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The Boys Brigade

Hi. I'm doing some research regarding 40 Stella Street around 1948/1950. Date wise it may be a bit before your time. Nevertheless, do you know if this street was all housing or a mix of buildings. If a mix, can you recall their purpose? And finally, was the street closed by the Council and approximately where did it sit on the Birmingham street map. Thanks Lorraine.
according to my old A-Z Stella St was off Nechells park Rd, L shaped leading to Stuart St (which was a continuation of Trevor St)
That area was usually a mix of Industry and residential and was has been totally rebuilt.
Looking now on Google maps - Showell gardens seem to be on the same location as the `st part of the road, but the Turn and 2nd part down to Trevor st has gone.
 
Hi My name is Joe Allington and I too was in the 69th BB Skipper Gibbs was the captain and he had a son Ronny we would march around the streets on a Sunday playing bugles and drums, I believe the hall was in Berners Street, I also went to Gower street School in Lozells and was in Mr Dawes class wit a MR Matts the head master The days of the cane but I loved them, does any one remember me?????
every sunday when i lived in nechells you could here them coming. along the road. is they still about?
 
I joined the 1A Life boys in early 1963 at the Peoples Chapel. I was 10 at the time,eventually moved on to the Boys Brigade. I recall we paraded in Harry Lucas School in Farm St. I played football a few times for the Company at sports field in/near Perry Barr. I usually walked there from Wellesley St Hockley,played the match and then walked home again.
Steve Pierce was the son of the Captain. The first time I ever went fishing was with him and another BB member called Michael Moore,he lived just down the road from the Chapel. The three of us started bugle training together, I think Steve made the band. I didn't, couldn't play the bugle despite my best efforts,also I never had the full uniform,Mom & Dad couldn't afford it.
Sadly my family moved to Acocks Green and I lost touch with the Boys Brigade, however I still recall my short time with the Brigade with affection.
In those far off days I was known as Bernard Dunn,two brothers ,Kenny and Peter,baby sister Phyllis
Happy days
NoddKD
 
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My wifes Aunt and Uncle died a couple of years ago and left behind many photographs, taken at various stages in their lives, before and after marriage. Some we can relate to and others we cannot. In sorting through them we found that her Uncle was in the Boys Brigade and her aunt was a Girl Guide and also in the Brownies.

My wifes Uncle was Alan Allden (top left, end of second row). Based on his DOB and where the family lived, The Meadway, we think these could be pictures of the 58th Yardley Branch taken around 1945/47? I've looked on Google Street view and the HQ is a new building and doesn't look anything like the one in the photo. Maybe it was rebuilt or relocated?

The one of the Girl Guides is rather small but we think her Aunt,Ivy (nee) Bowden is second row left, standing. Based on her DOB we think this was taken around the same time and the location could be Yardley Old Church?

We aren't looking for answers but thought they may be of general interest to other members of the forum. Sorry we had to post the Guide photo here - it may need to be moved.
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Hi All,
I was in the 42nd Boys brigade, and the 42nd Life buoys, I was a group captain in the life buoys. our meeting hall was at Upper Thomas Street Annex in Tower st Aston. we did parades and marched with the band around the streets of Aston, we attended Aston Parish church, for church parade.
 
Hi there me and my two brothers went there in the 60s we were in the 55th Cubs but i dont think the Arkeler liked us , went there every week clean and smart necker chief ironed , but never got made into a sixer yet my older brother Austin [rip] was a Kings Scout and there was a certain cub who bullied us ended up in the Move pop group and he went to Upper Thomas Street School mind you i believe he is suffering with ill health now . Raz X
 
I have seen many mentions of 1A Life boys at the Peoples Chapel, thought this may bring back memories for some -dependant on your age.
( Taken from a slide of William (Bill) Lerwill )
1st A Minibus.jpg
 
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In 1950 the Boys, Brigade attached to John Bunyan Baptist Church was the Kingstanding platoon of the 1st A Birmingham based at People's Chapel in Hockley. They became the 11th in 1961. It started in the 1930s when the houses in Kingstanding were built and many people from the inner city moved to the area. They met at Kingsland Road School and have continued to meet there, but are now not able to meet since March 2020.
 
