Recent content by Ian Dalziel

I also lived on the Chester Road, just a few houses up from Brenda Price (Bee Jay). Next door to us was a lovely lady, Mrs Morgan (nee Kirby). Was she a relative, because I believe she had several family members living in the area?

I still do. Sometimes, in a restaurant, if I don't want a large meal, I will order bread & butter and a bowl of chips and make a chip butty, much to the amusement of my children who will order a huge meal and then leave half of it.

When I shared a bed-sit in Gravelly Hill in the 1960s, one of my flat-mates used to rave about the fish and chips he bought from the Roman. I assumed that the chip shop owner was Italian but years later, it dawned on me that he meant that the shop served excellent roe. :D

Lovely to hear from you again after more than 60 years. Attended the funerals of Mr and Mrs Price and their son Keith. Have Sheila and Brenda's email addresses if you want to get in touch, but it has been some time since I last spoke to them. If you need any more info, send me a PM though this...

Hi Yvonne, Nice to hear from you, were you Brenda Price's friend?

I thought the residents of Water Orton may like this poem by my ex-manager, Spencer Lucas, when I worked in the Technical Dept at Fort Dunlop from 1958 until 1965. He moved to Water Orton when he got married in 1958 and only recently relocated to Scotland to live near his daughter after the...

The Bradford Arms was my father's local in the 40s 50s and 60s. I don't know why, but the landlord's name Henry Lathe (or Latham) has just popped into my head. Maybe someone else can confirm whether I'm right?

I think I was taught by your mother in the late 40s to early 50s

I knew it as the Victory Hall but it may have become the Castle Bromwich Club.

My first job was in the Technical Dept at Fort Dunlop in 1958. It was very boring for a 16 year old recording tyre failures for all the overseas factories, but essential in order to immediately stop production if a fault was spotted in the early stages. Excellent company which gave me part time...

This was my father's local (1940s -60s) where he met his friends every night. On our way back from Birmingham one day, my father got off the bus outside the Bradford and when I asked the reason why, my mother said he was going to his church. When we next passed the Bradford, I embarrassed her my...

Back row, far right looks like my brother Bob. If so, this photo is circa 1950.

I grew up in a house on the Chester Rd approx 1/2 mile before Bacons End and the wood behind our back garden was Smith's Wood. The farmer that owned it was a Mr Webb so I have no idea why it was called Smith's Wood.

For a while, there was also the 169 that terminated at Bacons End.

Regarding Police Stations, my recollection is that there was a police house/station on the side of Castle Bromwich village green in the 1940s manned by PC Colloby (Copper Colloby to us kids). I remember going there to report my stolen bike when I was 11. The station was probably terminated when...