• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Birmingham characters

Astonian

As I said I have no background to these stories, they are only what were circulated by word of mouth, and I have to be honest I was never bothered enough in my younger days to try and find out if they were true.

As you say, others may know the facts of the matter.

Phil
 
PMC
THE STORY NEVER CAME TO PRINT UNTIL AT LEAST TWENTY YEARS TO MY KNOWLEDGE aND It Was pUBLICISED THEN BY A RELATIVE IN fACT I THINK iT Was The b,ham mail that Done The Story , That Will Be Some-where In The Archives ,
I Know When We Was Kids We Was Mystifyed How A Blind Man Could Draw Such Remarkable Drawings ButThe Story Was Told By ARELATIVE hOW hE cAME bY Bus
Every day For Years With His Little Dog , Very Remarkable Man ,
 
I remember those remarkable drawings in Eden Place done in coloured chalk on the left hand side as you walked from Colemore Row. I never did see the person who did them. I used to think what a pity that such talent would be washed away with the first downpour of rain. I think the same with Ice Scuptures as they all look works of art to me.
 
I remember the street artist in the passage way Eden place near the Town Hall
and Margaret Street. I was always very fascinated by his drawings. I have a feeling that he was an ex-soldier from WW1 down on his luck. I was worried too when it was raining and the art would be washed away. I don't think he was wealthy at all. He was always very grateful for any money people gave to him. I wonder if the City gave him a special licence because was ex-military (if in fact he was). I would like to know more about him.

The Julian Beever 3D drawings on pavement are simply amazing. I have some on my other computer and they constantly fascinate.
 
Thanks for all your replies.
The story we heard as kids, was that he was picked up by a chauffeur driven rolls! Took it with a pinch of salt, even at that age. Still do not know if he was there saturday only. Interesting, jennyann that you used the term passage! Before I posted I had to refer to the a-z to get the place names, because friends I spoke to were in disagreement about the exact place where he sat. I myself was convinced there was a Margaret or S't Margarets passage in that little area,though I must stress that 7 seas worth of water have passed under the bridges of my life since those innocent days, and the old memory is a little dodgy these days. Can anyone pinpoint the exact spot?
Once again, thanks for your time-John
 
I do remember the gentleman, as I was a student at the Art School in Margaret Street for five years, and he was almost always there. But I was around 20 at the time, so I'm afraid didn't really notice older people.
I do remember two wide boys started to sell 'magic' dolls. One did the talking, while the other stood with his hands in his pockets, facing the other way and pulled the cotton anchored to the railing to make the doll move. On the second day, some of us students went out there and set up in opposition. They soon left.
There were other occasional shysters, more than once doing the three-card trick with membetrs of the team looking both ways for the approach of Mr Plod. But our friend with the pictures was never moved on!
Peter
 
Perhaps some of you remember this old gent, I do I remember passing him many times and I think sometimes I dropped a couple of bob in his hat.

Reg Cooper, Blind Busker in Corporation St.

Phil


Reg Cooper Blind Busker Corporation St.jpg
 
Last edited:
Hi Goingforit: I don't ever remember the pavement artist chap anywhere else except in the passage coming through from Margaret Street to Colmore Row.
He used to draw his pictures on three or four of the concrete setts. Like you say one's memory can fade but I have a vivid memory of that man in that space.

Peter, great story about the "doll men". There were, as my Father would say,
a few "Wide Boys" about in town back then. They often had a great system with one of their group looking out for the police. I once fell for the gold rings that turned my finger green.....that was coming up the Bull Ring one Friday.
 
Hi Going forit
If You Come Out Of The Council House And Turn towards St Philips Church Yard
With in 60 Yards Of Walking FromThem Steps There Is A Passage Way Which Runs Down The Side Of The Council House On Your Left There Was One Telephone Boxs On Its Own In Those Days , Now I BelieveThere Is Is Half Adozon Of Them Grouped To gETHER Just As You Are Approaching The End Of The Passage Wag That Is Where This Old Gentleman Used To Sit With Is Little Jack Russell In All Kinds Of Wether
When Ever I Have Been To Central Libary I Have Walked Through That Passage And Always Looked Down On The EXCACTSpot Where This Old Fellow Was When I Was A Nipper And Thought Of Him T
 
Not sure if this is the right forum but it is a general Brum question. Does anyone recall a lady singing (maybe drunkenly) outside the Law Courts possibly during 1940's, 50's or 60's?