In 1950 the Boys, Brigade attached to John Bunyan Baptist Church was the Kingstanding platoon of the 1st A Birmingham based at People's Chapel in Hockley. They became the 11th in 1961. It started in the 1930s when the houses in Kingstanding were built and many people from the inner city moved to the area. They met at Kingsland Road School and have continued to meet there, but are now not able to meet since March 2020.
Thought you would fill in the gap although I did post on the photo thread - thanks.
On a side note do you recall the six wheel coach used for foreign trips from Peoples Chapel - I have a pic of that somewhere which I will post
 
Hello everyone. I am new to this website so forgive me for any clumsiness over my post request for any information.

As you can see from the title, I am searching for anything about the mentioned Boys' Brigades and anything anyone may know about both them and any football teams that played in the late 1940s for the Boys' Brigade or against them back then.

This August my Dad, Brian Prescott, will be 90 and I am trying to find as much as I can about his life as a boy. When Dad gets going talking about playing football in his youth, his memory of it is vivid and an absolute pleasure to listen to. I record as much as I can of these moments and would love to be able to help Dad out with the names of other players of that time. If anyone knows of any details or can point me in a direction where research would be possible, I would be extremely grateful.

Then there is the Yardley Wood Youth Club from the late 1940s and early 1950s. Once more if anyone has any information on it that would be more than fabulous.

Does anyone know of Reg and Norman Holloway of Yardely Wood back then? Dad can talk about match moments, goals and the like with some scores too but naming individuals he played with he finds very hard.

Thanks everyone. I look forward to seeing what pops up.

All the very best,

Gary B. Prescott
 
Hi I was a member of the 23rd company which was based in Hay Mills. I joined the life boys in about 1952 and progressed into the BB as i got older. I really enjoyed the time i spent there the meetings were great fun, always something going on, and then there was the football team and the camping. I only went camping with them twice, the first time was to Swanage and the next time to Exmouth. We had great fun from start to finish of our two week camp. We would load a lorry up with our cases (which was quite a laugh) a couple of days before and we would go down on the trains. My first time away from home.
Hello. I also was a BB member in 1954 meeting at St. Cyprians Hall, Coventry Road, Hay Mills. There was a group of us BB boys living in George Road, Hay Mills and our back gardens backed onto the Hall. I'm Keith Thomas living at number 19, Kenny Mole living at number 15 and Alan Smith living at number 23. We all three went firstly to Redhill Road Junior School, Hay Mills and after the 11 Plus exam which we all failed, Alan and I went to Oldknow Road Secondary Modern School in Small Heath and Kenny went to Bierton Road Secondary Modern School in Yardley (quite why we were split up I don't know). Attached is the George Road Victory in Europe street party and I'm on the right hand side kneeling in my chair at the head of the table. The photo is also in the Birmingham Museum and because of the King George Coronation table banner, is incorrectly attributed to 1937 some 6 years before I was born.
 

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Hi Keith I don't remember you by name nor do I remember Alan Smith, But I do remember Kenny Mole played football with him many times and I was a friend of Jonny Mole. Did you play football for the BB team or go on a camp with them. I lived in Arthur terrace off Arthur Road which was off Redhill road. I to went to Redhill road school then on to Bierton road. I am a bit younger than the three of you I was 10 in 1954. My name is Roger Beetison.
 
Hello Roger. No, I did not play football for the BB or go to camp with them, but did enjoy everything else, especially the Sunday morning band marches to St. Cyprians Church. Kenny Mole was the lead bugler who always won the honour of playing the 'Silver Bugle'. Johnny Mole and his younger brother David, due to their younger ages were not really in my daily friends group living in George Road and Hay Road which consisted of the Lyndens, Dumbletons, Silcocks, Spencers and also Barry Smith at 27 George Road. I left Birmingham in 1975 and moved to just outside Pershore and in 1978 moved to Bognor Regis. Since then with my profession I have lived in numerous places along the south coast and I'm now just outside Portsmouth. Do you still live in Birmingham?
 
I remember there was a BB in St Pauls road Balsall Heath just by the railway bridge can anyone confirm that please
 
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