• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Tillingham Street Birmingham 11

Thanks again Mike, That imfo has kind of made my day. I was beginning to doubt my memory (again!) as at one time I used to work for a finance company and the biggest part was knocking on doors to chase overdue accounts.
Whilst it had it's downside the pay and perks were good.
The first bit was planning your day like sorting the calls according to the area, ie if it were The Orchard Estate in Cheltenham you knew that Pear Close was off Bramley St, then into "odds" and "evens" to save zigzagging.
Cheers Tim
 
My great great grandparents, George (born 1843) and Eliza (born 1851) Mead, lived at 40 Tillingham Street in 1914. George (real name Alexander Mede) was German and, consequently, Eliza was German by marriage. They both had to register as Enemy Aliens at the start of the First World War in August 1914.
 
Viv

As I said before, there is no need to replace any of my images, as I still have them all. When you come across them just let me know and I will replace them, it's one job less for you. Mind you the second image is not one of mine so it's bonus.
 
Thanks Phil. Do you know the occasion of the photos ? Was it the 1953 Coronation? Viv.
 
Viv,

As I said in my post at the time I though it might be the 1935 King George V Silver Jubilee Celebrations it looks about right,
 
Last edited:
Think you are right on the button Phil with 1935. I was born in 1938 and from the style of clothing it was that bit before me. The only names familiar to me were Mrs Green ( we didn't use her shop much as we were clients of Oscar Aldworth just round the corner in Turner St. but my mate Gerald Crook's lived pretty opposite her).
I think no 40 would have been just a bit further up on the right (where the two ghost like ladies are walking past each other. The other name was Mrs.Preece, wife of the retired policeman who lived in the house next to the shop (towards the talking women ). They owned one of the 2 or 3 cars in the street. Mr Preece would drive it from the garage they rented in Ladypool Rd.at the bottom of the street, park it outside their house (facing up the street), have their Sunday lunch then go for a drive then return it to the garage until next Sunday. It was maroon 8 or 10hp Morris.
Cheers Tim
 
Think you are right on the button Phil with 1935. I was born in 1938 and from the style of clothing it was that bit before me. The only names familiar to me were Mrs Green ( we didn't use her shop much as we were clients of Oscar Aldworth just round the corner in Turner St. but my mate Gerald Crook's lived pretty opposite her).
I think no 40 would have been just a bit further up on the right (where the two ghost like ladies are walking past each other. The other name was Mrs.Preece, wife of the retired policeman who lived in the house next to the shop (towards the talking women ). They owned one of the 2 or 3 cars in the street. Mr Preece would drive it from the garage they rented in Ladypool Rd.at the bottom of the street, park it outside their house (facing up the street), have their Sunday lunch then go for a drive then return it to the garage until next Sunday. It was maroon 8 or 10hp Morris.
Cheers Tim
Thank you!
 
Hi Alexander, the pictures show the street looking towards Turner St. from about half down the street and the latter looking down towards Ladypool Rd. I would say this was taken from about no 9 or 10 as we lived in no 7 and just missed out.
I calculated this based on the door steps, sounds daft I know but the houses were apparently built by different builders, 2or 3 in a block and the steps all varied. As a kid you soon learnt which step gave you safety in games like Tag, off the pavement you were immune. At our end Mrs. Coles had the highest which was a bit unfair as she was the shortest lady in the street and lived near the lamppost at approx. no11. maybe just past the lady with the dog on the lead who may Mrs Bridges (?).
Unfortunately the photo isn't the best ( nor is my memory.) and was taken a bit before my birth in 1938.
But life is a challenge so lets enjoy it.
Cheers Tim.
 
Hi Alexander, the pictures show the street looking towards Turner St. from about half down the street and the latter looking down towards Ladypool Rd. I would say this was taken from about no 9 or 10 as we lived in no 7 and just missed out.
I calculated this based on the door steps, sounds daft I know but the houses were apparently built by different builders, 2or 3 in a block and the steps all varied. As a kid you soon learnt which step gave you safety in games like Tag, off the pavement you were immune. At our end Mrs. Coles had the highest which was a bit unfair as she was the shortest lady in the street and lived near the lamppost at approx. no11. maybe just past the lady with the dog on the lead who may Mrs Bridges (?).
Unfortunately the photo isn't the best ( nor is my memory.) and was taken a bit before my birth in 1938.
But life is a challenge so lets enjoy it.
Cheers Tim.

