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Then and Now - Witton Road Aston

Ian FOFB

Ian FOFB

Brummie yes ! Novice no !
The 'then' pictures are taken from old postcards, the 'now' pictures taken from Google Streetview.

Ian.
 

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Thansk Ian Pete like the photo's as he was born there and lived there till he was twenty three years old. Jean.
 
Thanks Ian, my old stomping ground. I think the scenes are from the bottom end of Trinity Road looking at the junction with Witton Road.
 
Yes, John, the camera was shooting from maybe 50 yards up Trinity Road. On the left-hand corner of Trinity Road and Witton Road was Sims' Greengrocers, owned and run by my mother's cousin Bill Sims and his huge wife Hilda, who when I was a kid hated my guts for no known reason!
Two doors from the shop on the LH side of Trinity Road lived my uncle and aunt Johnny and Dorothy Gladstone. Johnny was ex-RAF and a real Flying Officer Kite character. The shop on the RH corner of Trinity and Witton was (I think) a shoe-repairer, and on the opposite side of Witton was the Post Office. On the corner opposite to Sims' shop on Witton was a cowheel and tripe shop (again, I think - my memory's not what it was). We lived in The Broadway, and my mother did 90% of her shopping in Witton Road, where she could get just about everything we needed. Happy days!

Big Gee
 
Does anyone remember Claremonts Bakers at the top end of Witton road on the right?. They had another shop further down towards Witton Island. Jean.
 
Not sure Big Gee but I did a Saturday job there and sometimes after my paper round a couple of hours in the week filling doughnuts with jam. I didn't like the owners much at all but I was saving all my money towards a horse. Jean.
 
Hi Big Gee,
My parents use to holiday abroad with Bill & Hilda Sims just before the start of WW2,have many photos of them taken in the mountains of Switzland,when war was declared Dad went to the shop and loaded up with tin stuff to last the war !!!
Regards
Geoffrey.
 
Does anyone recall Mr. Jardine's cycle shop on Witton Road, it was on a corner but the name of the other road escapes me.
My parents bought me a new bike from him on the "never never" at 5 shillings per week.

On the right hand side almost up by the library going towards six ways there was a small block of shops. One I think was a model shop and a ladies clothes shop called Wigleys
 
Which end of Witton Road was the cycle shop? The name Jardine rings a bell.

The model shop was the Model Mecca run by George and Nancy Rowand, who I knew very well. It closed in the early 1980's and is now a second-hand washing-machine emporium. I also remember Wigley's, the only ladies outfitter my gran would ever use. On the other side of the road was another row of shops, just up from Trinity Road, and they included Minnie Peace's pet and gardening shop, and she was a real character if ever there was one.

Big Gee
 
Fancy the connection with GEOFFRY Big Gee?. Pete said his brother Brian had a run in with the owners of the Model shop and was going to put a brick through the window but he can't remember why?. Patty will remember the name of that dress shop as I think she did some time back. My mind has gone blank {again}. Jean.
 
christopher short said:
Does anyone recall Mr. Jardine's cycle shop on Witton Road, it was on a corner but the name of the other road escapes me.
My parents bought me a new bike from him on the "never never" at 5 shillings per week.

On the right hand side almost up by the library going towards six ways there was a small block of shops. One I think was a model shop and a ladies clothes shop called Wigleys
Click to expand...

Chris don't know if this is the shop but it was on the old Birmingham Forum. Just run down the page you will find it.
https://astonhistory.net/id173.html
 
G G Jean said:
Fancy the connection with GEOFFRY Big Gee?. Pete said his brother Brian had a run in with the owners of the Model shop and was going to put a brick through the window but he can't remember why?. Patty will remember the name of that dress shop as I think she did some time back. My mind has gone blank {again}. Jean.
Click to expand...

Brian wasn't the only one who had a run-in with the Model Mecca! They could be very awkward and unhelpful when the mood took them, as I found out on more than one occasion. But all in the dim and distant past now.

I think the dress shop was just called Wigley's, but could be wrong.

Big Gee
 
Hi Christopher,I was wondering if you were getting mr Jardine mixed up with the cycle shop on the corner of Witton Road and Jardine Road?Moss.
 
Pete said "does anyone remember Tommy's electrical repairs" opposite the Guild round the corner from Mansfield. Pete reckons he got so many electric shocks. He remembers he had an unfortunate curvature of his spine. Jean.
 
I bought my first air-pistol at Jardine Cycles - a Diana for about 17/6. My dad got it for me, as I was only about 8 at the time, and my mother went crackers when she saw it!

In the same block of shops was Oliver's Newsagents. I was a paper-boy for them for a few months, and hated it!

Big Gee
 
Jardine's cycle shop.

On the left hand side of the road walking up from Witton Island. Past the snooker hall then as I recall a row of houses then 3 or 4 shops and Jardine's was on the next corner. Mr. Jardine himself walked with a very pronounced limp.

Mrs. Wigley's shop was used by my Mother and her sisters because she specialised in what were known as "foundation garments !"
 
christopher short said:
jardine's cycle shop.

On the left hand side of the road walking up from witton island. Past the snooker hall then as i recall a row of houses then 3 or 4 shops and jardine's was on the next corner. Mr. Jardine himself walked with a very pronounced limp.

Mrs. Wigley's shop was used by my mother and her sisters because she specialised in what were known as "foundation garments !"
Click to expand...

chris there a link on page #15 to the shop picture
 
Ray, thanks for the photograph, it really brought back some memories.

The bakers almost opposite, was there family called Austin involved ?
 
Christopher I worked at the Bakers at the top owned by the same people and the name rings a bell but it is so long ago?. Jean.
 
christopher short said:
Ray, thanks for the photograph, it really brought back some memories.

The bakers almost opposite, was there family called Austin involved ?
Click to expand...

Chris I posted you a link to that photo yesterday after you asked for it 10 posts ago
 
Thanks Alf.
MossG. On reflection and after looking again at Alf's recommended photograph of Jardine Cycles, I think you are right. I assumed it was owned by a Mr Jardine - if so, the signs would probably have said Jardine's Cycles. I think one must conclude the shop was named after the road.
 
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