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    Stockland Coaches

    On a slightly different note, I expect all you coach fans will remember Digbeth coach station, choked with diesel fumes and staff who always had to shout above the racket. It was always the starting point for our family holiday in the "main weeks" down to Paington. Usually the journey started...
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    Brummie sayings & language

    I may have submitted these before, but here goes: Our homemade carts were called "goees" My Dad, if he thought that you were telling fibs would say, "You must think that I came up on the down train" On Marlies and Glarnies, a shot at the hole was called a "ponk" and on winning a game you...
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    Kynoch's I M I 1950s Onwards

    I started my working life working in the Autoclave Lab, Corrosion Section, of IMI Research Dept. We tested Zirconium and Hafnium crystal bar under very high temperatures and pressure to measure minscule weight gain. This was part of a contract with Rolls Royce's nuclear dept. The lab was...
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    Brummie sayings & language

    "Bostin" has a number of meanings :- great big : smashing : just the job. I think it was originally a Black Country word. When my father thought I was telling a lie or winding him up, he used to say :- " You must think that I came up on the down train "
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    Jobs you did after school and Saturdays.

    My favourite Saturday job was working in the Evening Despatch offices. I was a "Gofer" for the sports sub editors. I started at 12 noon a worked until the "pink un" hit the streets at around 5pm. There were about 10 sub editors in the office and by 5pm we were knee deep in discarded paper. I...
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    Yew Tree Road school

    Good morning Jean, I actually remember that footie photograph being taken. All the boys were in the top classes except for Johnny Wooton and me (I am middle row first on left), because we were a year younger and in Mr. Liggins Class 3 and were very proud of playing footie for the school and not...
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    Yew Tree Road school

    Jean, the footie photo :- Back Row third from right is Colin Smith Middle Tow first left is yours truly and far right is Johnny Wooton Front row left I think is one of the Sutton boys
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    Items that have faded away

    Does the "Outspan" label on oranges still exist ? and how about the orange drink at the pictures -"Kiora" ? What about Rolls Razor and their washing machines ?
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    Sunday Afternoons

    I wonder how many tons of tinned fruit and cream of one sort or another were demolished in our fair City on Sunday afternoons back then ? When the sun came out we sometimes walked in the park, now we drag out the barbeque. I think the only similarity is a reduced bus service. Back then of...
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    Sunday Afternoons

    Some Sunday afternoons we would walk to see "Nana's garden" in Witton Cemetry. We always had to wear our best clothes and not talk loudly or run. It's odd how we recall the sunny days, but on those Sundays it always seemed to be overcast and bitterly cold. Later, the hot pikelets toasted over...
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    Sunday Afternoons

    In the 50's and 60's Sunday afternoons were deadly. After lunch we were not allowed out, but we were treated to an ice cream from The Williams's corner shop - I still find it amazing that the shop was even open on Sunday. Spent all afternoon putting off my homework and dreading "Sing something...
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    Items that have faded away

    Woolworths. What was the name of their own brand record label that used to cover all the latests hits using unknown singers and groups? It was in the days of the "78" and the records were about half the price of the originals.
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    Items that have faded away

    ESSO BLUE PARAFFIN. My Mother used to send me down to Mr. Tallis's ironmongers in Tame Road Witton for a gallon of Esso Blue in one of those boxy cans. He had a 50 gallon drum of the stuff behind the counter !! and filled the can while he was smoking his pipe !! Can you imagine it !! I...
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    Shenstone Road "open Air" School

    My sister was at Marsh Hill Open Air School after suffering 2 1/2 years in the Childrens Hospital with Celiac Disease. Thanks for the tip about the book Trebor. When were you at Marsh Hill ?
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    Anyone remember visiting Weymouth

    Mis-spent youth. I recall a pub in Weymouth called the Black Dog, on or near the sea front. The wall behind the bar was decorated with Sailors' cap ribbons.
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    Items that have faded away

    How about those small glass screw top bottles of cod liver oil and orange juice - teaspoon of each before school ! I think they were supplied free in the early 50's, but I can't remember where my mother went to collect them. On a totally different tack, remember the red hot poultices around...
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    Items that have faded away

    Can you still get Brylcreem ?
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    W.J: Whittall & Son Builders. Any info please

    THANKS TO EVERYONE. I'm really much obliged. Sistersue61. My father Frank Short and his younger brother John, together with their best friend Charlie Kyte all both apprenticed as carpenters. My Grandfather was William Short.
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    W.J: Whittall & Son Builders. Any info please

    My father served his apprentiship with the above between 1930 to 1935 and worked for them well into the early 1960's. Whittalls had a major contract with GEC Witton pre and post WW2 where my Grandfather,Father and 2 uncles were also employed in the construction of I think the turbo bays and...
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    Items that have faded away

    Your reference to fabric and oil cloth table protectors. They are in daily use where I live - especially in the Winter months. Most folk own a circular table over which is placed the cloth which reaches right down to the floor. Under the table is placed an electric heater ( in years gone by...
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