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I saw Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon at The Grove - would have been about 1973. 'Like a finger pointing at the moon -- Do not look at the finger!' Outside Uplands School a local man gave an exhibition of breaking bricks in half and punching through planks.

The Social History Society has a post on British war graves located in the UK. https://socialhistory.org.uk/shs_exchange/war-graves-in-the-united-kingdom/ The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has details of graves at Brandwood End...

Hello Biniam, If you are looking for stories about the Methodist church situated at the corner of Sandon Rd and Poplar Ave as pictured by Astoness in her post then the best source is likely to be paper copies of the Smethwick Telephone. These are not digitised yet, but Sandwell Library, High...

Yes, there was a Methodist church at the corner of what is now Barnsley Rd and Sandon Road this is now the Eritrean church, but it isn't the church on the corner of Sandon Road and Poplar Avenue which is set for demolition and redevelopment. The latter was built in 1953 and was First Church of...

A very happy birthday Mike!

Because Sandon Rd Methodist church is so close to Bearwood, you could look at Smethwick Heritage Centre https://www.smethwick.org.uk and https://smethwicklocalhistory.co.uk

Birmingham Archives catalogue shows they had a new organ in 1937. I'm no expert but I think this might be about the date of the building? [I was wrong, it is a modernist building but built in 1953] https://calmview.birmingham.gov.uk/CalmView/Overview.aspx BCC has decided on demolition and...

Thanks, I've never been there either. Some of these little museums are well worth seeking out.

Lyn, It's on the corner of Sandon Rd and Poplar Avenue. I think it is on the Birmingham side of the border with Bearwood, Smethwick. But that's got to be the building. Derek

The Smethwick Local History site continues: 'Smethwick’s identity became blurred by local authority re-organisations. In 1966 it was removed from its historical county of Staffordshire to join Oldbury and Rowley Regis in the new borough of Warley in Worcestershire, and at the same time it lost...

Warren, I am so sorry to read your news and send my condolences to you and your family. Derek

As Wellesbourne was a training establishment then there would be time for leave perhaps for a weekend. They could stay at the YMCA hostel. https://wellesbourneairfield.com/history.htm

As your Dad's base for a time was Wellesbourne, this is a short drive from Birmingham. 'Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield is located ... 3.9 miles east of Stratford-upon-Avon. The airfield was formerly the Royal Air Force station RAF Wellesbourne Mountford... best known for its role in the Second...

Just to clarify Gus Pimms No. 1 Cup isn't a place, but a summer drink still popular in England. The bottle of Pimm's is a gin-based fruit cup and generally mixed with lemonade, slices of cucumber, orange and a sprig of mint.

Happy Birthday!

The supposed 'plague pit' at Thimblemill Baths / Smethwick Baths seems to be an urban myth of internet origin. There are only recent references.

There's still a bar, Mike. With beer under £5 a pint. But the money comes from food and cocktails. They have a website. At busy times in the evening it will be rammed. I've not been in myself, but Brindley Place and Gas Street are very lively in the evenings. There's Sunday lunch and live music...

But my photo of June 2023 is out of date - the pub is now The Botanist - its parent brand. Things move quickly in this part of Birmingham!

After being closed for years, The James Brindley has been refurbished as The Canal House.