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The Acorn,Garrison lane area

Thanks Lloyd

...........hence the Small Faces Itchicoo Park I suppose!
 
There were lots of different small shops in those days, before supermarkets. Ours was one of many grocers and we did'nt sell fruit and veg, and the greengrocer would'nt sell anything else, you had to go to individual shops, we would'nt tread on anyone elses toes. Now it's a free for all.
 
I grew up in Artillery Street from 1932 until we were bombed out on 17 May 1941. (We then moved to the maisonettes on Coventry Road below the Kingston). As I have already said my first school was Garrison Lane Infants and I remember with fondness Miss Clive who was a wonderful teacher. The park was opposite and in those days had tennis courts and swings, we never knew it as 'Itchicoo' park. In 1939 the air raid shelters were built in the park and every night from the start of the raids, my mother took us four children down into them. The shelters saved our lives, but sadly not that of my father who was killed firewatching.

On the apex of Gordon Street and Wolseley Street, stood an Italian man (I think he was an Italian) and he sold ice cream - lovely Italian ice cream.

Junie
 
Hi folks,
Haven't been able tp get on for a while but i remember someone saying they lived?worked in the cafe in watery lane,does anyone remember who it was, only I went to the Library in town today to get a newpaper article about my Grandmother who "died in the canal"and the cafe owner found her,is this just a coincidence or was it the same family???

Shelagh
 
Both my wife and I used to live in the area (during the 50s early 60s), I lived in Gordon St, she lived in Artillery St. We both went to Garrison Lane Infants school. Tilton Rd Junior school and then we had to split, me to St Andrews (Ada Rd) boys and her to Tilton Rd girls.
We got married at St Andrews church and the reception was at the Hen & Chickens pub.
My father drank at the Garrison Tavern and the Acorn was where us kids went to get a jug of beer at the outdoor. For the grownups not us.:)
I must admit the park across from the Garrison was simply known as the rec. never heard it called itchicoo. What memories!
 
Reading through everybody's comments has brought back some memories for me. My gran's family lived in a cottage on the site of where Garrison Lane bandstand used to be - I think it was in Witton Road then. She was born in 1900. As a girl, she used to ride around in a little horse drawn gig & I think her dad had a shop. Obviously that was before it became a park - perhaps the war or something demolished the houses. Anyway, later they moved further up Garrison Lane, opposite the Holmes. My granded apparently worked at the Simplex electrical factory, somewhere by Garrison Lane/Artillery St.? - does anybody remember it? The boys all went to ADa Road School or Tilton Girls - my mom & her brothers, and me & my lot. We lived in Tilton Road. I went there a few weeks ago, & the Royal George is still there on the corner of Tilton Rd & Garrison Lane - they're doing it up (thankfully not demolishing it!) & building an hotel extension. Inside its still lovely & has all the old fittings - worth a visit if you know the area. I remember playing outside, with a bottle of pop,while my dad & his mates had a drink & played dominoes. On Saturdays, with the football crowd, the place was always heaving & we could make a few pennes "minding" the cars (or bikes) . Most of the area has been redeveloped now, the school is a mosque, I think - but the Holmes look really nice - very smart. All new houses around Tilton Rd area. The snooker hall, up Bordesley Green, is still there - don't know if its still open or used, but the building was there last time I went.
 
I know its some time since this request for a photo of the Acorn Garrison Lane was made but I have only just came across this photo in a totally unrelated book. It has has brought back many happy memories of playing cards in the bar on Saturday mornings once a fortnight with my brother in law and a couple of mates in the early 70's.

Phil
 

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Shelagh said:
Hi Harvey,
do you remember the billiard hall at the top,could be on Bordesley green and there was a bomb site next door,do you know what was there before it was bombed
Shelagh:sleepy:
Click to expand...

On the left would have been the Elite picture house, not bombed, demolished in the 60s . on the right was the entrance to the little tip, not sure if there was ever a building there.
 
No, Raggy Allens was in Garrison Lane, more or less opposite Camp St. By one of the entrances to the big tip.

