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The Valley pub, Billesley

Still remember that school dentist , can see that grinning ghoulish lady that held the mask to my face.
Saturday at the Tudor, and ice cream on walk home at the newsagents.
And what a fabulous air show and display at the common , Harriers up and down , Vulcan flying over our house in stirchley also all the display aircraft flew over us on route to the common.
Plenty of static displays on ground , dog handling R A F regiment marching and defence displays
Doubt if the R A F have enough planes now to repeat that show.
Wonderful memories of good Ol Brum not that long ago.
 
Streamboy, you brought back some good memories for me.....I went to the same air show on Billesley Common with my family and gazed in wonder as the Harrier Jump Jet - went up and down - as you described it and the Vulcan bomber so loud as to nearly deafen everyone. When we arrived home, the Vulcan flew over our house when we hoped that our windows wouldn't crack with the vibration the plane created.
 
I lived right opposite The Valley Pub growing up in the 1970's. 850 Yardley Wood Rd. This was my dad and mom's local pub. They played dominos for the team there also I remember my mom playing darts for 24 hours for charity. I would wait outside in my dad's car playing in the car park and sitting waiting for them to come out when finished. I remember the owner had children Michelle and Terrance. I can remember our coal man called Sid who lived on Chin Brook rd. I can remember the 18 bus terminal and the prefab type houses that was on the side going up Yardley Wood rd, I had a friend who lived in one there and we would go into her shed to play. I also remember the Poppin shop, we called it the 1p shop, I think there was a green grocer by the Poppin shop as I can recall apples being outside in boxes. I went to Billesley Junior School and I walked there by myself in them years without any hassle and felt safe.
 
The earliest memories I have as a child is living in the prefabs opposite the Valley pub. I was born in 1946 and assume because of that my parents (dad just out of the navy) managed to get new prefab. Can remember sweet shop opposite, Pop-ins, brook in front, and his terminus. Catching 24 bus to nan's who lived in Main Street, Sparkbrook. I would have been about 3 and my sister 7.
 
Arnie said:
The earliest memories I have as a child is living in the prefabs opposite the Valley pub. I was born in 1946 and assume because of that my parents (dad just out of the navy) managed to get new prefab. Can remember sweet shop opposite, Pop-ins, brook in front, and his terminus. Catching 24 bus to nan's who lived in Main Street, Sparkbrook. I would have been about 3 and my sister 7.
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We lived at number 845, 3rd pair down from Haunch Lane, between 1950 and1960. Which one was yours?
 
Rita Hawkins said:
We lived at number 845, 3rd pair down from Haunch Lane, between 1950 and1960. Which one was yours?
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I really can't remember, don't know when these prefabs were put up but we must have moved in shortly after. My sister who is 4 years older than me can recall living with our grandparents in Highters Road, because of the shortage of space when I came along I can only assume the council allocated a prefab. I can recall my father giving me a lift on the fueltank of his motorbike along the rough piece of road by the brook. We must have been quite posh because dad had a motorbike and sidecar! By the time I went to infant school at Highters Heath we were back in another house in Highters Road. We did move a few times via council house exchanges. I would probably have left the prefab before 1950.
 
Arnie said:
I really can't remember, don't know when these prefabs were put up but we must have moved in shortly after. My sister who is 4 years older than me can recall living with our grandparents in Highters Road, because of the shortage of space when I came along I can only assume the council allocated a prefab. I can recall my father giving me a lift on the fueltank of his motorbike along the rough piece of road by the brook. We must have been quite posh because dad had a motorbike and sidecar! By the time I went to infant school at Highters Heath we were back in another house in Highters Road. We did move a few times via council house exchanges. I would probably have left the prefab before 1950.
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I thought I didn't recognise the name. We must have moved in as you were moving out!
 
Isn't memory a wonderful thing? I am 74 and am drawing on memories from over 70 years ago. Yet I can't remember what I did yesterday. So wonderful to have found this forum.
 
There was, Mr & Mrs Janes and children, Mrs Price, Alice Gilkes with Mrs Webb, VIolet and Danny Withey, Mr Collins, Mrs Jeffcott, Alan Downes, the Langfords (Brian), John Carter. I'm 76 and can't remember the score in Birmingham City's last game on Saturday!
 
Rita Hawkins said:
There was, Mr & Mrs Janes and children, Mrs Price, Alice Gilkes with Mrs Webb, VIolet and Danny Withey, Mr Collins, Mrs Jeffcott, Alan Downes, the Langfords (Brian), John Carter. I'm 76 and can't remember the score in Birmingham City's last game on Saturday!
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Amazing Rita - those names will trigger other peoples thoughts.
 
