Wills Street

[kdk]

My dad lived at 27 Wills Street in the 1940/50s. He used to say it was an old Convent/Schoolhouse. As it doesn't exist anymore & hasn't for some time now, I was wondering if anyone has any information on this address.

 

[Rod]

In 1940's Kelly's Directory

27 Wills Street has the entry..........  Vale, Wm. Hy

In 1903 Kelly's Directory

27 Wills Street has the entry............Harry Turnpenny

In other directories I have 1892, 1897, 1943, 1945, 1954 there is no listing for 27

 

[Rod]

The above results are for Wills Street Lozells? there is a Wills Street Smethwick

 

[gingerjon]

second Rods reply but there was a Roman Catholic/school church in Wills street Lozells Berner street end so that fits in

 

[Pomgolian]

:angel: Just a thought, after doing a bit of family research and having to translate many abbreviations while doing so... Do you think : Vale Wm = Nuns (veiled women) and Hy = Holy (Church ladies) hence your convent house, maybe for teaching Nuns from the school at the end of the road.
As I said just a thought.

 

[Eric Gibson]

There is though a William Henry Vale in the freebmd list, born Birmingham Sept 1906 perhaps it's him. E.

 

[Pomgolian]

:angel: Yes Eric, that could also be what it means... ???

 

[Jules65]

Was unsure where to post this. I thought it may be of interest that the Waterloo Pub in Wills Street, Lozells is going to be demolished along with derelict houses at nos. 33 & 35 Wills Street. They are proposing to build four 3 to 4 bed houses there and there is a posibility that the council will buy 40% of the gardens of properties fronting onto Villa Street to extend the site. This would create an additional 2 six bedroom houses or 3 four bedroom houses with access from Overmore Close.

 

[Astoness]

took these the other day...numbers 2 to 8 wills street...couldnt resist a sneak round the back

 

[Astoness]

and round the back..really must stop doing this...im getting to old for it..

as if...

ps note the tiny window..

 

[Astoness]

and the waterloo pub is looking sorrier and sorrier

 

[maxwell bullivant]

Ah , brings back memories , the building Lyn( In Post 9 )was i think owned by Frank Elvins , they were builders or the like, next door was a house that when i was a kid ,in the 50s / 60s ,sold Honey , which reminds me that once a bloke walked along Wills st with a great big BEAR on a chain ???

 

[Astoness]

lol max...well im going to ask our dad about that bear on a chain...if it happened hopefully he will remember...unless he was coming out of the waterloo at the time....

lyn

 

[Jules65]

Ah , brings back memories , the building Lyn( In Post 9 )was i think owned by Frank Elvins , they were builders or the like, next door was a house that when i was a kid ,in the 50s / 60s ,sold Honey , which reminds me that once a bloke walked along Wills st with a great big BEAR on a chain ???

The only Elvins Builders that I knew had premises in Naden Road, just off Hunters Road.

 

[maxwell bullivant]

Yeah i remember the place in Naden Road , i think they were on the right as you joined from Hunters Rd , Green Sign , with wooden slated fence , Mr Elvin was a friend of my Grandfather Len Rudd , i still have a feeling that the place in wills st was also owned by Mr Elvin .

 

[Paul Mann]

took these the other day...numbers 2 to 8 wills street...couldnt resist a sneak round the back

Greeting, I lived in No8 from 1937 to 1951 my parent continued to love there until 1963 when they retired. Do you have any history of the house, I am sure they had a servant at some time. Paul

 

[Astoness]

no 8 is on the right of the street view pic below paul...maybe someone with access to the kellys directories could look up the number to find out a bit of history about it

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[mikejee]

Looking at the building, I would think this is the original house.
Remember that date of directory is publication date, so probably refers to year before.
Before 1876 houses in directories on this street are not numbered, but in 1876 and 1878 , although nos 2,4, ^ 6 are listed , no8 is not, and I suspect that it was not then built. From then no 8 is listed as:
1879-1880 William Faraday Johnston
1882-1884 William Chambers
1888 -1890 John Hunt
1892-1895 Not listed
1896-1897 James Gething
1899-1903 William Jones, builder
1908 Mrs Mary Fearnsides
1910-1912 James Edward Bendall
1913 1924 Mrs Ellen Bendall
1932 William Wyatt
From 1912 it is best to use the electoral roll, so:
1912 James Bendall
1918 James Bendall. absent voter M/311023, -Pte, 1/1 GloucesYeo
1920 Limited but increased Suffrage , so some women have vote and are included
1920 James Edward, Henry, David, Ellen, and Gordon James Bendall
1922 Ellen & David Bendall
1925 Edward Morgan & William, Ellen, Walter and Francis Wyatt
1927 William, Ellen, Walter, Francis and Gordon Wyatt
1930 William, Ellen, Walter, Francis, Gordon, Winifred and Eleanor Wyatt
1935 William, Francis, Gordon, and Eleanor Wyatt
1939 Wilfred & Gladys Mann

 

[Paul Mann]

Can we find the history of J & W Malley, they were the builders who owned 2 to 8. My father was the caretaker and I have memories of being there during the WW2. A Mr Abbot was the yard foreman. My brother and I used to collect salvage and take it to a house nearer the pub, The Angel ?? It was a Mr and Mrs DeBirmingham. This picture was taken by my brother some years ago. ran the salvage depot.

 

[Paul Mann]

second Rods reply but there was a Roman Catholic/school church in Wills street Lozells Berner street end so that fits in

I do not recall a Catholic church in Wills Street. There was an elemntary school along from No 8, I went ther for a while until they were evacuated, probably in 1941. The Catholic Church was, and still is, in Hunters Road. There is a convent opposite and my mother taught there from 1926 until 1863.
The roads across Wills Street were from Hunters Road, Brougham Street, Villa Street, Church Street, Angelsey Street, Burbury Street, Carpenters Road and Lozells Street.