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Spring Hill roller rink

Re: spring hill rollar rink

I was lucky being spared that Lyn, I left to join the Army and heard about it while abroad, to be there and see it on the night would have devistated me, I'm sure I remember Frankie jet black wavy hair
young looking always dressed smart, I knew so many people there and it is so strange you never seem to bump in to anyone from the Rink, It was sad that they never replaced that sort of thing, if I remember they opened one in wolverhampton after but I could not go and betray the memory. Dave
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

totally agree with your sentiments..i did take a trip to the wolverhampton rink about 15 years back...smaller than spring hill but still a good atmosphere..now thats gone and so as far as i know we have no rollar rink within striking distance..i also went to the reopened silver blades ice rink earlier this year (now called planet ice) but it was not the same as rollar skating...

lyn
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

hi Astoness if my memory serves me I started going about 1965 up until about a year before it closed , believe it or not the rink was a massive part of my life (so sad) we all got the number 8 from aston cross, started going once or twice a week until i got myself a job there , then every night and weekends to. so if you went around that time there is a good chance i've met you, doc Holladay was the manager and Les Ross worked there , our little gang spent many a late night early morning drinking and lisening to les's records in his d j room.

Hi Dalehunt
I remember Clive Preston as the manager around 1965 and then someone who's name I can't remember took over for a while, and then the "Doc".
I remember an attendant in the red jacket called Ralph who was always nice to us kids.
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Strange event at the Spring Hill Roller Rink. Johnny Stokes spent 40 days approx in a barrel up a pole. There's a link to the film in post #40
Here
I wonder whether he sneaked down in the early hours....

He looks happy enough !
BarrelJohnStokes.jpg

Quite a tall pole !
Barreljs.jpg

And if it rained he was ok with umbrella
Umbrella.jpg
 
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Re: spring hill rollar rink

I used to go to spring hill roller rink every week-end from 1968 up untill it closed, happy days. Can anyone remember any of the redcoats at that time?
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

hi foxbat..same here i was going right up until they closed..didnt take much notice of the red coats as i was too busy skating...did you live locally...
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

hi Foxbat
my brother Richard and I was red coats along with others, little billy was one I remember, but the one that really sticks out was pete, he was the head red coat and hard as nails if any of us had trouble

with yobs we told him and just stood back, if i remember he had jet black hair with a goatee beard,
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

hi astoness, didn,t live locally we had to get two buses from the maypole by kings heath but it was well worth it. I got my first car in 1969 a mini cooper and met my wife xmas that year. were still together, i asked her on to the rink for partners only and the hollies were singing "he aint heavy" it still puts a lump in my throat when i hear it today. great days.
 
what a lovely romantic story foxbat..thanks for sharing it with us and yes they were great days alright..

lyn
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

hi dalehunt, do you remember a redcoat by the name of dave burley i think he lived in winson green at the time.
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Yes I am sure I knew him,we was a tight knit mob and we always covered each others backs trouble is putting faces to names after all this time.
dave
 
Danny Kelly was a floor manager at the rink and skated for the Midland Olympic club who had their base there. He was also a World Champion speed skater in 1963. My dad, John Fry, also skated for them and won his first British Speed title there in March 1967. He was awarded the trophy by the boxer Johnny Prescott. Does anyone remember?
If you go on www.britishskatinglegends.webs.com you will find skater profiles on Danny and my dad. Also, if you go on to www.britishpathe.com and type in "World Championships Birmingham" you will see a few minutes footage of the world roller dance championships and the inside of the rink as it was in 1967.
 
hi johfry i cant beleive what ive just seen...the footage of spring hill is amazing..could clearly see the bar and the stage and the whole of the rink and the amazing thing is this footage was taken when i would have been going there..it has bought back so many happy memories for me as i spent 4 or 5 nights at the rink...i shall play this one over and over again...

many thanks for the link to it...

lyn
 
ao.jpeg
I never used this one because Walford Road was the easiest to get to from where I lived.
 
I have just come across this picture of a Birmingham roller rink,i don't know which one.moss
 

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Re: spring hill rollar rink

Hi dalehunt i might know you both i worked there i was a red coat for a short time i spent most of my time on the ring. I remember to brothers names ray and keith they rode moter bikes. I remember pete the head steward he allways had a darksuit. I knew a lot of people at the ring they do roller skating at the tower ballroom every friday till late its a good laugh
 
Re: spring hill rollar rink

Hi foxbat i remember Dave my name is peter i done a lot of skating at the ring with dave
 
I met the girl I eventually married at Springhill Rink and we celebrated our Ruby aniversary Last July 1st
 
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