Wills Street

[Paul Mann]

No problem, Lyn - nice to add something - we actually lived in Great Barr (and prior to that Kingstanding ) - we have no family connection to Wills Street except for Malleys.

Hi Sir Steve. My wife used to live at 316 Queslett Road. The house in now part of Old Forns Inn car park. I see other people now use 316, strange. When I first new my wife in 197 it was all country around there, the odd bus along Quesslett Road. Regards Paul

 

[Astoness]

hi folks work on nos 2 to 8 has not moved on since i took photos in may..see post 36...seems to have ground to a halt after refurbing just half of the properties...im no expert but taking a closer look today there could be problems structure wise...even subsidence...will keep you updated with any further movements

lyn

 

[Bill Boyd]

Dam, i was looking forward to looking at one of those flats.

 

[LOZELLIAN]

Dam, i was looking forward to looking at one of those flats.

Hello Bill,

I'd stick with your memories mate as I do, as the area ain't what it was when I was a "young un" (mid fifties - early sixties), we moved away in 1962/3 but, I have to say I still cherish the happy memories of those days.

Lozellian.

 

[Bill Boyd]

Cheers Lozellian, i no they say you shouldnt go back. But i liked it round that way.

 

[LOZELLIAN]

Cheers Lozellian, i no they say you shouldnt go back. But i liked it round that way.

Hi Bill, me too mate I loved it round there and I missed it terribly when we moved away but, I made new friends & I agree with you, you can't go back so I think nostalgic reminiscences are the best bet nowadays.

Lozellian.

 

[Bill Boyd]

was the flats been done now.

 

[NoelleO 64]

was the flats been done now.

I went to St Frances school in wills st . It W's around the time of casino clay and sonny Liston fight 1963-64 maybe Mr woods the head master slipper ed us all , well about 100 kids one morning for going over the bomb peck before school started. Someone sea the was a witch's hat in a window

 

[oldMohawk]

Keith Berry photographed Wills Street on a snowy day in 1980 and then took several photos in 2006.

 

[Astoness]

great photos phil....the boarded up pub was the waterloo now gone and new housing on the ground..photo 3 shows in the distance the angel pub corner of george st and wills st...no longer a pub but it is still standing...if you have anymore of wills st knocking about phil would love to see them...thanks

lyn

 

[oldMohawk]

great photos phil....the boarded up pub was the waterloo now gone and new housing on the ground..photo 3 shows in the distance the angel pub corner of george st and wills st...no longer a pub but it is still standing...if you have anymore of wills st knocking about phil would love to see them...thanks
lyn

Hi Lyn, I think the only other pics I know of are in the Lozells Reposted thread.
Here is an aerial photo dated 1950. The Villa Cross cinema top left and Lozells Rd runs across the top of the pic. Wills Street lower down also running across the pic.

Use the forum zoom feature or save the above pic and then zoom in on it using a photo viewer app. It is a 'stitched' set of images from 'britainfromabove' website.

A similar view today.

 

[Astoness]

thanks phil i can clearly see the angel pub corner of george st and wills st...is there any chance you could come further down villa st please..my house is further down on the right nearer to the bottom of villa st...with luck i may get to see it...no worries if not phil

lyn

 

[Richarddye]

Keith Berry photographed Wills Street on a snowy day in 1980 and then took several photos in 2006.
View attachment 147647
View attachment 147648
View attachment 147649
View attachment 147650
View attachment 147651
View attachment 147652
View attachment 147653

oldMohawk, great snowy day photo.....Not so sure about the others, thank you again!

 

[Richarddye]

Hi Lyn, I think the only other pics I know of are in the Lozells Reposted thread.
Here is an aerial photo dated 1950. The Villa Cross cinema top left and Lozells Rd runs across the top of the pic. Wills Street lower down also running across the pic.
View attachment 147659
Use the forum zoom feature or save the above pic and then zoom in on it using a photo viewer app.

A similar view today.
View attachment 147660

Grat pictures oldMohawk...............I lived right behind the Villa Cross picture house. My old stopping grounds before I was 16!

 

[oldMohawk]

thanks phil i can clearly see the angel pub corner of george st and wills st...is there any chance you could come further down villa st please..my house is further down on the right nearer to the bottom of villa st...with luck i may get to see it...no worries if not phil
lyn

Hi Lyn, There is this 1950 view below showing the section of Villa St down to Nursery Rd. Unfortunately 'Aerofilms' scratched an editing mark on the negative down the left side.
Phil

cropped image is from 'britainfromabove' website

 

[oldMohawk]

Grat pictures oldMohawk...............I lived right behind the Villa Cross picture house. My old stopping grounds before I was 16!

Hi Richard, here is a 1937 aerial view of behind the Villa Cross Cinema seen centre right in the pic. Maybe you can zoom-in and spot your house ..

cropped image is from 'britainfromabove' website

 

[Astoness]

thanks phil i have got that shot but this one seems a tad clearer...looking up villa st on the left you can see a white walled building that is the vine inn then just a little way up from that is another white walled building that is the villa tavern next to that is southalls factory... just where the no 8 is running along nursery road it is in line with the white fronted sally army building...if you stood at the back of the sally my back garden is 2 along and i can make out our apple tree...can also see our attic window ...brilliant thanks...

lyn

 

[Richarddye]

Hi Richard, here is a 1937 aerial view of behind the Villa Cross Cinema seen centre right in the pic. Maybe you can zoom-in and spot your house ..
View attachment 147666
cropped image is from 'britainfromabove' website

Thank you so much! Another great shot oldMohawk. I zoomed in and there it was partially hidden behind trees. It is two houses in from Wycliffe Rd which is the first road in from Hamsted Rd. Thank you!

 

[NoelleO 64]

thanks phil i have got that shot but this one seems a tad clearer...looking up villa st on the left you can see a white walled building that is the vine inn then just a little way up from that is another white walled building that is the villa tavern next to that is southalls factory... just where the no 8 is running along nursery road it is in line with the white fronted sally army building...if you stood at the back of the sally my back garden is 2 along and i can make out our apple tree...can also see our attic window ...brilliant thanks...

lyn

I can see the house I also lived in just above the 't' in the word britain
And level with the church spire on hunters rd I lived at the right hand half of the last house on hall rd no 8. Nice to see it again.

 

[oldMohawk]

I can see the house I also lived in just above the 't' in the word britain
And level with the church spire on hunters rd I lived at the right hand half of the last house on hall rd no 8. Nice to see it again.

A close up view of the houses in Hall Road as they were in 1937. The back gardens had a lot of trees in those days. All those house are now gone and replaced by different houses.