The Valley pub, Billesley

[Villian64]

ive finally gone and found it...outside my dads shop @ 1970..832 yw road

 

[Villian64]

Yes they were set back on a raised concrete area

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 ?

 

[Pam Wood]

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

Drank in The Valley for quite a few years in the early 80’s quite a pub to go to if you were a Villa fan, some fabulous nights in there though with some really good friends...

 

[castalla]

Remember my Grandad Denis Breakwell (18 penden road went to have a look at the old house a couple of years ago from the outside not changed, wonder what the inside is like now) using the Valley, as a old timer was told he was one of the first people to start up the old British Legion, remember going to see my grandparents on a sunday for lunch and my grandad and my dad walking to the legion for a drink then a quick one in the Valley and he always brought my nan a couple of bottles (stuffed in his pocket) of Mackinson

 

[Lumpammer]

I can remember having a pint outside the Valley and watching a Spitfire, a Lancaster, a Vulcan and the Red Arrows flying over. It was in 1973. What a fantastic couple of down the pub!

 

[Elmdon Boy]

That would have been from the air display held at Billesley common Lumpammer. It was over quite a few days.
There was some helicopters and a Harrier jump jet on the ground.

 

[anthea]

I remember the air show on Billesley common all those years ago.. I found the Harrier Jump Jet interesting and took photos on my small camera. The Vulcan Bomber flew over my house in Cole Valley Road and I remember the plane causing the windows to rattle.
Happy memories.....

 

[Rita Hawkins]

It's great hearing all these memories. I lived in one of the prefabs on the common until 1961 then moved round the corner (as we used to call it) into Haunch Lane.

I didn't like being reminded about the school dentist though; I well remember that rubber face mask!

 

[Phil Hawkes]

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!

If your grandad was Sid Reynolds i remember him well, sound bloke and not to be messed with, we played in the same domino team at the valley.

 

[Villian64]

1971 ish outside dads butchers Sarsfields 832 Yardley wood road Mr popin was my godfather

 

[Villian64]

this is other i meant to post
1971 ish outside dads butchers Sarsfields 832 Yardley wood road Mr popin was my godfather

 

[Rita Hawkins]

this is other i meant to post
1971 ish outside dads butchers Sarsfields 832 Yardley wood road Mr popin was my godfather

Was your Dad's name Vic? He used to cross me over YW Rd to get to the prefabs when I came home from Billesley. And was Mrs Popin really called Mrs Shotton? I remember both those shops and the bank (Martins?) and a tobacconist

 

[Villian64]

Was your Dad's name Vic? He used to cross me over YW Rd to get to the prefabs when I came home from Billesley. And was Mrs Popin really called Mrs Shotton? I remember both those shops and the bank (Martins?) and a tobacconist

Dad was Vernon but most called him Reg

 

[Rita Hawkins]

Dad was Vernon but most called him Reg

This would have been early 50s. Perhaps Vic was before your Dad

 

[BrummyPaul]

Wow what a fantastic thread. I was a lad living in Chinnbrook Road sort of between 1962 to 65 or thereabouts. I was 6 or 7 when I used to go into the Outdoor at the Valley with pop bottles and buy Vimto. I remember waiting outside while my grandad was drinking inside and he would bring us a packet of Troach Drops out and some crisps. I remember Poppins shop too and the prefabs near the bus terminus. Oh what grand days!

 

[Rita Hawkins]

I've never seen Troach drops again. Do they still make them?

 

[BrummyPaul]

I've never seen Troach drops again. Do they still make them?

Hi Rita, oh I wish! My sister and I always mention them when reminiscing! I think I managed to get some about 10 years ago from the Back-to-Backs

 

[castalla]

Wow what a fantastic thread. I was a lad living in Chinnbrook Road sort of between 1962 to 65 or thereabouts. I was 6 or 7 when I used to go into the Outdoor at the Valley with pop bottles and buy Vimto. I remember waiting outside while my grandad was drinking inside and he would bring us a packet of Troach Drops out and some crisps. I remember Poppins shop too and the prefabs near the bus terminus. Oh what grand days!

My Grandad used to use said pub he lived in Pendeen Road, he probally knew your Grandad

 

[BrummyPaul]

My Grandad used to use said pub he lived in Pendeen Road, he probally knew your Grandad

Possibly yes, he spent all his time in there. His name was Bill (William) Davis and lived in Chinbrook Road. Never without his flat cap and old suit. Wonderful!

 

[Rita Hawkins]

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.

