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Station Road Erdington

I am sure the place is being used for good educational purposes and as such would please them. Well the customary tradition was for some monks or friars to run schools for boys and nuns or sisters the girls. Many girls, irrespective of church allegiance, seemed to have been sent by parents to convent schools. A convent, from the Latin 'conventus' meaning a gathering, can be inhabited by males or females but like many changes in secular language is generally thought to be a female place nowadays.
 
Yes Pedrocut I was reading about that on Tuesday at the library. I was actually looking at pub signs and the age of the Cross Keys. From the name I presume that the Abbey was there first.
Bob, I didn't explain myself very well in my post. I was thinking more of the difference between the young ladies of the middle of the 19th century, in floor length dresses and the young ladies of today in their mini kilts. They all look very smart but there's an awful lot of leg on show! The monks would have a lot more to adjust to with buses and cars whizzing past.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Station Road - looks about 1910/20.

Viv.

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Great picture. I have many memories of this part of station road from late 60s / 70s. On the right hand side from the corner shop that used to be a green grocers next door was the chemist and next to that was no 68 Ted Hitchman the butcher. He was my grandfather and died in 1950 the shop was taken over by my uncle John and my father Geoffrey. The next shop up was the newsagents Hank's then there was a grocers shop in the 60s it was called Geoff Hitchman but became Vivo and then Spar and was owned by my father until the early 80s. The oppsite corner used to be a wool shop. I remember Gisbornes not sure if it was father and son, I thought they were brothers one was called Don. They had two shops one on Station Road and one on Gravelly lane next to the post office. I can still smell the paraffin now!
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Indeed it was, Gisbornes father and son. They seemed to stock everything hardware. I too recall the smell of the paraffin. It was in a tank in the shop and he would fill your paraffin can.
 
Next door(ish) was a wool shop run by two Quaker women, who kindly treated myself and 3 younger sisters to a pantomime show in the city (which we never actually referred to as a city - always up town) after our dad died in a car crash. I remember Mr Gisborn well - we used to buy our paraffin there for the hurricane lamps that we hung below our toilet cistern to stop it freezing.
 
I clearly recall many of the shops on Station Road as outlined on this thread. My family lived just around the corner in New Street and I worked as the Saturday Boy at Mr Whites Greengrocers at 16 Station Road between 1972 and 1978. Locals knew the shop because of the large wooden banana that was hung in the front window! I understand he has acquired this as an advertising prop from Fyffes Bananas some years before, but it was a real landmark in the area. Mr White was a very kindly man and I stayed there until the shop closed in 1978 when he retired and I set off to University. I often recall with great fondness the happy times I had at the shop during my teenage years.
 
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Well, Breconeer, it is a fact that those living within the city boundary, or close by, used to say "town" rather than "city". It is only people, like me, who refer to as "city", mainly I suppose, because we lived outside the city boundaries.
 
There's another Station Road Erdington thread here. Please could a mod merge the two? Many thanks. Viv.Edit, threads now merged.V

Station Road Erdington

Station Road in Erdington has some surprising gems. One came to my attention through this Shoothill photo showing us that the road once had cottages along its stretch which must have been in existence before it became 'Station Road'. I assume it only became Station Road with the arrival of...
birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
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I have moved all posts about the Baines Dairy on Station Road to its own dedicated thread here

Baines' Dairy Station Road Erdington

Hi I am trying find out any information about the dairy which was on Station Road Erdington. It was run by my brother in laws family. The family name is Baines . I would appreciate any information. My brother in law is due to celebrate his 80 th birthday soon and I am looking to put together any...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
johneboy said:
I clearly recall many of the shops on Station Road as outlined on this thread. My family lived just around the corner in New Street and I worked as the Saturday Boy at Mr Whites Greengrocers at 16 Station Road between 1972 and 1978. Locals knew the shop because of the large wooden banana that was hung in the front window! I understand he has acquired this as an advertising prop from Fyffes Bananas some years before, but it was a real landmark in the area. Mr White was a very kindly man and I stayed there until the shop closed in 1978 when he retired and I set off to University. I often recall with great fondness the happy times I had at the shop during my teenage years.
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Can you recall his Christian name? He was always referred to as Becky White , must have been a contraction of a longer name. He used to split Park drive cigarette packets and sell them individually as I recall. I must have met you at some time as I lived opposite the shop. I guess you may have a few years on me though. :)
 
HI Gyrleah . I think Mr Whites first name was Walter , although he was known to one and all as "Beck" . He once told me he acquired this nickname because as a baby he was said to look like Joe Beckett ( apparently a famous boxer at the time). Mr Whites half brother, Frank ( Metcalf and Hitchcocks), ran a small grocery shop 2 shops down at 18 Station Road. I think it was probably him who sold single cigarettes, a very common practice in the 70's. Is it possible that I served you in the greengrocers the best part of 50 years ago if you lived opposite?
 
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