Then & Now

[farmerdave]

Probably doesn't affect search results but should it be St. Barnabas and not St. Barnabus?

 

[Astoness]

Outer Circle bus 358 KOV on Fox Hollies Rd at junction with Olton Blvd East. The bus is a long way from the Newtown Shopping Centre advertised on the bus.
View attachment 139237

Today not too much change but fencing stops folks crossing the road anywhere ... like they could years ago.
View attachment 139238

nice photo phil...interesting for me as the ad on the bus is for newtown shopping centre...do you have a date for it phil

lyn

 

[Spargone]

nice photo phil...interesting for me as the ad on the bus is for newtown shopping centre...do you have a date for it phil

lyn

The zig-zags suggest post 1971 and the bus logo pre 1974
Here is the same bus in the same livery, claimed to be 1972

 

[Phil]

Probably doesn't affect search results but should it be St. Barnabas and not St. Barnabus?

Yes farmerdave you are probably right, I've never been very much up on these saints names.

 

[Richard Dye]

I went to the St Barnabus Sunday School when I lived in Leamington Rd 1954-5 but, I didn't appreciate the architecture at the time.

There is SO much architecture that I took for granted back in the day......Now I'm trying to see it all!

 

[oldMohawk]

nice photo phil...interesting for me as the ad on the bus is for newtown shopping centre...do you have a date for it phil
lyn

Hi Lyn, unfortunately I have no date but as Spargone's post suggests I would say early 1970s.
Phil

 

[oldMohawk]

In 1953 Phyllis Nicklin stood on the corner of Golden Hillock Rd and Anderton Rd and took this photo. The BSA factory in the view. Small Heath station is just out of view on the left and a pub is on the right.


A similar view today.

 

[mikejee]

Thank you Farmer Dave. It made a great difference and produced many more hits, though most were not to do with this particular church. did not find any mention of a fire in the 1950s at St Barnabas. Did notice a note in 1956 that the congregation were to be merged with St Johns nearby, though in 1958 two funerals there were reported, so still there in 1958

 

[oldMohawk]

On a winter's day in the 1970s, Keith Berry photographed Witton Lane.


A similar view today.

 

[A Sparks]

I don't know if I'm right remembering this but my father told me the houses further down the view in the first photo, on the right of Witton Lane, used to be where the Aston Villa players lived? No posh mansions on the wages they received in those days!

 

[Bob Davis]

I don't know if I'm right remembering this but my father told me the houses further down the view in the first photo, on the right of Witton Lane, used to be where the Aston Villa players lived? No posh mansions on the wages they received in those days!

My dad, who was always right, told me the same thing.

Bob

 

[A Sparks]

My dad, who was always right, told me the same thing.

Bob

Well that's a definite then - my Dad was always right too!!

 

[oldMohawk]

I don't know if I'm right remembering this but my father told me the houses further down the view in the first photo, on the right of Witton Lane, used to be where the Aston Villa players lived? No posh mansions on the wages they received in those days!

Have a look at an old post below ...

Joe Beresford. Aston Villa - Club Houses/lodgings

Dean Beresford here, grandson of 1920s/30s Villa player Joe. I'm researching Joe's life/career and am looking for details on where he lived when he first arrived in Aston. I believe he was first put in lodgings by the club at 66 Witton Lane (May 1927) and I think Eric Houghton also lodged here...

birminghamhistory.co.uk

 

[Pedrocut]

I was told that Pongo Waring lived in the Witton Arms or the Aston Hotel!

 

[Bob Davis]

I was told that Pongo Waring lived in the Witton Arms or the Aston Hotel!

On match days I know Callaghhan and Cummings would often be seen coming out of the Witton Arms.

Bob

 

[oldMohawk]

My one and only visit to Villa Park and I think George Cummins was playing that day.

I've only ever watched one live professional football match - it was Aston Villa v Grimsby Town and the score was 3-3.
It was in 1947 so probably can be classed as 'near vintage'. A Google search pins it down to Sat 12 April 1947. Has anyone on the forum watched an earlier Villa match?
I was only little at the time and on the packed Witton end terrace I did not have a good viewpoint, so the crowd picked me up and passed me by hand overhead to a better place to watch !

Probably best to post any further AV football discussion in an Aston Villa thread ...

 

[Pedrocut]

On a winter's day in the 1970s, Keith Berry photographed Witton Lane.
View attachment 139252

A similar view today.
View attachment 139256

In the picture by Kieth Berry from the 70s the impressive building on the opposite side to the Holte Pub would probably have been the Aston Social Club?

Around 1940 it was known as the Loyal Caledonian Corks (Aston) Social Club Ltd.
1915 may have been used as the Board of Trade Labour Exchange, and 1883 to 1900 as Coffee House under various owners.

 

[Astoness]

On a winter's day in the 1970s, Keith Berry photographed Witton Lane.
View attachment 139252

A similar view today.
View attachment 139256

i think this thread shows us just how many lovely buildings have been lost....very often i do have to wonder what for....

lyn

 

[Richard Dye]

i think this thread shows us just how many lovely buildings have been lost....very often i do have to wonder what for....

lyn

Lyn, absolutely! Many times I just wonder why, I worked in industry all my life building and modifying plants, it seems that the private sector is held to different guidelines that the public sector!

 

[oldMohawk]

Long ago Keith Berry took a photo of the Villa Star Cafe on the corner of Nelson Rd and Trinity Rd with Aston Villa football ground behind it.


The cafe is long gone. A brick gate post in this view is not the same one seen in the old pic but its position looks the same.

 

[Pedrocut]

Not only is the gatepost different, but the lovely old front of the Stadium has gone. Wonder who gave permission?

 

[Morturn]

I remember that cafe and the enormous breakfast they cooked

 

[ellbrown]

Villa Park from Trinity Road in January 2010.

 

[Richard Dye]

Long ago Keith Berry took a photo of the Villa Star Cafe on the corner of Nelson Rd and Trinity Rd with Aston Villa football ground behind it.
View attachment 139287

The cafe is long gone. A brick gate post in this view is not the same one seen in the old pic but its position looks the same.
View attachment 139288

WOW...…….I remember that café oh so well, I have an aunt and uncle that live not too far from there.

 

[oldMohawk]

It's twenty minutes past four at Five Ways but date unknown. A small one seat car drives across.


A similar view today.

 

[Richard Dye]

It's twenty minutes past four at Five Ways but date unknown. A small one seat car drives across.
View attachment 139398

A similar view today.
View attachment 139399

Thank you OldMohawk, the old picture has character, the new has cars!

 

[Radiorails]

I believe the tram is car 414. If so it would date the photo between 1912 and 1915. 1912 was when the tram entered service and 1915 when it got route number boxes at roof level.

 

[Phil]

The Ashted cinema on the corner of Willis Street and Ashted Row sometime before 1958 when it was demolished. I remember seeing the film advertised on the board at this cinema. I could even have been inside when the photo was taken.

 

[john knight]

I saw the same film Phil, we both may have been in there, was my local cinema.

 

[Phil]

John

I couldn't have been more local I lived about a three minute walk away in Francis Street, when I think about it I spent an inordinate amount of time in that cinema. I suppose because it was so cheap and we didn't have a television until about 1960 at the earliest.