 

[Rita Hawkins]

I lived in one of the valley prefabs from 1949 until 1960, then moved to Haunch Lane. Mrs Shotton had Popins and there was a tobacconist next door.

 

[Peter1]

View attachment 90880

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)

Yes, that picture brings back memories. I walked down that road for years. My mom worked in a school kitchen and as a young child I was left with a lovely woman in Chinn Brook Road, - Mrs Marsdon, while she worked in the school kitchen. Mrs Marsden used to put thousands of pins together every day. 10 little pins on a big pin, I guess for a factory - Pin Money!!. I used to 'help' her lol. Her children will still be alive, sadly cannot recall their names.

 

[Peter1]

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 partner remembers that horrible dentist very well. As a child of about 8/9 very timid and shaking he gave her a filling without injection, muttering to himself the whole time.

 

[poolpit]

Yes, that picture brings back memories. I walked down that road for years. My mom worked in a school kitchen and as a young child I was left with a lovely woman in Chinn Brook Road, - Mrs Marsdon, while she worked in the school kitchen. Mrs Marsden used to put thousands of pins together every day. 10 little pins on a big pin, I guess for a factory - Pin Money!!. I used to 'help' her lol. Her children will still be alive, sadly cannot recall their names.

I used go to school with John Marsden or don who used to live in Chinnbrook it was a corner house can’t remember if it was on the cornerstone the bottom of Hullbrook or Halstead Rd.

 

[Peter1]

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.

Wow, I remember the Tudor Saturday morning matinee with such fabulous joy - every Saturday morning cartoons and films - simple and wonderful concept. On one occasion children who had a birthday could go on the stage and receive something, can't remember what - voucher?. Another time children were asked if they wanted to sing (mime) to a song on stage during a break. My friend Glen Macdowell and I saved and bought the record to be played and for us to mime to (Peter and Gordon 'please lock me away'..made cardboard guitars, lol and practiced the words again and again for our moms. Our day came and we did it nervously but such fun. I can still remember the words to the song, have not thought about it for decades, until this forum on the Tudor stimulated it. I also remember the song...'We all the boys and girls well known as children of the ABC (which we would shout loud) etc. So high at the end of the films we would run out the pictures and over the back to the ground as I recall it the common. This became a battle ground to replay whatever the film was we had just seen. Ha.

 

[Peter1]

I used go to school with John Marsden or don who used to live in Chinnbrook it was a corner house can’t remember if it was on the cornerstone the bottom of Hullbrook or Halstead Rd.

OMG You are right it was probably Marsden. It was a corner house big grass area out front and garage to the right. Halfway down Chinn Brook before the shops. I lived in Eastham Road at that time.

 

[poolpit]

OMG You are right it was probably Marsden. It was a corner house big grass area out front and garage to the right. Halfway down Chinn Brook before the shops. I lived in Eastham Road at that time.

Sounds like the house I remember , I lived Beauchamp Road .

 

[Radiorails]

Yes, that picture brings back memories. I walked down that road for years. My mom worked in a school kitchen and as a young child I was left with a lovely woman in Chinn Brook Road, - Mrs Marsdon, while she worked in the school kitchen. Mrs Marsden used to put thousands of pins together every day. 10 little pins on a big pin, I guess for a factory - Pin Money!!. I used to 'help' her lol. Her children will still be alive, sadly cannot recall their names.

It could well have been as a home worker for this company:

Newey Goodman Ltd Robin Hood Lane

Would anyone have any information regarding this company? ie what it produced etc. My Great Aunt worked there as a PA/Secretary until just before her death in 1986. Her name was Marjorie Renouf and I know very little about her other than she lived in Keddleston Road. Many thanks in...

birminghamhistory.co.uk

 

[Peter1]

It could well have been as a home worker for this company:

Newey Goodman Ltd Robin Hood Lane

Would anyone have any information regarding this company? ie what it produced etc. My Great Aunt worked there as a PA/Secretary until just before her death in 1986. Her name was Marjorie Renouf and I know very little about her other than she lived in Keddleston Road. Many thanks in...

birminghamhistory.co.uk

Definitely a home worker.

 

[Villian64]

Yes, that picture brings back memories. I walked down that road for years. My mom worked in a school kitchen and as a young child I was left with a lovely woman in Chinn Brook Road, - Mrs Marsdon, while she worked in the school kitchen. Mrs Marsden used to put thousands of pins together every day. 10 little pins on a big pin, I guess for a factory - Pin Money!!. I used to 'help' her lol. Her children will still be alive, sadly cannot recall their names.

pins for Laughton's /Elbiefs probably