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127 Church Lane, Handsworth (1948) Mandalay Nursing Maternity Home

JenniferM

Brummie babby
Hi All,

I am wondering if anyone can tell me the name of the home (or who ran it) at 127 Church Lane in Handsworth in 1948. I'm assuming this is a home as it's the information that was provided to me. I don't have access to a Kelly's directory. I know that the building number possibly changed in the 1960s when they widened the road.

Thanks you so much.
 
A bit later, but a boys' club (Park Celtic Boys' Club) was running out of there and run by youngsters !

They had a football team, going since at least 1940.

Screenshot_20240829_155556_Chrome.jpg

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Source: British Newspaper Archive
 
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I saw that @Astoness, but my research also shows that some buildings on the street were renumbered during the 1960s when they widened the road. So, I can't even be sure that's the right building anymore!
 
I saw that @Astoness, but my research also shows that some buildings on the street were renumbered during the 1960s when they widened the road. So, I can't even be sure that's the right building anymore!

i find that odd...unusual to re number during the 60s and i cant really see how the road was widened..maybe someone with a bit more knowledge could help us

lyn
 
According to Connecting Histories link, it was #124, changing to #150 in the 1960s. So where does #127 fit into this ? I'm confused!
 
i am still confused as you asked about no 127...just read your above link and it says it was no 124 that was changed to no 150
 
@Astoness and @Vivienne14 , I just assumed that if some buildings nearby were renumbered that others would have been renumbered, too. It seems odd that only one building would have been renumbered in the 1960s while adjacent buildings or those across the street retained their original numbering. It was just to say that a contemporary Google street view of 127 may not show the building that was numbered 127 in 1948.
 
jennifer see my post 11 for todays street view of the building
Thanks, @Astoness. I'd already looked at this on Google prior to posting. Unfortunately, it doesn't help me to confirm this was the building that was numbered 127 in 1948 (before some buildings were renumbered on the street)...and it doesn't help me to know which agency/organisation/church/religious society ran the home at 127 Church Lane in 1948. That's really the information I'm seeking...who ran the home at 127 Church Lane in 1948. As I said, it's listed as the place of birth on a woman's birth certificate and I'm trying to find who would hold these records.
 
Allegedly (according to Great Barr Comp's Facebook page) Steve Winwood was born at 127 Church Lane Handsworth in 1948 but his home was at Kingstanding. So was it a maternity home at that time ?
 
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I don't think the numbering changes. In 1940 directory (post #16) 141 is a vets
On the 1966 map it is still a vets. It looks as if numbering on the other side of the road did possibly change.
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And of course, 'nursing homes' included maternity homes at that time - not just those homes caring for the sick or elderly.
 
I doubt the creation of the NHS in 1948 had responsibility for this home, so I
expect it was a privately run nursing home. Still searching for any references to it.
 
An extract from the Evening Mail Housewives Circle, 22 December 1971. Sounds lovely :

"Christmas that brings back the happiest memories to me was when my eldest daughter was bom at a lovely old house in Handsworth called Mandalay Nursing Home She was born two days before Christmas 24 years ago and I shall always remember the lovely Christmas Day we had There was Christmas dinner with all the trimmings including wine and crackers In the afternoon we hid visitors who were given tea with Christmas cake and trifle Everywhere was decorated with holly and a lovely log firewas burning in the large fireplace Beryl J Dawson"
 
All very interesting about the house on Church Road!
We lived in Wood Lane off Handsworth Wood Road so very near. As Viv mentioned, I read somewhere that Steve Winwood was born at that address so I had a look on Google, I assumed the family must have lived in the house, or part of it, in 1948.
I never knew it had once been a Nursing Home!
 
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