The Shops on Haunch Lane-Ladds TV & Repair Shop

[Franms]

Hello all,
I'm doing some research into the shops at the bottom of Haunch Lane (288 onwards) as I was living in a flat above what used to be Ladds TV & repair shop (288). I know Ladds shut down in the last 2 or 3 years but I'd be really interested to hear any memories or stories about that shop-or anyone that used to work there! The flat I lived in appeared to have some of the original carpet and was clad in wooden panelling-see picture below...(it's a panorama pieced together so it looks a little strange)


I'd be interested to hear any stories or information about any of those shops on that row. Having had a talk to a few people I'm thinking those buildings date from around 1930's but I could be wrong, with the library shut (and archives) it's proving harder than I thought to find out about the area. I've found some references to Benson's hardware shop which was at 304 (and what is now the Premier Shop). Any pictures, information or stories would be much appreciated! I'm also looking further back as I have found mentions of 'The Haunch' and Haunch Farm with possible links to Mony Hull Hospital. This is my first foray into researching Birmingham history so any help is much appreciated!

 

[mikejee]

Here is Haunch Farm in c 1884

 

[BernardR]

I would agree with your estimate of the shops being 1930s. Used to go there with parents and also for my purchases later. Will try to recall anything.

Sent from my HTC Desire X using Tapatalk 2

 

[ColinB]

Franms, Welcome to the forum, The Haunch was a residential mental health unit and was managed by Monyhull Hall Hospital, the entrance was to the left of the shops.
Picture just shows Ladds shop (copied from B13 facebook group).

Colin

 

[Franms]

Thanks for that-that's great helps to build up the picture.

 

[Franms]

Thats good to know-anything you can remember about buying or renting things from Ladds would be great!

 

[Franms]

Hi Colin, this is great and gives me something to go on-what a great picture. I've already requested to be part of the B13 facebook group! That's very interesting about The Haunch, I'm thinking that it was up Stacy Drive. Do you happen to know when it was shut down? I know there was still a Respite Home until very recently.

 

[ColinB]

Monyhull Hall Hospital which managed The Haunch closed 1999 and The Haunch closed just prior to that, and was demolished soon after. It was a rehabilitation centre for patients of Monyhull.


Colin

 

[ed smith]

Thats good to know-anything you can remember about buying or renting things from Ladds would be great!

My Father used to rent the tv from Ladds and if i remember rightly it was a slot mechanism which ensured that the rental was always there ,i think the slot was for 1/- not quite sure but always enough for 6d each when Ladds came a`calling for their rent

 

[Phil]

Heres a photo of the shop pre Ladds when it was just Valley Radio c1953, and an earlier one when there was no shop at all.

 

[maypolebaz]

Wow, that takes me back ! I used to walk past those shops going from Wheelers Lane school, on my way to the clinic in Warstock Lane. You can just make out the bulk of the Tudor picture house in the distance too.

 

[Astonian]

Hi Yes i can recall seeing there little yellow vans all over the place and there adverts for renting your tellys for the sixpence a slot tv
where you pay for the viewing you had to have a pile of tanners i those days as always when t came to the best part of your film or the best part of the programe it always turned off at the cruical moments and you had to jump up out of your chair to find a tanner or you missed the plot or the answer
on universary channallege we used to go to the post office and asked four forty tanners ; making the pound in those days if you can recall
are ladds still around or not ;?. best wishes Astonian;

 

[Jayell]

My Mom and Dad met at the Tudor Cinema in about 1936. Dad was the manager and Mom worked in the box office, so that building figures a lot in my family history!

 

[maypolebaz]

I imagine it was a posh place in those days, Jayell. Of course, by the late 50s, we were calling it "The Bug Hutch" !

 

[Franms]

Hi Phil,
Thanks for these, so interesting to know it used to be Valley Radio before it was Ladds. I'm trying to work out which angle the picture with no shops on was taken from? Would it be opposite from the shops looking at what is now Stacy Drive?

 

[Franms]

Hi Astonian,
Sadly Ladds isn't around anymore-I think it shut about 2/3 years ago & my landlord bought the buildings. I've been living in the flat above what used to be Ladds for about 18 months. That's great to hear about their vans and putting sixpence in the slot to keep the TV going. The estate agents next door said that they kept having people come in and ask where the shop was for a couple of months after it shut as they needed their TV fixed!

 

[Franms]

Thanks Colin-what a beautiful house it was.

 

[Astonian]

HI COLIN;
Many thanks for that information i am quite shocked to hear of them closing down as they was a good repuputal company
and well established and of plenty of customers surely they must have made some money thou :? i hope they did but there again the competition was
very high and hard to compete agaist the competitors that many offering alsorts of packages thanks aain colin ; best wishes Astonian;

 

[Penholder]

Franms
The second photograph with no shops was taken from the bottom of Haunch Lane at the junction with Yardley Wood Road.There was a knitwear shop next to Ladds in the 1970's called Vickis and I remember a fruit seller at the start of the shopping area that had an open front with produce on display and also Moyles grocers on the site now occupied by the betting shop. There was also a hardware shop just before the post office whose name escapes me but the gentleman who owned it used to wear a hat and we bought our fireworks from there for Guy Fawkes night, Regards, Penholder.

 

[Phil]

Franms, Here is another photo taken from nearly the same location some years later in 1935.

 

[bilsat]

Here is a picture of the prefab in Haunch Lane, next to were the sub station is now! The Tudor picture house in the background with the garage between them........(picture from my collection for my book on Billesley)

 

[bilsat]

Here is a picture of the prefab in Haunch Lane, next to were the sub station is now! next door is the garage then the Tudor picture house..

 

[john70]

In the 70s I worked for a coach company and used to pick up the residents at the Haunch and take them to Monyhull colony where they went on the evening for a dance, they went 3 times a week.

 

[bhatti]

i remember them too.we used their services late 60s early 70s just about when colour tv came out.they had this meter in the back and tv was baird 20" i think