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Tamworth

ASTONITE

master brummie
These pictures are for any of you home or abroad, who lived in or visited Tamworth. There was a massive re-housing of brummies in the late 60s,early seventies,Tamworth has changed dramatically, from a population of 14,000, to almost 80,000. An awful lot of fine buildings have gone forever and it makes one wonder if all planners were as blinkered in the 60s and 70s.
 
With all you Brummies there why don't you form your own little Club?

Call it the BATS Brummie & Tammie Society:D

Sorry Astonite lovely photos.
 
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Very nice pics, Astonite. I walked round the centre of what was Tamworth on April Fool's Day this year (first day I could use my London bus pass elsewhere in England). It was the first time I had been since 1943, when my nan took me. I didn't have my camera with me, but I noticed all those views, but not much more. I went into two pubs, but only drank in one, and that was really to pass the time until the next bus to Lichfield.
Thanks a lot for the photos.
Peter
 
Thank you for the photo's Astonite, bring back memories. I spent a lot of time there in the mid 50's visiting a friend whose parents lived in a tiny little house almost in the castle grounds. You walked along the high street and cut down a snicket and there were a couple of house there, the address was River View. I recall staying overnight and waking on a lovely summer day and looking out of the bedroom window over green fields.:)
 
Great photos of Tamworth Astonite. A friend and myself visited the Castle grounds in the Spring of 2004. The plantings of Spring flowers in the bank near the band stand were a knockout. I also visited with my brother that year. It was a bank holiday and all the shops were closed but we had a good walk around and looked at several old buildings including the old Hospital.

Bro and I used to cycle all the way from Erdington decades ago to swim in the outdoor pool that once was there. Happy memories.
 
Jennyann the lido was lovely. When I was at school in Sutton we used to be taken by bus to the lido for our swimming lessons. I was freezing. I used to take my boys there when they were young. It was a sad day for me when it closed. We had two hospitals Tamworth General now sheltered housing and St Edithas now up market flats. There is a new hospital near Mile Oak but it has no A and E so we still have to travel to Good Hope in Sutton. I am sad to say the town center has many closed shops and the town is not bustling like it used to be.
Peter Tamworth used to be in The Guinness Book of Records for the amount of Pub's and there were some lovely ones but sadly these are going now. I was sad to see The Boot boarded up in Lichfield Street yesterday.
Lovely photo's Astonite thanks for starting the thread. As you say there are so many Brummies in Tamworth. I love to chat to the older ones about their memories. I was talking to a lady yesterday who was a wages clerk at Lucas's.
 
I used to visit Reliant [from Lucas] when the Scimiatar was being developed. Then the 'Peel Arms' still was and not a Co-Op. Used to love walking around then but now I simply drive through to reach friends who live on the far side.
 
I used to visit Reliant [from Lucas] when the Scimiatar was being developed. Then the 'Peel Arms' still was and not a Co-Op. Used to love walking around then but now I simply drive through to reach friends who live on the far side.

'Ello, mate. Just in the interests of accuracy (Ex-Brummie living in Tamworth) The Peel Arms is now Wilkinsons in Market Street- the next one down. Easy mistake to make if you don't live or visit here often.
King Street, the walk through from Wilkinson's to Co-Op in Church Street had an original 13th century (I think) oak beam. When the 'Peel' was being converted, the builders were told by the council the original beam must be kept in situ (bit of a paradox, since they ripped the heart out of this lovely old town and filled it with concrete- and us Brummies get the blame!)
the beam, somehow 'fell down' and was replaced by a modern oak beam. If I remember correctly, and I'm prone to be failing in this area! they were fined a few thousand pounds. A spit in the ocean for a firm on a big job like that.
I often wonder if it was deliberaley removed to save time and money, or if it didn't find its way to a reclamation yard somewhere or was earmarked for a restoration somewhere. We'll never know.
 
i have lived in tamworth for 30 years after moving here in the 70s and have added 4 children and 7 grand children to the population! yes it was much quieter before we came
 
I was standing in that very spot yesterday. A lovely sight but turn around and you see a precinct with every shop closed except the pound shop at the end. sad sight.
 
Apparently that precinct is earmarked for redevelopment, however,whether this will now go ahead in this uncertain financial climate is another thing. Also Tamworth council had heavy investment in Icelandic banks!
 
Frothy isn't that a sign of the times. Must visit Tamworth for a few hours just to see for myself how much it has changed. We almost moved there some time ago but it was just a whim. Bye. Jean.
 
I was standing in that very spot yesterday. A lovely sight but turn around and you see a precinct with every shop closed except the pound shop at the end. sad sight.
'ello, Frothy. Yep. Sad sight. Most of the town is now closing, but the precinct you mention is going to be demolished and a new shopping centre built. They'd have done better to leave the town alone with all its lovely medieval buildings. You only have to go seven or eight miles to Lichfield to see how it might have been- and even they have had their share of corporate vandalism.​
I go to the college there (Lichfield) for my HNC course, and the streets (some of them) still have an ancient feel about them. God save us from politicians!​
 
Tamworth brings back some very happy trainspotting memories for me. Who remembers 'The Field' a regular pilgrimage for Birmingham trainspotters?

As a teenager walking through the town one night I was stopped by some head the ball and asked if I would like my head bashing into a pool of blood and that for me sums up Tamworth without further comment. I always feel happier when passing Drayton Manor going away from the place!

However it has an intersting history and its most important contribution is described here.

https://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/nwh_gfx_en/ART40097.html
 
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