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Rowan: Where you still at the exchange in Newhall Street when it had a gas explosion in the basement.  Guess it was about 1960. I recall the telephonists still manned the exchange, after the explosion, even though the rest of the building was evacuated due to the possiblity of a second one...

Pigs feet. As a kid we regularly had pigs feet, with a chunk of bread, on a Saturday night. Always remember how my fingers used to stick together whilst eating them.  Better than Evostick Rod - Are hearts are filled with sage stuffing and cooked very slowly - beatiful. Will.

Yuck. Any self respecting banana sandwich eater knows the only way to make them is to spread one's bread copiously with creamy butter. Slice the whole of a banana (skin excluded before a wit jumps in) then the piece de resistance - a teaspoon of sugar sprinkled all over. Oh the pleasure as the...

Dennis, As you know I must be one of the 'babies' on here for when I 'phoned I was told that those who did service between 1954(I think) and definately 1959 can only apply come the 28th June inst. Have the date marked on the calendar and will advise then how I get on. Will.   

My wife wrote a note, as an aide memoire, for my young daughter to take to the green grocers She wrote "2lb old potatoes" It was reported back that she walked into the shop and asked for "21 bold pototoes". It is the way you grow them, I'm told - the kids I mean.

An Ensign 12/20 was my pride a joy.  Given to me by an uncle, as a young man, it stayed with me through my National Service and on into marriage and birth of my children but then.... On holiday in Greece it was nicked from us on the beach.  Holiday snaps of my other half and the children...

Am I dating myself by admitting that I have had the singe job. A spittoon place down Billesley in the early fifties. He would light a wax taper and the trick was to apply it the the side and back of the head immediately above a comb as it ran down the cut hair. Was told it would prevent one...

I can remember one full term making wooden shields. Not your flat style but curved ones that had a matching curve from top to bottom as from one side to another. Each one took a couple of lessons to make and there were three of us on the task. Reason: The Geography teacher decided that he wanted...

Now I had a fascination with that section of the Birmingham Canal at Monument Road for two reasons. Firstly, as has been said it was a good place for the baddies to break into the factories backing onto it and it being less frequented by the man in blue and easy escape route with the...

In the mid fifties along that section of the Birmingham Canal between the then Monument Road,(now Middleway) Ladywood and Dudley Road was a area that coal barges were moored sometimes up to three abreast. Now it was known that those vagrants who were turned away from the 'Spike' in Western Road...

Dave, This may be of use at a later date and as you progress. Whilst searching my line found the following in the 1891 census: 57, Colmore Row, Birmingham John Bullivant aged 60yrs Caretaker of Offices - born London Emily Bullivant aged 59yrs (wife) Caretaker of Offices born Hampshire...

Never followed speedway racing but I have a memory of going to what I believe to be Perry Barr Track in the mid fifties to watch stock car racing. Would that have been at the same track as the bike racing? Anyone with knowledge put my mind at rest. - Will

No such thing as real cycle proficiency test in my day. I had my bike, a BSA roadster, one Christmas morning and I recall there was a slight covering of snow on the road. My father took out his 'massive' sit up and beg Raleigh and we were off. He rode behind me and called out directions...

Needles military fashion I don't remember any jabs being doled out at school but it is possibly I was before the time when they became concerned over the health of their young. No my introduction to the fine, or in my case, blunt point, was during my square bashing days at the onset of my...

Ladder in the stockings Now here is a story over which I am not very proud. In fact I often recall it and cringe at it. Now if the young lady - well elder lady now, reads this then I do truly apologise. Many, many years ago I together with some colleagues were parked up in New Street by...

A tram's a tram for all that. My late uncle was a true tram fanatic. Incorporating his love of photography he travelled widely taking photographs not only in Brum but elsewhere about the country. He even had a 00 guage layout in his spare bedroom and built his own trams that he ran upon it...

Sacrosanct Sunday I suppose it is all down to what your weekly life is all about, that you find it necessary to out to stores on a Sunday. I have reached that time of life when the days mingle into each other and one loses track of them. Any shopping can be done on a weekday and Sundays are my...

Fluer de Lys pies One of the outlets for Fleur de Lys pies was a truck that was parked outside Snow Hill Station. I would catch the midnight milk train from Snow Hill back down to the smoke on a Sunday night in order to return to barracks. It would have been 1956 and I always bought one of...

Those were the days Oh Paradise Lost! My Grandfather would head only for the G.O. Like others he had his own chair that was occupying a particular place in the room. All his crony's accordingly had their own chairs also strategically placed so all could enjoy their games of 'Doms' -...

Town Hall Concert Diana, I can recall attending the Town Hall in the early fifties as part of a schools choir. I too rememberl going to various practices before hand. The only music I can recall is a piece from Pomp and Circumstance - the part that goes something like "All men nust be free...