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Stratford Road

Ah! the Odeon in Shirley. My nearest cinema where I went a few times. Winter was not good as the walk home was some way and on parts in darkness. I noticed the newsagents next door. A friend encouraged me to take a paper round with them. Not my scene, too far to get there especially in the mornings so I think I stuck it out for a couple of months at most.
 
Of the cinemas I mentioned in an earlier post the Odeon, Shirley was a good walk or cycle ride (knew people nearby where I could safely leave my bicycle), the Rialto and others would mean a bus ride. Cinema visits were not a very frequent event, actually, apart from a number of occasions when I went to the Saturday Odeon Club, but they were rare. I much preferred the reality of street and city life. I recall only two cinema visits in the city centre, one a murder film at the Odeon, High Street, which I hated and have lingering memories of it even after some nearly seventy years, the other a more delightful one about Robin Hood at the Gaumont, Steelhouse Lane. An aunt, on holiday from the Potteries, took me and her daughter there where it was being screened. On exiting the tramcars caught my interest; however aunt was not in any mood for a tram ride - even to the delights of far flung places such as as Erdington, Pype Hayes or Short Heath. :(
I think the Odeon is in New Street, and probably was then!
 
Outer Circle Bus

There must have also been an Odeon on the Stratford Road Shirley, besides the ones in Kingstanding. Perry Barr, and the Queensway, if there wasn't then where did the photo that I posted come from? I believe it was at the junction of Solihull Road and Stratford Road where the Morrisons Supermarket is now.

Added Later.

It seems that I might have misread your post, I wrongly thought you were disputing the fact that there was an Odeon at Shirley, please accept my apology.
 
Last edited:
The building on the corner of York Road (opposite the church) was Barclays Bank, the first house in York Road, next to the bank was called Bank House. After the bank closed the bank building was occupied by "Midland Music" which was a music instrument shop. Originally Midland Music had been further along Stratford Road opposite Cubley Road and was a record shop. I think the bank building became offices after Midland Music left.
By the way I've never understood the term "Yorkmead", to me it was always York Road School - Miss Dunton was the Head Teacher when I was there in the 1950s - she was the best head teacher in the world!

That's now an eBay rip off called See Bay. Although that didn't last too long and has been closed for years.

SeeBay.jpg
 
The former Shirley Police Station has been demolished, the site is to the right of Morrisons (the ex Safeway) in Shirley.

Meanwhile the new Renault building is complete, but they haven't built anything yet on the former Burger King site.
 
Stratford Rd at the junction with Cateswell Rd c1911. The road and left footpath needs a sweep, and large weeds in the gutters.
StratfordCateswell.jpg
 
Outer Circle Bus

There must have also been an Odeon on the Stratford Road Shirley, besides the ones in Kingstanding. Perry Barr, and the Queensway, if there wasn't then where did the photo that I posted come from? I believe it was at the junction of Solihull Road and Stratford Road where the Morrisons Supermarket is now.

Added Later.

It seems that I might have misread your post, I wrongly thought you were disputing the fact that there was an Odeon at Shirley, please accept my apology.
There was indeed an Odeon in Shirley and the photo by Phil confirms that. I have amended my original post to read New Street as High Street was not correct. I do, on occasion, get some streets mixed up, after all I was only 16 when I left the Solihull area to live in Devon and that was 64 years ago and since then many of the city's streets have either changed beyond recognition or disappeared entirely. :eek:
 
Hi I used to live in avondale road opposite sparkhill baths from 1938 until 1963 went to greet primary school then formans road seniors walked there and back twice a day.nice to hear all about the stratford road and the shops and pubs and cinemas,all along there.
 
A few images of Stratford Road. Viv.

C1900
242B6D1B-94F0-4DFC-AA99-63C69C19F82B.jpeg

Not heard of the “Metropolitan of England Bank” (to the right) in this one.
A2D5AA61-69BE-4007-91ED-296657851A44.jpeg

32B11E02-613C-44DD-AF6D-4389482C40C7.jpeg

0103F063-DCA3-41DA-8FCD-FA04206FA5B3.jpeg


1933
CBAEBB18-896A-4A48-91B2-D372FB8A9BB6.jpeg
 
Bazerdong,

Welcome to the Forum. I was at school with a guy called Donald Webb, who lived at number 124 Avondale.during the period you mention. Otherwise I lived in Knowle Road at the back of the Springfield Cinema as was.

Maurice
 
Viv,

Change to see so many Stratford Road pics all in one go! Third one has Springfield Road going off to the left.

From Grace's Guide:-

Metropolitan Bank (of England and Wales)
of 60, Gracechurch Street, London, E.C.

1866 Established as the Birmingham Banking Co., Ltd.[1]

1880 Renamed Metropolitan Bank. Absorbed Stourbridge and Kidderminster Banking Co (est 1834)

1889 Renamed Metropolitan and Birmingham Bank absorbing Staffordshire Joint Stock Bank, Royal Exchange Bank, and Cooper Purton and Sons (of Bridgnorth)

1892 Renamed Metropolitan and South Wales Bank, absorbing South Wales Union Bank

1893 Absorbed National Bank of Wales

By 1914 had branches in 151 towns in England and Wales as well as London and Birmingham offices.

1914 As Metropolitan Bank (of England and Wales) was absorbed by London City and Midland Bank

Maurice
 
I lived in Showell Green Lane from 1940 until 1961. I remember seeing sheep & cattle being driven along the Stratford Road, must have been in the forties, probably from Hall Green Station to the abattoir in Bradford Street. Just around the corner in Showell Green Lane, almost opposite Ivor Road, was the stables that belonged to Fowlers Dairy & above the shops was the Ivor Snooker Hall.
The Salvation Army Citadel in Sparkhill had a band that on a Sunday afternoon would march along the streets playing, before stopping at a suitable place to perform its music for a while before marching back to the citadel.
In the Autumn, Birmingham University had it's Rag Week & they paraded along the Stratford Road with the decorated floats at night, collecting money for good causes, with people throwing coins to the floats, if you were lucky overthrows might land at your feet & you got enough for some chips.
I also attended St John's School & Formans Road School & like others on this thread, I also failed in learning to swim at those baths.
Sparkhill Park, top end was where most of our time was spent at weekends & during the school holidays, playing football & cricket against the gang from the bottom end, great times.
 
Bish Bong,

I lived in Knowle Road from 1941 to 1950, so you must remember the fair coming to Sparkhill Park. They were forever playing "Money is the root of all evil". I hated my six swimming lessons and still can't swim - I certainly am not going to learn now, even though I've lived in Crete for the last 14 years.

Maurice
 
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