Rita Hawkins said:
There was, Mr & Mrs Janes and children, Mrs Price, Alice Gilkes with Mrs Webb, VIolet and Danny Withey, Mr Collins, Mrs Jeffcott, Alan Downes, the Langfords (Brian), John Carter. I'm 76 and can't remember the score in Birmingham City's last game on Saturday!
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We were neighbours! I was at 843. I can recall going to a neighbours and having jam on toast, I thought it was lovely, could have been your mom. Best to forget Birmingham City's score!
 
Arnie said:
We were neighbours! I was at 843. I can recall going to a neighbours and having jam on toast, I thought it was lovely, could have been your mom. Best to forget Birmingham City's score!
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It will have been my Mom, she was a very kind lady, and I do remember your Mom's name, Stella Boodle! I must have met you very early in our time there. Hello again.
 
Rita Hawkins said:
It will have been my Mom, she was a very kind lady, and I do remember your Mom's name, Stella Boodle! I must have met you very early in our time there. Hello again.
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When did your family move out Rita? I can recall the couple that moved in after your family had gone. I know the guy worked as a groundsman at King Edwards Camp Hill in Vicarage Road, my old school.
 
Rita Hawkins said:
It will have been my Mom, she was a very kind lady, and I do remember your Mom's name, Stella Boodle! I must have met you very early in our time there. Hello again.
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hello Rita! Do you remember my sister at all, Ann Boodle? She would have been 7/8 and I (John) would have been 3/4 in 1950.
 
jmadone said:
Interesting to see the occupants of 847 in 1950. My Nan, Louisa Webb together with her stepdaughter and and step grandaughter Alice and Margaret Gilkes lived there also. I also lived there very briefly with my Mom and Dad around 1951 before we moved to Sheldon. I wonder when my Gran moved in? I always remember her living there.
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Only some e rolls are online but 1957 has this
1620895022267.png
 
pjmburns said:
1950 e roll to give a few more names:
View attachment 157069View attachment 157070View attachment 157071
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I remember Mrs Trevis in the last prefab by the turning circle. She had a big buddleia in the garden and I used to go and watch the butterflies.
Arnie said:
hello Rita! Do you remember my sister at all, Ann Boodle? She would have been 7/8 and I (John) would have been 3/4 in 1950.
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I remember there being 2 children next door but I didn't play outside the garden or house very much at first. I would have been 5, so in between the two of you, my sister Doreen was nearly 3.
 
Lovely, sadly I don't have any family photos of Brum, only holiday snaps. How wonderful it would have been to have a smartphone in the 1950's.
 
I have posted this picture before on the prefabs thread but here it is againIMG_20170817_0004.jpg
Mom and I outside the front door of 847 taken around 1950/51. It must have been newly built as the garden hadn't been planted yet. Somewhere I have another taken with my Dad "helping" him to dig the garden.
 
Hi all I’m new to forum I was born in oak Croft road in 1951 and the other half of my family lived in chinbrook, worked behind the bar at the Valley and the Haven in the 70s, a great pub back in the day something you don’t see now, a pub with a Bar / Smoke room / gents only / and an assembly room/ had some great times there, anyone remember the disco they had there on a Wednesday night in the 70s
 
Chrissie.w said:
I lived right opposite The Valley Pub growing up in the 1970's. 850 Yardley Wood Rd. This was my dad and mom's local pub. They played dominos for the team there also I remember my mom playing darts for 24 hours for charity. I would wait outside in my dad's car playing in the car park and sitting waiting for them to come out when finished. I remember the owner had children Michelle and Terrance. I can remember our coal man called Sid who lived on Chin Brook rd. I can remember the 18 bus terminal and the prefab type houses that was on the side going up Yardley Wood rd, I had a friend who lived in one there and we would go into her shed to play. I also remember the Poppin shop, we called it the 1p shop, I think there was a green grocer by the Poppin shop as I can recall apples being outside in boxes. I went to Billesley Junior School and I walked there by myself in them years without any hassle and felt safe.
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Hi im michelles and terences little sister my mom and dad was terry and sylvia
 
Rita Hawkins said:
Me in the back garden and Mom and Dad in the front doorway of the prefab
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Love these pictures. I lived in a prefab with mum dad and sister from about 1956 - 1961. I recall as wonderful times, they were on highfield Road, Yardley wood, opposite the doctors surgery. Dr Cadigan! My dad made the garden beautiful. We were all so proud to have a home.
 
Isn't it interesting that we all loved our prefabs. Would we still enjoy living in them now, I wonder, when we've got used to having central heating, double glazing, fitted carpets, etc etc? I think I would.
 
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