at the time was named Stan - but it may have been Alf :). Also a regular there was a one-armed chap who would play anyone for money - and usually win too!

Brum's most famous snooker player, Graham Miles, joined the Arcadia club in the late 50's when he was about 17 and later became 'resident' at the Saltley Amateur Gardeners' club on the corner of Havelock Road. He reached the final of the World Championship in 1974. but was beaten by Ray Reardon.
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] In the mid 70's, Graham won the BBC Pot Black trophy two years running.

miles.jpg

[/FONT]
 
I think I have mentioned before that my husbands family all worked at Southalls. My father in law Alf Partridge worked there for over fourty years and we have his gold watch. His mom worked there as well and that's where they met. After she had my husband and his sister she went back and worked at their subsiduary hospital instruments My husbands sister Margaret Middleton nee Partridge worked in the offices. When my husband left school in 1960 he went there as an apprentice, but in his words as soon as he was old enough to drive he was gone. He remembers the snooker hall but, didn't go there as he has alwasy been rubbish at snooker. He went to Saltley Amature Gardeners club. This made me laugh as he has no interest in gardening, he informs me it was a social club. My sister in law has a lot of photo's, information and documents about Southalls which she managed to get before it closed.
 
Wendy my mother worked in Southall's offices during the 60's I am still in touch with some of her old work colleagues.
 
hi alberta and friends. thanks for letting us know southalls is being demolished. if i hadnt been on holiday last week i would have gone down and took some pics. my ex mother in law used to work there in the 70s as the companies nurse. shame that another building has gone. wales.
 
Thanks Wendy my mom is now in a care home with dementia but i still see some of her old workmates.A few of them including my mom left Southalls in the late 60's and went to the Post Office offices in Fordrough Lane.
 
Pam1151. I am sorry to hear your Mother has dimentia it must be very difficult for you. I will ask my sister in law when we next talk if she is in touch with any of the employees from Southalls.
 
My nan was a supervisor at southalls for about 25 years, and retired due to ill health in the early 80's, the names of her friends who worked thier too was, June Taylor, Joyce Garland and Eileen Timms, thats all the names i remember at the moment.
Wendy.xxx
 
I will ask my sister in law when we next talk if she is in touch with any of the employees from Southalls.

My mom (Maureen Moore) worked there betwen 1965-66 in Quality Control. As did my nan Sue Moore.

Other staff members then included Mr Peet (supervisor), Mrs Bowker & her daughter Anita, and Sheila Bolter.
 
Hello there, my mother in law Edith Turville worked at Southalls, not sure if it was during the war, or just afterwards! I well remember going past
the factory on the 14 bus on my way to Glebe Farm in my courting days
Can anyone tell me where all those years have gone? bye Bernard
 
The Southalls site has been compulsary purchased from the developers by the city council. The developers had wanted to build houses and shops on the site but after a campaign by local residents, councillors and the local MP the city council have agreed to use the site for a primary school. Apparently the Washwood Heath area has up to 1000 primary school age children who can't get a place in a local school. https://liambyrne.co.uk/schools/new-school-at-the-smith-nephew-site/

Macca
 
I worked at Southalls from 1967 until 1978 in the Computer Department. Southalls ran a Computer Bureau called SANACO (smith and nephew associated companies) running work for companies e.g Concentric, British Shoes etc. Great days and a good crowd of people.

I remember using the Brookhill. I would appreciate seeing any pictures past or present.
 
All I can add is that in 1971/2 I had a couple of girlfriends who worked at "Sarfhauls" (as they called it), and I used to pick them up on my 'bike occasionally. Hannah and ? .... I'm getting old.
Once more, another piece of social history disappears.
 
The entrance to Southall's on Alum Rock Road 1976. With thanks to Nick Hedges.



Southalls 1976..jpg
 
I think that 1920 picture is the side road off Alum Rock rd, entrance to offices when I worked there. Can anyone comment please?
 
Back
Top