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Hi, I've been asked to look for early 20th Century advertisements particularly connected to Birmingham. This is to do with the Cross-City Line, also known as The Spaghetti Line. The theme is around 1908. If anyone has any pictures of posters etc. I'd be very grateful. Many thanks, Penny

At the 2021 Christmas Fair Graham dressed as Uncle Holly (not a good photo unfortunately) and whoever wrote the notice they called him Mr Holly. He had rigged a bike up to a Christmas tree and if it was pedalled hard enough it lit up the tree.

They tried this for a time at Erdington Library, sweeping away the lovely old entrance desk, bringing in the neighbourhood office and then deciding that it wasn't a success and reverting back to library only. Sutton Library is falling apart and access to records is minimal. The staff are as...

Glad you found it useful JoPro. It looks as though Joseph was a marine if I've read it right. I have Wilkes in my family tree about six generations back but as I said before lost all my research with the crash. I do have papers but they will take some time to look through but if I find anything...

Morning JoPro, Firstly, I'm not familiar with the Merchant Navy but I had a look on the internet and I don't think the term applied until much later. This needs looking into but unfortunately my laptop crashed and I lost years of research (my own fault - I now back up regularly). I'm sure that...

Hi Sue, yes, Birmingham is a long way from the sea but regular recruiting parties used to set up stall in this city and I'm sure in many others.. They probably would have run out of local men! I have two ancestors, Birmingham born, who were in the navy and two in the marines.

Happy New Year Everyone. Hope it's a good one!

Happy Christmas everyone.

Mark, I have a postcard in my aunts collection sent on the morning of a visit to say that they wouldn't be able to meet this lunch time.

My Mom always used her mother's Christmas pudding recipe and that included grated carrots. I think they were ahead of their time as these days we all like carrot cake! Nannie Woolley was born in 1871 and the recipe could have been her mother's. I remember suet coming in a big uneven lump which...

That looks really interesting Peter, definitely something to look at later.

Every year I buy my daughter in law a tin of biscuits from M & S - last year it was a musical one with lights that played on the ceiling showing Santa's sleigh and reindeer gliding across. I think this year it's back to a house that can be used with a tealight. Definitely agree Viv, I love a...

We're down to just us two this year (our choice) although we will be seeing the family over the holiday. I usually make a Brazil nut and chestnut roulade for the main course with all the usual (veggie) trimmings. This year I have broken with tradition and will be buying everything. I visited M&S...

Very sad news and my sympathy is with the family at this sad time. She will be missed.

Sorry I missed your day Lyn. It sounds as if you had a really lovely day. Enjoy tomorrow. Love Penny

I looked at the 1911 census and I'm pretty sure that either they, or near neighbours, were living in a cottage part of Bush Cottages. From other research this was next to the Beggars Bush pub by the Chester Road entrance to Homebase.

Janice, The remains may have been removed to New Oscott but if I remember correctly they will be recorded under their original site. Maryvale Old Oscott was also an orphanage so there must have been some burials from there. (There are three multiple burials in St Michael's, Boldmere from local...

Well said Lyn! I do love a good rant. In the 1950's the council slapped a compulsory purchase order on Graham's parents house and bought it for a paltry sum leaving the family with a mortgage. There's still a space where the house was!

Janice, I found it quite difficult to search at St Chad's as they didn't give guidance or assistance the time I went. I may have been unlucky! Sahar, the St Mary's on Chester Road. New Oscott, was and is a seminary for trainee priests. However, the convent of St Mary's was at Old Oscott...

Hi Janice, I was trying to work out which church she may have attended. Before the present St Nicholas' church was built there was a chapel of the same name (Pugin) in Boldmere Road which did have a burial ground but may have still been open in the 1920's. Demolished in the '60's. My other...