Thanks
Donna
 
Yes Donna
it was during the 1950.s[ mid to late 50.s ]
there was four of us passing and we looked at each other and said to our selves she wants
to be nicked but i could not stop thinking she was known to them because in those days
there was quite afew characters around and the old bill new them all
and all the jack the lads and the crimms, and in those days there was quite afew old lags whom was
out on the streets and tramps whom was meth,s drinkers and only wanted a bed for the the night
and the lane was very acomadating in those days,i have seen a tramp stand out side dudley rd nick
which is summer field park and lobb a bottle through the window and wait for them to come tearing
out of the nick and find whom was responible and he said its me
and he new he would get a lift to steel house lane for the christmas dinner at winson green prison
sadley today the coppers have there work cut out and endeavour danger and they do not know whom the crimms are today
best wishes Astonian ;;;
 
Yes Donna
it was during the 1950.s[ mid to late 50.s ]
there was four of us passing and we looked at each other and said to our selves she wants
to be nicked but i could not stop thinking she was known to them because in those days
there was quite afew characters around and the old bill new them all
and all the jack the lads and the crimms, and in those days there was quite afew old lags whom was
out on the streets and tramps whom was meth,s drinkers and only wanted a bed for the the night
and the lane was very acomadating in those days,i have seen a tramp stand out side dudley rd nick
which is summer field park and lobb a bottle through the window and wait for them to come tearing
out of the nick and find whom was responible and he said its me
and he new he would get a lift to steel house lane for the christmas dinner at winson green prison
sadley today the coppers have there work cut out and endeavour danger and they do not know whom the crimms are today
best wishes Astonian ;;;
Hello Astonian, i just love your stories, they pu tyou right back there. the lady in question was my gt gt nan and she had 14 children. i can understand why she would try and get put away for christmas dinner with all them mouths to feed!!!!!!
 
Hi Donna
I Donna i can recall her as clearly as yesterday times would have been hard for her with all those kids
and there was me thinking that we was a large family my mother had a eleven kids
when people heard this , they used to say blimey as your old man got his own foot ball team
he used to work at charles harris on the flat at hockley [ lodge road ] he was a bakerlite moulder
he knew the owner through my mother whom came from the same village when they was young
but any way ,getting on track , in those days it was most popular way of getting christmas dinner
and a warm bed for that period of time you would be amazed how many people would do it
it was always on the run up to christmas week people would do alsorts of things to get them locked
up .but years ago you was locked up for debt, but now they used the bailiffs to empty your house
and in those days some people used to get worried sick over there problems for
the fear of being locked up and being sent to winson green nick where they used to have to wear a brown uniform . and the robbers and theives would wear a grey uniform so the officeirs knew whom was who
and whom was the real bad guys
but it was a common thing to do to get a bed and a christmas dinner when things was really bad
and getting tough with all those kids i did not blame her
when i reflect back over the years and think how my poor mother struggled i think she was marvelous
the old man always worked but never seem to hand over money to her but always had is beer money
to be quite honest it was her rich mother bertha hinton whom was always there for her
as my mother was there only child and they provided every year for us food and presents for us
but when her mother died her father never came back to us for forty years so we was in the same boat
as your grt grand mother and because she was well known to be the daughter of these
high society and legal people in the city for generations of her family tree she never put a thing wrong
and she suffered in silence
have a nice donna , best wishes Astonian ;;;;;
 
Hi Astonian, I was just wondering with all you know about Birmingham, do you remember an asian chap called Johnny Mo, he was a bit of a lad about in the 60's and 70's. He had his finger in a lot of pies. My dad used to do a bit for him now and then but i don't know what this bit was. I do remember going to a maisonette in Short Heath Rd and the place was empty except for hundreds of chickens and i mean hundreds of chickens just running about, this would of bin about 1969. When I used to travel round the pubs emptying fruit machines, Johnny Mo had the Rose and Crown, Gravelly Lane. I didnt make myself known to him cos he wouldnt remember me as a little girl and i didnt like to say that my dad used to do for you as im not sure if they fell out or not. I presume Johnny Mo has passed away now but it would be nice to piece together a few of my memories, if you can help. My dad also used to be with Bill Cutler racing, if you know anything abuot that as well. Thanks.
 
I don't remember my Grandad by the way, he & my Nan got divorced in the 70's i think, but she carried on in the same circles/ business & with his family. What was your dads name?
 
Does anyone have any information about Jimmy the Rock Man? He used to be in the Bull Ring, unfortunately I don't know the year.
 
James Guidney or Jemmy the Rockman was a well-known Birmingham character. He was a familiar sight around the streets of Birmingham, selling his home-made cough sweets from a tin canister - I think around the last half of C19th. Jemmy's original tin canister is also in the Bimingham Museum & Art Gallery collection - see https://www.bmagic.org.uk/results?s=+rockman
 
Although there are a number of possible candidates with a casual look at the records, I believe he is captured in the 1851C as a 69 year old "Labourer & Pensioner" from Norfolk, living at 7-Court-8-House Communication Row (between Broad St & Holloway Head), with wife Elizabeth from Brighton 20 years his junior. If so, he dies Oct-Dec 1866.

If anyone has a Findmypast account it would be interesting to see if he has a service record from the Chelsea Pension.

He is still there in 1861C but as Gidney, age 78, no Elizabeth, but with Son James 36 metal Polisher, his wife Charlotte and Jemmy's granddaughter Charlotte

In 1841C James, Elizabeth and son James (Gedney this time) are living in Digbeth near the White Lion (or White Lion Yard?) and is described as a dealer.

I believe there was another son, Charles, who died in infancy and buried 18 Dec 1828 in St. Mary, Birmingham.

I think it likely that James married Elizabeth Pitt in St Martins 05 May 1828, Although Charles was baptised the same day in St Philips and the other son James is older so questionable.
 
Back
Top