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Ward End Park

I only ever visited Ward End Park on a couple of occasions. It was a bit off my beaten track as a youngster. So the only time I ever visited was on family days out. One thing sticks in my mind was sitting on the lawn outside the café and my mother asking if I wanted a glass of pop or an ice cream. I surprised everybody including myself by asking for a cup of tea. The first signs of growing up I suppose.

I remember walking alongside the boating pond, it doesn't seem to have changed a great deal over the years because I remember it being very like this photo.


Phil
 

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My dad was a parks policeman, Sergeant Smith, and Ward End Park was was of the ones he patrolled reularly in the 50s and early 60s. Come on, own up, how many of you did he catch doing the wrong thing?
 
I attended the nursey school in Ward End Park mid 50's.My grandparents lived in Pelham Road and both parents attended Sladefield Road school.
 
Phil. Hello again, I see the boat house in the distance close to Washwood Heath Road, I think the so called " Witches House " was just to the left as you would enter Church Walk, I think it was an old bungalow but it was so long ago and we used to hurry past it rather quickly. Very fond memories of the pond and all its inhabitants. I took some photographs in Ward End Park some years ago and did not realise how beautiful it was until I got the photographs were developed.
 
blacksmith.was he base'd at leslie rd perry barr.when i worked for the parks dept,1970's there was a team there.mostly they patrol'd at night times.in ford anglia vans. "livery was B.C.P.D patrol".
 
Icarus, thanks for the map. I am pretty sure it must have been St Marks I was christened in as I really do believe it was pretty close to a railway line. I remember my mother taking me there when we stayed at my nan and grandads for month or so in 1973/4.

Funny but I thought the church was actually in the park itself, seems like my childhood memories have been deceiving me again.

Thanks again.

Ali
 
There was then and still is a grassed area with a few trees right across Washwood Heath road from St Marks with a few cottages along the top of the railway embankment. We used to kick a ball across there on the way to school. That area seemed fairly large to a young boy and might have seemed like a park to you. On Highfield Road next to the railway was the labour exchange. It was indeed a nice area back in the 40s but most of our houses were very basic and damp compared to today.
 
blacksmith.was he base'd at leslie rd perry barr.when i worked for the parks dept,1970's there was a team there.mostly they patrol'd at night times.in ford anglia vans. "livery was B.C.P.D patrol".

No he died in 1973, and had been retired for some years then.
 
Here's a couple of PC's I have of Ward End Park, quite early pics but I'm sure they'll stir up a few memories for some.
Macca
 
I can remember well going up to Ward End Park every night with all my friends from Nansen Road Girls school, looking for lads! We used to meet lads who came from The Meadway and Shard End etc. as well as locals. All good innocent fun. Mind you some of the Glebe lads were a bit scary and caused a few fights especially when the fair was there. I remember one fight that ended up in the lake.
Wendy
 
Speaking of Ward End Park does anyone remember the brook that ran through it and playing a game called bashes which involved following a chosen leader to jump over the brook at certain places and getting wet when you did not make it.
The brook also ran under Southhalls and was some very funny colours at times.
Wiggey
 
I have very fond memories of Ward End Park when I was a child in the 1940's and 50's. With my friends we would cycle from Alum Rock Road wheel our bikes round the pond and watch people rowing and men fishing all round the pond. Every year a fair would arrive and I can remember us sitting on the hill near the railway line watching all the rides,stalls etc. being errected.It was so exiting and if we were lucky enough we were given our pocket money to spend at the fair, great fun. Every summer there was always a big marquee and some very famous people came to entertain the public, there were talent shows and one of our schoolfriends Shirley could sing just like Ruby Murray, so we would go to cheer her on. I can remember my brother Geoff singing there too he had a lovely voice and won many contests. Years later I would take my son in his pram to feed the ducks on the pond. Such a lovely park then.
 
did most of my courting in that park it was a loverly place then,we used to go on the boats and watch the swans swimming by,Good old days
 
I met my wife in Ward end park,me and my mate were on the rowing boats one Sunday afternoon,
we a spyed these two young ladies on a bench, asked them if they would like to come on the boat with us.
Cut a long story short we courted them and married them over fourty years ago,we,re still all mates and caravan together
we were out in our caravans two weeks ago,happy days regards dereklcg
 
What a lovely story Derek. I have seen the park many times but have never been. Michael relays many stories of his youth in the Park...Happy Caravaning!!
 
My dad was a parks policeman, Sergeant Smith, and Ward End Park was was of the ones he patrolled reularly in the 50s and early 60s. Come on, own up, how many of you did he catch doing the wrong thing?
He wasn't the one who rode the Ariel motorbike, by any chance. Oh, how many times was I told off for cycling in the park by the guy(s) on the Ariel. That would be between 1960 and 1965, I'd guess.

I recall scrumping apples from the back of the shop next to the entrance on Ward End Road and eating them while sitting of the swings in the park. Until the shopkeeper threw a bucket of water over me one time.

I used to go fishing in the pond. I never caught anything. That says more about my fishing than the content of the pond, mind.
 
Well, he certainly did have a motorbike, but I'm not sure of its make. Mind you, I think all the parks policemen had motorbikes in those days. I think I've got a photo of him on his motorbike somewhere. I'll have to find it out and put it on here.
 
When my eldest son was born in 1963 I spent many happy hours pushing his pram round the park and sitting watching the old chaps play bowls.
I recall a very tall slim park keeper called Jack he had a large push bike, the kids were terrified of him.
 
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