The Snooker hall was on Bordesley Green, about half a mile further up on the same side.
 
Shelagh
l think the cafe you wanted to know about may have been the High Stool cafe , l used it quite alot and my first pint (l was 14) was in the pub called the Anchor and it was right next to the canal . then you had Warne Wrights and Keeley park opposite , hope this helps , Deano
 
The High Stool café, not sure where this one came from but I know it was a recent acquisition.

Phil

Small Heath High Stool Cafe .23 Watery Lane.1960[.jpg
 
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Hi Harley. the lad who used to run it was named Steve , his mom and dad also worked there and his sister sometimes helped out , a friend of mine seen him a few weeks ago and he has'nt changed much , where did you live , lm from ada rd and a lot of my mates lived on watery lane .
 
Thanks for the photo ,Phil,not been on for a while ,is the other street ,Barford street? it's all so very different and so hard to recognise places.Went to look for where I thought it had once stood and found new apartments where Barford street was,walked through and found back end of Barford street,so disorienting.
regards,Shelagh
 
Great photos of the shops, thank you. We lived in Park Villas, Witton Street, opposite the park, and my first school was Garrison Lane School. Is one of the shops Mrs Stora's (Storah's)? It was a kind of sweet shop, I think, but you could also buy sachets of medicated shampoo there! The butcher's had sawdust on the floor, and a bull's head on one of the walls.

We used to buy penny (1d) bars of Cadbury's chocolate from René's, and all our fruit and vegetables from Harry Hunt. My father worked at Shakespeare's for years, but I don't ever remember him saying that it was bombed; I must ask my mother about it when I see her. Before she was married she used to live in Gordon Street, and her house was bombed during the war.

We spent a lot of time in the park, which had swings, two probably quite dangerous roundabouts, and a rocking horse with space for several children on it. I remember the fairs as well, but not in great detail.

Maria
 
Meant to add to my previous post that dad did speak about fire watching at Shakespeare's during the war before he went into the army, and also that Mary Glastonbury, whose parents owned or ran The Garrison, was a friend of mine at Tilton Road Juniors.
Maria
 
I lived in Garrison Street during the 50's and 60's and unfortunately the Acorn was demolished. The pub opposite the park is called the Garrison Tavern and is still there. The sailors return which was a beautiful building also went along with the coach and horses (which my dad called the chain for some reason does anyone know why?) which was in watery lane just along from the sailors
 
l lived in ada road and l used to drink in those pubs , l cant help with the chain name as l was only 15 when l drank in there , the people who had the sailor were named Hughes and their daughter went to school with me at ST Andrews (ada Rd) there was another pub called the cherry blossom which was opposite cannings and do you remember Cranky Franks pub , l was living at ada road from 1963 , before that l was living in bordesley park rd , my dad had a shop there but he never opened it ,
 
My dad drank in the Acorn so much ,it was his second home ! His name was Tom and we lived in Gordon Street from 1965 til 1974.
The barmaids there at the time were Blanche and Shirley Hunt.
 
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keegs - my mother shopped at Harry Hunts as well, I remember there was also another greengrocers at the corner of Barwell Road but we never went there! There was also a newsagents and a fish and chip shop. I always had a Beano, Bunty and Dandy for Christmas purchased from there. In the park there was seesaws as well. I spent a lot of time in the park with my cousin Margaret. In fact mom always said we spent more time there than at home!
 
zeeta said:
keegs - my mother shopped at Harry Hunts as well, I remember there was also another greengrocers at the corner of Barwell Road but we never went there! There was also a newsagents and a fish and chip shop. I always had a Beano, Bunty and Dandy for Christmas purchased from there. In the park there was seesaws as well. I spent a lot of time in the park with my cousin Margaret. In fact mom always said we spent more time there than at home!
Click to expand...

Also used to visit the park a lot - we lived opposite in Park Villas.

Hunt's was our greengrocer's. I think I occasionally bought a Jubbly from the other one you mention.They must have had a fridge!
 
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