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Springhill Ice rink Summerhill Road

Hi oldmohawk, great pic so many faces from the past sturing the memories, the one I see is Bill West sitting 4th from the left at the front.
He played Hockey with us when it retuned back to Birmingham in the 60s with the Barons IHC, I understand Bill played hockey with the old Birmingham Maple Leafs before the war? how true I do not know but he could still move on those skates.
Now that you have the hang of posting pics keep them comming
All the best Keith.
ASTON
 
Hi aston (Keith)
Lost photos reposted after they were lost in the recent hacking of the forum

Phil_and_Terry_Richmond_Ice_Rink.jpg
A relay change over at Richmond Ice Rink brings back memories of the nice away meetings at Richmond, and the dances in the Arosa Rooms after skating.

Richmond_race.jpg
Birmingham Mohawks in a race against the Glasgow club Crossmyloof also at Richmond.

Mohawks_relay_win.jpg
The winners of the British 3 Mile Relay championship - notice the state of the barriers and ice build-up.

England_team_wins_Ayr_Ice_Rink1956.jpg
Three Mohawks in the England team after a win in 1956 at Ayr Scotland.

Clubroom.jpg
In the Mohawks club room at the B'ham Ice Rink

Bristol_Ice__Opening_1966.jpg
The Mohawks helping Mecca to open the Bristol Silver Blades Ice Rink. The skaters not on the track are Ken Pendry and Dave Boddington. The Bristol Ice Rink was a copy of B'ham Silver Blades.
If you fell over in a race on a bend, at a Silver Blades Ice Rink, your skates went up the barrier and broke the flourescent tubes inset in the barrier.
 
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Hi Keith (aston)
As you asked I did post the remainder of my old ice rink pics last night, 8th October 2007, but somehow they got joined complete with text into a post I made on 9th August ! The text about one picture of the number of skaters from B'ham temporarily skating at Nottingham (banned for speeding in general sessions) went missing. I think the picture was evocative of the 1950's because some of us are well dressed wearing ties, even though we were naughty speeders. I've put the pic on this reply post.

Phil (oldmohawk)

NottsIce1.jpg
 
:angel: Do any of you 'Old Speed' skaters remember a guy John Dunford from Nottingham? He won heaps of trophies, some National and some international.
He and his wife own a Gym here in Ch-Ch NZ and I worked for them for a few years a while back.

Pom :angel:
 
Hi Pomgolian,
I raced in contests against the Nottingham Ice Racing Club from the mid 50's until 1967. I can't remember the name John Dunford, but I'll have a look at some old programs, which might jog my memory. Maybe he was there after 1968 when I got married and my speed skating stopped !
I remember Geoff Stockdale and Tony Bullen and have a picture of skaters rounding the bend there just in front of the stage where a guy used to play the organ.
Best regards
oldmohawk
 
Hi Aston,
Here is the picture I tried to send to bigland the other night.
I've looked at a preview and the pic shows as a thumbnail so here goes !
Could Barry Cassidy actually be Barry Casserley who coached me us at solihull in the early seventies?
 
The Old Ice Rink

Hello Arthur,
Yes you are right it should be Barry Casserley, my memory lets me down sometimes on these fine details. I have seen a reference from him on the Friends Reunited site but I had some problems with that site so I could not reply to him. I remember going with him to Altringham Ice Rink in his Triumph Herald car. There is a mohawksirsc website and they were asking for history of the club but I never got a reply.

All the best,
Phil
 
Ice Rink

Thanks for the trips down memory lane. I skated at Springhill and went to HTS from 52 to 54, A stream. I have never met any anyone from school since leaving, but can just about still remember most of the register. The caning champ as I remember him was that little creep Bassett with his military baton. Stokes was pretty mean too with his steel rule.

I remember the away Mohawks races to Nottingham, all those naughty girls there, and getting bounced around a bit during the men only at Richmond. The long coach trip home was pretty good though, lights off and cuddle to keep warm.

That picture of the skaters at Nottingham just about summed the whole era up, everyone just bursting with joy, and glad to be alive. Mind you I don't know how I managed the expense of skating. Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat at 2/6d was it, plus a pie at Alex's at Snow Hill or New Street, all from 17/6d apprentice pay. I think the greatest time on skates was in Sutton Park with that perfect black outdoor ice, even if it did crack a bit!

Great days.
 
Springhill Roller Rink

Hi

I just joined the forum as I saw people on here who remember the rink as a roller rink. My parents met there. My dad worked there for a while and just wondered if anyone remembered him. His name was John Clayton.

