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That's a lovely picture Eric. It's Sylvia to a tee, bless her. Peter

Ladywood, your last post answers a doubt I had about the previous discussion. General Bernard Montgomery was the son of the Vicar of the (Anglican) church of St Mark Kennington in South London, which at that time had the nickname of 'the tramwayman's church' because three important horse tram...

Zippy, I'm a bit surprised that you went for shelter in Hockley bus garage, because it was seriously damaged above ground on the night of 22-23 November. 19 buses were totally burned out, 4 were partly burned out, and 88 more were damaged. On the other hand, there would have been cellars under...

I remember that view so well, even 70 years later. I lived in Hill Crest Grove, as it was then called, where from my bedroom I could see a marvellous panorama from Gravelly Hill in the the west to Sedgley Beacon in the east. When we went 'up the road' (up Warren Road) to the shops in Hawthorn...

Being a map addict, on seeing the last posts on this thread, I immediately ordered a copy of Paul Leslie Line's book "Birmingham - A History in Maps", which arrived today. It is a wonderful book, which all of us should have on our Chistmas present wish list, and possibly give it to someone else...

Joe Hillman was an important personality in the late 1880s. His business was mainly in licquour, on and off the premises. There is a book I can't find at present which contains more information, but I attach a caracature of him, published at the same time as Joe Chamberlain got similar satirical...

Back to dear old Livery Street, I think the expression came because it was not only very l o n g and but also absolutely s t r a i g h t. Plus the fact that you had the length of Snow Hill station and its approaches on one side. It's not been the same since the trams went in 1939...

Bammot, Many thanks for your update. It's nice that the map on the release shows the Anchor pub, but it doesn't make it clear whether you will be able to walk out of the coach station into Rea Street, or vice versa. There are still a few nice old Midland Red pics on the wall in the Anchor, and...

Lyn, Thanks for the picture. It was of Kent Street Baths. I can't imagine how the name of Weaman Street got involved - there's never been any public baths there. The properties were too valuable (mostly gun trade). Peter

Lyn, I don't think you will find a real chippy within walking distance of 37 Bennetts Hill, where the prize-winning Wellington does it's brilliant business. It's really city-centre anyway, rather than inner-city. Going out a bit further, westwards, the Prince of Wales in Cambridge Street is a...

Yes, it was a not a very clever idea, but too typical of the 60s and 70s. Every mode of transport was out of date except for the motor car and the aeroplane. They could do no wrong, but something was desperately needed to replace trains, trams and buses. We had monorails, some hanging from one...

I'm quite fond of sausages, but I don't really go for sausage rolls. The pastry absorbs so much grease, and doesn't seem to be a natural partner to me. I appreciate Cornish pasty-style dishes, but they can also get a bit soggy. I would go more for a spicy mix of minced meat and finely-chopped...

I would guess that pic of Bywater's in the Village was taken in 1951. The Lozells trams finished in October 1950, and you van see the tracks had been lightly tarred over. By June 23 1951, I was deeply in love with a girl who lived round the corner from there, in Welford Road. That Saturday I...

Thanks Lloyd for the U-tube piece on Croydon Tramlink. For over 40 years I have lived a few minutes walk from East Croydon station, where that film starts, and was I quite active in promoting for the tramway project, later living through the construction and reconstruction of the system. (The...

My experience has been almost the opposite of Jean's. Twenty years ago, it was quite a job to find a good sausage (or loaf or glass of real beer for that matter), but today I know several butchers who do excellent bangers, and I'm quite well served for beer. As for bread, I either make it myself...

Mike, that's another lovely picture. It appearsto be post-1930, because in the distance you can see the back of the English Electric or Vulcan-bodied Regents that were delivered in 1930 (EE 369-408; Vulcan 409-443). What I am wondering about is the location of the later tram loading shelters...

On the picture of the tram terminus in Colmore Row by the churchyard, I can confirm that the trams were cut back on Sunday, 4 June 1933, so that routes 23 and 24 to Lozells had to reverse at the top of Snow Hill. The famous one-way traffic system round the city centre was introduced next day. It...

The 'Shoestring' link is very fully and carefully presented, and deserves a lot of attention. I will certainly be looking at it again. It's a mine of information. Peter

Going back to the Odeon Perry Barr, I heard something new to me wo weeks ago. The building contract cost so much that Oscar Deutsch hadn't the money to pay the architect for the Odeon Perry Barr, so they settled that he would be given shares in the company, which came in quite handy in the...

I'm very sorry I shan't be able to make it myself, but I notice Tacitus has helpfully suggested someone proposes a watering hole to adjourn to afterwards. I would suggest either the Anchor, corner of Bradford Street and Rea Street, or the Old Crown a little further along Digbeth as far as...