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The Valley pub, Billesley

T

TomReyno

New Member
Hello everyone. I grew up on a road called Chinn Brook, in Billesley. Right next to Chells Grove. My mom & dad moved there from Hollybank road after my grandad passed away and my mom took the house over. I always remember the valley, as a kid my mom/dad went there as did my grandad and a lot of other family too. Sadly, as I grew older it got closed down and vandalized mercilessly. My only memories will be me & my mates playing 'tracking' in there but I did have so many fun days there. I know a lot of people that used to go in there, families, and I'd like a picture of it. So if there's a kind soul out there with one, please would you mind sharing it? I've searched google, there was a thread on here called 'old billesley' but the picture isn't there.

One funny story of me at the valley as a kid was I climbed over the rail, walls/rail preventing anyone from falling into the nettles and rubbish below. I thought I was clever and let go - then fell in the stingers and cut my finger haha. Everyone at the pub had a good laught at me! Those were the days :)

Thanks for any helpful info!
 
Hi Tom

Here's another one for your collection.
 

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  • Yardley Wood Yardley Wood Rd Valley.jpg
    Yardley Wood Yardley Wood Rd Valley.jpg
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HaunchLaneClr.jpg

Here's a picture taken outside of the "Valley Pub". Haunch Lane / Yardley Wood Road around 1957 showing the 13 / 18A bus terminus (The 13 used this for buses running back to Yardley Wood Garage) The basic 13A went down Trittiford Road)
 
That's a great picture roly, takes me back. (That's the year I joined the army).
That right hand gas lamp, does it, also, have "mystery objects" hanging from it ?
I seem to remember there were prefabs in the area left of picture.
 
That is fantastic! You guys are brilliant! Love the website with the pubs on, times I've rode past the shoes with my mates along the canal :). Its hard to think the valley once stood there, brilliant pic @phil, thank you!
 
That bus stop sign seems to be red in the photo.
(The old memory fails me again).
Did "red" denote a fare stage ?
 
Maypolebaz:

The red coloured discs meant a compulsory stop for buses whereas the blue were a request stop. The red discs were often used for safety reasons. I recall a red stop outside the entrance to Sarehole Mill. No one ever seemed to get on or off a 29A bus, but it was there due to the blind corner on the very narrow road (at that time?). The bus could not go until the conductor gave the 2 bell signal. There was another one, of memory, half way down (I think Sun Street - memory plays tricks after sixty years away). This had the effect of slowing the bus down on a very steep (by Birmingham standards) long straight hill. Mind you, the crews had it worked out to a fine art: the bus was stationary for a second or two. :biggrin:
I am sure many other places, of this nature, existed in the city, I just don't remember them all. :friendly_wink:
 
Radiorails said:
Maypolebaz:

The red coloured discs meant a compulsory stop for buses whereas the blue were a request stop. The red discs were often used for safety reasons. I recall a red stop outside the entrance to Sarehole Mill. No one ever seemed to get on or off a 29A bus, but it was there due to the blind corner on the very narrow road (at that time?). The bus could not go until the conductor gave the 2 bell signal. There was another one, of memory, half way down (I think Sun Street - memory plays tricks after sixty years away). This had the effect of slowing the bus down on a very steep (by Birmingham standards) long straight hill. Mind you, the crews had it worked out to a fine art: the bus was stationary for a second or two. :biggrin:
I am sure many other places, of this nature, existed in the city, I just don't remember them all. :friendly_wink:
Click to expand...

Thanks for the memory jolt ! Yes I remember that buses would wait, for no obvious reason.

Villian64
I seem to remember a group of shops and a bank in that area, weren't they set back and higher than the road ?
 
Yes the Bank was an early victim of the Birmingham Municipal being absorbed into the TSB. Last time I actually called in to the shops the one at extreme left was a second hand shop with some interesting items but that was a long long time ago.
 
I remember the one at the extreme left as being the 'Popin' a sweet shop, and round the corner in Brigfield Road two lock up shops, one was Audreys chip shop, the other a general store I think. In my time it wasn't the 13 or 13a that came down to haunch lane, only the 24, and of course the 18 terminus. And yes there were prefabs extending round the corner into Haunch Lane and Yardley Wood Road. All gone now, but you can still tell where some were by the trees etc., that still grow there.
 