:)
 
The Birmingham Barons Ice Hockey Club

News CUTTINGS FROM MY SCRAPBOOK Re the BIRMINGHAM BARONS FIGHT TO GET AND KEEP HOCKEY A LIVE IN BIRMINGHAM & SPRINGHILL RINK BACK IN THE 60s.
ASTON
 
Hi Phil, your post last October, the guy who palyed the organ at Nottingham Ice Rink was Doug Walker I remember this, as my my Pal at the time Henry Esslington? (who lived in Upper Sutton St ASTON) used to always ask for him to play GRENADER? too which he would dash round like an Headless Chicken.
He used to ask this of any rink organist,HARRINGGAY,WEMBLY, ALTRINGHAM BLACKPOOL & BRIGTON. to name just a few.
O such HAPPY HAPPY DAYS
ASTON
 
Anyone remember anyone in these pics taken on a day trip to Blackpool, arranged by the ice rink regulars in the 60s
I bet Phil (OLDMOHAWK) will.
ASTON
 
Hi Keith
In the Blackpool photos I think I can recognise possibly Eric Grinsell.
Blackpool was one of the rinks I never visited !

Thinking of the ones I did visit
Ayr - I think its gone now - replaced maybe.
Crossmyloof - Glasgow also gone
Murrayfield - Edinburg - might still be there
Bradford Silver Blades - opening night for Mecca
Bristol Silver Blades - opening night for Mecca
Brum Silver Blades - in the early 60's skating a bit slower - my future wife holding on to me ! - but there was the Heartbeat Club upstairs.
Bearwood - 3 strides and you completed one length of rink !
Altringham
Solihull - liked that rink !
Richmond - Band playing on stage - and nice dance room for after skating finished.
Southhampton - Very narrow difficult round corners
Bournemouth
Nottingham - always liked it there - think a new super rink has replaced it.
Streatham - I was in a televised race there but cables were laid over the track and we had to jump them in races !
Ilfracombe !! - the 'ice' was plastic but I tried it when on hols at Woolacombe.
Finally the Old Birmingham Ice Rink which Di said was in Springhill, but I always thought Springhill finshed at the Library and then Summerhill started towards the city centre and a road maybe called Sandpits. It seemed the 'magic' place especially New Years Eve etc, but I suppose it always does when you are a teenager !
Last year I was searching a long time for Summerhill Ice Rink and didn't find much, I don't know what made me type in Springhill, but that's how I found this good old forum.

I did once race outdoors in 1959 on a frozen fen maybe in east Cambridgeshire - but it started to thaw and we had to finish quickly !
I saw the Coventry Ice Rink on TV the other night, looks fantastic.

Best regards
oldmohawk
Phil
 
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Hi Plil, it was SUMMERHILL & the rink was SANPITTS, WOW you did get around with the speed team.
As we did not get much ice time with the hockey team it was hard to get matches with other rinks , they liked a return fixture and sadly we could not always give them that due to rink managment rules.
New Years eve was something else what fantastic nights, remember the barrel jumping contest & musical chairs (on ice, what good times) all those trip over the road, still with our skates on just to get a drink ( some thing a little stronger than coffee).
Nice to hear from you again.
keep the memories flowing it help me to recall the best day of my life.
ASTON (Keith)
 
Bham maple Leafs pre WWII.jpgFound this today, a little before my time but HO how I wished I could have been around to see them win top spot .
It was not untill the 50s/60s that I had the good fortune to be involved with the revival of ICE HOCKEY (with the BIRMINGHAM BARONS & THE BIRMINGHAM ROYALS) at the old Summer Hill ice rink in Birmingham.
Any one remember THE BIRMINGHAM MAPLE LEAFS PLAYING from the 1930s? love to hear any memories you may have .
ASTON
 
THE ORIGINAL Birmingham Barons 1949 - Copy.jpgTHE ORIGINAL BIRMINGHAM BARONS 1949, TAKEN AT GRIMSBY ICE RINK.
posted by kind permition of Art Hambidge one of the founders of the revived BARONS back in the late 1950s.
 
BIRMINGHAM MOHAWKS ICE SPEED CLUB FAN'S.Any one know any one from aroun the 1950s
My thanks to Art Hambidge for the Photo.
ASTON
 
My thanks again to Art Hambidge for this Picture of one of the original Mohawks Speed Team I have no date yet but will post if I find one?
ASTON
 
Hi Postie, would it be any promlem for you to repost that pic of the inside of the Summer Hill Rink. Idonot seem to be able to find it on this thread ANY MORE ?
Thanks ASTON
 
any one remember this fine gentelman from skating back in the late 40s early 50s?
Banned me a few time for speeding round the rink in my early skating days
ASTON
 
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