Thank you very much, Tim. Most interesting, you have a really good memory!

The next generation of Meads was still at number 40 in 1939, although I suspect, by then, the family's "Germanness" had been forgotten. I am researching hard to find any stories of how George and Eliza were treated by the local community in 1914 when it became common knowledge that George was still German and had never been naturalised British, despite him saying that he had. It must have been a difficult time for them.

Anyhow, thanks for now.

Best wishes

Alexander
 
Welcome Alexander. Unfortunately the images from this thread have been lost, but here are two which might be of interest. Hopefully someone can tell us the occasion. Enjoy the firum. Viv.

View attachment 116513 View attachment 116514
Wow all these stories and photos are fabulous! Thank you all so much! I feel like I’m stepping back into my ancestors’ time and lives.

My great grandfather worked at the General Store some time after these photos I think? Photo attached. He was a Baker - Arthur W Morris. My cousin Nick Morris shared this photo of him standing outside the store. Identifying it as being in Highgate. In 1911 census Arthur and his family lived at 22 Upper Highgate Street, Birmingham. 1881 Census records identify his father James having a shop - with the family living there also - as they're all named at the address of the "shop" at 3 Tillingham Street. I wonder if this photo might be James rather than Arthur (1873-1943) ?? as this store looks very much like the one on the far right of a previous photo of Tillingham Street posted in this thread - the one taken at the time of the 1935 King George V Silver Jubilee Street party, with the street mostly empty, just the bunting up everywhere. Though perhaps all the shops looked very similar. The man in the photo does look like another photo of Arthur that we have though. Can anyone identify the approximate era of this photo from the signs??
 

Attachments

  • Arthur William Morris photo standing at door of his grocers shop Highgate Birmingham from cous...png
    Arthur William Morris photo standing at door of his grocers shop Highgate Birmingham from cous...png
    1.1 MB · Views: 14
Last edited:
Hi Alexander, the pictures show the street looking towards Turner St. from about half down the street and the latter looking down towards Ladypool Rd. I would say this was taken from about no 9 or 10 as we lived in no 7 and just missed out.
I calculated this based on the door steps, sounds daft I know but the houses were apparently built by different builders, 2or 3 in a block and the steps all varied. As a kid you soon learnt which step gave you safety in games like Tag, off the pavement you were immune. At our end Mrs. Coles had the highest which was a bit unfair as she was the shortest lady in the street and lived near the lamppost at approx. no11. maybe just past the lady with the dog on the lead who may Mrs Bridges (?).
Unfortunately the photo isn't the best ( nor is my memory.) and was taken a bit before my birth in 1938.
But life is a challenge so lets enjoy it.
Cheers Tim.
ha ha - love that you learned which steps gave you safety in tag! Needs must..
 
It looks as though there is a number 23 to the right of the door which would tie in nicely with the 1939 register.

View attachment 166679
Oh my goodness. That’s fantastic. So this identifies Arthur (my Great Grandfather) as a Shopkeeper at a GreenGrocers. I found one register that identified him as a baker & confectioner. I’ll have to check which date that was though. Thank you so much!
 
Last edited:
Oh my goodness. That’s fantastic. So this identifies Arthur (my Great Grandfather) as a Shopkeeper at a GreenGrocers. I found one register that identified him as a baker & confectioner. I’ll have to check which date that was though. Thank you so much!
PS Well done spotting the number!
 
Oh my goodness. That’s fantastic. So this identifies Arthur (my Great Grandfather) as a Shopkeeper at a GreenGrocers. I found one register that identified him as a baker & confectioner. I’ll have to check which date that was though. Thank you so much!
I think the 1939 reg says "General Grocer" - with shopkeeper in brackets - not greengrocer.
 
Back
Top