Never did go to the Tudor for some reason. It became a Bingo hall for a while. Knocked down now and replaced with retirement homes along with the Dairy, and later still, the British Legion. The clinic in Warstock Lane is, I think, still there, but not sure what it's being used for now. Will check next time I pass by. The Bagnall at the top of Warstock Lane was knocked down and replaced with a McDonalds. The Warstock PH now homes, the Dog and Partridge now a religious groups church, The Haven/Merury now homes, the Maypole now shops and hotel. All gone! Nearest pubs to the Valley now are The Covered Wagon way past Swanshurst Park, The Billesley Hotel, The Horseshoes (pulled pints there for a time), The Knob, and the Sherwood (now renamed something else). Think the Prince of Wales is still going.
 
Never been in the Tudor cinema but I remember it. What I do remember is drinking in the Warstock, Dog & Partridge, Sherwood, Bagnell Arms (the last pub I remember that had a piano - a plea for a free and easy night failed because no-one could play it), Haven/Mercury/cottage, New Lodge, Prince of Wales, Colebrook, and of course the Valley. All "lovely" pubs in their own way. Perhaps they closed because I went in them !:friendly_wink:. Shame most of them have gone.
 
Yes, the clinic was there. It still is, but the sign now says The Warstock Centre. Couldn't see in the dark as I passed what it was being used for. The allotments next door have gone, replaced by housing. Looks like sheltered or retirement housing.
 
That clinic brings back a lot of bad memories the school dentist operated from there he was a little Scots man and I will never forget his approach to nervous children it went something like if you dont stop crying I will give you something to cry about, how times have changed.
 
My mom and dad met at The Tudor Cinema! My dad was the manager and my mom worked in the box office/usherette. This was in the late 1930's.
 
roly said:
Never been in the Tudor cinema but I remember it. What I do remember is drinking in the Warstock, Dog & Partridge, Sherwood, Bagnell Arms (the last pub I remember that had a piano - a plea for a free and easy night failed because no-one could play it), Haven/Mercury/cottage, New Lodge, Prince of Wales, Colebrook, and of course the Valley. All "lovely" pubs in their own way. Perhaps they closed because I went in them !:friendly_wink:. Shame most of them have gone.
Click to expand...

Army service/marriage/living in Germany, meant that I never went into as many Brummagem pubs as I would've liked.

When on leave I tended to get in the Maypole, until it became too ropey. I used to walk down to the Colebrook with my Dad, going past "The Prince" which for some reason we never visited.
My mate Graham is still bewailing the disappearance of his beloved Warstock.
In my younger days we would walk to the Maypole cinema or the Tudor but if we were feeling posh we'd catch the bus to the Kingsway.
 
boro keith said:
That clinic brings back a lot of bad memories the school dentist operated from there he was a little Scots man and I will never forget his approach to nervous children it went something like if you dont stop crying I will give you something to cry about, how times have changed.
Click to expand...

I had my first tooth out in the Warstock clinic. I remember having a rubber mask held to my face and starting to struggle, the dentist then held me down with the mask until the gas took effect. I still remember screaming. Sounds like I encountered that little Jock too !
We used to dread the school dental inspections and getting a "D" on the dental slip. Once I was dragged to a place in Gt Charles St where there were many dentist's chairs lined up and the torturers were all dental students.
I had to make repeated visits to the clinic when I picked up the dreaded verrucas too but the most memorable visit was when aged 13, I went for my medical, before I could take on a paper round. I was informed that I was short-sighted and needed glasses - I was horrified !
 
Thanks for reviving that memory Baz I thought it was long since buried.
 
I remember the Valley very well, as a youngster our big adventure was to walk in the stream that ran under the pub from behind the 18/18A terminus and to reappear in the allotments on the other side adjacent to the golf course. Every Saturday it was the ABC Minors at the Tudor and afterwards run down the hill to reenact the Cowboy and Indian film on the bit of waste land at the corner of Chinnbrook and Yardley Wood roads. In later years I would more likely to have been seen swaying up Brigfield road to the chippy on my way home from the Valley.

Happy Days
 
Funny thing about the Legion on Billesley common.
I was part of a recruiting display that was going around the Brum area in the late 60s and one day we set up on the common.
We were refused admission to the Legion club that evening, even though we were in uniform.
Baffled but undeterred, we went to the Valley instead !
 
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