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  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
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Springhill Ice rink Summerhill Road

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
 
Hi Aston,
Looking at your pic of the Barons, I seem to recognise possibly Bill West 4th from left back row, and Art Hambridge to the right of him.
The early pic of the Mohawk speed skater I don't recognise but with the background behind him he could almost be a North American Mohawk !
Mr Easton looks different to what I remember, but I became aware of a him few years later in the early 50's. I think everyone in that era would remember Cyril Woodward shouting 'slowdown' to the us general session speeders. I think I've posted most of the pics I had from those years, I'm not sure whether there is a method of getting all the pics one has posted listed on one screen so as to avoid repeats. I have some speed skate programs but I'm not sure they would be of interest.

One thing that did happen to me one night, was in the centre of the ice, I accidently brushed against a pretty ice dancing lady wearing a short tartan skirt with a very large safety pin and a clip on my belt caught her short skirt and pulled it completely off her. She was left standing minus skirt, her friends gathered round to shield her from view, with me about 10ft past with her skirt hanging from my belt. Caused a sensation in those days.
I skated back red-faced to give her skirt back. I remember her name was Shirley, slightly older than me, and later she was quite gracious about it.
Cheers
Oldmohawk
 
Hi Phill & all, this is "ASTON" CALLING back under the new name of "THE BARON:cool:"
I could not get back on the forum now that I have changed my computer harddrive & service provider (loseing all my data:redface:),so I had to reregister.

Hope to post more on the ice rink soon now that I have made contact with Art Hambidge (Exmohawk/Baron/Viking ) after 30 years.
WOW! have we had a long chats, Phill I also met Pete Jennings at Arts house, He now lives in Brighton.
KEEP THE RINK MEMORIES COMMING YOU GUYS.
 
My thanks to Art Hambidge for these old MOHAWK pic's & the Ice Dance Team all from around 1946 to 1950.
ANY ONE REMEMBER ANY FACES?
pic 1. Art Hambidge Birmingham Ice Rink, POINTS TROPHY 1/2 MILE 1946.
pic 2. Birminham Mohawks ice speed team with Mr Easton Club President & Rink Manager.
pic 3. Team 1948 LtoR Bill Jones,Pete Jennings,Art Hambidge,Denise Blundell, Front J. Less Trainer.
pic 4. Team 1948 LtoR Art Hambidge,Al Banner,D Johnson,Bill Jones,Wilf Lardner,D Blundell,Ron Sadler,Norman Hollwell, Ben Cleobury.
pic 5. The BIRMINGHAM ICE DANCE TEAM (around 1950)

I think this is a little before your time OLDMOHAWK:D but I bet you know some of these faces
More pics to come! later.
THE BARON (old username ASTON:redface:)
 
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Just two more: 1. TEAM CUP'S, L to R- Ray Clegg,Art Hambidge, Bill Jones,Pete Jennings.
2. Sat; Jan 1st 1949, BIRMINGHAM v STRETHAM Team line up prior to start of raceing.
Mohawks won 27pts to 15pts
 
Hi Keith,
Nice to see the photos. As I've said in my message to you, I've just about posted all the few old photos I had from so long ago.
I've put one below of the dance club and I have a possibly clearer photo of the group under the balcony.
I can name some of the people in the dance club photos.
Best wishes
Phil
Ice_Dance_Trophies.jpg

Ice_Dance.jpg
 
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Thanks for bring the photos forward Aston, I remember them from when you posted them before. Some of the figure skating crowd I was quite friendly with as I skated with them for 10 years. I can only remember a few names, I can't see the features too well on the dance group photo.
Those were the days, although everyone was very strict with us and we had to work hard. I just loved the old serg, I know we talked about him before. :)Mo
 
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These are almost the last Mowhakes photographs I have will you let me know if these are coming through. Miriam
 
hi all. ive had a quick look and i dont think there is a pic of the ice rink on this thread so here it is.. many apologies if its already on here and i may have missed it.

astoness
 
Miriam, you are doing well thank for those. will pass on to Art when I see him.

Astoness, do you have the other post card of inside the rink? I have that one of outside, it was posted before.
Postie, had the one of inside, but lost it? I have been unable to find it on the forum again?
THE BARON (ASTON)
 
baron. if you can bare with me i will have a look. i am sure i had a couple of the inside but they may already be on the site... i will get back to you.

astoness
 
hi baron. ive looked through the previous posts and unless ive missed it i cant see this pic.

astonesss
 
Well done Miriam,
I've had a quick look at your photos, and can see that they are mostly guys I use to watch before I joined. I'm going to look more closely at them later tonight, so I can put names to faces. I posted quite a few photos last year on this thread I'll have to look see if they are still there. Here are two pics of general skating sessions at the rink - they look like Saturday mornings - in the first you can see the clock and the shop etc, and the exit where we use to tip-toe over to the pub on skates ! The second show everyone standing still - probably the national anthem was playing.
Phil
oldmohawk
Inside_Old_Ice_Rink.jpg

Old_Ice_Rink.jpg
 
Here is a pic of a lot of 'brummies' who had been banned for a month for speeding in general sessions, we were so keen we went to Nottingham on Wed nights. It would be the time when I was wishing I was in the Mohawks club.
The two laughing at the back were from Nottingham Panther Ice Hockey team. Notice some of us wore ties ! The girl at the centre was named 'Little Mo'. I had posted it last year but out of position because I was learning then ! I wonder if any of the Notts Ice Racers have photos - I've looked but seen nothing. They were very competitive !
Phil oldmohawk
Wedns_Night_Notts_Ice_.jpg
 
Any idea what year the general skating session was Phil. Seems just like yesterday. I must try and find some of my photos I think I posted some last year. I remember the pub over the road but the closest I got was the bus stop outside if I went into the city instead of home.:) Mo
 
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