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They Were Caught In Our Old Street Pics...

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Most of them have not spotted the camera they are looking in the fountain, wonder why ? No women in the picture, and a close look shows a baby alone on the pavement !
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Above pic linked to post https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=8484&p=430848#post430848
I remember walking around the side of this fountain one afternoon and someone knocked me straight in,i then had to walk all the way home to Kenyon Street Hockley and tel Mom what happened.
 
Every year, during the Lord Mayor's Appeal, a wire fence would be placed around the water spout at the centre of the fountain and folk would toss their coins over it in way of donations to the charity. As little scallies, we often paddled in there to collect anything that had fell short for our "personal charities" - us! :frog:




ps. wonder what those two lads are doing on the left with those cakes on their heads. :abnormal:​
 
A light hearted look at some of our old street pics. I enjoy looking at the buildings but often see a pic with people in it and find myself trying to imagine what they were doing, and what they were thinking ....

A 1940's dad taking baby for a walk. Is this the only old photo on the forum showing a man pushing a pram? 1940's dads did not usually push prams unless the wife was walking alongside, but this dad took the pram out and so he's on the forum !
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Above pic linked to post https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=24701&p=486018#post486018

Sorry to do this to you Mohawk but if
 
Hi David - No problems, we had discussed the various uses for prams in the 30s and 40s in post #37. About 200 yards from where that man is standing, there was the small local coal yard, but to get to it he would have taken a short cut across the pub car park. I've looked closely at the pic and could see what looked like a sack in the pram but decided they are his trowsers and he seems to have his hands in his pockets. It could be that he is just standing there minding the pram while his wife had popped into the pub out-door taking empties back for the deposits. Also behind the pub there were some allotments and maybe he his carrying home carrots and spuds in the pram !
I remember that coal could be scarce in the the 1940s and you had to keep on the right side of coal men. I remember dragging my sledge to the coal yard in the harsh winter of 1947 but I was only allowed a sack of coke which didn't burn so well .... In post #75 there is a comment about a long distance pram journey !
oldmohawk..
 
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Boy with Cake: might it be a bit of motion blur ? - and lots of bowler hats there, was that normal hat gear or special occassion ?

Pram: - thats observant Mohawk - it is trousers + hands in poc's now you've mentioned it, couldnt work that out until you said, but is that a white pillow in the pram ? just guessing - that might rule out our coal theory. Noticed a lady(?) on the far right and wondering if he's just spotted her nattering to his missus and decided to mark time on account of not wanting to get in the gossip convo. (!)

Can you post us a copy Sue ?
 
I have a Birmingham in 70's book and there I am walking across Temple Row dressed in my Maxi Coat!
Hi Sue - At last a forum member caught in a old street photo - looking forward to a photo upload ...
oldmohawk
 
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My partner and I were caught in a street photo in Medievil Spon End Cov. I think we were outside the Old Windmill, Ma Browns, one of the oldest yet not the oldest pub. Circa 1992.
 
Boy with Cake: might it be a bit of motion blur ? - and lots of bowler hats there, was that normal hat gear or special occassion ?
Hi Stephen - I think the boys carrying things on the heads might be trying to find who ordered a 'takeaway' or whatever they called them in those days !
Regarding the hats, it seems everyone wore a hat in those days - try and spot the ones not wearing hats here
 
Mybe they are hat boxes? I am recalling the film my fair lady and Oliver, I am sure boxes were round then like for fruit and things.
 
Good thinking - are you saying they had boxes with like a hat attached for head use ?
Rather than just balancing it - or have I lost the plot.

Might be fruit and veg (I guess) -- but how about snacks, ciggies or bakkie ?
Or was that too expensive / risky to transport like that ?
 
yes, I wonder if it might be some fruit etc in a container on his head, market porters used to carry stuff like that.
 
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